Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games

Welcome to todays post! Today I took a look at the Wii exclusive game "Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games."

                Following Nintendos tradition of mini-game themed franchises, London 2012 Olympic Games joins the Mario and Sonic crews together in another round of summer Olympic Games.  Much like the first version of this game released in 2008, the game has players pick their favorite character and compete in a variety of events, from 100m dash to rowing.  This includes team events as well, such as rowing and the 4x100 dash. 

                Each game requires a different set of motions and skills in order to be completed successfully, and the best part is that nearly all of them require the player to be up and on his or her feet.  Each of the motions somewhat portray the event that requires them, such as pumping your arms up and down for the sprinting events and spinning your arms around above your head as quickly as you can for the hammer throw. Played in shorts bursts of quick activity, this game is one that will get the kids up and off the couch without having them bounce off the walls. Getting kids competing against the computer is also a lot of fun, cheering each other on to try to win mini tournaments.  There are also a few games, namely archery and rifle shooting, that are excellent at working on a child’s hand eye coordination.  Using the Wii remote to aim past obstacles toward a standing target or to burst clay pigeons shooting across the screen requires both patience and quick reflexes.

                On top of all this, the game takes full advantage of the fact that it is the official video game of the London Olympics.  In cut scenes characters make their way through the city and country, at one point Bowser Jr and Yoshi meet up at Stonehenge.  The game is an excellent way to introduce kids to the varied Olympic sports that they may have never known existed, due to the 4 year gaps between games.  All of the London references may make them curious about a new country and want to learn more about the place where the games are being held. Overall this is an excellent game for youngsters and family members who want to join in the fun with them.  The game takes characters they already know and love and puts them into fun games that will get the players up and off their feet, moving to play instead of sitting on the couch.