“With adored icons and fun game play, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has shot to the top of the sales charts and is clearly resonating with the growing audience of casual gamers that want an engaging and accessible gaming experience,” said Simon Jeffery, President and COO, SEGA of America.

Published by SEGA across Europe and North America, and by Nintendo in Japan, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games made its worldwide debut on November 6, 2007, when the Wii version hit store shelves in the United States. According to the NPD Group, which tracks sales data in the United States, the game was one of the top-ten best-sellers in the United States – across all platforms – in the critical holiday sales month of December.

When Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games launched in Europe just days later, it was an immediate hit, rising rapidly to the top of sales charts. Mario & Sonic became the best-ever performing Wii game over the seven-day period that ended on December 11, 2007. In January, Mario & Sonic was the best-selling video game in England across all formats.

“The market for entertaining games that everyone can enjoy is growing faster than any other segment in the industry, thanks in part to the explosive popularity of Wii and Nintendo DS,” continued Jeffery. “A key element of our growth strategy at SEGA is to develop and publish games that appeal to this expanding market.”

Featuring an all-star cast of characters from the amazing worlds of both Mario and Sonic, players will be able to compete as or against a range of familiar characters including Mario, Sonic, Luigi, Knuckles, Yoshi, Tails and more. Innovative usage of the Wii and DS control systems to maneuver your favorite character will allow players to race the likes of Mario and Sonic down the 100m track, leap over the high jump or churn water in a swimming heat, all while competing for the much sought after Olympic gold medal. With up to four players on the Wii and on the DS, the stage is set to catch the fever this holiday with Mario and Sonic.

Mario & Sonic At the Olympic Games also offers Wii users the ultimate gaming fantasy – the opportunity to play against their favourite Mario or Sonic character. Thanks to the unique interactive Mii features, players can bring their own Mii into the game as a playable character and compete as themselves in any of the Olympic or Dream events.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is packed with all-new interactive features and includes 20 authentic Olympic events — played out in stylized Olympic venues. Using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, players can have an unparalleled interactive experience and compete using one of 16 characters — 8 from the world of Mario and 8 from the world of Sonic.

The Wii controls are created specifically to replicate the actions that offer the best results for each event which include:

• Fencing - Individual epée
• Archery
• Shooting - Skeet
• Gymnastics - Trampoline
• Gymnastics - Vault
• Field - High Jump
• Field - Pole Vault
• Field - Long Jump
• Field - Triple Jump
• Field - Javelin Throw
• Field - Hammer Throw
• Rowing - Single Sculls
• Table Tennis - Singles
• Aquatics - 100m Freestyle
• Aquatics - 4x100m Freestyle
• Track - 110m and 400m Hurdles
• Track - 4x100m Relay
• Track - 100m and 400m

The interactive Wii controls include actions like swinging the Wii Remote to simulate hammer throw, notching the Nunchuk to shoot arrows, and replicating swimming strokes. Players can also discover the best way to win a game by experimenting with different movements to discover secret boosts to propel them towards a win.

With four playing styles to choose from, players can decide their game strategy: all-around, technical, speed, and power - for example: Mario and Amy (All-around), Peach and Tails (Technical), Sonic and Yoshi (Speed), and Knuckles and Bowser (Power). Players will be able to choose and try out, in both single and multiplayer mode, each event individually with Single Match mode (where players can choose their event and play until they score top marks). They can also compete for the highest overall score in a series of events in Circuit mode (where players can either create their own circuit by choosing the individual events, choose a pre-determined circuit, or randomly generate a circuit). Gamers looking for extra tests of their athletic abilities can choose the single-player Mission mode and earn top marks on challenges made for only the toughest athlete. Additionally, gamers can learn about the history of the Olympic Games through trivia, quizzes, and mini-games and unlock all-new facts and figures from past Olympic Games in the Gallery.

Key Features

• Compete in stylized Olympic venues with authentic events to choose from including track & field, archery, skeet shooting, table tennis, gymnastics and more.
• Select your favorite playing style from the all-star cast of Mario and Sonic characters with four player types to choose from: all-around, technical, speed, and power.
  • Examples: Mario (All-around), Peach (Technical), Yoshi (Speed), Bowser (Power), Sonic (Speed), Knuckles (Power), Tails (Technical), Amy (All-around)
• Game Modes: Try out each event individually with Single Match mode, compete for the highest overall score in a series of events in Circuit Mode, or take on challenges created specifically for each character in the Mission Mode. Up to four players can play together on the Wii. DS allows up to 4 players to compete via wireless connection.
• Unlockable stages where familiar items from the worlds of Mario and Sonic enhance the challenge of each unique event.