Every four year years, gamers can count on an Olympics video game, and 2008 is no different. This go around, SEGA is offering an Olympics game which takes advantage of features offered by the new generation of consoles, in hopes of creating the best Olympics game yet. But will they succeed?
The Basics
First things first: in an interview with Play, SEGA confirmed that there will be at least 38 Olympics events in the new Beijing 2008 title. While the official event list has not been released yet, confirmed events include swimming (with the 100m butterfly), running (with the 100m sprint), shooting, cycling, archery, pole vaulting, and long jump. Gamers will also be able to experience these events in famous venues such as the Beijing National Stadium and the National Aquatics Center.
However, possibly one of the first questions gamers have when they think of a new Olympics title is, will this be another button masher? Past Olympics games have basically been tests to see which gamers can tap the buttons on their controllers the fastest. While SEGA will be including some button mashing events in the game (such as the 100m sprint) -- since some gamers seem to like these -- the developers have also confirmed that some events (such as the 100m butterfly) will throw out the old button-mashing formula and feature new controls.
And while the developers haven't released the full list of events that will be in the game, they have confirmed which sports won't be included in the title -- basketball, football, soccer, boxing, etc. Since many video games focus on individual sports such as these, the developers found it foolish to waste their resources trying to include sports such as these. Instead, the developers are focusing on events more associated with the Olympics to create an original and unique experience on the consoles.
Game Modes
The main game mode in Beijing 2008 is the Olympics mode. Basically, gamers will lead athletes from their favorite country of choice through 15 days of the Olympics and nearly all the events included in the game. Gamers must do well in all the events in order to build up their stats and perform well on "finals day."
However, one of the biggest additions to Beijing 2008 -- and one not found in previous Olympics games -- is online play. Online play will allow gamers to compete in all the events against people from all around the world. Voice chat will also be included so that gamers can trash talk their opponents or even make new friends.
Outlook
While SEGA is doing interesting things with this new Olympics game, there are still several big "question marks" as to how this game will shape up in the end. While fortunately SEGA is reworking the controls for several events, it seems disappointing that the tired button mashing controls are still present for many events.
Additionally, online play could be hit or miss -- any "lag" or framerate drops could kill a game like this, where every millisecond counts in the race for victory. It also might be nice if SEGA were able to integrate actual news from the Olympics in the online section of the game.
Ultimately, these are questions that might not be answered until the game actually releases on July 8th, 2008, only for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Until then, Wii gamers who feel left out may also be interested in the already released Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, or in Deca Sports, releasing on May 13th.
Jonathan Coley - Jonathan Coley wrote about the topic of video games for Suite101. Before coming to Suite101, he covered the video games beat for a variety ...
