Mario & Sonic at the Olympic isn’t a hard game to explain, you basically take control of any of the character from the world of Sonic or Mario and complete in one of the available events in your quest for a gold medal. But does this game offer enough for you to part with your cash? Read on and see what we think.

Anyone who loved Track and Field will have a blast with this game, it offers the same addictive, just one more game hook that you got from that button bashing classic, and with 24 different events (with further unlockables) to keep you occupied, this is a game that should keep you coming back for more, especially if you enjoy your playing with more than one person.

The events included in the game cover every aspects of the Olympics and are divided into different categories including archery, athletics, dream events, fencing, gymnastics, rowing, shooting and my personal favorite, table tennis, within each of these you will also find specific events, for example, athletics includes two sections, track events (100m, 110mhurdles, etc) and field events (such as javelin throw, hammer throw, etc).

The controls for each event do vary slightly, some events will see you using the Wii remote only, while others will use both the remote and nunchuck. Table Tennis for example only uses the remote, whereas in events such as hurdles you will use both controllers. Interestingly winning isn’t just about the way you use the controls but how you use them, take the high jump sections, here you drum the controllers and when “speed locked” appears on the screen you stop your motion, once you reach the line you perform a jumping motion with the remote, but jump too high and your score will suffer, meaning that it’s more about finesse, rather than giving the controls your full force.

Another point worth mentioning about the controls is that they vary within specific events, take swimming for example, here you use different motions depending on which strokes you are doing, all of the events vary so some have you pushing the controllers away and towards you in rhythm, whereas others have you drumming them.

While you can play single events or complete specific missions, the game also offers circuit based gameplay, each circuit will offer you certain challenges and once you complete these you will then unlock a new circuit as well as new events, this gives you something to aim for and a reason to keep going back to the game. As well as the usual events you would find in the Olympics, you will also find dream events, this section is basically the same events but based in the world of Sonic and Mario, for example one such event has you running round a track from Mario Kart, these events are great fun, perhaps more so than the basic events.

Sega have had the sense to include an online aspect to Mario & Sonic at the Olympics, unfortunately however this is only for the leaderboards, other than that there is no way to compete against other people online, which feels like a missed trick really, but at least you have something to aim for given that you can set world records in each event should you be the competitive type.

The games strongest point is without question it’s variety, while some of the events feel quite similar, others are just excellent, shooting, archery and fencing are all great fun and very easy to play, however the best of the lot has to be table tennis, it’s simplicity is it’s winning formula, all you need to do is use the Wii remote to bat the ball, with the A and B buttons adding different returns.

Graphically Mario & Sonic at the Olympics is pleasing to the eye, Wii games are rarely spectacular, but there is usually certain cuteness to them and this has been captured here.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympics is a mini game compilation, that may be stating the obvious but, it’s something you must be aware of, because as any Wii owner knows, there are many games of this type available in the market, but the difference with this game is that the games offered, are for a large part very strong and with online leaderboards, medals and other achievements awarded for being the best, this just may be a game that has you going back for more.