The players can only choose one of twenty characters that return from the previous two games and participate in a series of sixteen Olympic events. See also: Gameplay in the Mario & Sonic series Sochi is the second and currently final Mario & Sonic game based on the Winter Olympics. A fifth game in the series, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, was released for Wii U in 2016. The game received mixed reviews from critics who praised the visuals, multiplayer, and addition of online play, but criticised its controls and lack of innovation from previous games in the series. The game formed the second part in Sega's exclusivity agreement with Nintendo after Sonic Lost World back in mid-October 2013 and followed by Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal in November/December 2014. It's the first title in the series to feature an online multiplayer mode, and the first to be published by Nintendo globally, as previous titles were published by Sega outside Japan and unlike previous instalments, the game was released solely on home console, and does not have a portable version.

It was released on November 8, 2013, in Europe, November 9, 2013, in Australia, November 15, 2013, in North America, and December 5, 2013, in Japan. It is the fourth game in the Mario & Sonic series, the first to be released on the Wii U and is the official video game for the 2014 Winter Olympics that were held in Sochi. Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games is a 2013 crossover sports/ party video game for the Wii U.

Online mario games free