As you all know, we've had our eye on Deca Sports for quite some time. It really looks like a fun compilation of sports. But, to sway any doubt about the game's excellence that we may have had lingering around in our mind, Mike Samachisa, the head of Hudson Entertainment's console division, answered some of our questions regarding the game.
Why wasn't Wi-Fi support added? What made them go with this collection of sports? What sports did they have to cut? Which is better: Wii Sports or Deca Sports?
Head on past the break to get a better idea for what the present and future holds for Hudson's Deca Sports game.
We occasionally fret that we may have already seen the whole of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, such has been Sega's bloody-minded determination to extract everylastdrop of video from the game in the build-up to release.
Still, the rowing is new to us, and it shows promise, if only because it looks like one of those events where a bit of timing and rhythm is the key to success, rather than the brainless, arm-waving lunacy required for the track-based events (this may teeter on being sacrilegious, but we don't all miss Track & Field, you know). That said, the fencing and archery still intrigue this blogger a little more than anything else in the package.
How about your good selves? Any particular events you're looking forward to trying out?
The official site for Mario & Sonic at the Olympics has launched, providing those anxious to play some very real games with some very imaginative characters some fresh content. There is screens, there is trailers and there are some breakdowns for the events within. Sega is really putting everything into this game, aren't they?
Okay, these "viral" videos are kind of ridiculous. The rotund Sonic suit looks pretty bad, and we question the validity of calling something "viral" when it's distributed via the same channels as officially-released material, just because it's intentionally kind of cheap-looking.
But we have to admit, that this video for Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games made us laugh out loud. At first, there was something hilarious about the interaction of a normal human person with a guy in a Mario suit speaking in Charles Martinet's voice. Then Sonic came along and replicated a classicKids in the Hallskit and we, shamefully, LOL'd.
The other video, not so much. But it's embedded after the break anyway.
This latest trailer for the trampoline event in Mario & Sonic at the Olympics could be conceived as "fun looking" if the folks playing it in the video were any indication. We have a more keen eye, however, as we looked to the controls and event itself as an indication for how fun the event could be. And, for us, it looks like it lacks.
So, why post it, you are probably thinking? Well, as always, we value your opinion most, so we want to hear what you have to say? Won't you humor us?
Posted Oct 22nd 2007 10:30AM by JC Fletcher Filed under: News
If you were to look up 'hubris' in a dictionary, you'd probably see a picture of Sega executives high-fiving each other at a Ferrari dealership, confident in their estimates of Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games' success. Or you'd see some words that tell you what 'hubris' means. It depends on which edition of which dictionary you're looking at.
First it was Sega of Japan corporate director Masanao Maeda predicting 4 million copies sold. Now Sega's UK product manager, Phil Lamb, is forecasting big success for the title: "This will be a leading title at Christmas. We have fully set our sights on it being the number one Wii title but are confident that this title has the potential to also achieve the top slot in the All Formats chart too."
There's only one way this game is going to outsell Super Mario Galaxy, and we doubt that Sega is willing to swallow their pride and accept the help.
The above video for Sonic and Mario at the Olympics is rather lengthy, so if you're not down with watching large chunks of gameplay footage, you might just want to hit the "Read" link below and gawk at some new screens. But, considering the game is only a collection of Olympic games, we're sure some footage isn't going to ruin anything for you.
As you can see above, the inclusion of your own Mii in Mario & Sonic at the Olympics isn't anything all too special. It's pretty much what you'd expect. While we're fairly sure that we could hold our own fencing against Sonic (from what we've seen, this is the first time he's ever held a sword), we're certain racing against Sonic would only be an embarrassment.
If it weren't for all the other crazy news coming out of Japan right now, we would be tempted to call this Mario & Sonic week. Every time we turn around, it seems like we're seeing newbits from their upcoming joint Olympics title. Not that we're complaining, though -- not when it means we get to see Yoshi's stats and Knuckles and Sonic trying to poke each other with pointy objects. We can only guess it's Sonic's year to kick ass and take names. Check out the updated gallery below for the latest images from the game!
Of all the events in the Olympics, the Triple Jump seems like the one in which Mario would have the greatest advantage. After all, he's been practicing for it since Super Mario 64. Mario is a master of the triple jump. If Sega substitutes a normal triple jump for Mario's signature flip in the name of consistency, we will shake our heads in sad dismissal of this game. We may also roll our eyes and sigh.
This trailer, despite holding potential for Mario-related disappointment, also shows us how the controls work for the triple jump. And, as many Wii trailers show, what it would look like to play this game in a very nice fake apartment full of overenthusiastic actors.
Speaking of enthusiasm, we've embedded a certain obligatory Van Halen song in the post. Go ahead and (click on the) jump.
The latest screens from Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games show us some more of the game's twenty events. Like this one, in which Cream the Rabbit is forced to stand in the sidelines and watch as two idiots fence with no protective gear on-- in Tails' case, no gear at all. Fencing without a facemask or armor? That's just called stabbing.
We also see Tails excelling in what we assume is the trampoline event, in which players push buttons in a prescribed sequence to make Tails flop around in the air in a controlled manner.
We admit that the first game ever to feature both Sonic and Mario is going to appeal to folks naturally. We don't believe, however, that the game will sell 4 million copies together on the DS and Wii. Sega's corporate director Masanao Maeda believes though.
Being "glass is half-full" kinda people, we're all for being optimistic. But, 4 million? That's kind of absurd, wouldn't you say? Or, regardless of the type of game it is, could any title featuring both Mario and Sonic easily sell that much?
Sega continues to pour money into lavishly rendered trailers for Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, and we must admit it's working a little. We, who have been less than impressed with Sonic and his games recently, found the dramatic music and quick editing of this new trailer to be effective at getting us to cheer for some ridiculous-looking video game characters as they compete with each other at Olympic sports.
Only now, after closing the window and safely removing ourselves from the video's thrall, do we remember that we were just looking at Yoshi playing ping-pong with Tails. We felt like Games Convention attendees for a second there, though!
If only Sega (and Nintendo, of course) would put this kind of effort into the real game.
It's no surprise that the new Mario game took "Best Wii Game" at the Leipzig Game Convention. No, the other one. That's right, Mario & Sonic at the Olympics beat Super Mario Galaxy in the eyes of the jury. According to the statement released with the list of awards, "Mario and Sonic manage to translate Olympic disciplines into easily mastered, entertaining games fun." Not having played either, we suppose we should trust their judgment. But, on the other hand, what?
In somewhat less mind-boggling news, the Wii Balance Board was named the "Best Hardware Accessory." The jury said "Having already converted the remote control into a controller, the manufacturer now turns scales into a games accessory."
These screenshots for Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games may not inspire the recoiling horror of the new Sonic Ridersor, worse, Cruis'n, but they certainly don't reflect an Olympic-caliber effort. We know that the Nintendo fan's mantra is "gameplay over graphics," but that doesn't mean we should roll over and accept sub-Gamecube graphics on what should be a flagship title worthy of the historic pairing of franchises contained within. At least it's got archery. Archery's pretty fun.
To the Sega employees responsible for taking the screenshots: we just wanted to let you know we appreciate your slightly subversive effort to make sure Sonic is dead last in nearly every footrace screen, behind such noted speedsters as Yoshi and Dr. Eggman.
