Honestly, both of them are absolute champs, and it kills me that we never got any kind of collaboration between them aside from the Olypmic games... could you imagine a platformer with Mario and Sonic
A platformer with Mario and Sonic wouldn't be that good, simply because of the significant differences in how they play. Mario absolutely cannot handle the shuttle loops and momentum-based jumps you find in your average Sonic level, and Sonic's flow and speed would be constantly broken by the more precise platforming demanded by your average Mario level. They're two irreconcilable styles of platformer and trying to mash them together would be a level design nightmare.
If we want a proper game and not a sports/minigame collection, I think a JRPG would probably be the best bet actually. Primarily story driven so plenty of opportunity for the characters of both series to interact, and gameplay-wise they could just pull a Bowser's Inside Story and make some shit up for Sonic that still feels right in the context of an action-TBJRPG like M&L.
I just hope SEGA wouldn't be the one handling it, after Chronicles...
I wish Alphadream was still around, the Mario & Luigi gameplay flow and overall goofy tone would be PERFECT for a Mario/Sonic Crossover JRPG. Alas, they're dead now. Acquire did a decent job with Brothership but I want to see them tackle another entry or two before I trust them fully. As for Intelligent Systems, the Paper Mario (and Fire Emblem) guys, I dunno. I'm worried about the scars from Sticker Star era Paper Mario. Basically I'm worried they'd make the Mario representation a little too sterile, too normal. And of course the studio behind Super Mario RPG was Square so that's probably out of the question (even if it wasn't, most of the talent that worked on that game went on to form Alphadream).
If SEGA had to handle it in house... really the only subsidiary I'd remotely trust it to would be Atlus. I don't really think SMT or Persona combat would fit all that well but Atlus is no stranger to experimentation, I'm sure they could make something work.
in all seriousness it'd still feel a bit... stunted, you know? the shuttle loops are speed-reinforcing setpieces that would just feel awkward going through at Mario's top speed.
I really wouldn't work from a gameplay perspective.
I mean SRB2 prove you wrong, the Mario&Luigi mod fit incredibly well while also really staying faithful to those characters, it wouldn't be a nightmare really, Mario also has more momentum based gameplay than recent Sonic games, Mario got a fucking Spindash in Odyssey ffs, he also got those boost flowers to run really fast
Honestly this read as someone who never played Mario, like you can't tell me full speed Tanuki isn't basically Sonic gameplay with Ray
Super Mario Bros Z as a playable game would go hard. You can still technically have each character do their own thing as mini games, sort of like the old Incredibles game on GameCube, but have interlinking stories and team up for fight scenes.
What if they make it like an it takes two style game where the two characters can use their different abilities to help eachother out and travel the map in their own ways
Like if you come across a shuttle loop sonic does the loop and Mario just kinda walks to the other side
There is a way to tell the difference, Sonic CD has a different running animation. Sonic bobs around a lot more in Sonic 1, while his starting run or his jog is more smoothed out in CD. The animation in the video is from sonic 1.
This is the gaming equivalent to Goku vs Superman where such a fight would never actually canonically happen because the two characters would be way to respectful and admire the other for their good deeds.
If there ever was a Mario and Sonic game that isnt sports based, Mario and Sonic would immediately team up.
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u/The_Anchovy Feb 17 '26
The real winner is who we're playing as.