Game Review: Mario Sports Mix

Mario Sports Mix won't satisfy sport game fans, but is great for younger players and party play. Photo / Supplied

If there's one genre that's been beaten into submission on the Wii, it's sports. With a wide variety of sports games available, many from Nintendo itself, this one always faced an uphill battle - even with Mario Power.

The hairy plumber is offering four sports here - basketball, dodgeball, volleyball and ice hockey - plus a bunch of related mini-games. Everything can be played in either Quick Match, or Campaign mode, complete with usual Nintendo-style cutesy storyline. And it's the fluffy factor that makes this game work.

Serious sports gamers aren't going to get too excited about this, but kids and those after an arcade-style sports experience definitely will. In the early stages it is so incredibly easy to play that you won't even need to pick up the coins that unlock power-ups.

You play as the usual Mario game suspects, and each player can unlock a unique "special move" by sticking other moves during the games. Characters are ranked by speed initially, so while Mario and Luigi are quite useful, lumbering beasts like Bowser are best kept in defensive roles. Add-ons and obstacles throughout the games - like huge blocks on the ice hockey rink - mean these sports often don't resemble their real-world counterparts, but have a definite Nintendo flavour.

Graphics and audio are as good as can be on a non-HD console, and character animations are typically spot-on. Competitor AI isn't particularly slick - especially in those early rounds. As the game difficulty ramps up, it does get a bit more exciting. Game controls use either the Wii remote held sideways or the remote/Nunchuk combo - the latter best for all sports. Motion control is used to shoot goals, but feels like an afterthought.

Verdict: Not a particularly challenging title for sports game enthusiasts - but an entertaining, arcade-style introduction for younger players, best enjoyed when played as a group. A wider selection of sports would have definitely helped, but basketball and volleyball are the most enjoyable to play here.

Rating: 3/5

Format: Nintendo Wii
Classification: G