20 Years of TSS: The Biggest Sonic Stories of the Last Two Decades

What’s that? You want Sonic the Hedgehog news, sonny? Well, it just so happens that we’ve got a whole LIBRARY’S worth of news stories and features covering the last twenty years! We could tell you when Archie Sonic #117 hit comic store shelves… or we could tell you something interesting instead. How about the biggest Sonic stories to hit the internet since The Sonic Stadium opened its doors in 2000?

Continue reading 20 Years of TSS: The Biggest Sonic Stories of the Last Two Decades
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TSS Review: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

There was once a time where the idea of two bitter industry rivals sharing the same game (let alone the same console) would have you laughed out of the school playground; yet, Mario and Sonic have been collaborating with each other for over a decade now. In this latest installment for the Nintendo Switch, we find the two beloved platforming mascots once again battling for gold in the Olympic Games, and it’s a concept that may have lost its initial novelty. Does that mean that the game is doomed to fail? Far from it: there’s actually a fair bit to appreciate here!

Continue reading TSS Review: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

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Mario & Sonic 2020 Demo Hits European Nintendo eShop

Now you don’t have to jump through a couple of hoops in order to get that sweet, sweet Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games demo for Nintendo Switch. If you live in Europe, that is. Because that same demo is now available on the EU Nintendo eShop. Continue reading Mario & Sonic 2020 Demo Hits European Nintendo eShop

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Mario and Sonic Go Old School in New Retro Olympic Events

Back at E3, SEGA hinted at a new “retro mode” for Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, but wouldn’t clarify anything beyond the brief clip we saw in the E3 trailer – today we finally have clarification! 10 events in the game will have alternate “Classic 2D Events” that utilize retro sprites and graphics, and take place during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics!

Continue reading Mario and Sonic Go Old School in New Retro Olympic Events

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Mario & Sonic’s Tokyo Olympics Will Be Playable At E3 2019

SEGA has revealed its E3 2019 show floor lineup, and ‘Mario & Sonic’ fans who have been itching for a new entry since 2016 will be psyched to hear that the upcoming Nintendo Switch-exclusive Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 sequel will be playable. Continue reading Mario & Sonic’s Tokyo Olympics Will Be Playable At E3 2019

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(Update) Two new Tokyo 2020 games announced as Mario & Sonic for Switch and Arcade, Sonic-only game for mobile

Update (April 2nd, 2019 at 10:25PM ET):

Sega of America took down the trailer, so I rehosted it for your convenience!

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Update (March 30th, 2019 at 2:32PM ET):

Sega just released the HQ assets, including transparent PNG logos, HD versions of the two primary Switch screenshots, as well as the HQ version of the trailer with less compression. I made new screencaps from the HQ version of the trailer.

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Update (March 30th, 2019 at 9:16AM ET):

Sega have just announced the western release of the games. The Mario & Sonic game for Switch is now called Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The arcade game of course is titled Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – Arcade Edition. Finally, the mobile game is titled Sonic at the Olympic Games – Tokyo 2020.

For some reason, the Tokyo 2020 branding is missing from the logos, but the games are titled as such on the website as well as by Sega in their announcement tweet. All seem to still be published by Sega in the west (a first since London 2012), in fact Sega are publishing the games worldwide, which is a first in Japan where Nintendo published the Mario & Sonic series to date prior. Also, the arcade and mobile games are now dated for Summer 2020 in the west, rather than just the generic 2020 date in Japan. Check out the western website here.

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At the SEGA FES 2019 event it was announced that the Mario & Sonic series will return with Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games for Switch. Not only that, a separate arcade game, simply titled Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Arcade Game, was additionally revealed, alongside a Sonic-only mobile game for both iOS and Andriod; Sonic at the Olympic Games.

SEGA previously announced back in October 2016, that they had secured the gaming license for the Tokyo 2020 games, but no confirmation was made that the Mario & Sonic series would be returning alongside Sega’s other more photorealistic Olympic video games to tie in with the event.

The title will be the 6th Olympic game title to feature Mario and Sonic following the Olympic game and Winter Olympic game titles.

Via the official Olympic Video Games website, the Switch game is due to release in Japan in Winter 2019. The arcade game is due sometime in 2020. Finally the mobile game is also due in 2020.

Here are the logos of each game plus two high-quality screenshots of the Switch game. I also included screencaps of the trailer, with all but the last being the Switch game, with the last being the mobile game:

Are you excited to see the return of the Mario & Sonic Olympic series? let us know in the comments!

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Yuji Naka wishes to pitch Mario & Sonic action game to Takashi Iizuka

Just recently, Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima spoke with the Japanese magazine Famitsu, and commented on the origins of the Mario & Sonic series, as well as Sonic joining Super Smash Bros. Brawl. But Yuji Naka also said that he wishes to give another presentation to Sonic Team’s Takashi Iizuka about a potential Mario & Sonic action game. See the quote below.

Continue reading Yuji Naka wishes to pitch Mario & Sonic action game to Takashi Iizuka

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Mario & Sonic Rio 2016 launches 8th April in Europe

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Just announced via Nintendo of Europe’s official Twitter page, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be hitting European store shelves in a couple of months on Friday 8th April. Starring gaming’s two biggest icons in their fifth sporting crossover since 2007, the new game in the best-selling franchise promises more characters, more events, and more fun than ever before.

This follows the recent announcement from Nintendo of America that Mario & Sonic’s latest Olympic face-off would be arriving across the pond on 18th March, a few weeks prior to the newly announced European release date.

Please note both of these dates are only for the 3DS version of the game, with the Wii U version following later in the year – presumably to coincide with the launch of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games themselves. We’ll keep you posted as soon as an official date is revealed.

Are you excited to see Mario & Sonic in Rio? Will you be picking up the 3DS version on 18th March or 8th April, depending on your region? Let us know in the comments!

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The Spin: What if Mario & Sonic at the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games came out on GameCube?

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Torino 2006 Official Video Game

So we got a new Sonic game announcement in yesterday’s Nintendo Direct squarely aired for the Japanese audience (and today a “Micro” Direct aired for NA also showing the game), which is weird since this is very unusual where Sonic games are typically announced mainly in the west and certainly not having a world-first announcement in Japan…. except Sonic Runners just before… are we seeing a new trend?

Continue reading The Spin: What if Mario & Sonic at the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games came out on GameCube?

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Nintendo UK Store offers Mario & Sonic Wii U Bundle

mariosonicwiiubundleThe Mario & Sonic series is no stranger to being a part of console bundles – the London 2012 entry even came with its very own blue Wii system – so this latest announcement comes as no real surprise. No doubt in a bid to cash in on the ongoing Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games as well as to shift a few extra Wii U consoles, Nintendo UK has revealed a brand new bundle featuring the latest entry in the series, exclusive to its online store.

Simply dubbed the “Mario and Sonic Winter Olympics Bundle”, you get a black Premium Wii U console in addition to (of course) Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, NintendoLand, and one of those swanky Mario Wii Remote Plus controllers released towards the end of last year. What’s more, you can get it all for just £299.99, which means a saving of over £75 on the RRP of the individual products.

If you’re swept away by Winter Olympic fever at the moment or are just waiting for the right deal to come along to entice you to join the Wii U brigade… this might be the bundle for you!

Source: Nintendo UK Online Store

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Mario & Sonic 2014: 30% off on EU eShop until Sunday

Bfy1G2ICAAAskmlHeads up European Wii U owners! To coincide with the start of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Russia this weekend, Nintendo have announced plans to reduce the price of the latest Mario & Sonic game by 30% if you buy it from the Wii U eShop or through the Nintendo UK Online Store.

The offer will run from tomorrow (7th February) to 23:59 on Sunday, 9th February. If you’ve yet to pick up the game or have been itching for a discount on the digital version, now might be the time to take the plunge. If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to spend your money, check out our TSS review of the game to help you make your mind up.

This offer is currently only announced for Europe, but we will update you if it becomes available for any other regions.

Source: Twitter

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TSS Review: Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (Wii U)

The Mario & Sonic series is one that I personally have a lot of history with. I remember almost exploding with excitement when the first title was announced – my two favourite videogame characters, together at last! Sure, it wasn’t the ideal crossover scenario everyone wanted and the game itself wasn’t anything that special, but I lapped it up for sheer novelty value alone, alternating between the Team Mario and Team Sonic t-shirts that came as pre-order bonuses while I shook my Wii Remote around in glee. Continue reading TSS Review: Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (Wii U)

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Out Now in Europe: Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V24kJ7qVTl8[/youtube]

It’s time to strap on those skis and hit the slopes once more, as two of gaming’s icons are back to compete for the gold! That’s right, Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games for Wii U is out now in Europe! SEGA have released a brand new launch trailer (above) to celebrate the occasion, showing off a comprehensive look at many of the game’s modes. There’s 24 events to participate in and, for the first time ever, you can play online and face rivals from across the globe!

Mario & Sonic 2014 can be purchased from both physical and online retailers, but if you prefer to own your games digitally, Nintendo has got you covered – the game costs £39.99 to download from the Wii U eShop. The game will arrive in the US next Friday, 15th November.

This fourth entry in the series has been receiving a mixed reception from critics so far but if you’re wondering whether we think it deserves a spot on the podium, you can look forward to our upcoming TSS review which will be hitting the site in the near future. Stay tuned!

Will you be picking up Mario & Sonic 2014? Show your support for your country by letting us know in the comments!

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M&S 2014 Blowout: New Artwork, Gameplay and more!

Promo_Web_Artwork_-_Mario_&_Sonic_SochiWith Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games releasing on 8th November in Europe and 15th November in the US, there’s not long to go until the two gaming icons hit the slopes once again – and we now have lots of juicy new artwork, gameplay footage, and more to help whet your appetite!

For starters, the official Mario & Sonic website has updated with full details on all of the game’s modes, including the Olympic Events and Dream Events, as well as showcasing some brand new character artwork for Teams Mario and Sonic.

And as if that wasn’t enough, we have lots of new (albeit brief) gameplay videos courtesy of TheBitBlock and GameXplain on YouTube, giving you a chance to see the game in action ahead of its impending release. Say what you want about the game, but it’s certainly looking rather slick – and who doesn’t love the idea of a Bullet Bill sledge race around Sweet Mountain from Sonic Colours?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHA6y1Stn1Y[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgeGEl7uAdo[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-thZzTbXLo4[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iQuEinbsuQ[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGCGtsBv_Iw[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMIQtQOIN94[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgvle1jIUpQ[/youtube]

Will you be picking up the new Mario & Sonic game? Let us know in the comments!

Source: Official Site, TheBitBlock, GameXplain

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NoE Product Page: Even more new M&S 2014 Screenshots!

WiiU_MarioAndSonicattheOlympicWinterGamesSochi2014_06_mediaplayer_largeSonic Claus is coming to town!

The Nintendo of Europe product page has updated with a whole cavalcade of brand new screenshots from the upcoming Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. There’s a healthy mix of old and new stuff, including some rather interesting sights like the Bullet Bill sleigh seen above. There’s also Dream Curling in Green Hill Zone where one player sits on top of the stone while the other pushes it, and a mysterious looking castle with a picture of a key above its entrance. Could we be seeing the return of some sort of story mode, or at least something akin to the Festival mode from the first Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games?

And if that’s not enough, there’s some new artwork for Shadow and Donkey Kong along the sides of the product page too:

shadowdk

We also get a clear look at the PAL box art for the game:

PS_WiiU_MarioAndSonicattheOlympicWinterGamesSochi2014_enGB

You can see all of the new screenshots in the gallery below. Let us know what you think of them in the comments!

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games will be available in Europe on 8th November and in the US on 15th November.

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New M&S 2014 Screenshots show off Miis and Dream Events

 

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Now that we know Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games is finally coming out in November, hot on the heels of Sonic Lost World, we have a brand new set of screenshots to get us all excited. These screens show off quite a few new features of the game, including the return of Miis and some of the Dream Events.

Starting with the screenshot above, we can see that you can once again play as your Mii character and dress them up in whatever way you so choose – there’s regular outfits, hats, and full-blown character costumes to pick from. In terms of character costumes we can see that the game will include costumes of Vector, Birdo, Diddy Kong, Bee Mario, Propeller Mario, and Penguin Mario, and those are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg as this is only one page of 10 being shown. You’ll also be able to get a spooky pumpkin hat to scare your opponents. Will it cause the Pumpkin Hill music to play when you wear it though? That is the real question we all want answered, I’m sure!

mario_sonic_sochi-4This next screenshot shows off one of the new Dream Events in which characters play in teams of two, running around an area and shooting each other with snow. It sounds like a rather interesting concept, and at the very least it shows off some of the new graphical effects that the move to Wii U is bringing to the series.

And finally for now, we have this screenshot…

mario_sonic_sochi-10Oh god, I can imagine the fan-fiction already!

You can see all of the new screenshots in the gallery below. Thanks to SSMB member YoshiUnity for pointing them out in the forums!

Source: Nintendo Everything

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Recent M&S 2014 release date “an error”

M&S2014_Wii_U_Boxart

 

You may remember we reported a week or so ago that Nintendo had seemingly revealed the release date for Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games as 8th November by means of a Wii U notification. For those of you who were getting excited, you’re about to be a little disappointed because it turns out that was just a mistake on the Big N’s part. Nintendo have provided the following clarification regarding the game’s release:

The Nov. 8 launch date for Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games that was recently listed in a Wii U notification was an error. A confirmed launch date will be announced in the future. We apologize for any confusion.

So, it looks like we’ll have to wait a bit longer for our next sporting crossover – but at least we have Sonic Lost World to look forward to in the meantime! And you can be sure that, 8th November or not, Mario & Sonic 2014 will be hitting retail and digital stores before the year is over to cash in on the inevitable Christmas rush.

When do you think Mario & Sonic will be released? Anyone who predicts correctly gets bragging rights!

Source: GoNintendo

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Mario & Sonic 2014 Release Date Revealed?

M&S2014_Wii_U_Boxart

Sonic Lost World is only a month away now but it seems you can already look forward to getting your next Sonic fix after the hedgehog’s debut Wii U adventure. That’s right, Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (what do you mean you forgot it was coming out?!) has now seemingly has been given a release date as well, following hot on the heels of the much-anticipated main series installment.

The news appears to come from Nintendo themselves, as SSMB member CC14 the Franken Frog posted the below snapshot from their Wii U notifications, listing the game as launching on Friday 8th November. The message also indicates that you will be able to download the crossover title from the eShop on the same day, tying in with Nintendo’s current policy of simultaneously releasing new games in both physical and digital format.

mariosonic2014releaseeshop

Please bear in mind that, despite being a Friday – in other words, the usual day for releasing games in Europe – we can only assume this to be the US release date for the game so far, as no such listings have been found in European regions.

So, with a release date now seemingly set, will you be picking up Mario & Sonic 2014 for your Wii U? And if so – retail or download?

 

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New Mario & Sonic trailer shows us Snowboard Slopestyle

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxiMN0Pi0y4

You know, I can’t decide, is it because I have so little interest in this game, I almost didn’t think this was a new trailer? Or is it that most of the footage looks like it’s from previous trailers and clips? Well, it is a new trailer and it does show some new content, most noticably an event called Snowboard Slopestyle in which Mario and Sonic get on a snowboard and race down a mountain, why? Because they’re Mario & Sonic why would they not want to do this?

 

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New Mario & Sonic 2014 Screenshots

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Whether you love it or loathe it, the Mario & Sonic series of Olympic-themed games is set to continue later this year with Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games set in Russia – and because it’s E3 this week, there’s a load of new screenshots! Be sure to check them out in the gallery below.

Additionally, there’s a few tidbits of information about the game from a PR e-mail posted on the GoNintendo website. No exact release date has been set yet, but we can expect to find out when the unlikely duo will be skating their way onto Wii U in due course.

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games: The game includes a variety of events from the Winter Games, including bobsleigh, skiing, figure skating pairs and snowboard slopestyle – which will make its Olympic Games debut in Sochi, Russia. Different events might use the Wii Remote Plus controller, Wii U GamePad controller or both. In addition to realistic events, the game also includes Dream Events set in the worlds of Sonic and Mario that let players perform moves not possible in real life. Launch details and timing will be announced at a later date.

Are you looking forward to the return of Mario and Sonic? Let us know in the comments!

Sources: FacebookGoNintendo

 

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SEGA West CEO Sees Chances Ahead For Sonic to “arc out to do different things”

Following comments on Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 a few days ago, VG247 has posted up their full interview with SEGA West CEO Mike Hayes, and it features a couple more pieces of discussion about Sonic. When asked what his standout moment for the company is, Hayes expresses his pride for SEGA and Nintendo’s bringing together of both of their mascots for the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series.

“In my time at Sega, I’d come back to Chronicles, but I have to say Mario and Sonic simply because of many things,” said Hayes when asked for a standout moment.

“For me personally, doing that deal with Nintendo when we were such adversaries and bringing the two greatest icons together, for me, is a real sense of pride. Then the fact that its sold 20 million units so far on the two that we’ve released mean people like it, which is great.

That’s not the only standout moment for Hayes, though. The SEGA West boss also talks about his fondness for Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, which he admires because it does something different with the Sonic the Hedgehog brand.

“But in terms of imagination, I actually thought what we did with Chronicles was pretty good, which was actually trying to do something with Sonic that wasn’t just about speed and getting from A to B as effectively as possible. And that, I thought, was a pretty good game. Sold reasonably well, didn’t break any record, but I enjoyed that because it was different.

With Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood in mind, Hayes thinks there are more chances ahead to arc Sonic out to do other things.

“And that gives us kind of a clue about mainly the future of Sonic. There are chances for him to sort of arc out to do different things, maybe.”

Hayes ends the interview by noting the success of Sonic Colours in sales, ratings and popularity.

I like [2010 Wii and DS title] Colours a lot because I think that’s the best main platform standalone Sonic that we’ve done in many years. And it was hugely popular and it did extremely well based in America and Europe. I just think that was an excellent game, I think [Team Sonic producer Takashi] Iizuka did a good job on that and it rated pretty well. But for me, from my time at Sega, I’d probably say M&S and Chronicles.”

Source: VG247

Would you like to see the Sonic the Hedgehog series explore other genres? If so, which ones? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Mario and Sonic Invade London Town

SEGA has just confirmed Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Of course, being the legendary combination of video gaming frenemies and sporty decadence that it is, the publisher wasn’t going to make the announcement quietly.

So to celebrate, Mario and Sonic once again took time out of their busy in-game schedules to party in the streets of London. It wasn’t really a case of ‘blink and you’ll miss them,’ as the pair were directing traffic at Tower Bridge and posing outside of the Houses of Parliament. Well, Sonic was – not really sure what Mario’s doing, there.

A big red London bus toured the city as well, smothered in all sorts of Mario & Sonic branding as it passed Big Ben and surprised the flock of tourists sitting around Piccadilly Circus.

As the 2012 Olympic Games draws ever closer, there’s a growing excitement in Britain to see the best that the sporting world has to offer – and of course a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cheer our national sporting heroes on our own home turf. The Mario & Sonic series has always been incredibly popular, but with this in mind you can bet your last gold ring that Brits will absolutely lap up this upcoming Wii and 3DS sequel.

Check out the gallery below for the grand London tour.

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Rumour: New Mario & Sonic Not Sports Themed, Sonic Colours May Go HD

The rumour mill is churning again and this time it’s from a random 4chan forum member who goes by the name Wentos The Travelling Salesman, who some may recall spoke out early last year claiming to be an employee at SEGA. This guy claimed to know that the next “main” game in the Sonic series would be based on Sonic Unleashed‘s daytime stages, but never provided any proof to his identity or claims. The claim may have turned out to be true, with Sonic Colours‘ stages playing out like those levels, but these are predictions anyone could make given such positive feedback on those stages from fans who played the game that SEGA quickly became aware of.

New rumours from Wentos’ sudden return to the 4chan forums begin with SEGA going for something different in the next Mario & Sonic game, straying away from the sports theme of the last two games in the franchise, but wouldn’t say anything more on the subject.

“Without giving anything away…this time, it’s not a sports game. It’s turning out quite well. I think some of you may be a little surprised.”

When asked why Sonic Colours isn’t on PS3 and Xbox360, Wentos cited cheaper development costs and developmental freedom as reasons.

“…Wii/DS is a much more cost-effective pairing, especially for an ‘experimental’ Sonic game like this where they needed the financial and developmental freedom to craft 50+ (!) stages,”

Wentos also claims that development of an HD version of Sonic Colours is all set to go, but first SEGA will need high sales of the Wii & DS versions to justify it ever leaving the cutting room floor.

“The technology and design plan is all set up to do the port on Sonic Team’s end,” he said. “Of course, they need strong sales to justify releasing it on the other two platforms (with enhancements, more money spent, etc) in the first place, so it’s all up to you guys.”

Again, no proof of Wentos’ identity or his claims has been provided and for the most part these rumours have been going about since Gamefest 2010, so we’re strictly filing this under rumour and suggest you take this with the tiniest pinch of salt possible.

For more and an extract of a chat log with Wentos, head over to SEGA Bits.

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More Chances To Win Mario & Sonic Snowboard Teased

Sega Europe Community Manager ArchangelUK apparently loves to tease people. For example, I present to you the official Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games branded Snowboard he showcased earlier today.

It looks great doesn’t it? In fact it looks even better if you go here to see them full size. So how about an opportunity to get your hands on this fabulous merchandise? Alas, you can’t buy this thing in the shops but it can be won in the UK Mario & Sonic Sweepstakes. I’d hurry though, the competition is only open until November 17th so you need to be as fast as Sonic himself to enter before the deadline. Terms and conditions for the competition can be found here and should you not be the lucky winner don’t fret, AAUK has also teased that there may be other opportunities to grab one. TSS will endeavour to keep you posted.

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Hit the Slopes in this new M&SATWOG Trailer

Click the image above to view the trailer, courtesy of GameTrailers.com!

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