Oh, those iconic Olympic rings. For so long they've stood for so much: national pride, childhood dreams, and consistently mediocre videogame offerings. On the iPhone, however, the Olympic track record is more or less untarnished and ready for contenders. So who's up first? Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games: an app published by Sega without the help of Nintendo and on its way to iTunes in less than a month. I was able to get my hands on a preview build to test out a couple game modes, so lets see how the furries-turned-spikey-haired Olympians are shaping up, shall we?
Like most people presented with my meager set of options, I couldn't help but start with snowboarding (or rather "Snowboard Cross") before I tackled the wide world of curling. After selecting my character from the ever-growing cast of Sonic's friends, I took to the slopes to get a feel for my motion-controlled board. Making my descent down the slope was pretty easy (just tilt your device forward to "crouch"), but trying to keep Sonic upright while taking blind corners downhill takes some serious practice. For starters, the controls are very touchy and will take some playing to get used to. It was very difficult for me to pick up rings and powerups (like rocket boosts, invincibility, etc.) my first few times around, but once I found my 3G's "sweet spot" on the slippery slopes, I could clench first place if I got a good lead.
Curling came next, and even though it was my first time playing "chess on ice," I had a surprisingly good time once I figured out what the hell was going on. In curling, you're tasked with pushing a giant granite stone down an icy path while your teammates do their best to sweep said stone into the scoring zone. On the iPod Touch, you draw a line up the right side of your device to determine your power and curve, and rapidly "sweep" the screen with your fingers in order to dial in your shot. Of course you can pick up rings and powerups along the way (the latter of which can create ring avalanches or magically draw your stone into the center; both sweet), but they're more of a distraction than anything else. It was surprisingly fun, and something I'd like to try playing with friends whose strategy consists of more than just "aim for the middle."
On a whole, Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games shows promise for an official cash-in, but I'm a bit worried it may end up costing more than it's really worth. I didn't get a chance to spend any time with its other two modes -- one of which bears a striking resemblance to Elite Beat Agents -- but I found its two snowboarding tracks and single curling rink to be a bit on the skimpy side. It didn't run as smooth or look as pretty as other proprietary Sega titles, either, which leaves me hoping it's had some work done over the past month or so. With the 2010 Winter Olympics right around the corner, I'm positive it won't be too long until you can send a stone down the ice and decide for yourself, so keep an eye on iTunes if you're feeling patriotic!
