In an age of sequels and cashing in, it is no surprise that Mario&Sonic will be returning to the Nintendo Wii and DS later this year. Already leaked two days ago, today Sega and Nintendo jointly announced the great duo’s return to Olympic competition. I am sure that also returning with this installment will be a lot of waggle and sore arms. The press release mentions use of the balance board which will be an improvement for certain, but here’s hoping they also implement Wii Motion Plus for more accurate gameplay. No screens or gameplay as of yet, but you can view the trailer now on their launch site. Prepare yourself for all the slope-hitting, heart-pounding, ben-gay-wearing action late 2009.
Mario and Sonic, will be coming together again, this time taking their rivalry
to the snow and ice in another officially licensed Olympic-themed smash hit Mario
& Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. Heading to stores late in 2009 on
the Wii home video game system and Nintendo DS, Mario&Sonic at the
Olympic Winter Games will take players to
host city of the official 2010 Olympic Winter Games. This gaming experience
invites players of all ages and skill sets to face-off in some of the most
intense winter competitions available for the Nintendo platforms.
Developed by SEGA of Japan, under the guidance of Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario&Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games will take players to lifelike
Olympic venues where they can choose from a legendary cast of playable characters, including new faces to the series to be revealed later this year. Following the phenomenal worldwide popularity of Mario&Sonic at the Olympic Games, which has sold over 10 million copies worldwide, this fresh gaming experience will feature completely new Olympic Winter Games events from the official competition schedule including Alpine Skiing and Speed Skating with more events announced throughout the year.
Tailored to the specific system controls, Nintendo DS and Wii gamers will enjoy
completely unique experiences thanks to each platform having its own specific
gameplay features and modes. Players of all skill levels will enjoy the
intuitive controls of both the Wii and Nintendo DS systems, in both single and
multiplayer gaming modes. The Wii game will offer an even richer multiplayer
experience offering co-op and competitive gameplay where the Nintendo DS brings
an intense competitive element using the Nintendo DS wireless capabilities.
Additionally, one of the new features to be found in Mario&Sonic at
the Olympic Winter Games is the inclusion of the Wii Balance Board which
can be used in some events featured in the Wii version, allowing for a more
interactive and realistic gaming experience.
Published by SEGA® across Europe and
and published by Nintendo in the Japanese market, Mario&Sonic at the
Olympic Winter Games is again licensed through a worldwide partnership with
International Sports Multimedia (ISM), the exclusive interactive entertainment
software licensee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
We are extremely happy to again team up with Nintendo and ISM on what promises
to be another global success. says Naoya Tsurumi, CEO, SEGA of America and
SEGA Europe. Sonic will partner with Mario once more beneath the spotlight of
the legendary Olympic Games. Together they will face new athletic challenges
that will provide gamers with more of the exciting experiences unique to this
series.
SEGA has been a valued publishing partner of Nintendo for many years and Mario
and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is the ultimate representation of that
relationship, said Reggie Fils-Aime, president and COO, Nintendo of America.
We look for this game to continue the tradition its predecessor started by
bringing new events, new characters, and new gameplay experiences to fans
worldwide.
To once again have Mario and Sonic and friends compete in Olympic sports and
events in a winter setting is tremendously exciting for the Olympic Movement
and the millions of gamers worldwide who enjoyed the characters previous match
up, says Raymond Goldsmith, Chairman&CEO of ISM.
Mario&Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games will be in stores late
2009. For more information about the game, please visit www.sega.com or www.olympicvideogames.com. For any
assets, please visit the SEGA FTP site at http://segapr.segaamerica.com.