N-Europe visits Sega Europe!

Deep in the bowels of Sega Europe's London HQ, I find myself surrounded by Wii consoles, copies of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, and a whole host of Sega fans. My day had started at 5am (and, to be honest, I'm usually just about going to bed at that time after a hard night's session of gaming), to get to London in time from N-Europe's top secret Headquarters, yet I was wide awake and raring to go.

In many ways it was a privilege to attend the event and join in with the Sega hardcore - who showed a level of fan devotion to their characters with which I instantly felt at home. "It's like the level in Chaotix where..." one guy remarked about the scenery in one of Mario and Sonic's mini-games. It's that level of fanaticism I'd probably find myself saying about something from the Mushroom Kingdom.

Me (on the right) sparring with a rather worried looking Sega blogger.

N-Europe had been invited down to have a play on the upcoming Mario and Sonic-starring game (in all good retailers November 23rd), my full impressions of which I'm posting on N-Europe separately. Needless to say however, it was a lot of fun. After we'd all checked out the game (and eyed up the pile of PAL copies lying around) myself and the only other Nintendo journalist there, WiiDS.co.uk founder and all round good bloke Limpit, took on the two best that the Sonic community could offer in a Mario Kart style 100m track race. It was two Nintendo fans and two Sega fans in a race to the death. Or the finish line, whichever came first.

In this event, players must guide their character around the track, steering them with the analogue stick, jumping over obstacles, picking up Mario Kart powerups to use to your advantage and keeping them at top speed by furiously shaking the Wii-mote and Nunchuck. Pumping my arms up and down to make my character win had never been so important. It was my Luigi and Limpit's Mario against their Sonic and Tails.

It's Sega vs. Nintendo all over again!

Nintendo's input in the game, and indeed this particular event within it, was clearly evident. Shooting green shells backwards to snipe incoming items felt warmly familiar, as did firing off a couple of red ones at Sonic myself (even if a couple of them accidentally hit Mario instead, oops). And they say only Americans are guilty of friendly fire.

After a bad start, Sonic and Mario were ahead of me for the first two laps, though as Mario fell behind in the final lap my Luigi managed to just edge past Sonic to take the title for Nintendo and N-Europe.

My Luigi wins for N-Europe! The prize - a night of passion with Princess Peach. Sorry Mario.

The friendly rivalry between the hardcore of both companies in a game featuring both of their biggest mascots shows just how far two massive rivals have come since their bitter competition during the 1990s. That such a game was made shows that the two giants certainly have a special relationship right now. Sega developing a game with Mario in, and Sonic in Smash Bros. Brawl are clear signs the companies majorly heart each other. Which can only be good for Nintendo gamers, right?

When it comes to hardcore fans though, old habits die hard, and there was a good friendly rivalry from the Sega fans who will love and support their favourite gaming company forever. Good on them, I say. I feel the same way about our beloved Ninty.

- Tom "Tphi" Phillips

A little surreal.