Mario, Sonic, and friends have come together once again to compete in Nintendo and SEGA’s Olympic-sized crossover event. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is the latest entry in the long-running party game series and the first one to grace the Nintendo Switch since its launch. I’ve been running, swimming, and jumping through this title for the past few days, and Mario & Sonic Tokyo 2020 is definitely trying to set new records.
Polishing the Gold
The alternative reality in which Nintendo and SEGA characters compete at the Olympic games is looking as good as ever. The Mario & Sonic Tokyo 2020 arenas, event spaces, and audiences look vibrant and colorful. From the swimming pools to the track fields, there’s plenty of detail to be found in the game’s realistic environments. The overall presentation feels lovingly polished. Character animations, menu layouts, and even button prompts feel well designed and carefully placed to provide a refined experience.
This extends to the characters as well. Characters like Dr. Eggman and Donkey Kong look well-realized and true to their iconic designs and mannerisms. SEGA made sure to include more than just the main stars of the iconic Mario & Sonic series as well, with characters like Vector and Blaze filling out the roster. The novelty of having characters like Mario and Sonic compete against each other isn’t as magical as it first was in 2007, but playing with them can still make for good times.
On Your Mark, Get Set
There are plenty of familiar and new Olympic-themed minigames to play (with buttons or motion controls). Many events like the 110m hurdles, javelin throw, and gymnastics play out as simple “timing” games with some variations here and there. Other events like boxing, karate, and fencing require a little more strategy and technique. New events like skateboarding and surfing introduce new gameplay opportunities to the already familiar collection of events. While the simple and easy-to-pick-up nature of these games makes them repetitive, the real fun comes from beating your friends and setting new records. It’s always exciting to win by less than a second in a tight race against friends.
In addition to the familiar 3D minigames, Mario & Sonic Tokyo 2020 feature 2D Olympic-event minigames as well. These retro-inspired minigames showcase the cast of characters in their iconic sprites from their respective NES or Sega Genesis days. These retro minigames aren’t significantly different from their 3D counterparts (except visually), but they’re a welcome addition to the series. For nostalgia reasons, it’s a neat new mode and something I hope they keep going in future entries.
Mario & Sonic Tokyo 2020 features a story mode. I won’t go into much detail about it here, but I must say that I am pleasantly surprised with it so far. It’s a fun story, and watching the characters interact with each other is always delightful. It’s my favorite part of the game so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing it through to the end.
Final Thoughts
I’ve spent a decent amount of time with Mario & Sonic Tokyo 2020, and I have to say I am delightfully pleased. Party games aren’t usually my thing – especially without friends – but I’ve been enjoying this entry a ton on my own. The level of polish and detail poured into this game is worthy of appreciation. There’s plenty more I haven’t discussed in this preview, so stay tuned for our full review of the game where everything will be discussed in detail. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is set to release on November 5, 2019.
Review Copy Provided by SEGA
