We’ve been here before and, yes, it’s no better than the last sports spin-off
Format: Wii Dev: Square Enix Pub: Nintendo Out: 04/02/11 Players: 1-4
So here we are, another Mario spin-off game for the Wii. Nintendo seem capable of releasing a never-ending range of titles that see the world’s most famous plumber and his loyal friends placed in a myriad of situations and settings and, as the title reveals, here they find themselves pitted against each other in a world of sporting competition in a range of familiar Mushroom Kingdom-themed arenas. Mario is joined by all of the usual suspects from Diddy Kong to Waluigi, with additional unlockable characters from the Final Fantasy universe also present, players can also use their own Mii character.
There are four different sports on offer in Mario Sports Mix which are basketball, ice hockey, volleyball and dodgeball respectively. At a glance, only having four sports from which to choose seems somewhat restricted taking into account the £39.99 price tag. Although, the developers do attempt to compensate for this with a multitude of options in terms of the nature of the game. For example, each of the four sports on offer can be played locally either in single-player or in a group, with friends or family, or alternatively players can team up with and compete against other players around the world online. Each game has its own accompanying party game mode offers a less competitive, light-hearted experience that can arguably prove to be more chaotic and potentially frustrating.
Regardless of your choice, it does not require much of an imagination in order to realise that you are going to be confronted by mushrooms and red shells and the like from your opponents in an attempt to thwart your quest for athletic supremacy. Based on performance during the selected game, your character builds up a special meter which, when full, allows the player to unleash a unique special attack with devastating effects that can turn the tides of fortune in a hard-fought, close game.
Unfortunately, it has to be said that not all of the four sports are equal in terms of quality and playability. Volleyball clearly stands out from the rest as the most fun, with basketball coming second. Ice hockey is bearable for perhaps one or two games and dodgeball could have been omitted altogether to be honest. In summary, this game would not be one that I would rush out to buy, but would possibly be worth a glance when it is eventually reduced to around a tenner. Try harder Nintendo.
Andy King
Tags: mario, nintendo, Sports, square enix
