Before I dive into the intricacies of the game, here’s a brief run-down of each sport and my overall impressions of each:

 

Hockey
Hockey is, far and away, my favorite game of the bunch. The game is fast-paced, the controls are mostly solid (if tiring), and everything just comes together rather well. Also, it gets bonus points for using a coin as a hockey puck.

Basketball
Pacing is basketball’s biggest problem. The game feels plodding, the controls stiff, and the entire affair is just really low-energy, particularly in comparison to the vastly superior NBA Jam, also on Wii. The characters move far too slowly, and whether you’re playing offense or defence, there just isn’t enough variety in your move set to make things interesting.

Volleyball
Volleyball, like basketball, also feels rather slow...painfully, at times. When playing tournament mode, it feels like some games stretch on forever, making me wish I could volley the game out my window.

Dodgeball
The Dodgeball featured in Mario Sports Mix is rather different from any of the usual variations on the real thing. Combine this with the fact that the game is arguably the most complicated of the four, resulting in one of the game’s steepest learning curves. Luckily, the game actually turns out to be surprisingly rewarding once you learn the ins and outs, though its pace never feels quite quick enough.

 

Strangely enough, the game ships borderline broken. Unlike almost every sports game made ever (including Mario’s own), you have to manually switch teammates after passing them the ball/puck. This makes for an extremely cumbersome experience--I can’t count the number of times I fumbled around trying to press the button quickly enough in order to take control of the player who’s actually in possession. Secondly, the camera tracks the player you’ve selected, INSTEAD of following the ball/puck, also unlike nearly every single sports game ever, which can make it extremely confusing to follow the action. Mercifully, both of these problems can be remedied with a visit to the near-hidden settings page and greatly enhances the experience as a result. Why these options are not only disabled by default, but also hidden away, we may never know, but it very nearly makes the game unplayable until you change them.

Now I generally consider myself a fan of motion controls...when they’re implemented well. And while its implementation in Mario Sports Mix is actually pretty intuitive, it’s also used for too many things too often, which actually made my arm ache after a few heated matches. Take hockey for example: You shake the Wii Remote to shoot, check, and steal. And if you’re locked in battle over control of the puck, whoever waggles the fastest wins. It’s exhausting! In addition, using waggle for everything also makes the controls a little more complicated than they need to be. For example, it would be far easier to charge a shot if you could just hold a “shoot” button (similar to Mario Tennis), instead of having to hold a distinct “charge” button and then swing by shaking the Wii Remote. It’s a minor issue, but one that would streamline the controls and make it more accessible to all but the most inexperienced games.

 

Thematically, there’s never any question this is a Mario game. The visuals are colorful and bouncy, and each of the dozen stadiums for each sport exudes atmosphere, as well as featuring level-specific gimmicks that affect gameplay (such as a western themed level with a train that storms right through the middle of the arena every now and then). Each sport also incorporates question-blocks on the ground (like the original Mario Kart) that release either coins or items when travelled over. In most cases, coins increase the value of goals you score, while items, such as red shells, stars, and mini-mushrooms, allow you to target enemy players and hopefully give you a temporary advantage. These elements are incorporated well, lending to the zany nature of the Mario universe, but might be overwhelming for those new to the game.

Unfortunately, the audio isn’t nearly up to par (heh) with Mario’s previous efforts. Granted, Mario’s previous sports games typically haven’t been renowned for their music, but Mario Sports Mix is a noticeable step back from even those. Hell, the game’s opening fanfare had me scrambling for the volume controls. Even the on-court music is lacking, with the Luigi’s Mansion’s court being especially disappointing (and the original game’s theme was so good too!)

Overall, Mario Sports Mix consists of four sports, most of which are half-baked. Hockey is the best of the bunch, and the closest to feeling like it could have been a full game. Dodgeball was also enjoyable once I figured out its many intricacies. Unfortunately, Volleyball and Basketball failed to hook me on any level--their glacial pace really drains these sports of the energy they should be exuding. And I couldn’t imagine anyone really enjoy playing this game by their self--the game’s AI, at least starting out, is incredibly simplistic, making the tournaments a chore to play through. If you plan to pick this game up, make sure you have friends to play it with.

Sports games are usually at their best when played with others, and Mario Sports Mix is no exception. While the single-player experience is a bit of a chore to slog through, multiplayer really brings this game to life. Of course, you’re able to play competitively in any sport, but the game also allows you to team-up against the computer, even in tournament mode. It’s a fun addition that should make minimize the need for playing this game by your lonesome.

 

In my experience, hockey and dodgeball were the most fun to play with others, while volleyball and basketball--while notably better--still suffer from the exact same problems as in single-player (plus as mentioned earlier, you’re better off playing NBA Jam if you’re interested in baseketball).

Mario Sports Mix also features a surprisingly competent online mode. I was able to hop in and out of games with complete ease, and didn’t experience any significant lag or slowdown. I also didn’t experience any opponent rage-quitting, perhaps partially due there being no option to quit the game once it’s started.

There are good times to be had with Mario Sports Mix’s multiplayer, assuming you’re playing the right sports. And the excellent online mode ensures even those without gaming friends nearby can wring the most out of this game. But the lack of depth for most of the games and the dull pace of basketball and volleyball make it unlikely you’ll play one very often.