Climb into the Sports Zone with “Mario Sport Mix”

Welcome back to another exciting episode of the Mario Sports Zone ladies and gentlemen. In this week’s episode we’ll show you highlights from the Team Mario versus Team Bowser basketball match and what happened in the dodge ball game, so sit back, relax, and stay tuned into the M-zone.

This week in Basketball Team Mario and Luigi came up against the reigning champions Team Bowser and Peach. If you missed this game, then I’m sorry for your loss, but don’t worry because the M-zone has your back! 

Mario starts this off right receiving the tip off first and going in for a nice and easy lay up; two points right off the bat. Bowser then follows up with a pass to Peach and a juke move to the hoop for two points. Later on in the half Mario breaks away and he could go all the way; SLAM DUNK!

By the end of the half the score is 22-18 Team Mario.

By the second half the game is a little more heated and the players are pepped up.  Luigi takes the ball, but oh! What’s this? He slips on a banana peel strategically placed by Peach. Bowser recovers the ball for a slam-dunk.  

Feeling the pressure, Mario throws a turtle shell at Bowser.  No fowl was called on this one, so Luigi breaks away with a shot from behind the line and 3 points go up on the board! 

The end of the game score was 45-38 Team Mario, breaking Team Bowser’s evil winning spree.

I hope you had on your sunscreen because this volleyball match up was a scorcher. Team Peach and Mario against Team Donkey Kong and Wario was a total blow out. 

Peach serves up the first hit of the day with perfect form and from that moment you could tell she brought her "A" game. The back and forth continues with each team scoring one after the other until Mario comes through with a heavy handed spike to really turn the tides. By this point you could tell the players had a good handle on this game. 

Match 1 was a shut out, 15-5. 

I can’t say that match 2 got any better for Team Donkey Kong and Wario. They suffered the same fate as the match prior and came away with another loss. Not to mention it probably didn’t help to have turtle shells being flung at you from Team Peach and Mario. 

What you saw in this game was a classic case of lack of training and out of shape players. I hate to say this, but gorillas and fat evil villains just weren’t cut out to exert that much physical activity in the hot sun, not to mention that bathing suits do not flatter them.     

On to dodge ball. Dodge ball is a classic sport that has been around for the ages.  Ever since man could throw his first spherical object it has always been at or toward another person. This great sport really separates the jocks from the nerds. Now lets hop in the hot seat and get to the action.

Team Bowser and Luigi took on Team Donkey Kong and Yoshi.  Donkey Kong came out balls-a-flying and Luigi received the first hit.   Bowser recovers the ball and hurls it toward Yoshi who is able to catch it. 

Yoshi gets real clever here and pulls a play move.  He makes a pass to Donkey Kong who then makes another pass to their man behind enemy lines.  Their rebounder in the back of enemy territory strikes Bowser.  Another hit against their opponents. 

Despite Team Donkey Kong’s strong start they loose Yoshi in the middle of the match.  When you take too many hits, you have to go, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Donkey Kong builds up his special power and comes back harder than ever.  With one quick special move attack, the tides turn back in Donkey Kong’s favor and lets them finish with a win.

Our hockey match of the week took place on Mario Field with Team Toad and Yoshi playing Team Mario and Luigi.  This match up was so heated I’m surprised the ice didn’t melt!

These teams were pretty equally matched and all the players were out for that sweet taste of victory. 

Luigi got the puck off the snap, but quickly lost it after Toad checked him into the wall.  Toad makes a pass to Yoshi for the shot and it’s blocked by the Goalie.  Mario makes an attempt down the ice but is stopped by Yoshi who breaks away and shoots it past the goalie for the first point of the day.

Later on, with the score at 1-1, you can see the frustration on Yoshi’s face.  He glides on down the ice and with one fetal swoop he does his high arcing, special, rainbow move for a seemingly impossible second point! 

Now with the score at 2-1 a small scuffle occurs on the ice between Luigi and Yoshi.  The fight was quickly separated and Luigi came away with the puck. 

By the end of the game the score was 5-3 Team Toad and Yoshi.

At the end of these match ups I really must say that I enjoyed this game.  Solo play is fun and challenging, while multiplayer is equally well, but just a hair more fun in the company of another. 

The use of Mario themed characters in a Mario game is a must and I liked the use of all my choices.  It’s great seeing the same classic Mario features, such as turtle shells and bananas, to create that Mario-esque feel.  When the power bar reaches its max, each character has a unique special move that is pretty much unbeatable.

The graphics of “Mario Sport Mix” are on par with a Mario game.  They look good and feel like all the other Mario games that came before this.  Along those lines, the sound is great and the music is Mario’s style.

Overall, I think “Mario Sports Mix” is a great game that will be fun and enjoyable for everyone.  I give it 4 slam-dunks out of 5 and suggest you play it.