Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (マリオ&ソニックATリオオリンピック) is the upcoming fifth installment in the Mario & Sonic series for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. The game was first announced on the Japanese Nintendo Direct on 31 May 2015. Like previous games, the game is officially licensed by the International Olympic Committee for the 31st Summer Olympic Games and taking place in the host city Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Both versions of the game are set to be released sometime in 2016. An arcade edition of the game was announced by Sega on 16 July 2015 which will be released in Japan in 2016.

Development
The game was officially revealed during Nintendo Direct, 31 May 2015, showcasing two new game modes, Golf and Rugby along with twenty new characters, ten from the Mario series, ten from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The game will use Amiibo.

Team Mario
* = indicates that they are newcomers to the Mario & Sonic series. ^ = indicates newcomers that are unlockable.

Referees

 * Lakitu
 * Toadsworth
 * Orbot
 * Cubot
 * Cheese
 * Charmy Bee

Audience characters
*** = indicates that they are also filming the events
 * Toads***
 * Purple Toads
 * Yellow Toads
 * Green Toads
 * Blue Toads
 * Chao
 * Neutral Chao***
 * Hero Chao
 * Dark Chao
 * Omochao
 * Animals
 * Flicky
 * Pecky
 * Cucky
 * Picky
 * Shy Guys
 * Green Shy Guys
 * Pink Shy Guys
 * Goombas
 * Koopa Troopas

Event characters

 * Moto Bug
 * Egg Pawns
 * Super Egg Pawn
 * Search Flapper
 * G.U.N. Robots
 * Chao
 * Toads
 * Goomba
 * Red Paratroopa
 * Piranha Plant
 * Thwomp
 * Yoshis
 * Birdos
 * Boom Booms
 * Pom Pom

Story Mode characters

 * Mii
 * Mii Mario
 * Mii Sonic
 * Toad
 * Blue Toad
 * Light Blue Yoshi
 * Orbot
 * Cubot

Wii U

 * Athletics:
 * Track
 * 100m Sprint
 * Gymnastics:
 * Rhythmic Clubs*
 * Songs:
 * Court
 * Football (Soccer)
 * Beach Volleyball
 * Rugby Sevens*
 * Table Tennis
 * Archery
 * Contact Sports
 * Boxing
 * Cycling
 * BMX
 * Equestrian

Nintendo 3DS
Much like the previous installment, the characters are assigned to certain events. The difference is that returning characters are playable in two events each while newcomers are playable in only one each. However, Mario, Sonic, and Miis are available in all events.


 * Football (Soccer) (Shadow, Jet, Yoshi, Daisy)
 * Golf* (Vector, Rouge, Peach, Bowser)
 * 100m Sprint (Shadow, Metal, Yoshi, Nabbit)
 * 110m Hurdles (Silver, Eggman, Luigi, Diddy)
 * Long Jump (Espio, Eggman Nega, Waluigi, Bowser Jr.)
 * Javelin Throw (Knuckles, Omega, Wario, Dry Bowser)
 * 100m Freestyle (Tails, Amy, Peach, Wendy)
 * Archery (Silver, Sticks, Wario, Birdo)
 * Boxing (Knuckles, Zavok, DK, Bowser)
 * Table Tennis (Vector, Zazz, Luigi, Ludwig)
 * Beach Volleyball (Tails, Cream, DK, Roy)
 * Show Jumping (Blaze, Eggman, Bowser Jr., Larry)
 * BMX (Metal, Wave, Waluigi, Dry Bones)
 * Rhythmic Hoop* (Amy, Blaze, Daisy, Rosalina)
 * Songs:
 * Georges Bizet – L'Arlésienne Suite No. 1
 * Super Mario Bros. BGM – Super Mario Bros.
 * Wonder World – Sonic Lost World

* = indicates that they are new events to the Mario & Sonic series

Story Mode
These events are exclusive to the 3DS Story Mode.
 * 4 x 100m Relay
 * 1500m
 * 3000m Steeplechase
 * Triple Jump
 * Hammer Throw
 * Shot Put
 * Pole Vault
 * Trampoline
 * Rings
 * 100m Breaststroke
 * 100m Backstroke
 * Platform Diving (Synchronized)
 * Water Polo
 * Synchronized Swimming (Duet)
 * Synchronized Swimming (Team)
 * 1000m Kayak (Singles)
 * 10km Marathon Swim
 * Canoe Slalom (Pair)
 * Sailing - 470 (Pair)
 * Rowing - Quadruple Sculls
 * Hockey
 * Basketball
 * Handball
 * Badminton (Singles)
 * Badminton (Doubles)
 * Fencing - Epée
 * Taekwondo
 * Double Trap
 * 25m Rapid Fire Pistol
 * Keirin

Arcade

 * 100m
 * 110m Hurdles
 * 4x100m Relay
 * Long Jump
 * Hammer Throw
 * Javelin Throw
 * 100m Freestyle
 * Archery
 * Trampoline
 * Rhythmic Clubs

Reception
In their first review for the 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Famitsu gave the game 33 out of 40.

Trivia

 * This is the first game in the Mario & Sonic series to have new characters since Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games.
 * This is the first game in the series to feature different character rosters between each version.
 * Before being playable in this game, Birdo, Dry Bones, Dry Bowser, Rouge the Bat, Jet the Hawk, E-123 Omega, and Dr. Eggman Nega appeared in the previous installments (except for Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games) as rival characters while Toad, Cream and Espio appeared as referees.
 * Interestingly, Toad, Birdo, Jet, Rouge, Espio, and Cream were supposed to appear as playable characters in the first installment but were cut for unknown reasons.
 * The Wii U version of the game is the first console version of an Olympic Games title to be released on the year of the Olympics.
 * The 3DS version of the game is the first handheld version of an Olympic Games title to be released before the console version.
 * This is the first game where Wave the Swallow is playable outside of the Sonic Riders series.
 * Also, this is the first time that Jet and Wave appear without Storm the Albatross.
 * This is the first time that Vector the Crocodile and Espio the Chameleon are playable and Charmy Bee isn't.
 * This is the first game where Dr. Eggman Nega, as well as members of the Deadly Six are playable, as opposed to being only being boss characters in previous games.
 * This is the first modern Sonic game where Sticks the Badger appears outside of the Sonic Boom series.
 * However this is her second appearance outside of the series after Sonic Runners.
 * Some events from the Nintendo 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games reappear in this game in Story mode.

Videos
Nintendo Direct Trailer= Announcement Trailer= E3 2015 Trailer= 3DS Trailer= 3DS Trailer 2= Amiibo trailer=