Olympic Video Games Disappoint

Every four years, as the world's greatest athletes converge, video game publishers follow them with an Olympics simulation. Unfortunately the latest incarnation, Beijing 2008 available on PC, XBox 360 and Playstation 3 offers little in the way of originality and longevity.

The 2008 video game cover girl Amanda Beard fondly recalls the first Olympics game she played on the vintage Nintendo Entertainment System. She recalls the novelty of using the Power Pad and competing with friends and family as a child. Unfortunately, she feels the genre has evolved little since then. Even a video game fan like Michael Phelps has been unable to find something positive to say about the current game.

The main criticism seems to be that the game involves little skill and focuses on tedious button mashing. So while gamers want to experience the thrill of simulated endurance sports, they were hoping there was more to it than just testing the endurance of their thumbs.

In fact, an earlier game on the Nintendo Wii called Mario and Sonic at the Olympics has drawn better reviews for its innovative use of the Wiimote to involve the player in the action. But the more recent attempts at Olympics-themed games suggest the genre really needs a shot in the arm or maybe deserves to be skipped when 2012 rolls around.