<s>
As	O
the	O
third	O
instalment	O
in	O
the	O
Mario	B-Application
&	O
Sonic	B-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
on	O
11	O
November	O
2011	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
18	O
November	O
2011	O
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
and	O
26	O
December	O
2011	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
in	O
February	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mario	B-Application
&	O
Sonic	B-Application
is	O
the	O
official	O
video	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
2012	O
Summer	O
Olympics	O
and	O
is	O
licensed	O
by	O
the	O
International	O
Olympic	O
Committee	O
through	O
exclusive	O
licensee	O
International	O
Sports	O
Multimedia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
the	O
only	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
title	O
to	O
come	O
in	O
a	O
yellow	O
keep	O
case	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
and	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
comprises	O
a	O
collection	O
of	O
numerous	O
events	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
Olympic	B-Application
Games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
assume	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
a	O
Mario	B-Application
or	O
Sonic	B-Application
character	O
while	O
competing	O
against	O
the	O
others	O
in	O
Olympic	O
events	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mario	B-Application
&	O
Sonic	B-Application
received	O
mostly	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
upon	O
release	O
,	O
with	O
many	O
criticising	O
its	O
gameplay	O
as	O
underwhelming	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
proved	O
to	O
be	O
commercially	O
successful	O
and	O
was	O
followed	O
by	O
a	O
fourth	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
Mario	B-Application
&	I-Application
Sonic	I-Application
at	I-Application
the	I-Application
Sochi	I-Application
2014	I-Application
Olympic	I-Application
Winter	I-Application
Games	I-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
November	O
2013	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mario	B-Device
&	I-Device
Sonic	I-Device
at	I-Device
the	I-Device
London	I-Device
2012	I-Device
Olympic	I-Device
Games	I-Device
comprises	O
a	O
collection	O
of	O
numerous	O
events	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
modern	O
Olympic	B-Application
Games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
version	O
features	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
30	O
Olympic	O
events	O
,	O
including	O
football	O
,	O
badminton	O
,	O
horse	O
riding	O
,	O
canoeing	O
,	O
and	O
volleyball	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
introduces	O
new	O
cooperative	O
mechanics	O
including	O
"	O
Dream	O
Events	O
"	O
,	O
alternate	O
versions	O
of	O
Olympic	O
events	O
that	O
take	O
place	O
in	O
locations	O
from	O
previous	O
games	O
of	O
the	O
Mario	B-Application
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
and	O
a	O
challenge	O
mode	O
,	O
which	O
enables	O
players	O
to	O
repeat	O
complete	O
challenges	O
in	O
various	O
events	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
Mario	B-Application
&	I-Application
Sonic	I-Application
at	I-Application
the	I-Application
Olympic	I-Application
Winter	I-Application
Games	I-Application
,	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
Mario	B-Device
&	I-Device
Sonic	I-Device
at	I-Device
the	I-Device
London	I-Device
2012	I-Device
Olympic	I-Device
Games	I-Device
does	O
not	O
support	O
the	O
Balance	O
Board	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
version	O
has	O
over	O
50	O
Olympic-based	O
events	O
in	O
single-player	O
and	O
multiplayer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Among	O
these	O
events	O
which	O
are	O
not	O
included	O
in	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
version	O
include	O
fencing	B-Operating_System
,	O
BMX	O
racing	O
,	O
and	O
weight-lifting	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
latter	O
involving	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
's	O
microphone	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
Nintendo	O
DS	O
counterpart	O
of	O
Mario	B-Application
&	I-Application
Sonic	I-Application
at	I-Application
the	I-Application
Olympic	I-Application
Winter	I-Application
Games	I-Application
,	O
it	O
also	O
contains	O
an	O
exclusive	O
"	O
Story	O
Mode	O
"	O
which	O
entails	O
the	O
characters	O
from	O
Mario	B-Application
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
's	O
worlds	O
working	O
against	O
their	O
respective	O
antagonists	O
,	O
Bowser	O
and	O
Doctor	O
Eggman	O
,	O
who	O
are	O
trying	O
to	O
use	O
fog	O
machines	O
to	O
prevent	O
the	O
games	O
from	O
being	O
held	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
Mario	B-Application
&	I-Application
Sonic	I-Application
at	I-Application
the	I-Application
Olympic	I-Application
Games	I-Application
,	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
official	O
crossover	O
title	O
to	O
feature	O
characters	O
from	O
both	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
Mario	I-Application
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
franchises	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Olympic	B-Application
Games	I-Application
were	O
chosen	O
as	O
a	O
setting	O
since	O
Sega	O
and	O
Nintendo	O
felt	O
its	O
competitive	O
sportsmanship	O
was	O
ideal	O
for	O
the	O
once-rival	O
mascots	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
and	O
Mario	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
is	O
the	O
protagonist	O
of	O
the	O
video	O
game	O
series	O
released	O
by	O
Sega	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
provide	O
the	O
company	O
with	O
a	O
mascot	O
to	O
rival	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
flagship	O
character	O
Mario	B-Application
in	O
the	O
early	O
1990s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
proved	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
commercial	O
success	O
and	O
encouraged	O
Sega	O
and	O
Nintendo	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
Mario	B-Application
&	I-Application
Sonic	I-Application
at	I-Application
the	I-Application
Olympic	I-Application
Winter	I-Application
Games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mario	B-Device
&	I-Device
Sonic	I-Device
at	I-Device
the	I-Device
London	I-Device
2012	I-Device
Olympic	I-Device
Games	I-Device
was	O
officially	O
announced	O
with	O
a	O
joint	O
press	O
release	O
by	O
Sega	O
and	O
Nintendo	O
on	O
21	O
April	O
2011	O
,	O
after	O
its	O
predecessors	O
sold	O
over	O
19	O
million	O
units	O
combined	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mario	B-Application
&	O
Sonic	B-Application
is	O
the	O
only	O
official	O
video	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
2012	O
Summer	O
Olympics	O
and	O
is	O
licensed	O
by	O
the	O
International	O
Olympic	O
Committee	O
through	O
exclusive	O
licensee	O
International	O
Sports	O
Multimedia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
and	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
versions	O
were	O
developed	O
by	O
Sega	O
Sports	O
Japan	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Nintendo	O
for	O
Japan	O
and	O
Korea	O
and	O
Sega	O
for	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
version	O
carries	O
the	O
distinction	O
of	O
being	O
the	O
only	O
title	O
to	O
come	O
in	O
a	O
yellow	O
keep	O
case	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	O
re-released	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
a	O
downloadable	O
title	O
via	O
Nintendo	O
eShop	O
on	O
1	O
November	O
2012	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
on	O
30	O
May	O
2013	O
in	O
the	O
PAL	O
regions	O
,	O
and	O
on	O
20	O
June	O
2013	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
version	O
sold	O
2.4	O
million	O
copies	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
in	O
its	O
first	O
two	O
months	O
of	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mario	B-Device
&	I-Device
Sonic	I-Device
at	I-Device
the	I-Device
London	I-Device
2012	I-Device
Olympic	I-Device
Games	I-Device
was	O
followed	O
by	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
Mario	B-Application
&	I-Application
Sonic	I-Application
at	I-Application
the	I-Application
Sochi	I-Application
2014	I-Application
Olympic	I-Application
Winter	I-Application
Games	I-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
worldwide	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
U	O
in	O
November	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
and	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
versions	O
hold	O
an	O
average	O
score	O
of	O
66	O
percent	O
at	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
with	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
version	O
based	O
on	O
an	O
aggregate	O
of	O
38	O
reviews	O
and	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
28	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chris	O
Scullion	O
from	O
the	O
Official	O
Nintendo	O
Magazine	O
asserted	O
that	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
a	O
"	O
step	O
sideways	O
"	O
for	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
regarding	O
the	O
gameplay	O
and	O
lack	O
of	O
challenge	O
as	O
an	O
overall	O
underwhelming	O
experience	O
for	O
an	O
individual	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Mike	O
Anderiesz	O
from	O
The	O
Guardian	O
opined	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
may	O
not	O
have	O
done	O
justice	O
to	O
either	O
of	O
the	O
franchise	O
's	O
universes	O
in	O
light	O
of	O
their	O
distinctive	O
environment	O
and	O
visuals	O
,	O
he	O
did	O
commend	O
Mario	B-Application
&	O
Sonic	B-Application
as	O
a	O
"	O
colourful	O
diversion	O
"	O
for	O
its	O
young	O
target	O
audience	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Thomas	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
presentation	O
of	O
London	O
and	O
said	O
that	O
its	O
prominent	O
depiction	O
of	O
world-famous	O
landmarks	O
alongside	O
Mario	B-Application
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
characters	O
elevated	O
the	O
overall	O
experience	O
to	O
which	O
its	O
predecessors	O
did	O
not	O
emulate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
non-support	O
of	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
MotionPlus	B-Application
,	O
available	O
shortly	O
after	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
missed	O
opportunity	O
for	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
,	O
reviewers	O
found	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
be	O
largely	O
similar	O
to	O
its	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
counterpart	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tom	O
East	O
from	O
the	O
Official	O
Nintendo	O
Magazine	O
found	O
that	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
a	O
marginal	O
improvement	O
over	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
version	O
,	O
praising	O
its	O
"	O
outstanding	O
"	O
soundtrack	O
and	O
the	O
novelty	O
of	O
seeing	O
characters	O
from	O
both	O
franchises	O
interact	O
with	O
each	O
other	O
as	O
factors	O
which	O
add	O
a	O
degree	O
of	O
longevity	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shane	O
Jury	O
of	O
Cubed3	O
praised	O
the	O
crisp	O
visuals	O
of	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
version	O
,	O
remarking	O
that	O
the	O
characters	O
are	O
animated	O
"	O
incredibly	O
well	O
"	O
and	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
overall	O
vibrant	O
and	O
colourful	O
atmosphere	O
and	O
3D	O
capabilities	O
helped	O
make	O
it	O
stand	O
out	O
from	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
version	O
,	O
albeit	O
lightly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
IGN	O
's	O
Richard	O
George	O
thought	O
that	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
minigames	O
"	O
fared	O
better	O
"	O
than	O
its	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
counterpart	O
in	O
terms	O
of	O
replay	O
value	O
,	O
he	O
expressed	O
disappointment	O
over	O
the	O
"	O
embarrassing	O
design	O
"	O
of	O
certain	O
minigames	O
and	O
criticised	O
its	O
"	O
shallow	O
attempts	O
"	O
of	O
replicating	O
some	O
Olympic	O
events	O
.	O
</s>
