Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games

Why does Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games even exist? Because, of course, it does. That seems like the only possible answer considering games of this franchise were the party games nobody asked for and not many people particularly enjoyed. It's hard to understand why these titles keep churning out, but someone on the executive end thinks they're worth the investment.

It makes it even more bizarre that this is the fourth installment in his franchise. Mario and Sonic are back to do the same thing again in London this time! Since the title is so in our face, we might as well check it out to see if there's any improvement to this stale series. Or if there's any redeeming gameplay that might solidify Marion & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games as a party game classic.

Cheerio, Old Plumber/Hedgehog

So let's cut to the chase. You've probably worked out that Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games is a title that does what it says on the tin. It puts players in the shoes of Mario and Sonic franchise characters to complete different minigames aligned to Olympic competitions. Does London play any role in shaking up gameplay? Yes, the entire game depends on the locale.

The game map is a cartoony-rendered version of famous London landmarks, where players will compete in standard Olympic games with overzealous competitiveness. This title aims to be a bit more diverse by adding minigames similar to the Mario Party series. It leaves more options for players who don't want to compete in a game of discus or running.

There feels more of an effort to make Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games more immersive. New sports, integrated settings, and mechanics make the party setting more competitive. However, the title still suffers from the same problem all the other franchise entries have - it gets stale quickly.

There are high levels of repetition, and your motivation to finish the gameboard wanes as you become uninterested. We won't take away from the fact that the game could serve as a good night's party title solution. However, there's little in the way of retention factor, where playing it once will be enough to say that you're done with the franchise for now.

God Save the Series

We'll give that Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games is one of the better entries to the series, with some minor improvements here and there. But we don't forget that the title still feels like an elementary redesign of the others in the series. There is no effort to pull players into a fun party game experience, but more to exploit a popular media franchise in current events for quick cash.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• The London setting provides a new perspective on gameplay
• New sports and minigames added that is enjoyable
• A decent party game for a session with friends

Cons:

• The gameplay is much the same as other series entries
• The concept gets tiresome quickly
• Essentially a rehash of different game mechanics

Personal Rating: 6/10