Nintendo Unhappy at Sega Mascot's Foot During Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Development

Nintendo allegedly expressed dissatisfaction astatine Sega during the improvement of Mario & Sonic astatine the Olympic Games, aft seeing Sonic's ft placed up of Mario's.

The incidental has travel to airy successful an Arcade Attack Retro Gaming Network interrogation with Sega seasoned Ryoichi Hasegawa, who worked connected the Wii and Nintendo DS sports minigame classical up of its merchandise backmost successful 2007.

According to Hasegawa, Nintendo insisted that Sega alteration artwork acceptable to beryllium utilized for the game's screen that depicted Mario's ft placed down that of Sonic's.

The last screen creation for Mario & Sonic astatine the Olympic Games, showing Mario and Sonic's feet successful adjacent position.

"There was 1 comic story," Hasegawa recalled of the game's development. "There was artwork of Mario and Sonic, and you know, different characters lasting connected the field. And those artworks were utilized for the package, the acquisition manual cover, and the cartridge label, and things similar that...

"There was 1 tiny mistake and Sonic's ft was successful beforehand of Mario's foot, " helium continued, "and Nintendo demanded america to alteration the priority."

Asked if Sega agreed to the change, Hasegawa said the game's developers "of course" made the alteration for Nintendo. "We were similar 'oh my god' we person to alteration it," helium concluded, "or determination volition beryllium nary deal."

Nintendo has often been reported to beryllium a stickler for its characters appearing precisely arsenic it wants — different infamous illustration is the institution sending notes to Disney to picture however Bowser should clasp his teacup during a little cameo successful Wreck-It Ralph.

As it was, Mario & Sonic astatine the Olympic Games was a smash deed for Sega, selling 10 cardinal copies and spawning a drawstring of sequels. Alas, the franchise ended aft its last crippled successful 2020, erstwhile the International Olympic Committee chose not to renew its licensing woody with Sega and Nintendo, and alternatively prosecute partnerships based astir mobile gaming and NFTs.

"Basically the IOC wanted to bring [it] backmost to themselves internally and look astatine different partners truthful they would get much money," shaper Lee Cocker, who worked connected the bid portion astatine selling institution ISM Ltd, antecedently confirmed.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social