Long-time Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games producer Nobuya Ohashi sat down with IGN earlier this week at E3 2019 to discuss the finer aspects of the latest entry in the series, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
As this is the sixth instalment and the last one since the 2016 Wii U entry, there was a question about what the motion controls in the Switch release would be like now that Nintendo has finally moved on from Wii Remotes. Ohashi explained how the Joy-Con motion control was a great way to experience sports, but you could also play the game using buttons:
“Motion control is definitely featured in this game. We are really excited to feature and utilise great parts about the Switch for this game. For instance, you don’t just have to use the Joy-Con. Obviously the Joy-Con is going to be a big part of the game. For instance, for surfing and skateboarding you’ll use the tilting mechanism to move the characters during the game, but also you can enjoy the games using the button mode…so there’s many, many ways of playing a lot of these mini games for this new game.
“For example, if you’re using the Joy-Con mode, you can enjoy disc throwing as one of the games and you could actually experience throwing the disc, by using your body, which is a big part of motion control. There’s also boxing that you can experience – really experience the punching motion.”
You'll be able to play "more than 20" games and different sporting events, which Mr. Ohashi finds to be a "very unique" experience.
When discussing the character clothing in the game, Ohashi said characters like Mario would no longer be wearing overalls all the time and certain sports required competitors to wear different clothing:
“Each of the characters are wearing different costumes, depending on the sporting event they are competing in. For instance, in the previous games Mario would always be wearing his overalls, even if he’s in water, but this time, we changed that, we actually gave him trunks, so he can actually swim in the water correctly.”
However, this doesn’t seem to explain why Sonic still has his shoes on while surfing – does he actually have feet? For more information about this game, check out our previous post.
Are you looking forward to playing the new Mario & Sonic game later on in 2019? Leave a comment below.
[source youtu.be]
Comments 44
Make Mario Great Again!
(Basically bring back his supernatural overalls powers)
As long there is old fashion to do as well then no problem
Yeah important thing here, is motion controls are optional, I really dislike compulsory motion controls, even the few abilities locked behind them in Mario Oddysey is a problem. For many people with health issues they cause pain or are just not actually possible, so therefore in my eyes they're discriminative.
So now the game is leaving a console with waveable kotion control sticks & moving to a console with waveable control sticks.. will you be keeping motion controls? Great opening questioning!
Glad the motion controls are optional however, they can destroy a game for people with certain disabilities.
Happy for gyro controls like in splat but motion controls ruin a game.
Look at how poorly pokemon sold just because you had no options.
I was surprised Konami DIDN'T even show their Hyper Sports R during E3 2019. Instead, we have watched the gameplay demo of Mario and Sonic 2020. I wonder if Hyper Sports R by Konami will turn into vapourware since SEGA did what Konami DIDN'T.
Sonic and Tails are wearing clothes and yet Bowser remains naked...
......that's racist!
It's probably dumb but I'm actually mildly bothered that they don't give Yoshi any clothing. I think I've seen every other character with different clothing but Yoshi still looked the same. And it's not like he never wore any clothing before. Mario Strikers for example. Or the Japanese Mario Paint commercial. Or Mario Party 2.
A mild nitpick though. Still hoping for a good time with this game! I have all the previous Mario & Sonic games as well but only played like, the first two I think. I'm ready to give the Switch version a try.
I hope you can customise gear and equipment with stickers and decals like in 2010 Winter Olympics
@Anti-Matter don't know why you were downvoted so much. I wanted to see konamis work as well. They are the track and field originals and I hope their game isn't cancelled. It looked better than the contra game they showed.
As for mario and sonic. Can't wait to play "button mode.". The Wii u Rio games was pretty good so this is pretty much day one for me.
@Lord "how poorly pokemon sold"
Um... have you seen the sales?
Definitely excited to see this series return, especially with the return of the Dream Events. This is shaping up to be a good game, can't wait for release!
He has the trunks, but will he have the nipples?
To answer your question about Sonic and if he has feet. He does have feet, but they lack toes! The same is also said about all the anthropomorphic animal characters in the Sonic series. Eggman, probably has normal feet, being the only human in the series. Look at Big the Cat. HE doesn't have toes on, and he wears sandals!
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/9/97/A-D5.png/revision/latest?cb=20180315114627 - And look at Amy in this artwork.
I'm glad motion controls are back. Olympic games seem like the perfect opportunity for them. I was really surprised when I bought Rio 2016. It was an OK game, but it didn't use any of the Wii U's unique hardware. Not a single event used motion controls or touch screen input. It almost seemed like it was a Playstation port in that it seemed completely designed around a traditional controller. It was disappointing after Sochi 2014 made a point of using every aspect of the system's oddball controls.
@sixrings
Ah, don't worry. Haters gonna hate. 😉
I don't care if the haters of me downvoted whatever i said. I mean, their vote can't make me crumble. I won't be silenced, they can't keep me quiet.
@Lord In what universe is 10.63 million copies, making Pokémon Let's Go the 5th best-selling Switch game (after Mario Kart, Mario Odyssey, Smash, and Zelda - outselling Splatoon 2 and Mario Party) selling poorly? The controls suck, sure, but the games sold very well.
@DanteSolablood That's why there are button controls as well.
What about that 2D section of the trailer though? Can the game be played in 2D like old school Track and Field?
Honestly, i’ve never been a fan of this series. But that trailer got me interested. This one looks a lot better than previous entries
@Lord
Look at how poorly pokemon sold just because you had no options
You mean, over 10 million copies sold in half a year for a mobile tie in spinoff?
Ya, totally see your point /s
People saying motion controls can ruin games for people with disabilities. Don't forget that they're also pretty good at ruining games for people without disabilities.
Honestly really excited to try this out, I feel like the motion controls will be really fun
@DanteSolablood @MisterWhen as someone who has been gaming for most of 37 years, I love motion controls. I have arthritis and playing Mario maker this morning with kids makes my hands go numb and it’s incredibly painful. However, gripping a Wiimote/chuck/joy con and using less actual button presses helps my hands. I can easily sit and play and game with joy cons, but a regular controller, is painful. I think we need that option and motion controls are the future as gaming becomes more and more immersive.
@Trikeboy It's just a stylish "instant replay" feature, as I understand it.
@Donutman yeah I can see that both options would be best to help people in different ways
@YoshiAngemon Interestingly the Sonic X anime had a beach episode where Amy is seen using sandals and matches the artwork you posted.
But way later when they did the Archie Sonic X comic one of the covers features Amy with detailed feet.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/0/02/SX34.jpg
It's strange since the artist is known to make very accurate art, yet somehow thought this would look good.
@JaxonH @CoastersPaul @MasterJay
I totally agree 10M is great but Nintendo expected it to do more, hence the last ditch demo and 100s of Pokeball accessories sitting in bargin bins.
If they drop the motion control from gen 8 which I think they have, it should hit 15+M
@Lord
Expected it to do more? Do you have any evidence of this expectation from Nintendo? Because I don’t believe Nintendo has “expected” any game on the system to do more than 10 million, and consider 10 million in 6 months “not meeting expectations”.
Unless you can link me to some quote of expectations I am unaware of.
They’ll hit 15 million just because of the next game being a mainline entry. It has absolutely nothing to do with the motion control. The amount of people who take issue with that are in extreme minority only present on fansites. Don’t get caught up in the bubble of thinking the hundred people on Reddit you see complaining represents the masses. No to mention, for every person out there who doesn’t like it, you can find another who only bought the game because of it.
Let’s Go is one of the highest selling games on the system and one of the highest selling games of the generation. For a first-gen only lower budget GO-tie-in spinoff, it’s done incredibly well. Even some mainline entries have done less. And if the game is at 10 million now, you can bet it’ll be at 12-15 million before the generation is over. Your original statement of “selling poorly” just doesn’t ring true. Now... if you want to try to convince others that selling 10 million in six months (especially for a GO tie in) is a fail, you go right on ahead. But I think you’ll find selling that argument will be about as fruitful as banging your head against a brick wall. I don’t think anyone here is buying what you’re selling.
I'm currently playing Go Vacation (similar sort of minigame collection) and finding that using a mixture of motion controls and "full controls" is working best. Some events work much better with motion controls, others with full controls.
Drifting joy-con is a real pain, though.
I haven't cared about the Mario & Sonic games since the original game on Wii (since it was the first Mario and Sonic crossover ever), but this new entry looks quite good. Looks like Sega has stepped up their game.
@MisterWhen Thing is, Motion controls can do things that buttons can't. So if you're designing a game around a motion control mechanic, then you might as well mandate that use instead of wasting time on a demographic that likely isn't going to be playing your game anyway.
Nothing against gamers with disabilities, but you don't have to be everything to everyone all the time.
@TheFox I actually didn't like that in Sochi. The forced use of the GamePad (for P1 and no one else) especially for things like snowboarding was a turn off.
@AlienX The artist didn't get the memo about the feet thing, and thought it looked better with toes. Then again, the Sonic X Comics are an American by-product of the global Sonic X phenomenon. The comic is basically non-canon, anyway.
@TheMisterManGuy I agree to a certain point except it's a different thing with existing franchises, take Skyward Sword for example, why should huge Zelda fans not be able to play one of the entries in the franchise?
@Paddle1 they forced the gamepad use on player one on Rio too. For no real reason. It was controlled by buttons.
@Lord
Forget about Pokemon Let's Go for a sec.
Super Mario Party - a game that mandates motion controls and single JoyCon play - is on track to become the best-selling entry in the series.
With this taking place in Tokyo I expect this to be the best one yet.
Normal controls better be well incorporated! Not all of us like to waggle. With the new sports like surfing and climbing in the Olympics, this potentially could be the best game based on the Olympics ever.
@Lord motion controls were optional for let's go, despite the game's catching mechanics being heavily based around them. You could use buttons and sticks to catch.
For some reason they never allowed for pro controller support, but that's a different thing entirely.
This is honestly the first Mario & Sonic game that I've been excited for since the initial two--it looks like the quality control has gone way up and they actually brainstormed some unique, new ideas for this one. Can't wait!
Sonics shoes ARE his feet 😱🤯
the real point here is: it's not joy-con locked like mario party. So, I'm in. I hated being forced to used a joycon
@xpownz I've bought pro controllers and for me there's no going back. Maybe Wii sports would do it. Otherwise give me buttons.
@sixrings I actually enjoy joycon, but the problem is to be forced. Here, I have my joy-con pair, one DS4 with 8bitdo adapter and a pro controller. Mario Party is a no-go for 4 players unless a friend brings a joy-con pair, it's so sad...
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