Released on 23/11/2007

• Mario and Sonic to team up for London 2012?

  Mario and Sonic to team up for London 2012?

  They finally buried the hatchet after years of rivalry, and Mario and Sonic ended up joining forces for two digital celebrations of the Olympics - but it could soon be three, as rumours suggest that a game may be released to tie in with the London 2012 Games.

  Speaking to industry site MCV, Sega's European boss Jurgen Post confirmed that a new Sonic game would be released in 2011, though no further details were forthcoming. However, according to a report from Eurogamer, Spanish website Sonic Paradise heard news from a Sega employee that its famous mascot would be teaming up with Nintendo's figurehead for a third time in 2011.

  To further confuse matters, the same employee apparently let slip that Sega was in the process of making Sonic Anniversary, a game featuring classic levels from past games rebuilt in 2D and 3D, to celebrate the hedgehog's twentieth year.

  A Sega representative claimed "we can't comment on this one", while describing the news as "weird speculation". So it's far from concrete, but a third Mario and Sonic game wouldn't be a big surprise, particularly given the popularity of their previous collaborations.

  Either way, you won't have to wait long for the next Sonic title, as Sonic Colours hits Wii and DS next month - or 12th November, to be precise.
  

• Super Mario headed for the 3DS

  It's obvious, but it's still good to hear: Nintendo's already working on a Super Mario game for the 3DS. Phew!

  The news came from Mario's daddy, Shigeru Miyamoto, speaking on Iwata Asks - thanks, Eurogamer. The legendary designer announced, "In the interests of adopting new technology for the Super Mario Bros. tradition, I am now making a new Super Mario Bros. game for the Nintendo 3DS system."

  He didn't offer any further details, but he did expand on a comment of Mario co-creator Takashi Tezuka's, suggesting that Mario must always be family friendly. "I think Tezuka-san is exactly right about making something that families can enjoy together," he said, "but I also think it's important to always use the most advanced technology for Mario in order to create something no one has ever seen before. Of course, it's important to make sure people still say things like "Falling down the holes is the most fun!" but something new is necessary for other aspects of the games, and it's those new elements that make a Super Mario Bros. game what it is."

  With no news of a date, this is one we're probably going to have to wait for - but it will be worth it.

• Sonic the Hedgehog hits 20

  Hope you remembered to bake a cake: Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega ever-young platforming mascot, hits his 20th birthday this week.

  Two decades of Sonic! And it only seems like yesterday that we first saw him speeding through rings, racing off the edge of the screen, and trouncing Dr Robotnik back on the Sega Megadrive.

  Since then, Sonic been a fixture of almost every games console going and it can be too long before we see him turning up on the 3DS, The PlayStation Vita, and the Wii U.

  Created by Yuji Naka back in the early 1990s, Sonic was Sega attempt to rival Nintendo Super Mario, and while the plumber remains a classic in his own right, Sonic hasn done too badly for himself, giving platform fans everywhere a taste for fast-paced action and colourful levels.

  Sega hero shows no signs of slowing down either no pun intended. Later this year, Sonic Generations will be hitting the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, and Nintendo 3DS. It promises to blend elements from Sonic 2D origins with his later 3D adventures, and the word on the street is that it one of the best Sonic games Sega has seen in years. Here to the next 20, Sonic!

• What has Mario got planned in 2012?

  2011 has been a fantastic year for gaming most recognisable face, Nintendo Mario, and 2012 looks set to be another. From platforming to kart racing, tennis, Olympic sports, role playing and party games, the portly yet agile plumber is clearly a highly versatile character who can do it all. Here, GAME takes a look back at a couple of the best Mario games from this year, in case you missed them, and looks ahead to some of 2012 undoubted highlights.

  3DS hasn exactly been lacking in quality games in its first year on the market, but the arrival of Super Mario Land 3D (3DS) in November and the launch of Mario Kart 7 earlier this month have really made the portable console a must own system. Mixing the best elements of older Mario games with new ideas and technology, the former is perhaps best described as a blend of the more straightforward, accessible 2D Super Mario Bros. games for Wii and DS and Wii more challenging 3D Super Mario Galaxy titles. Its magical worlds are essentially made up of left to right dashes through obstacle courses, which see players running, jumping, hovering and gliding to master the environments with the aim of reaching a flagpole at the end of each level. With simple, intuitive controls, it instantly accessible and there always a clear path to completing each stage, usually littered with coins to collect, question blocks to bump and enemies to stomp. But Mario can also wander around a little in the game 3D environments, and only explorers and the most skilled players will locate all of the secret areas, items and unlockables ingeniously hidden away in the expertly designed levels.

  Mario Kart 7 is another must-play title for newcomers and series veterans alike, mixing old and new to great effect too. It offers 16 new courses and 16 classic ones from older MK games for players to compete on, all based on environments and characters from Nintendo Mushroom Kingdom. The best showcase of the console's 3D screen yet, theye absolutely gorgeous to look at and just as well designed, featuring exciting new airborne and underwater sections to compliment the on-track action. With basic accelerate, brake, fire and jump buttons, the game easy enough that anyone can pick it up and play instantly, but itl take months of practice to master the multi-route tracks, learn all of the shortcuts and become an online karting king.

  Looking ahead to 2012, Mario will be joined by a host of Nintendo stablemates as well as characters from Square Enix popular Dragon Quest series in January release Boom Street (Wii). A Monopoly-style board game that challenges players to play the real estate and stock markets to win,here are 27 characters to choose from 13 from Mario games, 13 from Dragon Quest and your Mii and over 15 boards based on memorable areas from each series, with different shapes and layouts providing loads of replay value. Players race around the board trying to accumulate wealth and hit a target value while buying, selling and trading property to see who can be the first to cash out, and with both beginner and advanced settings, it could be the perfect game to get the family huddled round the telly on those cold winter nights.

  Mario Tennis (3DS) also looks set to be a smash hit next year. If previous games in the series are anything to go by, itl do its best to nail the balance between realism and zany, fast-paced tennis action starring all of your favourite Mushroom Kingdom characters, as well as a few surprise ones. Wee expecting a mixture of tactical tennis gameplay, special moves and plenty of mini-games that should make a great title for Mario and sports fans alike.

  Mario and friends, including Sega favourites like Sonic the Hedgehog, will keep things physical in Mario & Sonic At The London 2012 Olympics on the Nintendo 3DS, which launches in February 2012. Players will go for gold in over 50 Olympic events that make full use of the handheld different control methods, serving up a wide variety of ways to play. Competing for the top of the podium alone or in head-to-head games with friends, players will frantically slide the Circle Pad round and round to row, tilt the system to keep their balance on the beam, and blow into the microphone to keep breathing at the right time while swimming.

  Also in 2012, players will see the moustachioed, genre-hopping plumber embark on an exciting new role playing adventure in Paper Mario also on the Nintendo 3DS. It will feature frantic, turn-based battles set in a colourful and varied 3D world that takes in weapons, locations and items from Mario past and present,. It will also require clever strategic use of a range of ability-giving stickers, which can be used to carry out attacks on enemies or to fill in missing parts of the levels.
  

  Published: 21/12/2011

• Sonic signs with Nintendo

  In what may yet prove to be one of the signs of the apocalypse, SEGA has announced that the European release of the next three Sonic titles will be exclusive to Nintendo.

  This isn't the first time the former rivals have collaborated, of course. The Mario and Sonic Olympic games are a well established tradition now, but even so - to see the speedy blue hedgehog officially under Mario's roof should still cause any child of the 1990s to do a double take. It's like Han Solo giving the Millenium Falcon to Captain Kirk.

  The deal covers the next Olympic title - Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games - which will be a Wii U exclusive. Figure skating doubles is one of the new events added, and you'll be using both Wii remotes and the Wii game pad for different mini-games.

  Nintendo will also be publishing Sonic: Lost World, the next entry in the main Sonic the Hedgehog series. This too will be exclusive to Wii U and 3DS. A solitary screenshot was released to mark the announcement, showing Sonic and Tails' iconic red biplane approaching what looks like an incomplete jigsaw planet. More details are promised at E3 next month.

  What will the third game be? SEGA isn't saying just yet, leaving us to simply contemplate a terrifying new reality where cats love dogs, Mick Jagger is in The Beatles and Sonic lives at Nintendo.
  

  Published: 21/05/2013

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