Win a Gold Medal with Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Are you excited for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this summer?  I am – I can’t wait!  Growing up, I loved the Olympics.  I even videotaped them so I could replay them over and over (and much to the dismay of my family, I replayed them over and over).  I’m particularly excited about this summer’s Olympics, because this is the first time my kids will be old enough to really appreciate the Games and enjoy watching them with me.

Something else I loved growing up was video games, particularly Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog. My first gaming console was a Nintendo, and then a Sega Genesis, and I played Mario and Sonic until I wore them both out. Imagine my excitement when I learned about Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games!

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is a new game for the Nintendo 3DS, and as you might have guessed, it places our friends Mario and Sonic in the middle of the action at the Games in Rio de Janeiro. They take part with other characters in fun events like soccer, beach volleyball, archery, swimming, and more; there are 14 standard Olympic events, and 14 Plus Events featured in the game, so the variety is huge. The game also features golf, which is returning to the Olympic Games for the first time in 112 years. How cool is that?

Gameplay on Mario & Sonic 2016 comes in three options: Quick Play, Versus Mode, and Road to Rio. The Quick Play mode lets you play through all the events to go for the gold and beat your best records.  Versus Mode allows you to play with 2-4 friends and compete against one another in Olympic events, which has been especially fun for me and the kids.  The final mode, or Road to Rio, is a story version, which takes your Mii on the road to Rio de Janeiro, where they will compete in the Olympic Games.

This game is ridiculously fun, and it’s been a hit with my entire family. I have loved being able to revisit some of my favorite characters from childhood, and my kids are having a great time competing in a friendly environment and learning about the Olympics. We had never talked about the Games before, and they were totally unfamiliar with them. Not anymore, though!  Thanks to Mario & Sonic 2016, they’re actually really excited to watch the Olympics with me on television, and even asked if we could go see them in person.  If only!

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is available for the Nintendo 3DS, and is compatible with 2DS and 3DS systems of all sizes. It’s rated E for everyone, and it’s tons of fun for the entire family. To learn more about the game or the Nintendo 3DS, visit Nintendo.com.