Organised by the Japanese Olympic Committee's (JOC) Athletes' Commission, the event aimed to raise funds for children and athletes in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

A number of Olympians took part, including Rio 2016 table tennis bronze medallist Ai Fukuhara, who paired up with her husband and Chinese Taipei table tennis player Chiang Hung-chieh.

In a virtual contest, they took on young star and Tokyo 2020 hopeful Tomokazu Harimoto and teammate Miu Hirano. 

"I may have lost today but I'll be sure to win next year," Harimoto said. 

"More than ever, I have to make every day count and I will continue to work." 

Other participants included judoka siblings Abe and Uta Hifumi, sport climbers Atsuyo Noguchi and Tomoa Narasaki, and sprinters Yoshihide Kiryu and Yuki Koike.

They are all hoping to compete at next year's Olympic Games in the Japanese capital, which were postponed as a result of the global health crisis. 

Former Japanese stars also gave the video game a go, including judo coach and Sydney 2000 Olympic champion Kosei Inoue, silver medallist Shinichi Shinohara and Rio 2016 swimming bronze medallist Takeshi Matsuda.

"I was never really into gaming so I was a little anxious, worried before I got here" said JOC President Yasuhiro Yamashita.

"But watching them play and compete was tremendous fun.

"The atmosphere in the game was very well done, really exciting. 

"That is the kind of atmosphere I want to see at what I hope will be fantastic competitions in the Olympics and Paralympics next year."

The Tokyo 2020 official video game, published by SEGA, features 80 national teams and 18 events.