Characters:
On the Nintendo side we have Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, Wario, Waluigi and Bowser. On the SEGA side we have Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, Blaze, Vector and Dr. Eggman. Each side has its heroes and villains, which make for fun match ups. You'll have to use some strategy to figure out which ones work best for which events. Off the bat, you know Sonic is good for speed, while Bowser is good for power. Character stats are detailed on the character selection screen. If you can't decide, take a gamble and select Random.

Game play:
In single player gaming, there are three main modes of play: Single Match, Circuit and Mission. You'll want to start on Single Match.

In Single Match, you can compete in Athletics, Aquatics, Gymnastics, Archery, Table Tennis, Fencing, Shooting, Cycling and Dream Events. Each sport has various events, some of which you will have to unlock as you make progress in the game. There are 24 in total.

In Circuit mode, you select different levels of difficulty (classes) and select a circuit, which is composed of a series of three events. You'll have to use some strategy before each event. No matter which character you select, there will be at least one which may bring difficulty. This is where you get what's called a "circuit chance." Selecting your sole "circuit chance" before an event doubles your points. So if you're playing with Bowser on a "speed type" event, you better redeem that token!

In Mission mode, you'll compete in a series of 5 events for each character. Things get a little tricky here, as it isn't about scoring the top place. This is where you'll want to show off your mastery of controls for an event.

When I first heard of all the various game play mechanics, I thought it would be too confusing. L/R button play for Cycling, d-pad and button play for Table Tennis, tapping and sliding the stylus for the Vault and even clapping into the Mic for stirring the crowd up. But it all makes for great variation. When you first play an event, you are given a tutorial. You can always bring it up before an event after you've seen it the first time. In several events, be prepared to hold your DS at an angle as you feverishly scratch the screen with the DS stylus. Definitely have a screen protector installed on your DS for this game.

Graphics:
The graphics hold up nicely on the DS. It has a cartoon feel, but in 3D. Lots of vivid colors. It's Mario and Sonic after all, right? The game play area sometimes spans both screens, so you get closer views of characters in games like Table Tennis. Archery and Shooting events work out well using the dual screens.

Audio:
Each character has their own unique voice. They all have their victory line and their losing lines, as well as their grunts. One neat feature thrown into the Gallery (even more mini-games which unlock Olympic trivia) is a jukebox. Unlock tracks by completing a set of Gallery mini-games, which will give you access to classic tunes from Mario and Sonic games. There are ten total to unlock, some of which include Tetris DS Mario Puzzle Mix, Sonic The Hedgehog Green Hill Zone and Mario Kart: Double Dash. Unlock 'em and drop 'em in the jukebox with your stylus.

Replay Value:
There's enough here to keep you busy and mastering each event. Whether you want to break your own records, compete via wireless play with up to four players, collect as many (and there are many) awards as possible or take on the world via online leaderboards.

Collect awards such as: Medals, Trophies, Emblems and Crowns. The toughest being the Crown awards. That means getting all gold medals for each character.

In Versus Play, you can compete locally with 2-4 players via Wireless play. With the Wi-Fi capability, you're literally competing against the world with the Nintendo WFC Rankings. Make a record in an event and it will be saved, along with the character you did it with. Connect via Wi-Fi to download/upload scores and see what number you rank. That's definitely a neat feature, although downloading/uploading scores can take some time. You have to connect and disconnect for each event.

Buy It, Rent It, or Hardcore Only?
Mario or Sonic (or Nintendo and SEGA) fans are already probably sold on the concept of the rivalries possible. There's a lot of replay value in the game mode types, control mastery, ways to interact, events to play and records to set. This is definitely a nice joint effort put together by SEGA and Nintendo. My biggest gripe is the way you have to individually upload/download records through the Wi-Fi connection. That's a minor one.

If you're wondering about my thoughts on comparing this with the Wii version (which it shouldn't really be), I haven't played it on the Wii. So this review stands on its own merit on the DS capabilities and features. It would have been cool if there was some connectivity between the Wii and DS (like syncing your scores or unlocking exclusive events). I think that would have encouraged me to look into the Wii version more.

So the short answer: recommended buy. Beyond the concept of the competition between the two parties, this little DS cart packs plenty of game play variation and ways to bring you back, just as the Olympic Games itself. You'll keep wanting to outdo yourself and go for the gold.

Watch a promotional trailer video from SEGA below.

Visit the official website for Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games here.