Visuel Rio 2016 de Mario & Sonic aux Jeux Olympiques, avec les deux casts réunis

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games: The Official Crossover

1359 words | Reading time : 6 minute(s)

SeriesMario & SonicOlympic Games

The two rival mascots of the 90s, brought together under IOC license. Developed by Sega with Nintendo under license from the International Olympic Committee, the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series spans six installments across five Nintendo consoles since the Wii. This guide covers its real and dream events, the roster from both camps and the end of the saga.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (known as Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games) is the first official collaboration between Mario, Nintendo's mascot, and Sonic, Sega's hero. Published under license from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the saga turns two legendary rivals into teammates for the length of a worldwide competition.

Far from the playground feud that pitted the two studios against each other for years, this series is built on an unprecedented cooperation: the two universes come together on the tracks, in the pools and on the mats to compete in real Olympic events.

Contents

Two historic rivals finally united

For nearly fifteen years, Mario and Sonic embodied the console war between Nintendo and Sega. Their on-screen reconciliation is therefore quite an event: this first game is the very first official meeting authorized between the two camps, and the first licensed game to bring together characters from both franchises.

The project grew out of a licensing agreement with the International Olympic Committee, which allows the use of the Games' name and symbols. The title is developed by Sega (through the Sega Sports R&D studio), in partnership with Nintendo, with the two firms sharing publishing duties depending on the territory.

The very first installment, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, arrived first on Wii in late 2007, then on Nintendo DS in early 2008. It was timed to coincide with the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and makes full use of the Wii Remote, which the player waves to mimic athletic movements.

Sonic, Mario, Peach and Tails sprinting side by side in a 100-metre race
Sixteen years after the console war, the two mascots finally run on the same track.

Six installments across five Nintendo consoles

The series comprises six main installments, released between 2007 and 2019 and modelled on the real Olympic calendar, alternating Summer Games and Winter Games.

  • Beijing 2008: the founding entry, on Wii (2007) then Nintendo DS (2008).
  • Vancouver 2010: the first winter entry, on Wii and DS (2009).
  • London 2012: on Wii (2011) then Nintendo 3DS (2012).
  • Sochi 2014: the second winter entry, a Wii U exclusive (2013).
  • Rio 2016: on Nintendo 3DS and Wii U (2016).
  • Tokyo 2020: the last of the line, on Nintendo Switch (2019).

All told, the saga will have spanned five Nintendo machines: Wii, DS, 3DS, Wii U and Switch. Notably, no episode has ever appeared on a rival console, neither on Sega's older machines nor on PlayStation or Xbox.

Real events and dream events

The heart of the game rests on authentic Olympic events: 100 metres, swimming, fencing, long jump or archery for the summer entries, and skiing, skating or bobsleigh for the winter ones.

Alongside this realistic base, the series adds its famous dream events (Dream Events). These are wild, whimsical versions of the disciplines, set in settings taken from the Mario and Sonic games rather than in real stadiums.

These dream events are the crossover's signature: they let you use special items and abilities (shells, rings, speed boosts) that would be impossible in a real competition. It is this blend that clearly sets the series apart from a plain sports simulator.

Luigi and Shadow clearing a hurdle in the 110-metre hurdles
The 110-metre hurdles is one of the official events, reproduced without any whimsy.

The combined roster from both camps

The saga's biggest draw is that it brings together the stars of both worlds in a single roster. On the Nintendo side you find Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi and Bowser; on the Sega side, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Shadow.

The great antagonists also answer the call: Bowser, the king of the Koopas, crosses swords with Doctor Eggman (also known as Doctor Robotnik), the evil genius of Sonic's universe.

Depending on the episode, the list swells with dozens of characters, and you can even play as your own Mii to compete alongside the stars. It is a family photo that fans would never have dared imagine before 2007.

The Mario and Sonic characters gathered in an Olympic stadium
Each camp lines up its stars and its supporting cast in the same stadium.

The end of the saga and the missing Paris 2024

After Tokyo 2020, the series came to a halt. On 25 July 2024, its definitive end was confirmed: no new installment is planned, including for the Paris Games.

The cause lies in the non-renewal of the partnership: the licensing tie with the Olympic movement was not extended beyond the 2020 edition, which leaves players without a Parisian episode.

Do not confuse this cooperative saga under Olympic license with the historic rivalry between the two mascots: here, Mario and Sonic play on the same side, which remains an exception in their long shared history.

Series at a glance

English title Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Genre Sports game and party game
Development Sega (Sega Sports R&D), with Nintendo
License International Olympic Committee (IOC)
First installment Wii in 2007, DS in 2008 (Beijing 2008)
Main episodes 6, from 2007 to 2019
Consoles Wii, DS, 3DS, Wii U, Switch
End of the series Announced on 25 July 2024

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FAQ

  • How many games are there in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series?
    Six main installments were released between 2007 and 2019: Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010, London 2012, Sochi 2014, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
  • Which console did the series start on?
    The first game came out on Wii in late 2007, then on Nintendo DS in early 2008, to accompany the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
  • How does this differ from the Mario versus Sonic rivalry?
    Here the two mascots cooperate on the same side under Olympic license, whereas their historic rivalry set them against each other as symbols of the console war.
  • What is a dream event (Dream Event)?
    It is a whimsical take on an Olympic discipline, with special items and powers, set in locations drawn from the Mario and Sonic universes.
  • Why is there no game for Paris 2024?
    The series ended after Tokyo 2020. The licensing partnership with the Olympic movement was not renewed, and the end was confirmed in July 2024.

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