3000m Steeplechase

3000m Steeplechase is an athletic track event that features in the 3DS version of the Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The minigame is based upon the real Olympic event, which consists of multiple laps of an oval course filled with several hurdles, some of which feature a contained puddle of water behind them.

The minigame here takes upon a very different, simplistic gameplay, with the character's running being automated and all the player has to do is jump over the 26 hurdles. In fact, the objective is not even to the fastest to reach the finish line, but to simply survive the course with as least falling possible, and be ahead of the competitors in a single lane.

This event is reserved for the Challengers  group - Yoshi, Bowser Jr., Shadow and Silver the Hedgehog.

Gameplay
Each of the four athletes compete the race in a single lane, and the aim is to jump over each obstacle successfully without falling. The running is fully automated, with the gameplay instead based on timing and repetition of jumping. The aim of the game is for the player's character to be in front of the pack, to cross the finish line first.

At the start of the race, the player must press the A button instantly when the game commands so; the timing determines the order of the characters. Each athlete will begin running with a regular stream of hurdles to overcome every few seconds, in which you press A to jump over.

There are two different types of obstacles featured throughout; singular hurdles, and water puddles behind some hurdles. Be aware that when encountering the puddles, press A twice in quick succession - the first press to get on the top of the hurdle, and the second press to jump over the water.

Failure to clear the hurdles properly will result in the character being flung back to the back of the line, which will be a regular occurrence with the AIs. However, dropping into the puddle will cause the character to trip and roll over backwards, which will also pose a hazard to the other runners who must jump over or also get flung back.