Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games[lower-alpha 1] is a crossover sports/party video game for the Wii U.[5] It is the fourth game in the Mario & Sonic series, the first to be released on the Wii U and is the official video game for the 2014 Winter Olympics that were held in Sochi. It was released on November 8, 2013 in Europe,[2] November 9, 2013 in Australia,[3] November 15, 2013 in North America, and December 5, 2013 in Japan.[4]

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
Developer(s)Sega Sports R&D[1]
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)Hiroshi Miyamoto
Takamichi Nitta
Producer(s)Nobuya Ohashi
Eigo Kasahara
Takehiro Ishida
Toyokazu Nonaka
Designer(s)Naohiro Hirao
Programmer(s)Mitsuru Takahashi
Artist(s)Hiroshi Kanazawa
Composer(s)
SeriesMario & Sonic
EngineHedgehog Engine
Platform(s)Wii U
Release
Genre(s)Sports, party
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

It the first title in the series to feature an online multiplayer mode, and the first to be published by Nintendo globally, as previous titles were published by Sega outside Japan and unlike previous instalments, the game was released solely on home console, and does not have a portable version. The game formed the second part in Sega's exclusivity agreement with Nintendo after Sonic Lost World back on mid-October 2013 and followed by Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal on November/December 2014.

The game received mixed reviews from critics who praised the visuals, multiplayer, and addition of online play, but criticised its controls and lack of innovation from previous games in the series. A fifth game in the series, Mario and Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, was released for Wii U and 3DS in 2016.

Gameplay
See also: Gameplay in the Mario & Sonic series

The players can only choose one of twenty characters that return from the previous two games and participate in a series of sixteen Olympic events. Events are controlled either using the Wii Remote Plus, Wii MotionPlus Nunchuk controllers, or the Wii U GamePad, with some events, such as the biathlon, utilizing both control methods, for the Wii U version. Along with returning events, such as skiing, bobsledding and curling,[6] new events include figure skating pairs and snowboarding slope style. Like in the previous games, players can also participate in one of eight fictional Dream Events, including a new mixed event in which cases can be simultaneously played with snowboarding, skiing and bobsledding players. These events are played in places from the Mario and Sonic franchises.[7] A new addition to this game is the Action & Answer Tour, where players answer questions to score points while competing in various events hosted by Orbot and Cubot from Sonic Colors and Sonic Lost World.

Reception

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games received generally mixed reviews, with most critics praising the visuals, multiplayer and the online mode, but panning the game's similarity to previous Mario & Sonic series games and motion controls. It has an aggregate score of 55/100 at Metacritic.[8]

Gaz Plant of Nintendo Life gave the game 6 out of 10, summarising that it "...feels like a minor progression, and not the huge leap you might be expecting. Taking a lot of its cues from the 2010 game, and ignoring the rapid-fire party experience of 2012, this latest edition hits some of the right buttons, but they're the same unremarkable buttons that were hit four years ago. The inclusion of online is certainly welcome, but too limited, while the inventive TV idea used on the GamePad is never taken far enough. But that said, with a group of friends, there's still a lot of fun to be had here; it's just hard to shake that feeling that you've done it all before."[9]

Digital Spy's Liam Martin scored the game 3 out of 5, praising the game's visuals, multiplayer aspects and family-friendly fun but commented on the game's lack of "spark" and progression in the Mario & Sonic series, stating that "When the action is go and games are in full swing, the game is a flashy and fun mini-game compilation for all of the family. Despite some enjoyable multiplayer encounters, the game is lacking the sublime to go with the star power".[10]

IGN's Scott Thompson, gave the game 4.5 out of 10; praising the games online multiplayer but panned the games unresponsive motion controls; summarising that "[The game] has some good ideas but it's weighed down by bad motion controls".[11]

Notes
  1. Japanese: マリオ& (アンド)ソニック AT (アット) ソチオリンピック Hepburn: Mario ando Sonikku atto Sochi Orinpikku, lit. 'Mario & Sonic at the Sochi Olympics', stylized as Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games: Sochi 2014

References
  1. "Mario and Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Overview". Polygon. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  2. "Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games reconfirmed for Nov. 8th release". GoNintendo. September 20, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  3. "NINTENDO ANNOUNCES LAUNCH DATES FOR ANTICIPATED Wii U & NINTENDO 3DS TITLES FOR 2013". Nintendo Australia. October 2, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  4. "Nintendo Direct 2013.10.1 | Nintendo" (in Japanese). Nintendo Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  5. "FLIPNOTE STUDIO 3D RELEASE DATE + Other Nintendo 3DS News". YouTube. June 3, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  6. Martin, Liam. "'Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games' announced". Digital Spy.
  7. "Mario & Sonic at the Sochi Winter Games & 3rd Sonic Nintendo Exclusive Revealed". Anime News Network.
  8. "Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games for Wii U Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  9. "Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (Wii U) Review". Nintendo Life. November 3, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  10. "'Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games' review (Wii U) – Gaming Review". Digital Spy. November 4, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  11. http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/11/09/mario-sonic-at-the-sochi-2014-olympic-winter-games-review
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