Mario & Sonic At the Olympics (Image: Nintendo)
With the Milan-Cortina Olympics underway, we’ve uncovered some Olympic-gaming history. Nintendo reportedly insisted SEGA redo the art for Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games so Mario’s foot was just ahead of Sonic’s, or “there would be no deal,” according to Ryoichi Hasegawa, a SEGA producer.
“There was one small error, and Sonic’s foot was in front of Mario’s foot, and Nintendo demanded that we change the priority,” Hasegawa recently told Arcade Attack Retro Gaming Network. “I still remember that. We were like ‘Oh my God, we have to change it or there will be no deal.’”
The fact that Nintendo would use a tiny visual tweak like this to promote a main character and assert brand dominance is remarkable.
It’s fair to note that Mario remains ahead in the London and Vancouver game covers, but it’s still a stretch to argue who should be leading by inches in a game cover. Not to mention Sonic’s primary focus is his speed.
Mario and Sonic’s rivalry dates back to the 1990s, and the idea of a crossover sports game carried heavy weight. After the original Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games on Wii/DS, Sega and Nintendo kept revisiting new real‑world Olympics: Beijing 2008, London 2012, Sochi 2014, Rio 2016 and finally Tokyo 2020.
The idea of whose foot, body, or shadow appears in front makes the viewer think that Mario is the lead character. This creates a visual hierarchy. Nintendo wants its premier character showcased as the main attraction, even in an equal crossover with Sonic. This corporate hierarchy shows just how far a company like Nintendo will go to protect its main character’s image in what is supposed to be a friendly crossover.
Tokyo 2020 was planned to feature many more crossovers beyond just Mario and Sonic. Series such as Pokémon, Zelda, Street Fighter, Mega Man, Metal Gear Solid, Dragon Ball and even some Sony and Microsoft characters were set to be in the game, kind of like a familiar game you may know as Super Smash Bros. The deals fell through, likely due to negotiations over status, placement and branding.
The Mario & Sonic crossovers aren’t just about bringing two loved franchises together. What could just look like a simple video game cover to you has a whole other meaning to the companies at hand. No partnership is ever totally equal.
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