Developers who have worked with Nintendo's intellectual properties have often shared stories about odd requests and demands from the video game giant. With this in mind, the latest story to surface comes from former Sega of Japan producer, Ryoichi Hasegawa.
During a chat with Arcade Attack Retro Gaming Network recently, the Sega legend (who was at the company between 1992-98 and 2007-12) retold a "funny story" about Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games and a certain demand Nintendo apparently made at the time. Here it is in full:
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Ryoichi Hasegawa: There was one funny story...There was artwork of Mario and Sonic, and you know, other characters standing on the field. And those artworks were used for the package, the instruction manual cover, and the cartridge label, and things like that...There was one small error and Sonic's foot was in front of Mario's foot, and Nintendo demanded us to change the priority".
Arcade Attack: So, what? Mario had to be slightly ahead? Oh, for goodness sake.
Hasegawa: (nods) Yes...I still remember that.
Aracde Attack: And you did change it, I take it?
Hasegawa: Of course, of course, we were like 'oh my god' we have to change it, or there will be no deal.
Again, it's not the first time we've heard stories like this from third-party developers about Nintendo, and Nintendo is well-known for being extremely protective of its IP. As for the Sonic & Mario at the Olympic Games series, based on some rumours a few years ago, it might not be returning.