How would be Smash Bros.' future without Sakurai (at least as Director) ?

[LancerStaff]

LOL right because there's NO competent fighting developers out there, none, none whatsoever. Seriously, what an egotistical blowhard.

Because Smash isn't your typical fighting game. Like, at all.

 

[BobVance_]

Because Smash isn't your typical fighting game. Like, at all.

And the last two haven't been good either, from a purely fighting standpoint. I'd love to see someone else come in and change up the formula. This guy is whack anyway, remember when he said they didn't want to include cutscenes because people would just watch them on YouTube? He's just another game developer to me, and an overrated one at that.

 

[Road Death Wheel]

And the last two haven't been good either, from a purely fighting standpoint. I'd love to see someone else come in and change up the formula. This guy is whack anyway, remember when he said they didn't want to include cutscenes because people would just watch them on YouTube? He's just another game developer to me, and an overrated one at that.

cool beans bro. have a like.

 

[BluePikmin11]

Sakurai's main focus isn't even on the gameplay aspect though.

 

[Road Death Wheel]

Sakurai's main focus isn't even on the gameplay aspect though.

and what might he be focusing on? tips and tricks?

 

[BluePikmin11]

and what might he be focusing on? tips and tricks?

Making it a fun party game.

 

[BobVance_]

Making it a fun party game.

Not to sound antagonistic but this and your last post made absolutely no sense.

 

[BluePikmin11]

Not to sound antagonistic but this and your last post made absolutely no sense.

That was his main goal if you read many sources on Sakurai.
Don't you think that's unfair to say that on a competitive aspect.

If Smash Bros. was heavily focused on gameplay, it probably would lose a majority of appeal to a general audience.

 

[Road Death Wheel]

Making it a fun party game.

if anything u said is not part of gameplay i need to re evaluate my reasearch.

 

[brodouble]

That was his main goal if you read many sources on Sakurai.
Don't you think that's unfair to say that on a competitive aspect.

If Smash Bros. was heavily focused on gameplay, it probably would lose a majority of appeal to a general audience.

...

 

[BluePikmin11]

...

Can you put something substantial on that post, I'm not really understanding.

 

[brodouble]

Can you put something substantial on that post, I'm not really understanding.

i can't, i thought it would be better to focus more on the substantive part of my post.

 

[Road Death Wheel]

i can't, i thought it would be better to focus more on the substantive part of my post.

you....take all my likes. Just...so much yes to this.

 

[BluePikmin11]

Just tell me what's wrong with my point so I can understand.
Don't just pull one-liners man.

 

[KatKit]

Honestly, I don't want to imagine Smash's future without that man.

 

[Road Death Wheel]

Just tell me what's wrong with my point so I can understand.
Don't just pull one-liners man.

ill right ill poop the party.
you've been basically labling the term "gameplay" with competitve play when game play cover all aspects of witch u play durring a game. so a fun party game. has fun party game play. basically i understood ur point from the get go but i just wanted to see if u did not see what was wrong with ur general statment. all our posts replying to u were basically hints at where u went wrong.

 

[BluePikmin11]

Thank you for an explanation.
I thought when he had said "purely fighting game standpoint", he meant pure competitive.

 

[SS-bros14]

I doubt him saying that means anything, he even said in a previous interview he always thinks he's gonna end the series when working on an installment, but then continues the series anyway.

 

[LightLV]

I'm a heavy advocate for more competitive features in smash, I hated brawl with a passion, think melee was the best thus far, ect ect, but I would hate to see a smash title without Sakurai at the head.

Simply because, this is his game. When I read about how management works in Japanese companies, and I hear Sakurai talk about how exhausting his job is, i really do think it's his game. I dont deny that he probably personally oversees every detail about the game, and no matter how hard i will beat brawl into the ground and complain about how terrible it was, I respect Sakurai as a developer way too much say he's a bad at his job. Truth is, Super Smash Bros. is a truly unique entity in gaming, period. And the fear of what it could possibly become under completely new management is a bit disconcerting.


But if he was to pass it to anyone, i'd really pray that he gives it to someone like Katsuhiro Harada from Namco. Tekken is a great series, definitely the deepest fighting game avaliable, but it's still proven to be a pretty balanced and solid game, without the ridiculous amount of technical walls like Street Fighter. Its netcode is great, its customization is great, its lobby system is great, its visuals are great. Like Sakurai, Harada notices the problem with accessibility in fighters and is working to strike a balance.

And, he was brought in for Smash 4...so im pretty sure Sakurai noticed this himself. So he's really the only director i'd be optimistic about directing smash bros, because he does a consistently good job with his own game (which he's been working on for just as long).

 

[LancerStaff]

And the last two haven't been good either, from a purely fighting standpoint. I'd love to see someone else come in and change up the formula. This guy is whack anyway, remember when he said they didn't want to include cutscenes because people would just watch them on YouTube? He's just another game developer to me, and an overrated one at that.

Brawl, yes. SSB4 is debatable, but either way the competitive aspect shouldn't ever come first.

Not wanting to include the cutscenes is a Japanese thing.

You know why people want Sakurai in this job? Because he understands Nintendo games. He knows what will and won't work. Most importantly, he makes it a Nintendo game first. This whole competitive SSB thing is a minority, and a small one at that.

 

[LightLV]

And the last two haven't been good either, from a purely fighting standpoint. I'd love to see someone else come in and change up the formula. This guy is whack anyway, remember when he said they didn't want to include cutscenes because people would just watch them on YouTube? He's just another game developer to me, and an overrated one at that.

And yet, Smash 4 is sitting on a 91 average metacritic score. It has single handedly pushed Wii-U and 3DS sales.

He's clearly good at what he does, just because we complain that the game isn't a competitive masterpiece doesn't take anything away from its achievements.

 

[Hayzie]

Rest In Praise, Masahiro Sakurai.

Gameboy-2015

 

[Yomi's Biggest Fan]

Look at it this way, we could finally have Toad as a fighter instead of him being demoted to meatshield status like in EVERY game post Melee. He's like the last major Mario character left to add IMO.

 

[LightLV]

I think after murdering the ice climbers and adding Rosalina, Mario has enough characters.

 

[LancerStaff]

Look at it this way, we could finally have Toad as a fighter instead of him being demoted to meatshield status like in EVERY game post Melee. He's like the last major Mario character left to add IMO.

It's not about adding important characters, it's about adding characters with truly unique movesets. If his successor remotely paid attention to Sakurai's interviews, he won't add X character to add X character, ever.

 

[LightLV]

I personally think adding Jin Kazama to smash would have been the most hilarious thing in gaming history, and the only thing to trump solid snake.

wind god fist = little mac's KO punch on command

 

[GunGunW]

Hopefully he comes back to the next Smash, even if not as the director. Though I can't help but think he'll change his mind in the next few years or so.

 

[YoshiandToad]

Seeing the reaction to Sakurai inevitable/possible/improbable/mild chance retirement has been interesting, and has split the community; nearly half are rubbing their hands together with glee declaring Sakurai has ruined the series he created(he hasn't) and the other (not quite) half have been claiming the series cannot possibly go on without Sakurai's guidance(it can).

Both seem to be wrong. A new director could screw it up, but equally could breathe fresh life into the series too. It's way too early to tell, but I can't see Smash dying even if Sakurai steps down. That would be silly.

I think after murdering the ice climbers and adding Rosalina, Mario has enough characters.

I don't think you can blame the Mario series for Ice Climber's removal honestly. Not even saying that as a big Mario fan, just those two things don't equate. Rosalina and Ice Climbers are both dual unit fighters, but they play pretty damn differently.

 

[XStarWarriorX]

So gonna repeat it again, just to make sure its clear.

Not sure why people expect one person to be "the guy" and direct smash, as sakurai said, he doesnt see it happening, and frankly I dont either.

What should happen if he goes, is to play it safe and have Hal labs take over while namco balances the game and other things, that would be the best case senario, anyone else and they could take the series in a bad direction imo, idk why people are saying miya, thats a baddd idea.

But this could mean smash could once again take the 64/melee approach and be a bit more technical, like in the past. I woudnt mind this. Also this could mean any new characters added will be popularity based and will be made if possible. I see this as a good thing, unless they wanna continue reviving retros, but idk if they'll continue the sakurai way of picking characters, that is uncertain. But what is certain, is smash's formula will stay the same, if nintendo picks wisely that is.

 

[G-K]

Honestly, can't wait to see what another director can bring to this series.

 

[byebye]

It's not about adding important characters, it's about adding characters with truly unique movesets. If his successor remotely paid attention to Sakurai's interviews, he won't add X character to add X character, ever.

Capt. Toad. Smash character that can't jump. interesting. XD
if that's not unique, I don't know what is.

Capt. Toad for DLC!!

 

[LightLV]

So gonna repeat it again, just to make sure its clear.

Not sure why people expect one person to be "the guy" and direct smash, as sakurai said, he doesnt see it happening, and frankly I dont either.

The Metroid Prime games were bloody brilliant. People speculated it would be bad, and then it came out, and it was godlike amazing. It had 2 sequels, they were both amazing. 10s and 9.8s and 9.5s everywhere! GO NINTENDO YEAH.

Question: Who was the director of Metroid Prime?

You don't know, do you. I had to look it up because I didn't know. But it doesn't matter, because he was American, and here in America we dont usually credit one guy for awesome things in a game. It's just "Retro Studios" collectively. Sakurai for SSB, Sakaguchi for Final Fantasy, Nomura for Kingdom Hearts, Miyamoto for Mario, Aonuma for Zelda, Harada for Tekken, Ono for Street Fighter....ect ect ect ect ect

Apparently in japan, when someone's in charge of something, they're super in-charge of something. I read alot about how your "job" is "YOUR job" and it's not as flexible as it is in western studios. Which is probably why so much weight is given to Sakurai's decision to leave.

 

[LancerStaff]

But this could mean smash could once again take the 64/melee approach and be a bit more technical, like in the past. I woudnt mind this. Also this could mean any new characters added will be popularity based and will be made if possible. I see this as a good thing, unless they wanna continue reviving retros, but idk if they'll continue the sakurai way of picking characters, that is uncertain. But what is certain, is smash's formula will stay the same, if nintendo picks wisely that is.

Why would it be more technical or add in characters by popularity just because somebody besides Sakurai takes over? With something like SSB, a new director would be trying awful hard to be like Sakurai. And besides, the games got less technical from removing glitches and L-canceling, an easter egg that CPUs used to cheat like usual.

 

[XStarWarriorX]

Why would it be more technical or add in characters by popularity just because somebody besides Sakurai takes over? With something like SSB, a new director would be trying awful hard to be like Sakurai. And besides, the games got less technical from removing glitches and L-canceling, an easter egg that CPUs used to cheat like usual.

Because HAL labs were heavily involved with 64 and melee, both heavily technical games (melee more so) whether you think its a "glitch" or not. If Hal labs does it they're gonna do it THEIR way, they wont abide by sakurai if they are the ones taking it over, they have experience with the series, they'll know what to do. If however someone new shows up, which i hope doesnt happen then yes, your scenario is more likely. I say that because most fighting games base their selections by popularity, while sakurai had a strict guideline.

Even kirby fighters shows that today HAL can still do fighters, even the air dodge is melee-esque because their last fighter that they were heavily involved with WAS melee. If they go back to smash, I'd expect a more technical approach. Sakurai wanted an easier fighter, which is what smash 4 and brawl proved to be, but if he isn't there anymore, one can safely assume that HAL labs wont follow in those footsteps.

 

[Etc_Guy]

Because HAL labs were heavily involved with 64 and melee, both heavily technical games (melee more so) whether you think its a "glitch" or not. If Hal labs does it they're gonna do it THEIR way, they wont abide by sakurai if they are the ones taking it over, they have experience with the series, they'll know what to do. If however someone new shows up, which i hope doesnt happen then yes, your scenario is more likely. I say that because most fighting games base their selections by popularity, while sakurai had a strict guideline.

Even kirby fighters shows that today HAL can still do fighters, even the air dodge is melee-esque because their last fighter that they were heavily involved with WAS melee. If they go back to smash, I'd expect a more technical approach. Sakurai wanted an easier fighter, which is what smash 4 and brawl proved to be, but if he isn't there anymore, one can safely assume that HAL labs wont follow in those footsteps.

The only problem with non-casual Smash game is that the Meleeist would grow and scare away customers because the game isn't "Made for filthy causals."

 

[Wanderer from Roseyard]

I get tingly when I think of the creative influences another director could have - not that there's anything wrong with what Sakurai has done so far.

Whether Sakurai will return is really hard to be sure of. Throughout developing SSB4, he frequently alluded to his own mortality, health issues, and the total derailment of his personal life - and he's only getting older, and the amount of content in the eventual SSB5 is only expected to increase. Can you imagine the human devastation he'll be if he takes on another Smash game?

He had a co-director from Namco this time, which I thought would lighten his own work load, but I haven't heard much about him at all and it sounds like Sakurai was still doing most of the labor. Smash Bros. is his baby and he'd surely get anxiety over someone else directing a Smash game, so I fully expect him to return with probably two co-directors or more.

 

[LancerStaff]

Because HAL labs were heavily involved with 64 and melee, both heavily technical games (melee more so) whether you think its a "glitch" or not. If Hal labs does it they're gonna do it THEIR way, they wont abide by sakurai if they are the ones taking it over, they have experience with the series, they'll know what to do. If however someone new shows up, which i hope doesnt happen then yes, your scenario is more likely. I say that because most fighting games base their selections by popularity, while sakurai had a strict guideline.

Even kirby fighters shows that today HAL can still do fighters, even the air dodge is melee-esque because their last fighter that they were heavily involved with WAS melee. If they go back to smash, I'd expect a more technical approach. Sakurai wanted an easier fighter, which is what smash 4 and brawl proved to be, but if he isn't there anymore, one can safely assume that HAL labs wont follow in those footsteps.

They didn't add Wavedashing, they specifically said it was left in. A glitch found in production is still a glitch. They haven't made Kirby more difficult or technical without Sakurai. Infact, Kirby RtDL could of been called KSS2 with how similar it was. You remember why Sakurai left HAL? Because they kept wanting to make more of the same. HAL isn't exactly willing to mess with the winning formula, as evidenced by the new Kirbys.

The dodges being somewhat like Melee was to force grounded play and to not intrude on the hats' previous balance. Wouldn't the game be, yaknow, remotely technical by that logic? It ain't, not only because Melee wasn't by design, but because it wasn't significantly influenced by it. You're nuts if you think a HAL made SSB5 wouldn't be built off of SSB4. They make games for a primarily casual audience, and SSB is also for a casual audience. Put 2 and 2 together, common.

 

[Gidy]

I think it'd do fine, possibly better, with a new director. Personally, I'd like a Bamco Namdai person as a director. I'm already impressed with the character balancing, so it would be interesting seeing them directing a Smash Bros game. A new, fresh direction.

Oh, and we'd actually get fan support for once.

 

[GeNo-BreaKer]

Without Sakurai we wouldn't have bull**** like no stage hazard toggle, an awful airdodge, and no story mode because cutscenes will be uploaded to youtube. Also we'd finally get a game in it's series that can surprass Melee from a gameplay standpoint.

 

[Vash_VisionZ]

Without Sakurai we wouldn't have bull**** like no stage hazard toggle, an awful airdodge, and no story mode because cutscenes will be uploaded to youtube. Also we'd finally get a game in it's series that can surprass Melee from a gameplay standpoint.

How you came to the conclusion that would 100% happen is beyond me. Statements like this are hilarious in the fact people like you will be the same one whining if a new director came and took the series in a worse direction.