Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Reviews
Going way back to the days of playing games with friends on my Commodore 64 I've always enjoyed Olympic-style multi-event games...
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is the perfect game to get you excited for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games. It’s fun challenges and iconic cast of characters make it approachable for the whole family and it’s certainly fun when played in groups. Although it does have some story pacing issues and design choices I wasn’t a fan of, it’s a solid sports game that looks and runs great on the Nintendo Switch.
With a fun story mode and a ton of minigames there is a lot to love about Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokio 2020. The game is full of fun facts about the event and history that keep you learning as you play. The map could be better and there maybe is too much reading involved, but that doesn't take away from the game in any big way.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Ultimately, Mario & Sonic's latest outing is a largely forgettable game with some impressive polish, a few enjoyable minigames, and a wide array of popular characters from multiple franchises. It's best played with friends, if at all, and is perfectly serviceable if not notable.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has its fair share of flaws with a slow story mode. It might not measure up to a game that is internally developed by Nintendo. Despite this, the quality of minigames has never been better in the series and the different control methods make it much easier to enjoy them without any artificial hurdles in the way.
Overall, I had a lot of fun playing Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020. It was the perfect title to take a break from more serious games. That aside, I would not recommend buying this at full price (full price being $59.99). The Story mode was much nicer than expected, yet lacked sufficient replay value. The multiplayer, on the other hand, does have a decent amount of replay value. There are different difficulty options when you play minigames outside of the story and you can go back to beat your records and whatnot. Plus, you can choose from a variety of characters to play as. Each one is even a little bit different in some of the events, like, their swim style or whether or not they take turns sharply on a horse. But it simply wasn’t enough to be any more than a game best played in short bursts. If this sounds like it’s for you, by all means pick it up when you can. For me personally though, it’s something I would grab during a good sale.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is a great game for a party, and the 2D mode adds a fair amount of replay value. While the story has its ups and downs, this is easily one of the best entries of the series.
If you’re looking for a fun couch multiplayer experience, Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020 could be recommended, but not at a full $60. The nostalgia and enjoyment are definitely there, especially with the laughs you’ll have with boxing and fencing among others, but clunky controls and the abundance of bad camera angles will leave both casual and core gamers frustrated.
In the end, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is a fun mini-game collection to bring out when you have some friends over, but beyond that, it falls flat.
If you’ve played any of the previous Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games releases, there isn’t a ton of new content to be had with the Tokyo 2020 version. If you’re looking for something to pass the time and have a couple of good gaming sessions with friends, you’ll find that here. If you’re looking for something with some staying power that will last you until the official Olympic Games happen next Summer, you’re going to be disappointed. I’d be surprised if this lasts anyone until the end of the year, let alone a full 8 months from now.
A really great couch gaming experience. Gather your friends and enjoy!
Review in Greek | Read full review
This new installment to the Mario & Sonic series doesn't bring much new to the table except the story retro setting but keeps the relative quality of the previous ones. There are a few new activities here and there, but overall it feels just like the Rio Mario & Sonic.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020 isn’t a groundbreaking revolution one may have hoped for or one may have expected for the Switch edition but there’s more than enough here that it does well rather than retreading the same formula. The series has moved into a new direction with the addition of a delightful Story Mode and the ‘Tokyo 1964’ mode is an inspired addition, which will warm the heart of any stone cold adult just looking to relive his youth once again.
If you’re after mini-games, you’re better off playing Super Mario Party, but Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is a close second.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020 is a pretty great collection of games and characters, all themed around two of the most popular mascots in video game history. I have always appreciated that two long-term rivals can come together for Olympics themed games, and that mishmash works well here yet again. It is a fun distraction and a great reason to have some friends over to share in the fun, though the single player experience kind of dries up once the story mode has
Mario and Sonic’s collaborative Switch outing may not be a huge upgrade from previous entries, but there’s enough variety and content, all wrapped around a ten-hour story mode and adorned with multiplayer functionality.
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games 2020 Tokyo is a game that has a fantastic presentation with amazing and colorful visuals. Sadly, all of that is a façade to the barebones and lacking minigames. Sure, some are hits, but a lot aren’t.
Still, if you can get past the bumpy story mode, you’ll get one of the most enjoyable minigame compilations that I’ve played to date on the Switch, and those who like picking these games up to play with friends or family, or for those who want to take on the online leaderboards or play with friends online, you’ll be very satisfied with this game’s quality. For those hoping for the story mode to be super engrossing and worth the price by itself however, you should hold off on this one.
I won’t pretend that Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Mario and Sonic is anywhere near as polished as other popular party games on Switch, but it is still fun to play.