Super Mario Brothers and Sonic The Hedgehog

LEGENDARY computer game icons Super Mario Brothers and Sonic The Hedgehog are to team up for their first-ever joint adventure.

The characters were fierce rivals in the 1990s when their makers Nintendo and SEGA fought a multi-million pound console battle on the high street with the Super Nintendo and Megadrive machines.

Japanese giant Nintendo eventually emerged victorious and SEGA began focussing only on games.

But now the two Japanese giants have put their differences aside to create Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games for Nintendo's Wii console and the firm's best-selling DS handheld.

It will see plumbing brothers Mario and Luigi alongside the spiky blue hedgehog competing in events like the 100m, swimming and table tennis. The game will be released at Christmas ahead of the Beijing Olympics next year.

SEGA president Hisao Oguchi said: "We are thrilled to partner with Nintendo on this groundbreaking title.

"For the first time, two of the world’s greatest games’ characters come together to compete in the world’s greatest sporting event and we couldn’t be more excited."

The game is backed by the International Olympic Committee and Nintendo boss Shigeru Miyamoto added: "Mario and Sonic have been respectful rivals since the early days of video games.

"In fact, for a long time they have been discussing the possibility of one day competing against each other.

"Now that they have been given the perfect opportunity to meet at the Olympic Games, we may finally learn who is actually faster, Mario or Sonic?"

Hailing the news, The Sun's gaming expert Jonathan Weinberg said: "Forget the PlayStation 3 launch, this is one of the most exciting and innovative things to have happened to gaming in years.

"Millions of kids grew up championing either Mario or Sonic and now gamers finally get the chance to pit them against each other.

"It's going to be a must-have present this Christmas!"