Mario and Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

MARIO AND SONIC AT THE RIO 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES

Today, let's cover the fifth game in the Mario and Sonic series, this time lining up with the 2016 games hosted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All ten characters from both sides from the previous games all return, as is the norm. While they are the only ones playable across the board, the game also introduces the feature of the rivals for various sports actually being playable on your end for those events specifically. On the Mario side, we have Toad for a four-man relay, Rosalina for rhythmic gymnastics, Diddy Kong for rugby, the Koopalings Wendy and Larry for swimming and equestrian respectively, Nabbit for 100m, and Dry Bowser for the javelin throw. On Sonic's side, we have Rouge for volleyball, Jet and his teammate Wave for football and BMX respectively, Espio for the triple jump, Sticks from Sonic Boom for archery, and the Zeti Zavok and Zazz for boxing and table tennis. Birdos, Boom Booms, and Egg Pawns help out as teammates in rugby, and characters like Lakitu, Charmy, and Cream still act as referees.

Rio's Olympics were summer games, so our events this time include: 100m, 100m swimming, four-man relay, archery, volleyball, boxing, BMX, equestrian, football, javelin throw, rhythmic gymnastics, rugby, table tennis, and the triple jump. Notably less events than previous games. As is to be expected, this game features prominent landmarks around Rio just like Sochi, London, Vancouver, and Beijing before it. Most notably, Copacabana Beach is prominently featured as a hub world here.

That's pretty much it for now! Here's what we've got:

Characters:

Mario

Luigi

Amy Rose

Blaze the Cat

Bowser Jr.

Sonic

Shadow

Princess Daisy

Yoshi

Metal Sonic

Princess Peach

Waluigi

Tails

Dr. Eggman

Silver

Knuckles

Vector

Wario

Bowser

Donkey Kong

Banzai Bill: bobsleigh

King Boo: ski, sprint, speed skating

Dry Bowser: hockey, long jump, Champion Race, javelin

Dry Bones: curling, table tennis

Rouge: figure skating, hurdles, Champion Race, volleyball

E-123 Omega: speed skating, 100m, bobsleigh

Jet: snowboarding, discus, football

Eggman Nega: ski, fencing, Champion Race

Birdo: badminton, hockey

Kamek: sledge race

Toad: relay race

Rosalina: rhythmic gymnastics

Diddy Kong: rugby

Wendy: swimming

Larry: equestrian

Nabbit: 100m

Espio: triple jump

Sticks: archery

Wave: BMX

Zavok: boxing

Zazz: table tennis

Lakitu

Cream

Charmy

Stages:

100m freestyle

4x100m freestyle

100m

400m run

4x100m relay

110m hurdles

400m hurdles

long jump

triple jump

high jump

pole vault

hammer throw

javelin throw

fencing

trampoline

hurdles

rowing

skeet shooting

table tennis

Dream Race

Dream Platform

Dream Fencing

Dream Table Tennis

downhill skiing

giant slalom

ski jumping

team ski jumping

moguls

ski cross

halfpipe

snowboard cross

500m speed skating

100m short track

short track relay

figure skating

skeleton

bobsleigh

ice hockey

curling

Dream Alpine

Dream Ski Jumping

Dream Ski Cross

Dream Snowboard Cross

Dream Short Track

Dream Figure Skating

Dream Bobsleigh

Dream Ice Hockey

Dream Curling

Dream Snowball Fight

Dream Gliding

long jump

hammer throw

discus throw

uneven bars

rhythmic ribbon

synchronized swimming

canoeing

equestrian

badminton

volleyball

football

Dream long jump

Dream rafting

Dream discus

Dream uneven bars

Dream hurdles

Dream equestrian

Dream sprint

Dream trampoline

Dream space walk

biathlon

figure skating doubles

skeleton

Champion Race

Roller Coaster Bobsleigh

Groove Pipe Snowboarding

Street Hockey

Hole-in-One Curling

Bullet Bill Sledge Race

boxing

BMX

football

rugby

Thanks for reading! Next up, let's cover the 2016 games set in Rio!

Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games

 MARIO AND SONIC AT THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES

Today, let's go over the third game in the Mario and Sonic Olympics series, this one made to line up with the 2012 Olympic games hosted in London. All ten characters return on both sides, as the series doesn't really seem to have felt any need to update this since that first game. All of our referees return in the same roles as well. Birdo acts as a rival in Badminton, Dry Bones for Table Tennis, Dry Bowser for the Long Jump, King Boo for a Sprint, Eggman Nega in Fencing, E-123 Omega in Track Runs, Jet the Hawk in Discus, and Rouge the Bat in Hurdles.

We are back to Summer Olympics, so our events include: 100m, 110m hurdles, a four-man relay, long jump, hammer throw, discus throw, javelin throw, uneven bars, trampoline, rhythmic ribbon, 100m freestyle swimming, synchronized swimming, canoeing, equestrian, badminton, volleyball, table tennis, football, shooting, fencing, track cycling, and dream events for long jump (based on Yoshi games), rafting (down a Cheep Cheep-filled river), discus (set in Sonic's Windy Valley), uneven bars (set in Sonic's Grand Metropolis), hurdles (based on Super Mario Galaxy), equestrian (while guarding Yoshi eggs), sprint (based on Sonic casino levels), trampoline (set on the ARK Space Station), space walk (based on Good Egg Galaxy), and fencing (set on Seaside Hill).

That's about it! Here's what we've got so far:

Characters:

Mario

Luigi

Amy Rose

Blaze the Cat

Bowser Jr.

Sonic

Shadow

Princess Daisy

Yoshi

Metal Sonic

Princess Peach

Waluigi

Tails

Dr. Eggman

Silver

Knuckles

Vector

Wario

Bowser

Donkey Kong

Banzai Bill: bobsleigh

King Boo: ski, sprint

Dry Bowser: hockey, long jump

Dry Bones: curling, table tennis

Rouge: figure skating, hurdles

E-123 Omega: speed skating, 100m

Jet: snowboarding, discus

Eggman Nega: ski, fencing

Birdo: badminton

Toad

Lakitu

Cream

Espio

Charmy

Stages:

100m freestyle

4x100m freestyle

100m

400m run

4x100m relay

110m hurdles

400m hurdles

long jump

triple jump

high jump

pole vault

hammer throw

javelin throw

fencing

trampoline

hurdles

rowing

skeet shooting

table tennis

Dream Race

Dream Platform

Dream Fencing

Dream Table Tennis

downhill skiing

giant slalom

ski jumping

team ski jumping

moguls

ski cross

halfpipe

snowboard cross

500m speed skating

100m short track

short track relay

figure skating

skeleton

bobsleigh

ice hockey

curling

Dream Alpine

Dream Ski Jumping

Dream Ski Cross

Dream Snowboard Cross

Dream Short Track

Dream Figure Skating

Dream Bobsleigh

Dream Ice Hockey

Dream Curling

Dream Snowball Fight

Dream Gliding

long jump

hammer throw

discus throw

uneven bars

rhythmic ribbon

synchronized swimming

canoeing

equestrian

badminton

volleyball

football

Dream long jump

Dream rafting

Dream discus

Dream uneven bars

Dream hurdles

Dream equestrian

Dream sprint

Dream trampoline

Dream space walk

Thanks for reading! Next up, let's cover the Sochi 2014 Olympics

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

MARIO AND SONIC AT THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES

Today, let's cover the second of the Mario and Sonic crossover games, this one made to line up with the Vancouver Olympics in 2010. All eight characters from each game series return, alongside two more for each: Donkey Kong and Bowser Jr. join the Mario side, and Silver and Metal Sonic join the Sonic side. This configuration will remain entirely unchanged for the rest of our games (sadly). The game introduces rivals, characters who appear as challengers during certain events but aren't playable themselves. These include a Banzai Bill during bobsleigh events, King Boo on skiing events, Dry Bowser and a team of Dry Bones for hockey, E-123 Omega for speed skating, Jet the Hawk for snowboarding, Rouge the Bat for skating, and Eggman Nega for skiing. Toad, Lakitu, Cream, Espio, and Charmy all return as referees, and various extras appear in the crowds.

As the Vancouver Olympics were Winter Olympics, the game features winter sports rather than summer sports. The games this time include: downhill skiing, giant slalom, ski jumping, team ski jumping, moguls, ski cross, halfpipe, snowboard cross, 500m speed skating, 100m short track, short track relay, figure skating, skeleton, bobsleigh, ice hockey, and curling. The game also features a number of dream events, mixing more fantastical elements into the real world sports. This includes: Dream Alpine, set on Sonic's Seaside Hill; Dream Ski Jumping, set in a Mario Galaxy setting; Dream Ski Cross, set on a Mario Kart track; Dream Snowboard Cross, set on Sonic's Radical Highway; Dream Short Track, set in one of Eggman's factories; Dream Figure Skating, the routines based on the original Mario and Sonic games; Dream Bobsleigh, set in one of those long tube things filled with bubbles from the Sonic games (you know the ones); Dream Ice Hockey, set in Bowser's Castle; Dream Curling, set in Mario's Sherbet Land; a Dream Snowball Fight; and Dream Gliding, set in a Sonic sky level.

That's about it! Here's what we've got so far:

Characters:

Mario

Luigi

Amy Rose

Blaze the Cat

Bowser Jr.

Sonic

Shadow

Princess Daisy

Yoshi

Metal Sonic

Princess Peach

Waluigi

Tails

Dr. Eggman

Silver

Knuckles

Vector

Wario

Bowser

Donkey Kong

Banzai Bill: bobsleigh

King Boo: ski

Dry Bowser: hockey

Dry Bones: curling

Rouge: figure skating

E-123 Omega: speed skating

Jet: snowboarding

Eggman Nega: ski

Toad

Lakitu

Cream

Espio

Charmy

Stages:

100m freestyle

4x100m freestyle

100m

400m run

4x100m relay

110m hurdles

400m hurdles

long jump

triple jump

high jump

pole vault

hammer throw

javelin throw

fencing

trampoline

hurdles

rowing

skeet shooting

table tennis

Dream Race

Dream Platform

Dream Fencing

Dream Table Tennis

downhill skiing

giant slalom

ski jumping

team ski jumping

moguls

ski cross

halfpipe

snowboard cross

500m speed skating

100m short track

short track relay

figure skating

skeleton

bobsleigh

ice hockey

curling

Dream Alpine

Dream Ski Jumping

Dream Ski Cross

Dream Snowboard Cross

Dream Short Track

Dream Figure Skating

Dream Bobsleigh

Dream Ice Hockey

Dream Curling

Dream Snowball Fight

Dream Gliding

Thanks for reading! Next up, let's cover the London 2012 Olympics.

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games

MARIO AND SONIC AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Today, let's begin the Mario and Sonic Olympics games, a crossover series promoting the Mario series, the Sonic series, and the Olympics. With a couple of exceptions, these games have come out contemporary with the current games and are set in the respective cities the games took place that year, this first game held in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics. Please note, I will only be covering the console version of the game this time, and will cover the handhelds at a later date.

The game features eight playable characters from each of the two main franchises represented here. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Yoshi, Wario, Waluigi, and Bowser represent the Mario side, while Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy Rose, Shadow, Blaze the Cat, Vector the Crocodile, and Dr. Eggman represent the Sonic side. Other characters, like Toad, Cream the Rabbit, Lakitu, and Espio and Charmy from Team Chaotix act as referees, and other enemies (Koopas, Boos, Egg Pawns, and the like) tend to fill up teams when needed and appear in the audience and background often. It should also be noted that, much like our other guest characters so far, the Sonic characters will not be talked about here, as they will be covered when I get to their own series.

As mentioned before in other series, no gameplay here is inherently connected to any specific character, so there won't be too much updated. Rather, the gameplay is all the various sports played at the Olympics, with the characters simply standing in for real-world athletes. For thoroughness's sake, though, let's go over the sports played. We have 100m freestyle swimming, 100m freestyle swimming with a team of four, archery, 100m run, 400m run, 100m relay with a team of four, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault, hammer throw, javelin throw, fencing, gymnastics with a trampoline, gymnastics with hurdles, rowing, skeet shooting, and table tennis. The game also includes four "dream events" which include the more fantastical elements of the Mario and Sonic series, sports that could not normally be pulled off easily or safely in the real world. These include a Dream Race through a Mario desert world, Dream Platform which includes you skydiving through a fleet of Egg Planes, Dream Fencing which gives your characters special moves to use, and Dream Table Tennis set in a sci-fi world with special moves of its own.

I suppose that's really about it to go over. The only items are generally equipment used in the respective sports.

Here's what we've got so far:

Characters:

Mario

Luigi

Amy Rose

Blaze the Cat

Sonic

Shadow

Princess Daisy

Yoshi

Princess Peach

Waluigi

Tails

Dr. Eggman

Knuckles

Vector

Wario

Bowser

Stages:

100m freestyle

4x100m freestyle

100m

400m run

4x100m relay

110m hurdles

400m hurdles

long jump

triple jump

high jump

pole vault

hammer throw

javelin throw

fencing

trampoline

hurdles

rowing

skeet shooting

table tennis

Dream Race

Dream Platform

Dream Fencing

Dream Table Tennis

Thanks for reading! Next up, let's cover the next game in the series, for the 2010 Vancouver games.