Well, he would be first

Today's new game reveals in the Nintendo Direct broadcasts certainly had a SEGA theme, with Nintendo surprising no-one by confirming Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, continuing the run of mascot Olympians on Nintendo systems. This one was confirmed for Wii U, and while no firm release date was given we can assume it'll be before the Games start on 7th February 2014.

Satoru Iwata provided a detailed rundown of where Sochi is (south Russia), while pointing out the irony that it's one of the warmest places in a largely cold country. In terms of the game, we saw plenty of footage with various events, looking like more of the same but with a HD sheen to the visuals. Wii MotionPlus controls will be prominent in new events such as snowboard slope races, while certain events — such as curling — will make use of the GamePad and its touchscreen.

It'll be more mini-game fun for the family, we imagine, and it will in all likelihood be another solid seller in the franchise. If you're a fan of the previous games and think you'll give it a try, or reckon you'll pass, let us know below.