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Mario and Sonic Make History in New Olympic Game

Posted by Zonk on Wed Mar 28, 2007 04:27 PM
from the dogs-and-cats-living-together-mass-hysteria dept.
Entertainment Games
YokimaSun writes "SEGA. and Nintendo today made a historical announcement that two of the biggest icons in the entertainment industry, Mario and Sonic, are joining forces to star in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. '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 favourite 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.'" Has to be better than the usual Olympic Game titles, which have been categorically awful.
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[+] BioWare Shares Information on Sonic RPG 49 comments
Once again, it's not a strange dream: BioWare is making a Sonic the Hedgehog RPG for the Nintendo DS. Since the announcement back in June there have been precious few details. Luckily, Wired's Game|Life had the chance to speak with BioWare's CEO Ray Muzyka and President Greg Zeschuk about more than just Mass Effect. They discuss the genesis of the game, the depth of the title's story, and a bit on what gameplay will be like: "Game|Life: BioWare's previous efforts have been for the PC and the Xbox (and now the 360 with Mass Effect). What is the appeal of designing for the DS? Ray Muzyka: The handheld group at BioWare is certainly very excited about the innovation that can take place on the DS platform. We're really innovating what a BioWare RPG is with this title - we're looking forward to offering new and unique ways to enjoy a fast-paced, story-driven experience with tons of exploration, customization and progression. We're very excited by the opportunity to use all the cool features on the DS, and to make BioWare's first handheld RPG, one with a lot of action too, since it's based in the Sonic universe!"
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Mario and Sonic Make History in New Olympic Game 50 Comments More /

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  • This is real?!

    This can't be real.
    • That is what I first said when I heard the concept for Kingdom Hearts.

    • Re:WTF?! (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Chris Burke (6130) on Wednesday March 28 2007, @04:43PM (#18520963) Homepage
      It's not that outrageous, now that Sega is out of the hardware business. They seem to have formed very close ties with Nintendo since then. I know to those of us who remember those awesome Genesis vs SNES smear ads it is like Satan and Jesus sitting down for a nice game of scrabble, but times have changed.

    • Re:WTF?! (Score:4, Funny)

      by ajlitt (19055) on Wednesday March 28 2007, @04:45PM (#18520997) Homepage
      Not entirely. Megaman and the block from Tetris will be involved too. The release title will be "Branding Quest".

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by acidrain (35064)

      This can't be real.

      My read on this is that Nintendo is cozying up to Sega, as a prelude to buying them. This kind of "lets just work closely together first" move is typical of cooperate buyouts. In this case Nintendo gets to see how Sega's IP library sells in a Nintendo/Sega mash-up.

      And think for a second about Nintendo, with the recent popularity of the Wii and DS, they would be crazy to not be trying to buy Sega.

      • Re:WTF?! (Score:5, Insightful)

        by acidrain (35064) on Wednesday March 28 2007, @05:23PM (#18521541)
        Oh yeah, and while I'm on the topic -- working with the Olympic Commission at the same time is pure brilliance. People who don't normally watch sports tend to get sucked into the Olympics media frenzy. Which fits perfectly with Nintendo's current direction of creating a new casual market. I bet the Nintendo execs are falling all over themselves congratulating each other on this one.
          • Those games were great. I remember wasting many hours playing Winter games [wikipedia.org] and Summer Games [wikipedia.org]. Looking back, I don't think those games were that good, but just better than anything else that was available. I mean, would you really rather play Test drive [wikipedia.org] or Need for speed Carbon [wikipedia.org]. Test drive was good for it's time, but lets face it, things have gotten better. I you would have had a game like Torina 2006 in 1990, you would have been amazed.
    • Ok, as interesting as a Sonic / Mario Crossover. IMHO it would be vastly more immersive if this was a game centered around 'Mii'.

      Think about it; What would be more immersive? You playing as Mario in the Olympics against Sonic? or You playing as you in the olympics against your brother?

  • Realism in sports games is nice, but Sonic better be able to give a thorough thrashing in any straightforward races.

    New Marathon record: 3 minutes, 12 seconds.

  • Awful? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by drinkypoo (153816) <martin.espinoza@gmail.com> on Wednesday March 28 2007, @04:38PM (#18520917) Homepage Journal

    Has to be better than the usual Olympic Game titles, which have been categorically awful.

    I have to admit that I really enjoyed Winter Games [wikipedia.org]. Only game I can remember ever doing a biathlon in. Ski and shoot! Skills that will come in handy after global warming pitches us into the next ice age :)

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by ECMIM (946033)
      Yeah, these games haven't been good since Epyx did them right on C64 (the best game machine ever!) Winter, Summer and World (cliff diving!) were all fantastic!
    • You'd like this even more then - ski, shoot, hang-glide, sabotage and drive, all set in the next ice age. A shame that there are no modern versions of it.

      Midwinter [wikipedia.org]
      • I remember a Snoopy olimpic games in the NES... that got me hooked for some days though, but I got a tough time trying to master the dynamics of it.

      • The Epyx games were not "Olympic games". There was no licensing deal.

        Congratulations, sheep! I bet you think it's appropriate that they can prevent you from wearing a tee shirt with the logo of a brand of soda pop not sold on the olympic grounds to the games.

        The committee is utterly corrupt. The olympics are about one thing, money.

        To me, an Olympiad is four years, not a trademark.

  • Possible problems (Score:3, Funny)

    by Quila (201335) on Wednesday March 28 2007, @04:39PM (#18520931)
    Uh-oh, looks like Princess Peach is a member of Falun Gong and got "disappeared" before the race.
  • This would have been a shocker back in the 90s. But now, crossovers have been done to death. Marvel, Capcom, SNK, Namco... Solid Snake in SSB... a Halo Spartan in DOA... yawn. Besides, it's an olympic video game, and they are traditionally made of suck and fail.

    They're also making a new NiGHTS title. Now THAT is stuff that matters!
    • The only crossover you mentioned that's remotely close to this is Street Fighter vs SNK, as those two franchises competed against each other for some time.

      That's what makes this one so interesting. For ages Mario and Sonic were bitter rivals, spawning endless internet tirades and flash animations about who was better. Certainly those days have past, as great number of us lived and enjoyed that era.

      Now if there was a game with Kratos facing off against Master Chief, that would be news to trump this.
  • Why do i get a picture of the label being one line for name of game and a page of licensing/trademark info :O

    This will be followed closely (and trying desparately to catch up) by the sequel featuring the characters that got left out: Licensing runs amuck: The second chance races.

    Ok, does sound like fun if it works...but so have lots of games.

  • You take that back! (Score:4, Funny)

    by karmaflux (148909) on Wednesday March 28 2007, @05:10PM (#18521353) Homepage

    Has to be better than the usual Olympic Game titles, which have been categorically awful.
    Horse shit! "Track and Field" and the blockbuster follow-up, "Track and Field 2", were responsible for the best NES gaming sessions I ever had... until I got a Power Pad. I didn't like that thing then, and I didn't like it when they resold them as "Dance Dance Revolution."

    • Summer Games, Winter Games, World Games and California Games. Epyx for the win!

    • Konami used to rock, and rock hard.

      Now all they do is make rehashes of Metal Gear and DDR.

      Of course, T&F2 was only good until you got a NES Max, then it was down to sitting and holding the turbo buttons for 60 seconds at a time.
  • Sega has always been pre-disposed to put its Sonic games on its once-rival's console first and foremost. The Wii got it's own Sonic game (supposedly the best since Sonic Adventure) and a host of other games.

    Now that Sonic and Mario are appearing together in a game, does this mean we can expect Sonic to be a character in Super Smash Bros Brawl?

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by MeanderingMind (884641)
      Honestly, that prospect excites me more than this game does.

      Which is not to say this game doesn't excite me, Shigeru himself is working on it.
    • Wasn't this aready more or less garanteed? Frankly I'd rather see Ken Masters, or maybe Sub Zero :)
      • There's lots of rampant fan speculation and wishing, but there's no confirmation from either Nintendo or Sega either way.

        Considering that Melee had 20+ characters, and we've only seen about 10 for Brawl, I'd say we have a lot of revealing left, which will probably be held until close to release.
    • Though so did the PS3 and XBox2 [wikipedia.org].

  • Finally they meet and this is the game? (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 28 2007, @06:05PM (#18522103)
    For those of us who didn't really engage in the console wars with Sonic and Mario a mash-up is what we've always wanted. Marvel vs Capcom, Super Smash Bros, finally Mario and Sonic get together and this is the game they choose? Olympics? I'd rather see a 2D H2H fighter. I guess I won't "buy any game with Sonic and Mario". I owe my best friend from fourth grade $5.

    --
    The Wolfkin

  • t&f (Score:3, Informative)

    by karnal (22275) on Wednesday March 28 2007, @06:37PM (#18522489)
    Has to be better than the usual Olympic Game titles, which have been categorically awful.

    All I have to say is

    TRACK AND FIELD MUTHA F'er...

    It's the only "olympic" button masher you'll ever need!

  • I feel old. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Ant P. (974313) on Wednesday March 28 2007, @07:35PM (#18523043) Homepage
    I remember the days when such an announcement would be taken as an insult or a joke... and here it is for real.
    Hmm.
  • I wonder if Dr Robotnik and Bowser will team up to defeat Mario and Sonic....
  • Oh well, here's hoping...

    P.
  • I've always had a soft spot for both nintendo and sega (owned every console from each company), but this sounds to me like an excuse to capitalize on the franchises.

    I know that may seem obvious (and it is), but that kinda bothers me that they are trying to cash in on icons that essentially jump-started the videogame revolution
  • Will they be competing against Gronk and Glunk? [mobygames.com]
  • throw in Bonk, Pac-Man, and whoever Neo Geo had and call it good.

    • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

      by stratjakt (596332)
      I say it depends who develops it.

      Nintendo would put out something Mario Party-ish, with fun minigames and it might be OK.

      Sega would try and make it a sports sim, and thus end up quite lame.

      It's interesting, and not for the Mario/Sonic in the same game thing (saw that one coming when Sonic Adventure 2 came out for the Gamecube), but nobody has made a decent olympic/track and field themed game since Epyx old Summer/Winter/California/World Games series, and it's a good premise for a party game.

      • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

        by Crymson4 (1018850)
        I played California Games on my old 286... had some fun with hacky sack, but that's about it. The game just didn't hold it for me. A party game could be fun, but in the Olympic setting? Who gets the best 100m dash score? It's the TYPE of event that would make or break this game. I agree a sim would suck, and that's what I'm saying. When you move away from sims, it is no longer an "Olympic" title. I can hope that it would be fun, but I just don't see it happening.
    • You obviously are very young, there are excellent examples of good olympic sports games. Decathlon and Summer games probably are the most important ones, with Decathlon being one of the first and still one of the best summer sports games ever!

    • Re:They're kidding, right? (Score:4, Funny)

      by SpiffyMarc (590301) on Wednesday March 28 2007, @05:22PM (#18521513)
      Well, you could always put out a competing press release, and see if all the news outlets pick it up and run with it.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Stormwatch (703920)

      Mario is a "star" in gaming, but has little to know cross-over appeal that I know of. Mario Bros. Movie, anyone?

      Don't blame Mario for the movie's suckitude. It had almost nothing to do with the game (unlike the cartoon, which was pretty good). Dennis Hopper (the movie's King Koopa), in an interview, said he had this lil' chat with his son:

      - Dad, why did you work in this Mario film?
      - So that I can buy you shoes, son.
      - But I don't need shoes that badly!

      Seems like there is a Sonic cartoon, but since I don't wa

    • That includes games (not just movies, TV, music). Considering gaming is a bigger industry than movies, they dont need cross-over appeal. Is Brad Pitt not one of the biggest icons in the entertainment industry because he doesn't have any video games? I'm sure mario is one of the most recognizable icons in the world.
    • Maybe Mario will get one of his go-karts.
    • If Nintendo is smart, they'll give each competitor advantages in some events and disadvantages in others. So Sonic would do well in the sprinting events but maybe not so well in weightlifting or whatever. Mario would probably be the average character with no advantages or disadvantages, since that's the role he usually plays in other competitive games.

      Rob

    • The game may be good or bad, but I seriously don't get the appeal of Sonic and Mario together. They're games were just too different for them to be in any way combinable. It's like if they came out with a game that teamed up Simon Belmont with Crash Bandicoot.
      I thought Crashtlevania was pretty good.

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