Last year, SEGA announced that Mario and Sonic will sell four million copies in it’s lifetime. People scoffed.

Well today, it seems, SEGA will have the last laugh. SEGA has announced today that not only has Mario and Sonic reach it’s goal of four million copies sold, it has surpassed it, selling a total of five million copies worldwide. “With adored icons and fun game play, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has shot to the top of the sales charts and is clearly resonating with the growing audience of casual gamers that want an engaging and accessible gaming experience,” said Simon Jeffery, President and COO, SEGA of America. “The market for entertaining games that everyone can enjoy is growing faster than any other segment in the industry, thanks in part to the explosive popularity of Wii and Nintendo DS,” continued Jeffery. “A key element of our growth strategy at SEGA is to develop and publish games that appeal to this expanding market.”

Mario and Sonic can owe much of it’s success to the UK, where the game has consistently remained in the top five every week since it’s release.