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Mario and Sonic in a new trailer, at the Olympic Winter Games

by JC Fletcher { Aug 20th 2009 at 11:50AM }

We thought we had been cured of all vestiges of Sonic fandom -- the last several years having made caring about Sonic games unbearably painful. But then a speed-skating Metal Sonic showed up in this Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games trailer, and we were, however briefly, thrilled.

Other items of interest in this trailer: superfluous Sonic character Silver the Hedgehog getting really into curling, a Bowser/Bowser Jr. team (which confused us a lot when we initially thought it was a paradoxical Bowser/Baby Bowser team), and snowboarding! Which seems to be awfully close to the concept of Sonic Riders. And in the gallery, a few pictures of snowball fights! Is snowball fighting an Olympic sport now? If so, we'll actually pay attention to the TV broadcasts.

Gallery: Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympics (GamesCom 2009)

Mario and Sonic's winter outing dated for October 16

by David Hinkle { Jul 13th 2009 at 3:00PM }

We may have ragged on the first Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games a lot, but -- as horrible as we thought it was -- it managed to capture the interest (and money) of almost every man, woman, and child in all of the UK. So, Sega is working as fast as it can to get the latest version of its new money-printing machine, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, out to retail, announcing that the game will release this October.

Balance Board Bobsledding with Mario & Sonic

by JC Fletcher { Apr 3rd 2009 at 2:55PM }

Eurogamer recently got a hands-on session with both the Wii and DS Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games, at an event in Vancouver during which Sega tried to soften up the journalists with free curling. The absolute best news gleaned from the session? Every game will have multiplayer unlocked from the start. Locking multiplayer is the worst possible design decision for a party game, and it's good to see that Sega picked up on that extremely obvious fact.

Also potentially fun: the new game supports the Balance Board for events like skiing and bobsledding. We haven't had a reason to sit down on the Balance Board since Raving Rabbids TV Party! Well, a reason other than exhaustion.
[Screenshot via ONM]

Ice those thumbs, Sega announces Vancouver 2010

by Richard Mitchell { Mar 12th 2009 at 4:30PM }

Get excited kids, Sega -- unsurprisingly -- has announced Vancouver 2010, the official game of the 2010 Winter Olympics. The game is being developed by Eurocom, the studio company Beijing 2008. We're sure the developers have already come up with new and exciting ways to mash buttons and twirl sticks, so you'd best get your thumbs prepared. Don't forget your palms either; those calluses hurt! If you'd rather waggle Wii remotes, it looks like you'll have to wait for the next Mario & Sonic because Vancouver 2010 has only been announced for PS3, 360 and Windows.

Check out the teaser trailer above and the first screens below.

Gallery: Vancouver 2010

Mario & Sonic head to the Winter Olympics later this year

by Alexander Sliwinski { Feb 12th 2009 at 10:20AM }

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is finally "official." Sega announced this morning that Nintendo's mascot and Sega's cross to bear will compete on Wii and DS in virtual Vancouver, Canada, with all their friends (and "new faces").

As part of Sega's release, it stated that the original Mario & Sonic at the Olympics has sold over 10 million units globally. The latest casual cash-in will support the Wii Balance Board and feature Alpine Skiing, Speed Skating and many other events. That's all good, but will pairs figure skating deliver tension and romance between Sonic and Mario on par with the classic ice-skating movie, The Cutting Edge? We hope so ... not, we meant not.

Update: Teaser trailer embedded after the break.

Continued →

Olympics licensing director jumps the gun, reveals new Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games

by JC Fletcher { Feb 10th 2009 at 1:55PM }

The rumors (that we all knew were true) appear to be true: Sega's got a winter version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games on the way. Dennis Kim, director of licensing and merchandise for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, seemingly revealed Sega's plans to The Province.

"Last year, 2008, they had a very successful game using Mario and Sonic at the Beijing Games, as well as a multi-sport simulation type of game," Kim said. "That's what's being discussed and planned for Vancouver. We are feeling optimistic about sales because of the Beijing experience." Kim has reason to feel optimistic: the first Mario and Sonic game is one of the best-selling releases on the Wii.

Kim praised Sega's dedication to realism: "They want to get a real sense of accuracy, particularly with the landscape and the venues and the look of the Games." If the venue didn't look 100% accurate, people would be able to tell from the first moment a two-tailed cartoon fox stepped onto the track.

[Via CVG]

Sega acquires 2010 Winter Olympics license

by Alexander Sliwinski { Feb 5th 2009 at 6:30PM }

Sega has licensed the rights to produce games based on the 2010 Winter Olympics, taking place in sunny Vancouver, Canada. 1UP notes that more official information will soon be made available on the official website. Of the official games.

This licensing agreement brings credence to the rumor that a Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympics game will be revealed soonish. Expecting to compete in those Olympics? Start intense training for all that "A" pressing and waggling now.

Rumor: Mario & Sonic at the other Olympic Games?

by JC Fletcher { Jan 22nd 2009 at 9:58AM }

For some reason, it never occurred to us that Sega would want to make a sequel to Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, but of course they would. Wouldn't you, if your game was one of the best-selling games on the best-selling console? Not even Sonic Team would botch that decision.

This purported scan from Nintendo Acción magazine teases a new Sonic and Mario title with the following text (as translated by Sega Nerds): "Who are these two and why do they come to see each other? Find out all the details on the mystery game in the next magazine. But before that, here are some clues: Games, Olympics, Cold, It's winter..."

Either this is a super obvious hint of a Winter Olympics-based sequel, or a fake magazine page, or intentional misdirection from the magazine.

Gallery: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

[Via Joystiq]

Phelps, 505 Games announce partnership, first game in 2010

by Jason Dobson { Dec 15th 2008 at 10:45AM }

In a heroic feat of strength, swimmer Michael Phelps has managed to hoist the hojillion Olympic medals off his neck and dive into the world of video games. It's true! Developer and publisher 505 Games announced that it has inked a partnership with Phelps, who first revealed his plans to swim in digital waters earlier this month.

According to 505, it plans to bring Phelps to next generation consoles (a term we grow to despise more each day) and the iPhone. But don't be expecting to see Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year" on the cover of any game soon, as the first title from this pairing isn't expected to reach the other side of the retail pool until spring 2010. Of course, by then most of us will have forgotten all about Phelps' drenched mug and will instead be preparing ourselves for the year we make contact.

60 Minutes: Michael Phelps game in the works

by Justin McElroy { Dec 1st 2008 at 12:30PM }

Ready to vicariously experience the thrill of hurtling through an indoor pool at speeds meeting and occasionally exceeding five miles an hour? In a 60 Minutes report aired last night, it was revealed that a game based on Michael Phelps, winner of 27 gold medals and at least 13 platinum medals was in the works, according to Gaming Target.

Though we're not at all excited by a swimming simulator, if the game was exactly like Ecco except with Phelps photoshopped over the dolphin, we could guarantee we'd be picking it up.

Athlete proves fanboyism, brings PSP to Olympics

by Andrew Yoon { Aug 24th 2008 at 10:00PM }

An overenthusiastic tip sent by PSP Fanboy reader David D. shows an athlete carrying his PSP (equipped with Go!Cam) to the Olympic Games in Beijing. Now that's being a real fanboy -- who cares about the giant crowds and heated worldwide competition when you've got PSP with you?

Rabbid and Rabbid at the Olympic Games

by JC Fletcher { Aug 19th 2008 at 9:16PM }

Raving Rabbids TV Party is all about making fun of TV programming -- and what is more televised than the Olympics? It's natural, then, that Ubisoft would release some silly trailers showing their new mascot characters running rampant through Olympic events in Beijing. Also there are probably some Olympic-style minigames in the actual game.

The latest trailer, above, combines the usual yelling-based Rabbid humor with some classic Bugs Bunny. We've embedded the last Olympic-style clip, from last week, after the break. It's also funny, yes, but it also makes us feel genuinely bad for the poor, stupid Rabbid for the first time, because it looks profoundly painful.

Gallery: Raving Rabbids TV Party

Continued →

Canadian cannonball champ's Mario outfit makes a splash

by Christopher Grant { Aug 14th 2008 at 2:45PM }

You wanna know how we know that cannonball jumping (cannonballing?) is going to be an Olympic sport soon? Not because 29-year-old Doug Bermann said, "This is going to the Olympics, baby," after splashing his way to victory at the Trident Splash National Cannonball Championship in Canada. No, because he did so in a Mario outfit (seen right).

Here's what we know: Olympic aquatic gold medalists play Mario games; cannonball champ Doug Bergmann dresses up like Mario sometimes; ... actually, that's it. But really, what more do you need to know? London. 2012. Cannonballs.

[Thanks, Kspraydad]

Olympic gold medalist trained with Wii

by Justin McElroy { Aug 12th 2008 at 9:00PM }

It may come as a surprise, but there are a few Olympic gold medals that Michael Phelps forgot to nab, magpie-like, for the gold medal throne we imagine he's begun constructing. One of those, the gold for the men's 100m breaststroke, was won by Japan's Kosuke Kitajima. How did he best longtime rival Brendan Hansen? Why, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, of course.

"See, Mario does the breaststroke," he recently told Yomiuri Sports. "And thus, it's perfect mental training for envisioning the actual Olympic hall."

... Let's, umm ... let's try to keep this from Jack Thompson, OK?

[Via Kotaku]

Mario pushes Olympic gold medalist to victory

by Chris Greenhough { Aug 12th 2008 at 2:39PM }

That up there is Kosuke Kitajima of Japan. He's just won a gold medal for swimming the breaststroke extremely quickly in that ongoing sporting event you may have heard about. Congratulations are in order then, but what's his secret? Strict 5am starts? Hours of training a day? A controlled diet? All three, we'd imagine, but also: Mario.

It turns out that Kitajima likes his Wii, specifically Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, which he cites as an influence. "See, Mario does the breaststroke," explained the swimmer to Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun. "And thus, it's perfect mental training for envisioning the actual Olympic hall." Riiight. Sega can spend all it wants on marketing its ubiquitous game, but that's as good as free publicity gets.