Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is out today for Wii U, giving fans another chance to prove Sonic’s athleticism despite his fondness for chili dogs. And while the game will have you and your friends sitting on the couch doing … whatever this is,Nintendo is running a contest next month to test your real-life athletic ability.
From July 1 to July 22, fans who submit photos on Instagram using the hashtags “MarioSonicRio2016” and “NintendoContest” will be eligible to win prizes like a Wii U console, a New Nintendo 3DS XL, a Mario and Sonic amiibo, and, naturally, a copy of Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for both 3DS and Wii U. One winner will be chosen each week.
While you could win the prize with a photo of your family and friends playing the game indoors, Nintendo says that “creative and active” photos will be more likely to win, and suggests running backyard versions of the game’s sports such as soccer, beach volleyball, and rugby. There’s a pretty good chance that a family will submit a photo of a broken leg if its members decide to play rugby in their backyard while dressed as Shadow the Hedgehog and Wario, but at least it would be creative.
“This contest encourages families to get out and be just as active as the Mario & Sonic characters in the game,” said Nintendo of America’s Scott Moffitt in the official announcement.
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (just rolls off the tongue) isn’t the only physical Nintendo game for 2016. Pokémon GO, while not explicitly focused on exercise, encourages players to venture outside their neighborhood to find new Pokémon and potentially battle other trailers. It’s unlikely that you can make your Pokémon compete in Olympic events, but we can still dream.
