The Podium Is Calling - Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Is Out April 9

Nintendo Australia have announced that local fans of Mario, Sonic or the Olympics will be able to join in the excitement of the 2016 Rio Oymipic Games when Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games lands on Nintendo 3DS on April 9th.

Players can look forward to 14 different sports, with 40 playable characters, meaning the combinations are pretty high. Classic events like Archery and Swimming return, alongside new ones like Golf, which makes its return to the Olympics for the first time in 112 years. But for players who want more of a challenge, they can take on the Plus Events, which takes the 14 sports and adds a Mario twist, like diving through and ride on waves caused by a Thwomp to set the fastest time in 100m Freestyle Swimming Plus, or use power-ups to reach the finish line even faster in the 100m Plus Event.

Aspiring athletes who dream of seeing themselves atop the podium can also go solo and play as their Mii in Road to Rio mode, arriving in Brazil ready to take on the sporting elite and discover the on-going rivalry between two gyms, led by Mario and Sonic respectively. It’s up to the player to decide which team to join, with unique story events unfolding along the way; completing the story will reward you with a Mario or Sonic Mii outfit, depending on whose side you chose.

Becoming the very best will require focused training, so players can get to grips with each event by practising at the local ginásios before taking on more difficult challenges. Next to a tough training regime, players can equip all kinds of useful sports gear, from golf clubs to full character outfits, to boost their abilities. If players dress their Mii in a Mario outfit and tap the Mario amiibo, or wear the Sonic outfit and tap the Sonic amiibo, that outfit’s abilities will receive a short-term boost – perfect for getting an additional competitive edge when it really matters.

But for households that have multiple Nintendo 3DS units, the best news comes in the form that 4 people can play, with just a single copy of the game, thanks to Download Play. But if you want to compete on the global stage, online leaderboards will provide a constant challenge for all players. If you are someone who takes their Nintendo 3DS with them when they go places, using the systems in-built pedometer, players can unlock new rewards when they reach a set number of steps each day.

So get ready to prove yourself on April 9, when Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games arrives for Nintendo 3DS