The mash up of all mash ups has arrived. Fifteen years ago, it would’ve been sacrilegious to even think of a team-up such as this. Mario of Nintendo and Sonic of Sega are two of the most recognizable gaming icons. Now, they are pitted against each other in Mario and Sonic at the Olympics.

This is the first time Sonic has ever appeared in a Nintendo console. “Mario and Sonic have been respectful rivals since the early days of video games,” said Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto. “Now that they have been given the perfect opportunity to meet at the Olympic Games, we may finally learn who is actually faster, Mario or Sonic?”

Yeah right, Mr. Miyamoto-san. Even with all the power ups in the world, how in the world can Mario beat Sonic in the 100m dash? Or how can Sonic beat Mario in the long jump event? Seriously, this game is not about Mario and Sonic. This is about the 2008 Summer Olympics. You can choose to play as Mario, Sonic, Luigi, Knuckles, Yoshi, Tails and other characters from both franchises’ rosters.

This is an enjoyable game to play with friends. Both the Wii and DS versions allows up to 4 players to join in the fun. With the DS, you control the game via your stylus. I sense a lot of busted LCD due to this game. Some events in Mario and Sonic require rubbing the screen with your stylus. Watch out, though. When the action becomes a little too intense, you might apply more pressure in your DS screen than it can take.

Overall, Mario and Sonic at the Olympics is a game to play with your friends. I wouldn’t be caught dead playing this in *barf!* solo mode. So, ping-pong anyone?

To watch the teaser video, click here.