by Kevin - 03.28.07

To celebrate the upcoming Beijing 2008 Olympics, Nintendo and SEGA announced today a partnership that will forever mark the history of video games. Both of their key mascots will be featured in a game titled Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games.
Published by SEGA across Europe and North America, and published by Nintendo in the Japanese market, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games will be available for Holiday 2007 and is licensed through a worldwide partnership with International Sports Multimedia (ISM), the exclusive interactive entertainment software licensee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, players will compete in events that take place in environments based on the official venues of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Using a supporting cast of characters from the amazing worlds of both Mario and Sonic, gamers will be able to compete as or against a range of lovable personalities including Mario, Sonic, Luigi™, Knuckles™, Yoshi®, Tails™ and more. Innovative usage of the Wii and DS control systems to maneuver a favorite character will allow players to race the likes of Mario and Sonic down the 100m track, engage in exhilarating rallies in table tennis and churn water in a swimming heat, all while competing for the much sought after gold medal.
This is certainly not the Sonic-in-SSBB announcement fans have been wishing for, but it remains an interesting mixup. If the game is anything like the Mario Party mini-games, I’m all in.
SEGA and Nintendo Join Forces for Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games











Mario & Sonic game for DS and Wii => Yay!
Sega => Uh oh!
Olymic Games =>
Dascu - 03.28.07 7:05 am
honeycombs…i don’t think ive had honeycombs in like 7 years, and i totally crave them right now. thanks kevin
game sounds odd, but it has potential
N Rumas - 03.28.07 7:07 am
I think this is quite a waste of their first game together and is such an anticlimactic resolution to years of rivalry.
they might as well have just put sonic in mario party
should’ve just put sonic in mario galaxy so he can take notes
TakaM - 03.28.07 7:25 am
yay.. your the first to print my news story that i sent to joystiq and BGB as well
poke50uk - 03.28.07 7:34 am
Yeah, pretty disappointing that the first Sonic & Mario game isn’t a big blockbuster kind of title. That combined with the fact that I don’t think there’s been a single Olympics-style game ever that’s even been average, they’re usually complete disasters.
Who’s developing the game anyways? That’s far more important than who’s publishing it.
SV - 03.28.07 7:34 am
Sega should let Nintendo make Sonic games for now on. Maybe that way we can get a good Next Gen Sonic game.
LeXxX - 03.28.07 7:37 am
sv-
how bout the 1992 barcelona games on the various consoles of the day.. it was a fantastic game you could just pick up and play at anytime.. with manic button mashing!
poke50uk - 03.28.07 7:41 am
Woah where’d those flying pigs come from?
pete - 03.28.07 7:43 am
Hmm, this may end up not being that great of a game…
But focus your attention on this specifically- Sega and Nintendo collaborating…
And Smash Bros. comes out later this year…
(!)
Any forum you come across speaking about Smash Bros. characters has someone hoping for Sonic and others to be in SSBB, I didn’t think it had much of a chance, but I’d say I’m about 50/50 now.
leojsoap - 03.28.07 7:44 am
If they could make interesting competitive modes that play well without seeming like a quick cash-in then awesome.
Maybe we’ll see some Wario ware-style running in place and hurdle jumping. As long as they keep it intuitive that’ll be awesome.
Liraco - 03.28.07 8:06 am
Sounds like a turd.
KiddKalen - 03.28.07 8:27 am
If this turns into yet ANOTHER minigame collection, I will be furious.
Hopefully Mario pulls Sonic up, instead of Sonic dragging Mario down. I guess that depends on which company is developing this thing.
Mushroom Pie - 03.28.07 8:40 am
Wow…I think you guys should take it for what it is. Stop saying it’s going to be crap and realize that this isn’t going to try to be a must-have AAA game, but more of a good-will gesture.
Also, don’t forget, the last game made by both Sega and Nintendo was the awesome F-Zero GX!
Besides, this might open the door to a Mario & Sonic franchise, so look forward to it!
Boot Guy Joe - 03.28.07 8:48 am
It would be funny if this was an April fool’s joke made up by Nintendo and SEGA.
But it sounds pretty legit. I want to see what they do about the voice acting, please get rid of Sonics horrible voice or at least make him say the odd word like Mario does.
Mike H - 03.28.07 8:50 am
First thing I thought on seeing this article: “Is it April 1st already?”
Second thing I thought: “WIN!”
JDavis - 03.28.07 9:35 am
So this is will be like Rayman Raving Rabbids, but with Mario and Sonic? Maybe some Luigi vs Knuckles action as well? Toad vs Tails? Bowser vs Robotnik? Donkey Kong vs Shadow?
The more I think about it, the more I want to play it - and I don’t even really know WTF it is yet! Well played, (Nintendo and Sega amalgam henceforth known as) Nintendega. Well played.
Dean - 03.28.07 10:28 am
Track and Field was popular on the Famicom/NES, and so has plenty of other sport games since we all started out.
While this won’t be a AAA title, it won’t change the face of the industry, and it won’t make everyone say “wow”, it could still be fun.
Plus it will sell well no matter what, and when it does, it could easily lead to more SEGA-Sammy and Nintendo co-productions.
Kenofthedead - 03.28.07 11:27 am
This is kind of historic, isn’t it? Like the Berlin Wall coming down…
Joking aside, this is definitely a good sign for those of us wanting Sega characters, especially Sonic and company, in SSBB.
Geoff - 03.28.07 12:08 pm
APRIL’S FOOL!!
I ain’t buyin’ it
Riverama - 03.28.07 12:38 pm
I was gonna post what SV said. It sucks that their first game together is just some marketing crap for the Olympics.
NoBullet - 03.28.07 1:25 pm
I’m actually pretty stoked for this. IGN says Shigeru Miyamoto is supervising the whole project, which gives me more confidence. Mario’s sports games have always been unique and fun. Let’s wait until we hear how the game works until we decide to disregard it as “crappy minigame collection” or the likes.
rocktapus - 03.28.07 1:35 pm
Should I put away my SuperNES and stop hating SEGA now?
geekrecon - 03.28.07 1:55 pm
*Jaw Drop*
Drkirby - 03.28.07 3:43 pm
Can you feel that? It’s a lack of heat.
…Hell just froze over.
Lynx - 03.28.07 4:04 pm
That quite a slap in the face for fans of Sonic and Mario. But then as a long-time fan of Nintendo I’ve gotten used to being slapped in the face lately.
Steven - 03.28.07 4:34 pm
Mario and Sonic at the Olympics for Wii and DS is quite the surprise. I hope that Nintendo and Sega deliver well and make a solid title. Either way, it just goes to show you how unpredictable the videogame industry can be.
Paul Gale - 03.28.07 5:01 pm
March 28, 2007: The day the internets exploded.
CJMErl - 03.28.07 5:08 pm
Fine text: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
formerly known as Super Smash Bros. Brawl.I kid, of course. That’d suck.
Mike H: All I want is a Japanese voice track with subtitles. If Sega’s developing it, it’s certainly a possibility; if Nintendo, then probably not.
CJMerl: I personally think that day was when Nintendo announced the Wii’s name.
Spiritsnare - 03.28.07 6:44 pm
I broke the comment form. ^^; Sorry. Here’s my attempt at fixing it.
Spiritsnare - 03.28.07 6:45 pm
I don’t know I think this could end up being good. I’m sure it will sell good as well.
Shadow Zero - 03.28.07 7:24 pm
yeah a platformer would have been way more exciting but maybe this can be a prelude for sonic in brawl or a platformer. and everyone bashing sega should check out secret rings, at first the game is frustrating with sloppy controls but after awhile it becomes lots of fun.
Greg in PA - 03.28.07 7:50 pm
I love it when they make cross-over games like this, and this has to be the ultimate cross-over. I’d buy this one just for the historical value. I would be disappointed if it were just another bland minigame-fest like so many other Wii titles are, but if they don’t keep too strictly to realistic simulated Olympic games and go for a Mario Kartish style of arcadey exaggeration with it (and maybe SSB style self-referencing of the two franchises), I could see tons of potential here. And think of how well this game will sell to the coveted “mainstream” when they advertise the hell out of it during the actual Olympics…
S - 03.28.07 8:16 pm
My sentiments exactly S. I’ll take it for the historical value too, so long as it’s not a very poorly made game. I suppose it depends who makes it. As long as Nintendo keeps a good eye on its development we may at least get a Mario Party quality game, and that’s not bad (not that I’m saying that’s the max effort in quality we should settle for, the higher the better).
This could very well be an indication of something beyond simply putting Sonic in SSBB, there could be an agreement to make multiple games in the Mario/Sonic crossover line. Today, it’s the Olympic Games, tomorrow, Mario/Sonic action/adventure/RPG.
Excellent.
Questworld - 03.28.07 9:20 pm
I’m just throwing this out there…How could this NOT be a minigame collection?
DUKobE8 - 03.28.07 10:14 pm
I think this just seals the Brawl deal.
Sam - 03.28.07 10:43 pm
@dDUKOBE8:
Just go on Wikipedia and look up the list of games featured in the olympics. Baseball, football (real football;aka soccer) volleyball, water-polo,and last but certainly not least, synchronized swimming!!! If Nintendo and Sega really go the whole 9 yards with this, and there’s no doubt in my mind they will, the game will be much more deeper and involving than a simple “minigame collection”.
Unrelated, please oh please anyone with good photoshop skills, the poses Mario and Sonic are in are PERFECT for a buddy-cop film poster. All you have to do is replace the background with an explosion and BAM! instant awesome.
rocktapus - 03.29.07 1:01 am
@Rocktapus: American Football IS Real Football. XP
…But that’s just my opinion. I also don’t care for soccer, outside of Mario Strikers.
And I don’t care what nay sayers say. I’m excited. I’ve been waiting for a Mario/Sonic game for YEARS. I’ve imagined an anime in my head. I’ve had the game and characters and everything all worked out. This is, to say the least, a dream come true.
And while, since it is focusing on Olypmic games, it will most likely be a collection of mini games, I trust both Nintendo and Sega (Sega’s made some awfully big screw ups, but I liked Sonic and the Secret Rings enough to place a small amount of trust in them again…Plus, I still love Sonic Rush and Billy Hatcher) that this will be a collection of mini-games worth playing, as opposed to Rayman’s mediocre collection, or the number of other mini game games on the Wii.
But I suppose only time will tell.
Oof - 03.29.07 6:24 pm
@ROCKTAPUS:
Thanks for the lesson on the Olympic Games. Obviously kidding. I am completely psyched about this game, all I can think about is playing track and field and how much fun I had doing that…and then thinking about the potential for this. Oh yeeeah.
DUKobE8 - 03.30.07 4:53 am
On a side note that I forgot to mention there…is anyone else here thinking about heading to beijing for the games??
DUKobE8 - 03.30.07 4:54 am
They should make it Nintendo and Sega in the olympic games(Shinobi Vs Shriek would be awsome!!!!),Not just Mario & Sonic!But anywayz I can’t wait to see how this game turns out
Mayson G - 04.16.07 12:13 pm