This game is loads of fun to play with friends and deserves good sales. Congrats to Sega.

 What didn't you like about it?

 Well, this review kinda summed it up for me quite nicely

also, to see this game doing so well, while more deserving games (like NMH or Z&W) struggle to break 500K, it's heartbreaking.

I haven't feel this sad for a console since my PS2 days watching Okami and Shadows fail at retail. 

Did you actually play the game? Because after playing the game, I would say that the game really can be a blast, and that video seemed to focus on some of the worst parts of the game, and made things that I wouldn't even consider into bad things, like the clothing "issue", who really wants to see Mario in a swimsuit, and why does it matter if they're wearing masks? In a game that was suppose to be a simulator of fencing, then I could see the problem. I fell the game should be about 8-8.5.

And let's not get into the whole NMG/Z&W thing. NMH will probably break 500k once it's released in Europe, and could possibly (in the very long run) push past 1 million, and Z&W is doing really well for it's kind of game. 

 But this game isn't good or enjoyable BECAUSE it's got Mario and Sonic >< This is a generic sports game with 3 familiar nouns tacked on to make it sell :/ It's a horrible staple for the industry >< and to me it massively tarnishes what little respect I had for Nintendo or Sega to begin with. How the hell is Mario even running next to Sonic, wasn't that Sonic's ONLY PURPOSE IN LIFE? 

 I played it twice in 2 different friends' home and I can honestly say it was way too repetitive a game.

Let's just say that you would rate it 8-8.5, does a 8.5 game deserve 5 million copies sold? As oppose to a 9.0 title like NMH or Z&W? Heck, even MP3, a true AAA title didn't sell that well.

I would also like to point out that they got the table tennis wrong. it's nothing like WiiPlay's table tennis.

And the problem here, again, is that it's a mainstream game, which, for the most part, will outsell many other AAA titles. It appeals to a large number of people, is fun to play, at least occasionally, and for most people who buy this game, that's all the more they are going to play it.

So in this case, yes, a 8.5 game deserves to sell 5 million. Does MP3, Z&W, NMH deserve to sell 5 million? Of course they do. But they don't appeal to that large of an audience. Also, without any/much advertising, it's not surprising that they underperform in sales compared to what we'd expect. Mario and Sonic doesn't need advertising, since it has Mario, Sonic, and Olympics in the title.

And Chrono, just because you don't like it doesn't mean others can't and don't. I don't see the problem putting them in there to give the game sort of a base to work off of. Madden uses NFL and NFL players, and with that exclusive deal, many other football games can't compete. Does that mean Madden and other sports game shouldn't use real players to make the game more realistic? Course, putting Mario and Sonic in the game doesn't make it more realistic, but it gives the game some flavor. Otherwise you'd be picking some random people that I bet 99% of people the game is targeted at wouldn't even know. And if you have played the game, you'd realize that Mario wouldn't beat Sonic. 

WOW.

AAA titles can sell very well. look at the GT, GTA, DMC, FF, and others. there are 2 reasons the game sold 5 million copies, the words "sonic" and "mario." simple as that. 

I get what your saying Stever, I just think the entire concept of the game is wrong :/ This should not have been Mario and Sonic's first game, this game would have been just as fun if it was played with Mii's instead, hell in my opinion, it would have been MORE fun. Your point about Madden is pretty valid, but at least they put sports players in a sports game :( The "Flavor" you mentioned is a lie in Mario and Sonic, they have nothing to do with that game, the game itself doesn't draw ANYTHING from the actual character's themselves.

I just don't like the fact that a Mediocre game (rating wise), just put on a popular jacket, and is now the next biggest thing :/ I think it's a shame to the industry to literally milk a name.