"Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games" marked the genesis of my journey within the Mario & Sonic series. Published by Nintendo in Japan and by Sega in other regions, the game made its debut on the Wii in November 2007, followed by a release on the Nintendo DS handheld in January 2008. This groundbreaking title was licensed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through exclusive licensee International Sports Multimedia (ISM), my current employer. It heralded a new era as the first official crossover game to feature beloved characters from both the Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog series.

Sega embraced the IOC's mission of fostering sportsmanship and igniting young people's interest in the Olympic Games by integrating its iconic characters. Building on this theme, Nintendo granted Sega the unprecedented opportunity to unite Mario with Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega's mascot created in the early 1990s to rival Mario. In my role, I played a pivotal part in gameplay development and conceived the concept of the Olympic Trivia section within the game. This section garnered significant popularity and earned praise from the IOC for its innovative approach.

The Wii version of the game received acclaim, earning the prestigious title of "Best Wii Game of 2007" at the Games Convention in Leipzig. "Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games" surpassed 10 million units in sales, sparking the inception of a series of related sports video games timed to coincide with future Olympic Games.

My involvement in this landmark title fills me with immense pride, and I am deeply honored to have been part of the Mario & Sonic video game series for the past 18 years.