Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Updated Hands-On

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games was an outright hit when it arrived on the Nintendo Wii in November 2007. Mixing the all-star rosters of two industry heavyweights, it went on to sell more than 5 million copies. It, therefore, came as no surprise to discover that Sega is releasing a sequel this October, ahead of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games. We got some hands-on time with the game at a recent event in Central London and were treated to a brand-new two-player event: 500m speed skating.

Speed skating is both fun and frantic. At the start of the race, you need to waggle the Wii Remote furiously to get an initial speed boost. Once you approach the first corner, you gently move the remote from side to side, mimicking a skater's arm. Timing is everything--if you're off the mark, your character loses speed. Thankfully, an onscreen meter helps you match the optimum rhythm. The 500m dash is a single-lap event, and things heat up once you reach the final bend. You get one speed boost per race, and saving it until you hit the final stretch gives you the best chance of clinching first place. Finally, you need to waggle the remote for one final sprint before the end. Unfortunately, you can't use the Wii Balance Board in speed skating, although other games, such as bobsleigh and downhill skiing, support the peripheral.

Next up was the bobsleigh event, a devilishly fast event in which up to four players can take part. While speed skating is all about timing, bobsleigh requires perfect steering if you hope to reach the finish line in record time. To do so, you shake the remote to get the sleigh up to speed, hit the A button to jump in, and then hold the remote vertically against your chest and lean to turn. You can also use the balance board to turn, which we found to be more accurate than using the remote. You can compete in the skeleton event by yourself, but with a few friends, bobsleighing is much more fun.

Finally, we took to the downhill skiing run--a single-player slalom course that relies on both speed and control. By skiing as close to the inside of the flags as possible, you maximise your speed through the course. You control your skis by using the remote and nunchuk or by assuming a standing position on the balance board. You lean to either side to steer and forward to gain speed. And while it feels a tad too sensitive, the balance board is a fantastic way to experience skiing.

Our demo featured eight characters in total: Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi for Nintendo; and Sonic, Knuckles, Miles, and Amy for Sega. From previous coverage, we also know that Donkey Kong and Metal Sonic will be playable. We spotted a few more familiar faces on the sidelines as well, including Toad, Shy Guy, and the Vancouver 2010 mascots.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games will be released on October 16. Fans of winter sports, as well as the previous Mario & Sonic game, should check out our previous coverage and keep an eye out for more information in the coming months.