Mario Sports Mix
Encyclopedia
is a sports
video game developed by Square Enix
for Wii
. It was released on November 25, 2010 in Japan, and was released in early 2011 in other regions. It features volleyball
, both field hockey
and ice hockey
, dodgeball
, and street basketball. The game features mostly characters and locations from the Mario series
with a few guest appearances by characters from Square Enix's Final Fantasy
and Dragon Quest
series of games. Players can also opt to play as one of their Mii
characters. Mario Sports Mix has received average reviews, having an aggregate score of 64/100 on Metacritic
and on score of 65.59% on Gamerankings.
's Tiny Toon Adventures: ACME All-Stars
, with features such as powerful special moves and over-the-top, arcade-like gameplay. Both cooperative and competitive local multiplayer modes are featured: depending on the sport, two players (in two-on-two) or three players (in three-on-three) can play cooperative multiplayer and four players (in two-on-two) can play competitive multiplayer in two teams of two. Online multiplayer is also featured, with two players per Wii console joining up to play two-on-two matches either against friends or against random players.
The game features mostly characters and locations from the Mario series
with a few guest appearances by characters from Square Enix's Final Fantasy
and Dragon Quest
series of games. The Ninja, White Mage, Black Mage, Cactuar and Moogle characters all appear from the Final Fantasy
series, while the Slime
monster from the Dragon Quest
series also appears. Players can also opt to play as one of their Mii
characters.
is gardening flowers, when all of a sudden, an object crashes behind the castle. Toad then runs to the object (along with a few other Toads), and he finds a red crystal with a basketball in it, a green crystal with a volleyball in it, a yellow crystal with a dodgeball in it, and a blue crystal with a coin in it. While observing the mysterious crystals, the Toads suddenly comes up with an idea of introducing new sports—Basketball
, Volleyball
, Dodgeball
, and Hockey
—to the Mushroom Kingdom. Toad also organizes tournaments for the four sports. Once the four tournaments are won, a ‘’Sports Mix’s’’ mode is available. It is largely identical to the previous tournaments, except after the players' team defeats the Final Fantasy team, the three Sports Mix trophies that they receive will end up merging into a dark crystal. That crystal also leads them to an alternate dimension, where the Behemoth King is found. Similarly with Behemoth, players have to defeat the Behemoth King yester it takes them out.
after Super Mario RPG
for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
and Mario Hoops 3-on-3
for the Nintendo DS
and was first shown at E3 2007
. During the Nintendo E3 Presentation, Reggie Fils-Aime stated that none of the included sports had featured in any previous Mario sports title. However, three of them have been featured in some fashion: basketball was the focus of Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (and there are basketball-based mini-games in Mario Party 4
, Mario Party 6
, and Mario Party 8
); volleyball mini-games were featured in Mario Party 4
and Mario Party 5
; and hockey was a featured sport in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
. Mario Sports Mix marks the first time dodgeball has been featured in a Mario sports title and the first time the other three have featured in prominent roles in a home console title.
released the first review for Mario Sports Mix approximately a week before its launch in Japan. The game received an overall score of 30/40, with two reviewers giving it 7/10 and two giving it 8/10. One reviewer praised the title for its "simple and easy" controls, while also commenting that the characters' special moves were "pretty neat" and that the courts included in the game were "fun in their own way". However, concern was raised with the number of playable sports, with one reviewer commenting that "with only four sports included, some people might get bored pretty fast."
Mario Sports Mix has received average reviews, having an aggregate score of 64/100 on Metacritic
and a Gamerankings of 65.59%. IGN
's Jack DeVries rated the game 6.5, stating "it could make a fun party game, but this is a pretty weak offering". They praised the graphics, calling the animations "well done", and said "everything is bright and smooth". They also praised the music, calling it "fun and energetic, though kind of repetitive." Eurogamer
's Keza MacDonald rated the game 7/10 and Common Sense Media
gave the game 5 stars and an on rating for ages 8 and up, Saying "Top-notch sports compilation is good fun for all ages." Gamespot
, however, gave the game a low rating of 4/10 stating that "Every sport is tedious and shallow", "Computer opponents are too easy or too cheap", "Requires very little skill", "Too much chaos in the competitions" and "None of the sports offer anything new or unique". Official Nintendo Magazine also mentioned in its review that "volleyball is the weakest game of the four" because it only involves flicking the Wii remote and pressing A. It also noted issues with the unlockable characters because they are only Square Enix characters, which it stated that they "are a bit underwhelming" and that "Replacing them with other Mario characters would be much better".
As of April 2011, Mario Sports Mix has sold 1.54 million copies worldwide.
Sports game
A sports game is a computer or video game that simulates the practice of traditional sports. Most sports have been recreated with a game, including team sports, athletics and extreme sports. Some games emphasize actually playing the sport , whilst others emphasize strategy and organization...
video game developed by Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
for Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. It was released on November 25, 2010 in Japan, and was released in early 2011 in other regions. It features volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, both field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
and ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, dodgeball
Dodgeball
Dodgeball is any of a variety of games in which players try to hit other players on the opposing team with balls while avoiding being hit themselves. This article is about a well-known form of team sport with modified rules that is often played in physical education classes and has been featured...
, and street basketball. The game features mostly characters and locations from the Mario series
Mario (series)
The video game series, alternatively called the series or simply the series, is a series of highly popular and critically acclaimed video games by Nintendo, featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario and, in many games, his brother Luigi. Gameplay in the series often centers around jumping on and...
with a few guest appearances by characters from Square Enix's Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
and Dragon Quest
Dragon Quest
, published as Dragon Warrior in North America until 2005,Due to the inconsistent usage by sources since Square Enix obtained the naming rights to Dragon Quest in North America. Dragon Quest has been used by sources to refer to games released solely under the Dragon Warrior titles...
series of games. Players can also opt to play as one of their Mii
Mii
A is a digital avatar used in Nintendo's Wii and Nintendo 3DS gaming consoles. They allow users to capture a likeness of themselves and others. After creating one using the Wii's Mii Channel or the Nintendo 3DS's Mii Maker, they can be used as playable characters in various titles for the...
characters. Mario Sports Mix has received average reviews, having an aggregate score of 64/100 on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and on score of 65.59% on Gamerankings.
Gameplay
The game is played much in the vein of past Mario sports games, as well as KonamiKonami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
's Tiny Toon Adventures: ACME All-Stars
Tiny Toon Adventures: ACME All-Stars
Tiny Toon Adventures: ACME All-Stars is the second Tiny Toon Adventures-based game, released on the Mega Drive/Genesis, released in 1994, and developed and published by Konami.-Summary:...
, with features such as powerful special moves and over-the-top, arcade-like gameplay. Both cooperative and competitive local multiplayer modes are featured: depending on the sport, two players (in two-on-two) or three players (in three-on-three) can play cooperative multiplayer and four players (in two-on-two) can play competitive multiplayer in two teams of two. Online multiplayer is also featured, with two players per Wii console joining up to play two-on-two matches either against friends or against random players.
The game features mostly characters and locations from the Mario series
Mario (series)
The video game series, alternatively called the series or simply the series, is a series of highly popular and critically acclaimed video games by Nintendo, featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario and, in many games, his brother Luigi. Gameplay in the series often centers around jumping on and...
with a few guest appearances by characters from Square Enix's Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
and Dragon Quest
Dragon Quest
, published as Dragon Warrior in North America until 2005,Due to the inconsistent usage by sources since Square Enix obtained the naming rights to Dragon Quest in North America. Dragon Quest has been used by sources to refer to games released solely under the Dragon Warrior titles...
series of games. The Ninja, White Mage, Black Mage, Cactuar and Moogle characters all appear from the Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series, while the Slime
Slime (Dragon Quest)
The Slime is the mascot of the Dragon Quest console role-playing game franchise. Designed by Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball fame, the basic slime resembles a water drop with two large eyes and a big smile...
monster from the Dragon Quest
Dragon Quest
, published as Dragon Warrior in North America until 2005,Due to the inconsistent usage by sources since Square Enix obtained the naming rights to Dragon Quest in North America. Dragon Quest has been used by sources to refer to games released solely under the Dragon Warrior titles...
series also appears. Players can also opt to play as one of their Mii
Mii
A is a digital avatar used in Nintendo's Wii and Nintendo 3DS gaming consoles. They allow users to capture a likeness of themselves and others. After creating one using the Wii's Mii Channel or the Nintendo 3DS's Mii Maker, they can be used as playable characters in various titles for the...
characters.
Plot
The story mode takes place in the Mushroom Kingdom where ToadToad (Mario)
Toad, known in Japan as , is a fictional character belonging to an anthropomorphic mushroom-like species of the same name in the Mario series, created by Shigeru Miyamoto. A citizen of the Mushroom Kingdom, Toad is one of Princess Peach's most loyal attendants and is constantly working on her behalf...
is gardening flowers, when all of a sudden, an object crashes behind the castle. Toad then runs to the object (along with a few other Toads), and he finds a red crystal with a basketball in it, a green crystal with a volleyball in it, a yellow crystal with a dodgeball in it, and a blue crystal with a coin in it. While observing the mysterious crystals, the Toads suddenly comes up with an idea of introducing new sports—Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, Dodgeball
Dodgeball
Dodgeball is any of a variety of games in which players try to hit other players on the opposing team with balls while avoiding being hit themselves. This article is about a well-known form of team sport with modified rules that is often played in physical education classes and has been featured...
, and Hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
—to the Mushroom Kingdom. Toad also organizes tournaments for the four sports. Once the four tournaments are won, a ‘’Sports Mix’s’’ mode is available. It is largely identical to the previous tournaments, except after the players' team defeats the Final Fantasy team, the three Sports Mix trophies that they receive will end up merging into a dark crystal. That crystal also leads them to an alternate dimension, where the Behemoth King is found. Similarly with Behemoth, players have to defeat the Behemoth King yester it takes them out.
Development
Mario Sports Mix is the third Mario game developed by Square EnixSquare Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
after Super Mario RPG
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, often shortened and officially known in Japan as , is an action role-playing game developed by Square and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . It was originally released on March 9, 1996 in Japan and on May 13,...
for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
and Mario Hoops 3-on-3
Mario Hoops 3-on-3
Mario Hoops 3-on-3, known in Europe and Australia as Mario Slam Basketball and in Japan as , is a sports game developed by Square Enix and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS in 2006....
for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
and was first shown at E3 2007
Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010, commonly known as E3 2010, was the 16th Electronic Entertainment Expo held. The event took place on June 14–17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. E3 is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software...
. During the Nintendo E3 Presentation, Reggie Fils-Aime stated that none of the included sports had featured in any previous Mario sports title. However, three of them have been featured in some fashion: basketball was the focus of Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (and there are basketball-based mini-games in Mario Party 4
Mario Party 4
is the fourth installment in a series of board game style and is the first game in the series to be released for Nintendo Gamecube, featuring popular Nintendo characters. Mario Party 4 was released in North America on October 21, 2002, in Japan on November 8, 2002, and in Europe and Australia on...
, Mario Party 6
Mario Party 6
is the sixth game in the Mario Party series of board game-style video games by Nintendo and is the third title in the series made for Nintendo GameCube and was released in Japan on November 18, 2004; North America on December 6, 2004; in Europe on March 18, 2005; and in Australia on September 15,...
, and Mario Party 8
Mario Party 8
is a party video game, the eighth installment in the Mario Party series, and is the first title in the series to be released for the Nintendo Wii. It is also the first Mario Party title to have the ability to use Mii characters. It was released in North America on May 29, 2007, in Europe on June...
); volleyball mini-games were featured in Mario Party 4
Mario Party 4
is the fourth installment in a series of board game style and is the first game in the series to be released for Nintendo Gamecube, featuring popular Nintendo characters. Mario Party 4 was released in North America on October 21, 2002, in Japan on November 8, 2002, and in Europe and Australia on...
and Mario Party 5
Mario Party 5
is a party video game published by Nintendo and developed by Hudson Soft. It is the second game in the Mario Party series for Nintendo Gamecube. It was released in North America on November 10, 2003, in Japan on November 23, 2003, and in Europe on December 5, 2003...
; and hockey was a featured sport in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
is a 2009 sports video game developed by Sega. It was published by Nintendo for Japan and by Sega for North America and Europe. The game is officially licensed by the International Olympic Committee through exclusive license International Sports Multimedia...
. Mario Sports Mix marks the first time dodgeball has been featured in a Mario sports title and the first time the other three have featured in prominent roles in a home console title.
Reception
FamitsuFamitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
released the first review for Mario Sports Mix approximately a week before its launch in Japan. The game received an overall score of 30/40, with two reviewers giving it 7/10 and two giving it 8/10. One reviewer praised the title for its "simple and easy" controls, while also commenting that the characters' special moves were "pretty neat" and that the courts included in the game were "fun in their own way". However, concern was raised with the number of playable sports, with one reviewer commenting that "with only four sports included, some people might get bored pretty fast."
Mario Sports Mix has received average reviews, having an aggregate score of 64/100 on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and a Gamerankings of 65.59%. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Jack DeVries rated the game 6.5, stating "it could make a fun party game, but this is a pretty weak offering". They praised the graphics, calling the animations "well done", and said "everything is bright and smooth". They also praised the music, calling it "fun and energetic, though kind of repetitive." Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
's Keza MacDonald rated the game 7/10 and Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media , commonly known as CSM, is a San Francisco-based non-profit organization which serves as a guide for parents that has reviews for most media types, including books, movies, video games, music, and websites, and rates them in terms of violence, sex, and profanity. The website...
gave the game 5 stars and an on rating for ages 8 and up, Saying "Top-notch sports compilation is good fun for all ages." Gamespot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
, however, gave the game a low rating of 4/10 stating that "Every sport is tedious and shallow", "Computer opponents are too easy or too cheap", "Requires very little skill", "Too much chaos in the competitions" and "None of the sports offer anything new or unique". Official Nintendo Magazine also mentioned in its review that "volleyball is the weakest game of the four" because it only involves flicking the Wii remote and pressing A. It also noted issues with the unlockable characters because they are only Square Enix characters, which it stated that they "are a bit underwhelming" and that "Replacing them with other Mario characters would be much better".
As of April 2011, Mario Sports Mix has sold 1.54 million copies worldwide.
External links
- Mario Sports Mix official Japanese website
- Mario Sports Mix official North American website
- Mario Sports Mix game page at Nintendo.com
- Mario Sports Mix game page at Nintendo.co.uk
- Mario Sports Mix game page at Nintendo.com.au