Going into Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 The Official Video Game I had extremely low expectations. You can understand why. From the outside, the game looks a bit strange. The people have a questionable design to them and let’s be honest, how fun can an Olympic video game be? It is also no Mario and Sonic, which has been a staple on the Nintendo platform for years now. Thankfully, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 The Official Video Game is not actually that bad after all. It combines an accessible range of mini-game like experiences into one game and offers some fun ways to celebrate the Olympics.
The pure joy that comes from the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 The Official Video Game might also be contributed to the fact that the game is not a Mario and Sonic entry. This has allowed it to break past the traditional barriers that kept it from shining. Gone are the limited roster of characters, gone is the overly-arcade gameplay and welcome to a new mature experience. Don’t get me wrong, this is still very much a casual game but there’s a lot more freedom here.
First off we have the fact that the game relies on an avatar that you can create at the start. You can choose a country, gender, tweak all sorts of visual toggles and create your very own Olympian. The creation mode was actually a lot deeper than I expected. I could manually choose presets to use or simply stick with one aspect of a randomized character and let the game rotate the rest. It works.
That avatar can then dress up in a range of outfits that span crazy over-the-top Sonic costumes, shameless Iron Man replicas and more. There are even some cute 80’s styled pink hot shorts that I live for. However, I just went with a tightly tucked pair of swimming trunks for every event because if I had a body like my avatar, I would want to show it off. Thankfully, the game gave me the freedom to literally choose the same outfit for every event.
Once happy with the outfits, the game modes come into play. Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 The Official Video Game includes 18 events to participate in. If you know anything remotely about the sport then these should be recognizable. Some of them are fun while others are a pain to play through. This is mainly due to them not working as well as the rest. You will go from the 100m dash where tapping the X button as fast as you can result in a win to a game mode like BMX that requires button taps, a focus on directions and even timing a jump.
These sports need some time to master and while I understand why they are tougher, I just wanted them to be as relaxed and casual as the rest. It also breaks how accessible the game is for everyone. My mom, for example, is great at two-button taps and could master flicking the stick to jump but add a third and it is a challenge. Sports like swimming also add in other power abilities like a fast-paced speed boost. Things like these take some time to understand and master.
Where Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 The Official Video Game does shine is in its team-based games. Think of NBA 2K but without all the overly complicated mumbo jumbo. It is just pass, run and score. You can play these games with just a few buttons and thanks to the pure ease of use, they become extremely fun. Even Tennis is the same. I just moved about the court and hit the ball. It all reminded me of the classic Track and Field games from the NES days when the controller only had two buttons.
This also plays into the lack of Mario and Sonic here. These games are simple without the flash and flair that comes with cartoon gaming characters. There are no power shots, advantages to playing as Bowser. Nothing of the sort. It also helped me focus just on the games and it was fun. There was this sort of tension in the gaming room as the announcer said “Get Ready, Set”. I just sat there waiting to spam the X button relentlessly the moment “Go” came up. These moments were unforgettable.
It also helps that the entire Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 The Official Video Game is playable solo, in local multiplayer and online. Local is the best of course, as it adds that the family mini-game tension we all love from games like this. However, there’s also an online ranked play where events are chosen and I had to compete in them to try and get my name on the scoreboard. I could skip the current ones or come back when a sport I enjoyed was available. This meant actually waiting a few hours to play that sport though. Sort of like a video game take on the real event. I then had to check back to see if anyone else beat my score.
The game’s stat system also ties into everything you do. The avatar can form into speed classes, strength etc. If you are truly dedicated to this game, you can then create multiple avatars across a range of stats and keep them on standby when you need them. Depending on the stats will depend on how they perform. Be it more stamina while swimming, easier jumps while hurdling etc.
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 The Official Video Game does provide some fun times but don’t expect it to keep you busy for ages. A handful of events alone and with the family and you will feel burnt out. Still, I can see myself going back to it every now and then when we need some time to bond together. It is fun and the games are mostly enjoyable. There are also trophies to unlock, outfits to obtain and world records to set.
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 The Official Video Game Review
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 The Official Video Game offers a refreshing take on the video game series. There is no Italian plumber around this time but for some reason, I preferred it this way. The games are fun alone and with family and friends. In addition, the online mode is great too. Just don’t expect it to hold your attention for too long.
This Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 The Official Video Game review is based on a code sent to us by SEGA
Available On: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch | Reviewed On: PS5 | Release Date: 22 June 2021 | Price: R629
