Who can forget the first time when the unthinkable happened and Mario and Sonic appeared together in a video game? It all seems like a distant memory now, but the latest trailer for the upcoming Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 makes it look like one of the most fun instalments yet.
The game will offer 10 classic 2D style events in the vein of the classic arcade game Hyper Sports. The 8-bit mode is called 'Tokyo 1964', in homage to the last time the Olympics were in Tokyo.
A recent PR splurge details things in more... well, detail:
Enjoy 10 different classic 2D events with friends and family:
100m
10m Platform (Diving)
400m Hurdles
Gymnastics - Vault
Judo
Kayak Single (K-1) 1000m
Long Jump
Marathon
Shooting - Trap
Volleyball
...all presented in a generation-spanning game for the ages! If you’ve never seen Bowser in classic 2D perform an armstand dive off a 10-meter platform into the water, you’re in for an incredible time.
Have a watch of the trailer above and let us know if you are looking forward to this when it pole-vaults its way onto Switch in November.
Comments 67
Ha, reminds me of Track and Field on my C64, but obviously better graphics
Just need an adapter for my old controller:
This is every type of amazing.
Cannot wait
It's strange that they mix spritework from NES and Mega Drive games. They couldn't have done SNES Mario titles for a more consistent look?
Then again, they did get a Mega Drive style Sonic costume sprite into Super Mario Maker.
@RupeeClock I agree. It wasn't a great idea mixing the eras but I guess it's too late to change. The good news is there is a retro mode and the game looks good despite people being skeptical.
Only thing "retro mode" reminds me of is wishing games looked more like the cover art back when I was a kid.
Thankfully there is a "mode" that does that for the rest of us. People romanticize the strangest things.
Hahaha...takes me back to my primary schooldays 😆 I know that a lot of people will buy the game just for this retro section alone. Not surprised that Nintendo/Sega kept this up its sleeve for the last 5 years...what better way to mark the Olympic Games in Japan again by having two of its famous video game characters go full retro. @RupeeClock yeah I though the same...having 8 bit Mario vs 16 but Sonic seems weird but I guess they didn’t want to compromise their ‘original’ looks.
The last two installments in Mario and Sonic at the Olympic games were lacking in creativity and fun imo. But this one so far looks like it will be good. This classic 2D mode is a really cool edition and has got me more excited for this game!
I had no interest in this game before, but this is extremely cool!
This is channeling the old Epyx Winter and Summer games. I played those so much as a kid bouncing from the C64, Atari & NES.
They really should have been consistent with the choice of sprites. Either all 8-bit (NES and Master System) or all 16-bit (SNES and Genesis). I'd say I guess they didn't want to have to create new sprites, but they have to regardless unless the characters shown are the ONLY ones playable in this mode.
I think they blended the 8-bit Mario with 16-bit Sonic because those are the versions that are most often remembered and referred to when speaking of the Classic era. I'm fine with it, and this mode just made this game go from being a consideration to a must-buy for me!
Looking amazing, let's all just hope it has longer legs than previous releases that made a semi-big impact but almost immediately faded into utter obscurity. This looks to be a winner!
@flapjack-ashley Yep, I think so too. 8-bit Mario and 16-bit Sonic are the most iconic versions of these characters.
@Dev893 Pretty much everyone agrees the London Olympic Games was the best one. It did everything so right, and the amount of content that game has is fantastic.
I actually want to get this. Never thought I would but it looks really fun
Looks great so far! A bit surprised at the retro mode too. As a fan of this series (not just Sonic and Super Mario, but the Olympic series as well), I'm looking forward to getting this one. Putting it on the Christmas list as it's being released very late in the year.
@RupeeClock
Mario's first appearance was on the NES, while Sonic's debut was on the Mega Drive. So to me, it makes sense 🤷♂️
A bit jarring to see a mix of NES and Genesis sprites, but it's a cool mode nevertheless.
I'm just glad Mario & Sonic is looking good again.
Track and Field got announced by Hamster (YEEEESSS!!!) and now this! Amazing
Ok this looks kinda fun. Track and Field was always a favourite back in the day.
This looks brilliant!!!
Not gonna lie, I might buy this now.
100% sold. I thought it looked like a fun game generally and i had only seen one 2D screenshot. I wondered if you could play all events like this.
@MrBlacky
Hmm. I know there was a master system version of sonic. Was that released after the genesis version?
I had the game gear version and that was; I thought; basically the master system version ported over.
Sh*t, I'll have to buy it... I hope it's good enough, like the first two entries...
@sword_9mm
As far as I can remember, there was indeed a Master System version (as well as a Game Gear version), but they came sometime after Sonic for Mega Drive.
@Agramonte I can relate to that feeling as a kid. Getting a new game that had flashy, seemingly action packed cover art... then actually playing the game and being a tad disappointed when I saw that the game had very little in common with the promising box art.
This actually looks really good, I think I'll be getting this one and the 8 bit part has sold me on it
This reminds me of Super Sportsmatchen which is quite hilarious. Seek it out!
Ok, I gotta say as someone who has never been interested in the Mario & Sonic Olympic video games, this is freaking amazing.
@E_Blackadder A bit off-topic here but I think your profile pic is great, I've always loved that series. Blackadder ftw 😁
@MrBlacky actually, both debuted in arcade games - Rad Mobile and Donkey Kong respectively. Mario's first home console appearance was actually a release of Donkey Kong on the Atari 2600, while Sonic's first official home console release was Sonic 1 on the Mega Drive, but Tails' was not Sonic 2 on the Mega Drive, it was Sonic 2 on the Master System.
All of the comment history of @Patron leads me to believe he is major troll. There's no way anyone can actually believe what he's said.
@DakkaDakka Yeah man... games out of Japan really killed me. You would also have the cool opening Anime. Just to All go down hill at the menu screen.
Side note - Someone should so go find Sam Kieth and make a new The MaXX game. Art style would be perfect for Switch. 😃
(lol!... if not for my 10min work call we both off topic profile pic comment back to back)
@sword_9mm Sonic debuted on the Genesis and a lesser version was ported to the Master System afterwards... well, I shouldn't say "lesser", but it was actually different with a different goals and objectives.
This game just went from a maybe to a definitely for me.
If only they sold this separately, though...
Yeah, mixing 8-bit and 16-bit era sprites feels a bit weird. I'm sure no one would mind if they used SMW or at least SMB3 sprites. But maybe those are unlockable? I'm sure there's gonna be a ton of unlockables in the game. Why not costumes.
Cool mode, though. One more reason to buy this game. Had a lot of fun last year when me and my friends got the Sonic & Mario game on the Wii. (Yes, the Wii is still amazing for parties.)
@Agramonte Oh hells yes I would kill for a new game of The MaXX. Well, maybe not go that far but I'd at least donate to a Kickstarter for it lol... which I would normally never do. It's good to see that someone else here appreciates the antics of this unbalanced, homeless and awesome super hero. And yeah I think you're right, the art style would be a great fit for the Switch.
(Hahaha... you, sir, obviously have good taste then)
Looking pretty good so far. Looks like we'll have decent game variety, and the games I've seen look fun. So I'll probably pick it up at some point as part of my usual Nintendo party filler.
Now I'm just waiting for Strikers and Mario Golf. Then my weekend party filler combo will be complete.
Looks absolutely fantastic. This is super Mario party
I wish the whole game was like this! Can't wait to try 1964 mode!
@Agramonte Sonic, Mario, Peach, everyone just looks pretty dull these days. Granted, Odyssey's detail and costumes are about as much as you can do with 3D Mario, so I can respect that. Even so, Modern Sonic is like the older and lamer brother to the actual Sonic, I'm almost certain that Peach is an inflatable doll, Bowser has 0 threat in his textures and details, they can't even get Knuckles' voicing and attitudes right on top of taking away his exotic eye and quill-dreadlock shapes, it's all madness. I remember how excited people were when the '90's styles showed up in SM3DW as the stickers and character portraits. Yeah, because they had PERSONALITY.
Confirmed wireless local play!
Should’ve used the 8 bit sprites of Peach and Toad from SMB2.
This looks awesome!
i don’t like the mixing between the 8 bit sprites and the 16 bit sprites. Should’ve just used SM 2/3 sprites instead
I got the last one on Wii U the Rio 2016 version and it was a mix of good and bad events abit hit and miss.... Although, it had a charm about it and I kept playing it for quite a while.
This version certainly looks improved with some interesting new events. Combine that with the retro mode it could be well worth picking up!!
I could not want this game more.
I like this... May have to get this one
the 8 bit is a major step up from the 3d.
"Long Jumping like it's 1964"
> Super Mario Bros. Release Date: 1985
> Sonic the Hedgehog Release Date: 1991
Ok
What an awesome idea. 2D sections will help with the innovation.
@RupeeClock Yeah, I also agree with you there. Personally I would've picked Super Mario World sprites or even those from Super Mario All-Stars, to go alongside the Sonic sprites. I'm not really the biggest fan of SMB1's sprites, as iconic as they are.
Other than that, the 2D events look fun. I'll definitely try them out when I pick it up.
Princess Peach 8 bit style dived into swimming pool with her princess gown. 🤣🤣🤣
First day purchase. Holly Molalla yes
@NinjaWaddleDee this similarly moved me from “definite pass” to “huh, that actually looks pretty neat.”
90s millennials (like me) are such easy marks.
Sega: “This new thing looks like old things!”
Me: “Take all of my money!!!”
This looks like it will be good with things like the dream events not being removed. It may not top London 2012 but definitely be better than 2014 and 2016
0:44 wow you can slam/wrestle peach. That's progressive. I know in the previous one you couldn't box vs women.
I wish they either went with 16 bit Mario characters from Super Mario World, or 8 bit Sonic characters from the Master System games.
@Sabrewing track and field on ps1 one was a great game. The blisters and my bro looking like he was going to do the biggest run of his life while doing the 200 meters. So funny and fingers only rule not pen cheaters
@Yoshinator Same here. didn't really like the new ones. Did you by any chance try the London Olympics one for Wi?
@ryobi85 You shouldn't use profanity in your posts on this website. It's grounds for immediate removal of the post. Just warning you before it's reported.
@RupeeClock @sixrings @Sabrewing @westman98 @pinta_vodki @Galarian_Lassie @Eddiezus @MarioLover92 @Trikeboy Yeah, when they mix 'em like that it's kinda weird. but then again some of the characters never had 8-bit or 16-bit designs in the first place. So I guess you really can't be too harsh. I personally think they did it to maintain the 'Retro' feel to it by putting designs that everyone recognizes (like 8-bit Mario and 16-bit Sonic). Even though they should be synchronized it looks and (hopefully plays) awesome! I'm hyped for this game and I hope everyone who buys it will enjoy it as well. The only thing they could add at this point is online versus mode. That would make my day! (^<^)
@Reigestugatensho
Sega is simply using the very first sprites that existed for those characters, which happens to be 8-bit for the Mario characters and 16-bit for the Sonic characters.
It looks a bit weird, but it makes sense.
@Yoshinator Well Dream Events are the most fun in the game. It looks like they've added some new events and revamped the old ones. For instance, if you check out the Gamescom footage you can see the updated Archery game as well as some real footage of how Classic Mode works as well.
@westman98 If that was the case they would have way more characters in that mode. I'm pretty sure Metal Sonic was 16-bit too. It shouldn't be super hard to make a 16-bit character model. I could probably find one on the Internet.
That's pretty cool.
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