Nintendo Made Sure Mario Beat Sonic in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, According to SEGA Producer
Former SEGA producer Ryoichi Hasegawa revealed Nintendo demanded a tweak to the key artwork for the 2007 game Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games so Mario’s foot sat just ahead of Sonic’s in a hurdles scene.
Here’s the TL;DR:
SEGA submitted artwork showing Sonic’s foot slightly ahead of Mario’s for packaging, manuals, and labels.
Nintendo flagged it as an error and required a fix to prioritize Mario, or the deal was off.
This came from Hasegawa’s recent interview with Arcade Attack UK, sparking viral buzz on X.
The change stuck to the final box art, where Mario edges Sonic over the hurdles.
What sparked the foot-position feud in Mario & Sonic Olympic Games artwork?
Ryoichi Hasegawa handled production and localization for SEGA on the title. He described spotting the issue in promo materials during approvals.
Sonic’s foot overlapped Mario’s by a hair. Nintendo insisted on a swap.
The team scrambled. No room for debate.
Did this rule apply only to one piece of art or everywhere?
Hasegawa specified it hit the package art, instruction manual cover, and cartridge label.
Final versions show Mario’s brown shoe nudging past Sonic’s red one.
Some back-of-box shots in certain regions let Sonic pull way ahead. Nintendo overlooked those.
Which Mario & Sonic Olympic Games title started the whole crossover?
The 2007 Wii and DS release tied to the Beijing Summer Olympics kicked it off.
SEGA pitched it as Olympic-licensed fun with Sonic characters. Nintendo signed on for Mario’s crew.
It sold over 10 million copies worldwide. A surprise hit from ex-rivals.
How did SEGA and Nintendo bury the console wars for Olympics?
The 1990s pitted Mario against Sonic in ads and sales charts. SEGA lost hardware ground by 2001.
This collab marked detente. SEGA led development; Nintendo published in Japan.
Hurdles like bilingual IOC approvals added stress. But the foot fix? Peak pettiness.
What events let Mario or Sonic claim victories in the games?
Sonic dominated sprints and relays, true to his speed.
Mario shone in jumps and gymnastics. Dream races mixed canon skills with party chaos.
Players picked teams. No single champ—results varied by event and skill.
Why did Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games span multiple Olympics?
Six main entries followed: Winter Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 (Switch/Arcade).
Each synced to real Games. Wii motion controls and 3DS portability boosted appeal.
SEGA handled most dev. Titles like Rio added story modes with villain plots.
Did the foot drama repeat in later Mario & Sonic Olympic art?
No direct repeats surfaced. But key visuals kept Mario prominent.
Tokyo 2020 box art clusters characters without clear leads. Focus shifted to groups.
Fans spot patterns. Mario often centers in group shots.
When and why did the Mario & Sonic Olympic Games series end?
Tokyo 2020 wrapped it in 2019 amid pandemic delays.
IOC let the license lapse. SEGA producer Lee Cocker cited NFT and esports pushes.
SEGA renewed in 2025 for merch only—no games. Nintendo stayed silent.
Could Mario & Sonic team up again for future Olympics?
SEGA’s new IOC deal covers 2026 Milano Cortina and beyond, but merchandise-focused.
Fans clamor online. A Switch successor? Unlikely without Nintendo buy-in.
Console wars faded. Crossovers like Smash Bros. show goodwill.
How did fans react to the SEGA producer’s artwork reveal?
X lit up post-Culture Crave share. Over 140k views, 3k likes.
Sonic loyalists joked Mario needed rigged art. Mario fans shrugged at brand control.
Memes flew. “Peak 2000s console war energy,” one user quipped.
Nintendo’s demand underscores Mario’s top-dog status in 2007, when Sonic’s series hit lows. SEGA complied to launch a franchise that sold millions and thawed rivalries. While the series sits dormant, Hasegawa’s tale reminds gamers: even in friendly races, someone always wants the edge. A revival could nod to this history—hurdles included.
Hat Tips
Arcade Attack UK YouTube interview with Ryoichi Hasegawa (Jan 2026)
GoNintendo / Jan 17, 2026: https://gonintendo.com/contents/56757-former-sega-producer-says-nintendo-required-mario-s-foot-to-be-ahead-of-sonic-s-on-mario-sonic-at-the-olympic-games-boxart
NintendoSoup / Jan 17, 2026: https://nintendosoup.com/former-sega-producer-says-nintendo-wanted-mario-ahead-of-sonic-in-mario-sonic-at-the-olympic-games-boxart/
TheGamer / Jan 18, 2026: https://www.thegamer.com/mario-and-sonic-olympic-games-nintendo-demanded-win/
My Nintendo News / Jan 17, 2026: http://mynintendonews.com/2026/01/17/former-sega-producer-says-nintendo-wanted-art-for-mario-sonic-olympic-games-changed-as-sonics-foot-was-in-front-of-marios/
Nintendo Everything / Jan 18, 2026: https://nintendoeverything.com/nintendo-demanded-sega-to-put-marios-foot-in-front-of-sonics-for-mario-sonic-at-the-olympic-games
Culture Crave X post / Jan 17, 2026:
Article Compiled and Edited by Derek Gibbs on January 19, 2026 for Clownfish TV D/REZZED.