by Richard George
At E3 2010, Nintendo made a number of surprise game announcements, including Donkey Kong Country Returns and Kid Icarus: Uprising. Amongst those surprises was Mario Sports Mix, a new entry in the long line of Mario Sports games that would take the Mushroom Kingdom into the realm of dodgeball and more.

Until now, like so many 2011 Wii titles, we had no confirmed release date for Sports Mix, which has already been released in Japan. Today Nintendo of America announced the game will debut in the States on February 7, 2011.

Mario Sports Mix, which was developed by Square Enix, pits up to four players against each other in dodgeball, hockey, basketball and volleyball. Four people are able to play locally, or up to two can join together on one console to challenge friends online.

Here's what you'll be tracking down in February.

Nintendo's press release makes specific mention of being able to use Mii characters as well as the inclusion of Mario's "friends," which have long been revealed as various Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest characters. As always, the manic energy of the Mario universe shines through with special moves, power-ups and playing fields that come to life with various traps and enhancements.

We've included the final North American box art for Mario Sports Mix. Stay tuned to IGN as the release approaches, as we'll no doubt have plenty more coverage of the game.
 
 
 
Till Next Time!! Same Here! GET OUTTA HERE MARCUS!!