With the recent end of the 2021 Olympics, many fans may feel that they want more and cannot wait for the next Olympics. While nothing can beat the real-life sports competition, there are plenty of other things fans can do to entertain themselves to pass the time. Not only are the plenty of great Olympic movies to watch, but there are also plenty of video games based on the games that can help pass the time.
Since 1983, Olympics videos games have been a popular subgenre filled with games officially licensed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As one of the oldest video game genres, there is a whole list of titles fans should check out.
QWOP
While the game is not officially licensed by the IOC, QWOP is one of the most iconic games ever. Created by Bennett Foddy, this 2008 browser game has the player take control of an athlete named "Qwop" as they attempt to run a 100-meter dash at the Olympic games. The reason the game and the titular character are named QWOP is because the player controls the running of the character using the "Q," "W," "O" and "P" keys on the keyboard.
Because of the notoriously frustrating gameplay and the rag-doll movements of Qwop, the game quickly became a meme. Many people began visiting the website it was on, and it has since had several sequels, been shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and been featured on a season 9 episode on The Office. Although the game may not the most fun, it is still an important part of internet history and worth a look.
Hyper Olympic (Track & Field)
In 1983, Konami released the game that would begin the Olympic genre: Hyper Olympic. This game was named Track & Field in America, but only the original Japanese version has an official Olympic license. With two run buttons (or trackball) and an action button, this side-scrolling arcade game had players compete in six Olympic track and field events, which included a 100-meter dash and the long jump.
While it was not the first Olympics-inspired video game, it was the first one that had an official license. The huge popularity of the game at the time also led to a rebirth of the sports genre in video games, which had been dying out. Although some critics might say this is one of the worst sports games because it doesn't accurately portray the sport at all, the hand strain players experience while mashing the buttons does make the game feel like an Olympic-level struggle.
Olympic Summer Games
The 1996 video game, Olympic Summer Games, was officially made for the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. Although the early 3D graphics are a bit hard on the eyes and the various events are all track and field events, there are quite a few things that made it monumental.
The Olympic Summer Games was the first 3D Olympics game and the last Olympics game to be published for fourth-generation consoles. It also has the same button-mashing fun as many of its predecessors.
Athens 2004
While Athens 2004 did not receive positive reviews initially, the time has allowed this to become a cult classic for many players. This PS2 and Windows PC game is one of the most realistic Olympic video games.
But, this game does have a couple of issues. Some of the events are only on the PS2 version, which makes the Windows version feel weaker in comparison. Also, some of the events can only be played by male characters and other events can only be played by female characters.
Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games
For a long time, video game giants Nintendo and Sega have been rivals. But, for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, the two sides came together to create one of the best Mario sports games. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is a crossover sports party game released on the Wii in 2007 and on the Nintendo DS in 2008. Both have an official IOC license, and this game was the first official crossover game between the two franchises.
Both games are a collection of 24 Olympic events that each follow the guidelines and rules of the real-life Olympics. The player controls either one of the Mario characters or the Sonic characters and plays through a wide variety of unique events. This led to an extensive level of gameplay and replayability, which made this game award-winning and beloved at the time.
London 2012
The London 2012 was the last Olympic game (besides the Mario & Sonic games) until the Steep: Road To The Olympics DLC. While the long hiatus seems to suggest the 2012 game did not do well, the game actually received average reviews and introduced a lot of new content to the genre.
The game was developed in-house by Sega Studios Australia, and it included some new events like Beach Volleyball. With over 30 countries and events, London 2012 was an ambitious game that even had multiplayer co-op.
Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games
After the success of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, the series quickly had a sequel, which was called Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. This 2009 game for the Wii and Nintendo DS was made for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Despite this sequel being released shortly after the original game, it is a huge improvement with plenty of new features along with the same things that made the original beloved.
Like the first game, players can play as Mario or Sonic characters and the events follow the same rules as the real-life Olympic events. But, this sequel also has four new characters, the ability to change the Mii character's clothes, and new modes. These new modes include Festival mode in the Wii version where the player can go through the entire Olympics, and the Adventure Tours mode in the DS version where players can complete quests and challenge bosses.
Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
Since the fifth installment, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the Mario & Sonic franchise did not return until the newest installment: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. As a reference to the old Olympic video games, this game was released for Arcade Cabinets as well as for the Nintendo Switch.
While the graphics and gameplay have only gotten better with each sequel, this latest installment lacks some of the content previous entries in the series had. However, one extra positive is that the Nintendo Switch version includes a 16-bit 2D gameplay mode that is again another reference to the genre's roots. Since many of the co-op Super Mario games have proven to be hit on the Switch, fans are guaranteed to enjoy these ones too.
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - The Official Video Game
As the latest installment in the Olympic games genre, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 - The Official Video Game has some of the best graphics and gameplay. The player can make their own athlete and compete in both single-player and multiplayer modes.
But, the game only has 18 events, which is a much smaller amount compared to other recent games in this genre. The events that are in the game, however, are all solid.
Steep: Road To The Olympics
One of the highest-rated games in this video game genre on Metacritic is not even a full game. Steep: Road To The Olympics is a DLC for the open-world sports game Steep, which was released in 2016 for Windows, PS4 and Xbox One. Steep takes place in the Alps as the player attempts various winter sports.
Although the DLC adds some new mountain ranges and sports, the best aspects of this game are the parts that Steep brings on its own. The open-world gameplay and added storyline makes this game come alive in ways no other Olympics-based game has.