What If Mario & Sonic’s Tokyo Olympic Games Were Expanded For 2021?

It seems like the premise of two of the most iconic video game characters of all time competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games has not aged well [24]. But you know what can somewhat provide some historical accuracy? A new mobile game titled “Mario At The Olympic Games”, along with a new update for Sonic At The Olympic Games [18]. I know that the Super Mario franchise is usually for Nintendo hardware only, but just look at how well Mario Kart Tour has done and that is a game for iOS and Android [5]. I know it would have been more consistent for some DLC to be established at some point last year after the Nintendo Switch version’s release in late 2019 [24], but titling it, “2021 Tokyo Games” and releasing it sometime later this year would restore the youth of the premise and make it far more historically accurate. Unfortunately, the developer of the game went bankrupt before its release [20], so it would be too late to develop and establish some DLC for the Switch port. Furthermore, the new date for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will begin after its reasonable postponement is July 2021 due to the eventual availability of two vaccinations against the virus [10] [24].

The premise within the arcade edition aged the worst since we had to spend a fraction of 2020 at home and the Olympics in real life had to be delayed to 2021. I cannot blame the developers since none of us expected the pandemic to happen. [25]

Looking at the older designs of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic logo that were shown from 2011 to 2016, I can see why some of us have speculated that an alternate logo for Mario & Sonic At The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games would be the official one [33] [34]. But that is beside the point of me theorising how the game’s premise will age well if there will be some additions referred to as “The Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games”. [3]

Which characters should be part of a new set of events in honour of the second Tokyo Olympic games taking place in Summer 2021? My first suggestion would be Pauline from Team Mario as she became a playable character for Mario Tennis Aces and further proved her self-empowerment back in early 2019 [6] [35] [36]. How about we also welcome Wave the Swallow back in the roster for Team Sonic since she is Jet the Hawk’s fellow racer [16] [23] [26]? Classic Sonic in 3D for the running events in the 2021 Olympics would be a real treat [13], especially in association with his 30^th anniversary [15]! I would suggest that the other four koopalings and the other four members of the Deadly Six from Sonic Lost World can be new guest characters [7] [14]. After all, Roy Koopa was a playable character in Mario & Sonic At The Rio 2016 Olympic Games [22]. Let us hope the Zor will not to too mopey to not participate in any events [14]. I believe some new playable characters for a “2021” chapter of the Tokyo Olympic games would make the mobile port more refreshing as if the chosen content were part of some DLC for the Switch port and as if AlphaDream had not been closed down [20].

Aside from how adorable Cream the Rabbit looks in her navy blue kimono [31] [32], I believe Pauline would look amazing in some new sporting attire, even though I would be cool with seeing her in her tennis outfit from Mario Tennis Aces for a new Tennis event [22] [35] [36]. [6]

Wave would look so cool in a new sporting outfit too! Right now, I am asking myself, “Despite the poor reception of Sonic Free Riders in the early 2010s [30], will the Sonic Riders series be revived for the Nintendo Switch?”. That would be a big opportunity to establish a fourth instalment of the spin-off series that would be a massive improvement. [26]

Perhaps there can be some new events for the update for Sonic At The Olympic Games as well, adding more to the “2021 Olympic Games” theme. I think there can be:

•        A Gymnastics event [24]
•        An Equestrian event [24]
•        A Boxing event [24]
•        A Surfing event [24]
•        A Skateboarding event [24]

The controls of the gymnastics event on a smartphone or tablet ought to be as functional as the controls in the main gameplay of Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX [12], which is an example of how exceptional the controls for new events should be. Zomom would be a great fit for a Boxing event with an appetite for victory and Wave would be a worthy competitor in the skateboarding and surfing events [14] [26], just like how she and the other two members of the Babylon Rogues were in the Sonic Riders series [16]. For Mario At The Olympic Games by Nintendo, a large amount of the events should be adapted from the Switch version, including the 100m event and perhaps the arcade version starring both teams [24] [25], consisting of highly similar functionality as Sonic At The Olympic Games with the same amount of competitors from Team Mario [27]. If Mario Kart can be adapted to iOS and Android [5], so can Team Mario at the Olympics.

I supposed there can also be a new chapter within the Story Mode featuring any new characters for the 2021 Olympic Games [27]. [19]

Shall we discuss what could have been for the Switch port if AlphaDream did not get shut down [20]? Characters like Pauline, Wave and the other koopalings could have been new playable characters as DLC. Another new character to play as would have been a player’s Mii. Imagine competing with custom coloured hair! I remember how my Mii did figure skating in the Wii version of Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games when I was still a high schooler [9], so it would have been great to be able to play as a Mii in the latest chapter. There also could have been more dream events, such as:

•         Dream Equestrian
•         Dream Skateboarding
•         Dream Surfing
•         Dream Archery

My Mii would have unleashed her inner Katniss Everdeen [28] [29]! Despite my previous statement, it could be possible for the software to still be available for providing some additions as downloadable content for the game in spite of AlphaDream’s bankruptcy [20], just as long as it is all backed up by another developer in association with Nintendo. But ultimately, at least we saw some great things in a new instalment rather than nothing. Call me crazy, but I am not the only one who came up with the idea of DLC for the Switch version [1] [17].

Peach and Daisy’s old athletic outfits that were seen in Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games could have come back as part of some DLC for the Switch version for good old time’s sake [8]. [21]

I am not saying that an extra instalment and a new update for Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games or a new mobile game titled “Mario At The Olympic Games” will definitely be released at some point in late 2021, considering how much time and effort goes into video game development, but it is interesting to theorise how such concepts referred to as “Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games” can greatly restore historical accuracy [24]. We can still be grateful for ideas that are actually being brought into action, including Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, the forthcoming remakes of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl [2]. But still, establishing a new app based on the Tokyo Olympic Games that only features Team Mario and a new update for Sonic At The Olympic Games later this year would have not only been historically accurate but also potentially respectful to a certain degree. If you have lost a loved one to the pandemic, my condolences go out to you. Remember that you are not alone and if you are a passionate gamer, know that your passions will remind you of who you are if you feel lost. I am delighted that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will take place this summer to make up for how they had to be delayed for the safety of every single competitor during the worldwide spread of coronavirus [24].

I stand by the fact that an update for Sonic At The Olympic Games referred to as “Sonic At The 2021 Olympic Games” would provide some new historical accuracy and restore the youth of the premise. [19]

I know that the possibility of any additions to the Mario & Sonic At The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games clan this year is extremely unlikely and the premise will remain terribly aged, but we can still be grateful for the outcomes of all ports of the game, including the Sonic-only mobile adaption [18] [19] [27]. There are plenty of seemingly great things to look forward to for the rest of 2021 and so on, including the shortly forthcoming revival of Rugrats [4] [11]. [21]

References

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2. IGN. (2021). Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Official Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pDI8Scph44. Last accessed 4th May 2021.
   
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The Racing Goes On In Mario Kart Tour

Nearly a year ago, I downloaded Mario Kart Tour on my smartphone and elaborated on what I enjoyed about the experience that marked the first time Mario and the crew raced outside of a Nintendo console or handheld [32] [33] [34] [35]. Since March 2020, Version Two helped the app maintain its cred for those Nintendo nerds who became rather hooked on it [14] [27], despite the negative feedback Version One received mostly for its questionably greedy deals [29] [40]. Looking at the reception the app has received [26], I would say that Mario Kart Tour is like Marmite. You either love it or hate it [1] [20] [28]. Have no fear because I have not spent a penny on the microtransactions and just spent five rubies on a pipe when I felt like it. Despite the negative side of the reception’s spectrum, I will always be a fan of the Mario Kart series [30] [31], especially when it comes to racing as my homegirl, Princess Peach [10] [13] [14] [15]. Moreover, fasten your seatbelt and do not step on the gas pedal for too long because we are about to zoom through a few updates on Mario Kart Tour in its second version in association with wishing the Super Mario franchise a happy 35^th anniversary [5] [16].

Here is the new title screen for Mario Kart Tour in 2020. [14]

Oh. And did mention I love this Peach badge? [14]

Well, it looks like there is finally a real multiplayer mode after we have only witnessed opponents being controlled by artificial intelligence with usernames tacked onto them [17]. A player can also type in a room code if they wish to only play with those nearby in their local area [14], similar to how a contestant can enter a code for a game of Quiplash or Quiplash 2 [6] [7]. Alternatively and quite more ambitiously, there is also the option to race against actual players around the world, either in a standard race or a gold race that requires a gold pass to compete in. As someone who has not purchased one, I can see how it can increase the reward system by providing gold badges to earn and provide another challenge with the difficulty of 200cc [10] [11] [12] [14]. I am delighted to witness my opponents racing under the genuine influence of other Nintendo nerds. However, if there are any signs of one of them being a hacker that cheats in a race, bringing back unnerving memories of hackers in online races of Mario Kart Wii [4], bring on the blue shells in the name of karma! No gold passes for them!

Three ways to finally play Mario Kart Tour with other Nintendo nerds: locally, standard worldwide and worldwide with a gold pass. [14]

Here is one of my moments of finally playing the game with other racers rather than CPUs, but with another new feature… [14]

Another new feature that increases the appeal of Mario Kart Tour for some Nintendo nerds is the option to play it whilst holding the device horizontally [14] [18]. I like how the new Landscape mode shows more of the course being raced on and can make the experience feel more like a handheld game, quite similar to Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing and Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed for iOS and Android [21] [22] [36] [37]. However, I will admit that the Landscape mode was quite difficult for me to get used to, considering how I got very used to playing the game in its standard mode [14]. It felt quite awkward to swipe one thumb across the side of my screen whilst holding my other thumb down to drift. Nevertheless, enabling Smart Steering and Steer/Drift Button Display for the Landscape mode made it feel quite like my experience with Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing for iOS [22]. If some players prefer the standard ways of playing the game vertically, good for them. Playing Mario Kart Tour horizontally may sort of feel like playing Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart 7 once the Landscape mode without Steer/Drift Button Display starts to get comfortable to get used to [10] [13].

I remained a little unsure about Landscape mode before I activated Smart Steering. I am quite glad I got at least some feeling of playing Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing on my iPod Touch back in those good old days. I can say that was somewhat predicted in my first article about Mario Kart Tour [31] [32]. [14]

I also like how there is option to quickly change the mode to Portrait/Landscape mode just in case a new player may not get used to one mode and hopes to quickly switch to the other whilst focusing completely on the race. As long as the variety of alternations is present [32] [33], Mario Kart Tour can still appeal to its crowd. [14]

The cups in the newer tours do not need to be unlocked, compared to the first few tours back in late 2019 [32] [33] [34] [35]. Even though a form of challenge with a familiar task of unlocking new cups by completing the first one is now absent, the option to try out any race or challenge from any cup makes the experience excitingly non-linear and gives the player more freedom [14]. The tour gifts still need to be unlocked with certain amounts of stars from racing though. For only twenty-four hours, the icon of a cup will be highlighted in gold to show that its courses will give extra coins after racing, which can potentially motivate a player who wants to save coins for buying a new racer, kart or glider from the shop. There is also now a progress bar beneath each task in the lists of challenges, which is useful for the player to know how much more of the task they need to do to receive another badge. Besides eliminating glitches after calling the Glitchbusters [38] [39], many changes with a mobile game’s update can be useful or at least interesting, including specific changes in Mario Kart Tour’s 2020 updates [14].

A fellow Mario Kart racer can now play any of the cups at the beginning of a new tour. [14]

Some progress bars are now visible to help the player know much they need to do left to earn more stars. [14]

Throughout the tours, the lists of unlockables in Mario Kart Tour just keeps getting bigger in the name of cultural cred and familiar aspects [14] [25]. I would also like to make a list of my favourite outfits worn by certain characters throughout the tours, including:

•        Rosalina’s beach dress
•        Peach’s vacation outfit
•        Pauline’s party dress
•        Mario’s musician suit
•        Rosalina’s aurora dress

My favourite karts are:

•       White Royale
•       Glided Prancer
•       Daytripper
•       Rose Queen

My favourite gliders include:

•       Blizzard Parasol
•       Butterfly Sunset
•       Pink Flower Glider

It is amazing and ambitious how the roster of racers, including clones of them in outfits that suit the theme of a tour, would continue to increase the game’s overall appeal to a large crowd of mobile gamers and Nintendo nerds with different interests if it was not for the very little chances to get a desired one [14]. I may not have unlocked much of my favourites, but I can always gaze at images of them [25]. Furthermore, some Nintendo nerds may be curious about what will be new in the next tours while some toy collectors are looking forward to being cuted out by the third series of Kitten Catfe this Autumn [8] [9].

Rosalina looks absolutely stunning in her Aurora outfit! [14]

And the blizzard parasol is beautiful! [14]

With a new option to play the game in a landscape view and a proper multiplayer mode [17] [18], I say that Mario Kart Tour might have further increased its cred to some degrees in 2020, even though some players must have stopped playing it for a while due to the disappointment of the chances of getting a high-end racer, kart or glider being too low [14]. I can say that the ongoing service for the app from Nintendo might have a coping mechanism during the first few weeks of lockdowns that were established to prevent the coronavirus outbreak from spreading any further [3]. While some doll collectors out there are delighted by the colours of the dolls within the first Rainbow High line and plenty of Sonic supporters are getting into the spirit of the Olympics by playing Sonic at the Olympic Games – Tokyo 2020 on their iOS and Android devices [2] [19] [23] [24], plenty of Nintendo nerds out there are still racing in Mario Kart Tour, possibly without spending a penny on any microtransactions. Have I been too optimistic about playing the app or can you tolerate it as much as I can? Let me know before I launch a blue shell at you!

Just look at Mario and Luigi’s cool outfits on my newest T-shirt! Could they be featured in a new tour of Mario Kart Tour soon? [30]

Strive and ride, Mario Kart Racers! [11]

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Dr. Fire Mario And Dr. Fire Peach - Is The Mario Franchise Running Out Of Ideas?

Remember the hype for Dr. Mario World last summer [6] [17] [18]? Not too long ago, it was announced that two new doctors will be the newest selectable characters in Dr. Mario World [1] [2] [3]. Can you guess who they are? Why yes, Dr. Fire Mario and Dr. Fire Peach! And yes, I know right? Even though I understand that they need to be referred as “doctors” for the sake of the app’s identity as a mobile app within the Dr. Mario series, but this has left me believing that Nintendo may be running out of ideas for the Mario franchise at this point [1], but it is probably not the first time as it has been steadily growing for almost thirty-nine years [5]. Another sign of Nintendo running out of ideas could be Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Daisy as babies in doctor attires in Dr. Mario World [17] [18], which is a sign I would honestly agree with. But since Nintendo has decided to start a new decade with two “new” playable characters to put into their mixed medical kit for modern mobile devices [17], I think it is about time I express a fairly neutral stance on it as someone who has been a Nintendo fan for years.

So the plumbers and the princesses were all sent to medical school when they were babies? Quite weird. [18]

But as for this, is this scraping the bottom of the barrel? [2] [3]

The roster in Dr. Mario World just screams, “Hey! Let’s make everyone a doctor because it’s Dr. Mario for crying out loud!” without any self-awareness whatsoever [17] [18]. Since when did Bowser take enough time to get Wendy, Ludwig and Bowser Jr. into medical school?! I really like the designs of Peach and Daisy’s doctor outfits and I think Wario and Waluigi’s doctor outfits are quite well designed too [16] [17]. However, I feel as if Dr. Rosalina’s appearance does not have much effort put into it as it is just her regular attire with a doctor’s coat and a stethoscope tacked onto it, unlike Dr. Peach and Dr. Daisy’s doctor outfits that are more appropriate for the occupation [17] [18]. I would not trust Dr. Dry Bowser as my doctor, even though his coat is at least interesting as it is light grey with some ripping [18]. I know a roster of characters dressed as doctors suits the title of the app and they all at least have unique abilities to spice up the gameplay, but the way a few of them are wearing very basic doctor accessories is unfortunately quite uninspired, including Dr. Fire Mario and Dr. Fire Peach [18].

More effort was put into these costumes for Daisy, Wario, and Waluigi. They look very ideal for doing the duties of a doctor. [18]

Simply tacking a white doctor’s coat and a stethoscope onto a character’s usual attire is not really inspiring. [18]

I was up for Princess Peach’s fire dress from Super Mario 3D World to return in the Mario franchise someday [12], but not like this. Do not get me wrong. Signs of the medical couple of fire’s ability are present in the new trailer [3], but the doctor’s coats and stethoscopes that are just slapped onto their outfits are quite distracting. Well, it may not be as distracting as…dare I say it…Dr. Bowsette [4]. Some of us may have seen Peachette, the fusion of Peach and Toadette from New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe as a sign of Nintendo running out of ideas, but at least she can be a sign of Toadette seeing Peach as a role model, thus indicating a loyal bond between them [22] [23]. Dr. Fire Mario and Dr. Fire Peach just seem rather pointless, aside from being doctors just for the sake of fitting in the app’s roster. I know that a similar statement applied to Pink Gold Peach in Mario Kart 8 as there is still yet to be a reason for her existence in the main Mario games and I strongly believe it should be clearly established in a future instalment [7] [8] [9] [20].

I would have like Dr. Fire Peach’s design more if the characters designers took Dr. Peach’s outfit and changed the colours of the skirt and coat to shades of red. [18]

As a fan of the Mario franchise, I know Nintendo can think more creatively than this. [3]

I am terribly sorry to make this statement, but the ability to throw fireballs from your hands and the occupation of a doctor do not blend together very well [2] [3]. I know that Dr. Fire Mario and Dr. Fire Peach have perfect control over their powers and can at least not harm their innocent allies with them [3], but my point still stands. The only time such a combination could work quite well in real life is when a patient needs enough heat to recover from hypothermia…as long as the fire doctor does not set the patient on fire. What other uses of fire would be practical for treating an illness? Even a university student who has studied medicine for five years and dreams of becoming a doctor would agree with me. I believe a fusion of Peach’s fire dress and her biker outfit from Mario Kart Wii would be a more reasonable combination as it seems like quite a missed opportunity to feature that in Mario Kart 8 or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe when she receives a fire flower on a bike or ATV [7] [8] [10] [12]. What’s next? Dr. Ice Mario, who will certainly not freeze his patients to death [11]?

 

A plumber’s hat and overalls would not be very ideal for a doctor’s job. [3]

A long princess dress would not be very ideal for a doctor’s job either. [2] [3]

What else is next? Dr. Baby Pink Gold Peach [3] [7] [8] [9] [20]? We can see that the princess of Mushroom Kingdom has gone from a pixelated damsel who was in another castle to a doctor in a white dress with fire powers [3] [13]. Despite how uninspired Dr. Fire Mario and Dr. Fire Peach seem, it should not negatively affect the gameplay for those who still enjoy playing Dr. Mario World [3] [17]. And despite how uninspired the fire doctors seem, more original ideas for the future of the Mario franchise may await us Nintendo nerds. In order to expand on the Mario franchise’s ambitions, I feel like an almost entirely forgotten Mario character should be brought back in any future Mario instalment, such as Perry from Super Princess Peach [15] [19]. I feel like the next main Super Mario game can feature him befriending Tiara, the Bonneter who was in Peach’s head during her forced wedding to Bowser [14] [21]. We all know how Pauline made a huge comeback to the franchise in the late 2010s as a mayor, tennis player and a kart racer [14] [24] [25]. Furthermore, Nintendo ought to eventually focus on further developing less recognised characters instead of producing unnecessary versions of the most iconic characters.

I miss this cute taking parasol. [15] [19]

Oh. And more more thing, Dry Bones is also a new assistant for Dr. Mario World. At least there’s some good news for Dry Bones fans who have the app. [3] [17]

References

1. FunkyKong84. (2020). Dr Fire Peach is now available to buy on Dr. Mario (Dr Peach already exists). Available: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/231924-mario-kart-tour/78316206. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.
2. GALA-MOS. (2020). DR. MARIO WORLD GETTING NEW STAGES, DR. FIRE MARIO, DR. FIRE PEACH, AND MORE ON JANUARY 9. Available: https://nintendosoup.com/dr-mario-world-getting-new-stages-dr-fire-mario-dr-fire-peach-and-more-on-january-9/. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.
3. GameXplain. (2020). Dr. Fire Peach Coming to Dr. Mario World - Trailer (+ Dry Bones Assistant!). Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p_K85OBgGg. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.
4. Know Your Meme. (2018). Bowsette. Available: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/bowsette. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.
5. Nintendo. (1981). Donkey Kong. Arcade. Tokyo, Japan.
6. Nintendo. (2019). Dr. Mario World - Launch Trailer. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APZkk9qiXQI. Last accessed 10th Dec 2019.
7. Nintendo. (2014). Mario Kart 8. Nintendo Wii U. Tokyo, Japan.
8. Nintendo. (2017). Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Nintendo Switch. Tokyo, Japan.
9. Nintendo. (2017). Mario Kart Tour. iOS. Tokyo, Japan.
10. Nintendo. (2008). Mario Kart Wii. Nintendo Wii. Tokyo, Japan.
11. Nintendo. (2009). New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Nintendo Wii. Tokyo, Japan.
12. Nintendo. (2013). Super Mario 3D World. Nintendo Wii U. Tokyo, Japan.
13. Nintendo. (1985). Super Mario Bros. Nintendo Entertainment System. Tokyo, Japan.
14. Nintendo. (2017). Super Mario Odyssey. Nintendo Switch. Tokyo, Japan.
15. Nintendo. (2005). Super Princess Peach. Nintendo DS. Tokyo, Japan.
16. Nintendo Mobile. (2019). Welcome to Dr. Mario World. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b4DNKfs_tU. Last accessed 10th Jan 2020.
17. Super Mario Wiki. (2019). Dr. Mario World. Available: https://www.mariowiki.com/Dr._Mario_World. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.
18. Super Mario Wiki. (2019). Gallery:Dr. Mario World. Available: https://www.mariowiki.com/Gallery:Dr._Mario_World. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.
19. Super Mario Wiki. (2007). Perry. Available: https://www.mariowiki.com/perry. Last accessed 10th Jan 2020.
20. Super Mario Wiki. (2014). Pink Gold Peach. Available: https://www.mariowiki.com/Pink_Gold_Peach. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.
21. Super Mario Wiki. (2017). Tiara. Available: https://www.mariowiki.com/Tiara. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.
22. Williams, L. (2018). Another Deluxe Delight For Mario’s Switch Era Is On Its Way. Available: https://laurasambitiouswriting.wordpress.com/2018/09/24/newsupermariobrosudeluxe/. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.
23. Williams, L. (2018). Another Deluxe Delight For Mario’s Switch Era Is On Its Way. Available: https://laurawritesanarticle.blogspot.com/2018/09/newsupermariobrosudeluxe.html. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.
24. Williams, L. (2019). The Perils And Powers Of Pauline, Mario’s Ex-Girlfriend. Available: https://laurasambitiouswriting.wordpress.com/2019/01/06/pauline-evolution/. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.
25. Williams, L. (2019). The Perils And Powers Of Pauline, Mario’s Ex-Girlfriend. Available: https://laurawritesanarticle.blogspot.com/2019/01/pauline-evolution.html. Last accessed 9th Jan 2020.