Event - E3 Invitational 2014 I'm Attending the Super Smash Bros. Roundtable at E3. Any Questions For Sakurai?

[DarkKry4]

Just tell him hes doing a great job by making Ridley a boss character.

Also, tell Sakurai that DarkKry4 wants to have his babies and name them Kirby and Metaknight.

 

[EmLeingod]

Ask him if he's aware the competitive scene likes stages other than Final Destination. Wording could use some work, but like come on Mr. Sakurai. You're SO close. SO close.

 

[*The Sensus Crustulum*]

I want to see his stance on if this is his last game or not. Phrase it in any way you want to.
Also congratulations in getting in!

 

[TORNADO BUS DRIVER]

Ask him how his health is doing

Ask him if any of his views on ideas he didn't include in past smash games have changed

 

[Aninymouse]

So after reading all these so far... lots of good questions. Some bad ones, too. I'll share my thoughts.

@ Gnarleysquid already said that asking Sakurai to spoil surprises was off the table. A lot of you asked those kind of questions anyway

@Jumpman84 I really like the idea of asking how Sakurai's arms are healing, definitely. Perhaps a follow-up question would be, "do you want to keep developing video games at this point in your career, or would you like to try a different line of work instead?" Because, like @aldelaro5 said, Sakurai has made comments about how awful making games are, at times. But maybe this is too negative, or too sensitive to answer, since it might reflect poorly on his current employer.

@NewGuy79 If nothing more is revealed about custom moves, then asking about them is like asking for him to spoil a surprise: ain't gonna happen. I'd only ask about them if there's a good chunk more info about how they work revealed.

@ToothiestAura 's question is pretty hilarious, so if the interview takes a somber tone, this might be perfect for lightening the mood, ha ha. It will definitely be a memorable question!

@ SmashChu Asking "Why the title?" might be too obvious, but it might be interesting to find out. Asking why the transformations were taken out is pretty legit, too. I think most of us assume it was because of the 3DS version, but maybe there's more to it?

@ E EdgeTheLucas Asking, "Would you like to make a Smash-like game without the Nintendo branding" is a splendid exercise in imagination for everyone involved. I wouldn't ask, "would making a game like Smash 4 without the Nintendo branding be more enjoyable/easier on you," because that's asking him to badmouth his employer, even if it's true. Try to word it in a very positive light. Perhaps, "We all enjoy your work on the Smash series, Sakurai. After this, would you ever consider making a game like Smash with original characters?"

@dezeray112 Asking about the experience of working with Namco Bandai might be interesting. I would suggest a very open-ended question, rather than asking Sakurai to compare his team from this game to his team from the last game, etc. Also, Sakurai has already stated that he could likely not publicly share his views on 3rd party characters in Smash, or else risk getting in a lot of trouble. Not worth pressing the issue.

@Capps How about, in addition to Twitch streams of Smash 4 and the like, will Smash 4 also feature the Youtube connectivity that Mario Kart 8 features?

@sonicbrawler182 Asking about Kid Icarus: Uprising vs. Smash 3DS development would be cool to find out, but this might get asked by someone else. Same with, "what's it like to develop for the Wii U?" Still, if no one else asks, those are great.

And, last but not least, @Praxis 's question on, "what are Nintendo's views of the Smash competitive scene?" This is the 800 lb. gorilla in the room. Obviously, Nintendo and Sakurai are going to have a lot of opinions on it, not just one opinion; so this either needs to be broken up into pieces, or you can probably expect a really unsatisfying answer. Asking Sakurai about his thoughts specifically is one way. Asking if Nintendo would like to sponsor or co-sponsor future Smash 4 or Melee tournament events would be another way to go. But no matter how you word it, you have to accept that there will be things they like AND dislike about what the fans have been doing thus far. Just expect that, and hopefully people will be reasonable to accept any criticism they give. I know we expect them to listen to our endless streams of criticism, don't we?

Some general thoughts:

• Several people asked about regrets, or missed opportunities for past games, etc. Asking Sakurai what his regrets are is pretty depressing. I know that is probably the last thing anyone wants to be asked, EVER. Let's ask positive questions, shall we? That's how I see it, anyway.

• Asking about Project M and the like might be off the table. For one thing, altering Nintendo's intellectual property without permission is probably illegal. For another thing, such fan works might create competition for the spotlight with Smash 4 at tournaments; there is only so much time to play, after all. Most people would agree that Smash 4 looks more competitive than Brawl. Let's give Smash 4 lots of room to breathe. I'm sure tensions are high at Nintendo. A lot of Nintendo's near future depends on Smash 4 being a smashing success. Another thing is that Project M has an unfair advantage over any upcoming Smash game: it can be continuously added to and tweaked to cater to the whims of the fans, and is never really a "finished product" until people straight-up stop working on it. Some would say, "well, Nintendo can release patches for Smash 4." But can they really? And to what extent? I think that's just thinly-veiled justification. Lastly, there is a good chance that Smash 3DS will see a Project-M-like project, of some capacity. The 3DS is the new frontier for hackers. But in my eyes, that's not a good thing. Nintendo has already taken steps to try and shut it down in the Pokemon games.

• Asking about patches without contenxt is kind of baffling. Think back to Pokemon X&Y: a game-crashing bug was found in Luminose City, and was patched. Likewise, if there is a glitch in Smash 4 that is detrimental, they will likely fix it. But, would they "fix" a character that was more powerful than the rest of the cast? Asking about the possibility of balancing through patches might be a great question.

NOW FOR A QUESTION OF MY OWN:The Wii U only has wireless controllers at this time. Has Nintendo planned on ways to minimize wireless interference, or multiple players on the same frequency interrupting each other? Will they develop a wired controller? How can synching/de-synching hundreds of wireless controllers and dozens of Wii U units in one building be optimized, to keep things orderly? People will be jumping from one system to another continuously, throughout the day.

At first, I didn't even think this was a thing. In the back of my mind, I figured this was just going to "be handled." But the avalanche of controller threads we had when they announced the wireless GC controller remake really opened my eyes to this issue as a possible Trojan Horse of mayhem, down the line.

A related issue is that the 3DS does NOT have as many potential wireless problems as the Wii U will, as your system and controller are one piece of hardware, and each system is tied to one Nintendo ID. But, interference can be a problem in a banquet hall or expo center, brimming with wireless signals. Also, it is very difficult to stream or watch such fights, currently. Direct feed hardware is extremely expensive for the 3DS; one friend told me they cost around $250 for the add-on and the installation. Competitive video games do not work as well when there are little to no spectators. I'm not sure the 3DS dynamic is worth getting into because of obvious hardware limitations and poor spectator visibility. Nintendo ITSELF chose to showcase Smash 4 each and every time with the Wii U version, for obvious reasons. But if the Wii U will be brought to ruin by the controller issue, what else can we do?

Something to consider is that, when Sakurai showed off Megaman at last year's E3, he used a wired controller. Granted, it could have just been charging via cable, or if not, it was a development version of the console not available to the consumer. Could have even been hard-wired, if it was a dev kit. But it does give a glimmer of hope for an easy answer to this.

 

[Smash_Veteran_Amtoj]

Most other questions I asked are up there, but here is the one I am interested in. I will post more if I think of anything.

Mario Kart 8 has Mario Kart TV and even allows players to upload replays to YouTube. Will Smash Bros. have similar features?

 

[SmashChu]

"How do you decide when a character is balanced enough in regards to others?"

"What makes you go for certain layouts on certain stages? Do you consider the accommodation of the different playstyles (hardcore, casual, etc.) while making new stages?"

"How much do fan demands and input influence your decisions?"

"While making the new features supposed to appeal to the hardcore fanbase, where did you get your inspiration? Were there certain aspects in the competitive community that you felt needed to be addressed?"

These are the questions I'd like to see answered.

Bolds are the really good ones. I would go vague and say the last one should be
"How do you balance characters. What considerations do you make."
Less specific, easier to answer and you can get a lot of information out of it.

Just my two cents. I ask questions to managers of many different companies so I like to think I have a knack for it.

 

[Handy Man]

I have a few questions:

• Who is his favorite character to play as in the series and why?
• Which character was the hardest to develop? Did they turn out to be a completely different character from their concept to their finalization? It could be a veteran, newcomer, or both.
• Why was Greninja chosen as the Pokemon X and Y rep? Is it a bit biased that he got in instead of Delphox and Chesnaught, and do you think Greninja is a choice that most people turned out to be happy with?
  
• Why aren't other balanced stages like Battlefield and City and Town included in for glory mode? Why do stages only have a form for Final Destination and not the other two?
• What thought process goes into the stage design? For example, Palutena's Temple is huge, and is the equivalent of Hyrule Temple and New Pork City in this game. What made the development team decide that it should be big instead of another stage like Mario or Pokemon, and how did Kid Icarus spark the idea exactly?
• You've mentioned a while ago that the game is more focused on balancing the characters rather than adding characters. Do you feel like you've succeeded in this regard? How?
• Why was Bandai Namco chosen to be a co-developer? Is it because they speed up the development process, they have experience with competitive fighters like Tekken and Soul Calibur, or something else?
  
• Was it easy to get in touch with SEGA and Capcom with putting Sonic and Mega Man into the game respectfully? Were they okay with them being in your game, or did it have to take a lot of convincing?
• What if Super Smash Bros. N64 did end up becoming Dragon King: The Fighting Game? Do you think it would still be successful if it didn't have the Nintendo cast playable?
• What do you think of Melee being played by many people on a daily basis, even after 13 years from release?

Sorry if that sounds like a lot, but I feel that those are all questions that wouldn't leak any new content or not get answered, and I'm very interested in what Sakurai has to say for them. I'm really tempted to ask about Project M and what he thinks about it as well, but he would probably ignore the question about it. Thanks a lot for reaching out to the community like this; we appreciate it, and I hope you have a blast at E3.

 

[Smash_Veteran_Amtoj]

How about these?

Will there be balancing patches after the game is released?

Have you considered a Battlefield mode for the game similar to Final Destination mode?

Is it possible for cut characters and stages to return as DLC?

 

[ErenJager]

Statement:

Thank him for making the game despite a wrist injury, and wish him good health in the future.

Question:

Is character DLC a possibility in the future for SSB4?

 

[TORNADO BUS DRIVER]

Ask him what changed his mind of villager being a non-fit * i'm glad he is in now btw lol*

 

[Handy Man]

I don't think it's a good idea to ask about new content for the game, like unannounced veterans or newcomers, stages, and DLC, because he probably won't answer those and acknowledges that any new details will get officially announced on the website or at E3 itself later.

Don't set yourself up for disappointment.

 

[Arcadenik]

I really want to know what are Sakurai's thoughts on Toad... so this is what I hope you might ask Sakurai at E3 2014...

"Mr. Sakurai, the topic of Toad (Kinopio) as a playable fighter is somewhat controversial among many Smash Bros. communities for years."

"It is widely speculated that Toad would not get in as long as Princess Peach uses him as a shield. Many fans suggested replacing Toad with Toadsworth as Peach's bodyguard to allow Toad to join the battle."

"When Princess Peach was revealed last September, you mentioned that her moves may be refreshed by the time the games are finished. Many fans speculated that Toadsworth might replace Toad as Peach's bodyguard but it does not seem to be the case."

"Was Toad being a playable fighter ever a consideration?"

I tried to make it sound neutral instead of accusatory. If you think it sounds a bit accusatory and too long, feel free to phrase it anyway you can to make it sound more neutral and more concise.

 

[Smash_Veteran_Amtoj]

Ask him if Namco Bandai will develop future Smash Bros. games.

 

[Gnarleysquid]

If there is no reveal of Ridley during E3 could you please ask:

"Mr Sakurai, among many Smash Bros communities, the topic of Ridley as a playable fighter is somewhat controversial. Are you and your team aware of this? What are your thoughts on the subject?"

There is no Smash character as debated and argued over as Ridley. Sir, I think you need to be that guy who brings it up.

Phrase it any way you want but I would love to hear what he has to say on the subject.

Also whether you use my question or not I appreciate that you actually came here to gather specific questions at all.

Hey, it's my pleasure and thank you guys for giving me some solid suggestions. I figured that if I can ask him a couple of questions then I definitely wanted some input from the community on what they should be. He'll be in front of us for an hour and a half, and I'm sure a lot of questions will be asked that answer many of the inquiries that have been expressed in this thread thus far, but if I can get some info that the fans can talk about pre and post launch then I'll know I've done my job.

As for Ridley, I have very little doubt that if I don't bring him up then another journalist will. I'm also confident we'll have more information on what form he'll appear in during E3 2014 (whether it be playable or a boss character).

 

[GAMERG0D]

Someone will ask about Ridley but my burning question is "Does Nobuo Uematsu have any involvement in the soundtrack this time around like he did with Brawl?".

 

[Pazzo.]

Who's one possible newcomer that won't make it in Smash 4? (Ridley, K. Rool, Mewtwo.)

 

[Deleted member]

"What is your criteria for deciding the Newcomers?"
"Do you take in consideration fan requests?"
I think that's it and in case a certain character is revealed at E3
"What were you planning by showing Ridley's shadow during the Direct?"

 

[Aninymouse]

Who's one possible newcomer that won't make it in Smash 4? (Ridley, K. Rool, Mewtwo.)

"Sakurai, could Mozart still be alive?!"

 

[Pazzo.]

"Was Ridley too big?"



Just joking. Back to actual questions.

 

[Rocket Raccoon]

@ Gnarleysquid Tell him this.

"You are the greatest director in the world."

-your biggest fan.

 

[EdgeTheLucas]

I wouldn't ask, "would making a game like Smash 4 without the Nintendo branding be more enjoyable/easier on you," because that's asking him to badmouth his employer, even if it's true. Try to word it in a very positive light. Perhaps, "We all enjoy your work on the Smash series, Sakurai. After this, would you ever consider making a game like Smash with original characters?"

Eh, I guess this isn't a bad course of action. I'll edit my other post.

 

[Khao]

Is he aware of Fan games/mods and what does he think about them and the community?
Specifically Project M and Super Smash Flash

"I was not aware of these two games, but thank you for reporting them, I'll make sure to take legal action as soon as I'm able to."

Just imagine, lol.

 

[majorasmaskfan]

Was the cut scenes from subspace being put on youtube the real reason you did not want another single player mode like that or was there a better reason you did not feel like sharing?

 

[Swift Fox]

PLEASE minimize the questions with the word "DLC" in them. I'd rather to see a question related to "reveal post-release", something meant to generate hypes for the upcoming Smash Bros for Wii U.

Diancie, for example, it wasn't even a DLC and it was kept secret until certain date is reached.

 

[Mr.Seven]

I have a couple of questions that I would like to ask Sakurai:

"What are some characters that we can expect NOT to be playable in the new one?"

"Why release the 3DS version of Smash Bros. months before the WiiU version? I can think of many reasons why some would think the WiiU version would be viewed as a cheap port. Wouldn't it make more sense to release both versions at the same time?"

 

[_yuna]

This isn''t a question, but a plea. "Sakurai-sama-sensei, pureasu addo Rooooy-san to da rostaaah. Zank you varri match, and goodo dayoh." I took the time to translate it to Nippon best in Japan for you, so you will have no problems telling him this.

 

[FlashY_Emblem-786]

You could ask him how fast this game will be in the final version compared to melee's and brawl's speed. Will be the same as brawl's? Will it be the same as melee? Or you could ask him what he will be focusing on the Wii U version after the release of the 3DS version.

I hope Sakurai answers these questions

 

[Roxas215]

Im really interested on the plans (or lack there of) of post game content. And this doesn't just fall upon DLC. But what about patches?? It's pretty common in the fgc that titles get patched for character balance and the like down the road. With Namco helping out is this a plan for Smash 4?? Or is the final game just that?

Was there anything that had to be cut from the wii u version because the 3ds version couldn't handle it?

Is this Namco relationship long term? Or were they just hired for Smash bros and thats it??(Possibly could hint towards something to Pokken fighters if it's not revealed before hand)

 

[Yitsul]

will there be a melee style Adventure Mode?

 

[BKupa666]

I really want to know what are Sakurai's thoughts on Brash the Bear... so this is what I hope you might ask Sakurai at E3 2014...

"Mr. Sakurai, the topic of Brash the Bear (Brashu Bearu) as a playable fighter is somewhat controversial among many Smash Bros. communities for years."

"It is widely speculated that Brash the Bear would not get in as long as Dixie Kong uses him as a shield. Many fans suggested replacing Brash the Bear with Blunder the Bear as Dixie's bodyguard to allow Brash the Bear to join the battle."

"When Dixie Kong was revealed this February, you mentioned that her moves may be refreshed by the time the games are finished. Many fans speculated that Blunder the Bear might replace Brash the Bear as Dixie's bodyguard but it does not seem to be the case."

"Was Brash the Bear being a playable fighter ever a consideration?"

I tried to make it sound neutral instead of accusatory. If you think it sounds a bit accusatory and too long, feel free to phrase it anyway you can to make it sound more neutral and more concise.

#Brash4Smash

 

[ChunkyBeef]

"What's your thoughts on the Mother series in Smash, and why hasn't the series, with such great potential for unique and interesting fighters, seen more representation?"

 

[Johnknight1]

"Will Nintendo actual make a (REAL) wired controller that plugs in via USB? (and not the stupid and irrelevant Wiimote)"

"If fans push for various types of content as DLC, do you think you and the staff will make it?"

"How will you address patching? Specifically for glitches that harm the game, will you respond immediately? For balance issues, how quickly will you seek to resolve such issues?"

"What is your favorite stage in each smash game?"

"Do you dislike it when people suggest anime characters?" (joke)

"Why do people so passionately care about the Smash roster when they clearly don't even play the games?" (joke)

"Who is your favorite smash bros player (as in player, not playable character) of each game?"

"What do you think about the string Galaxy theory?" (joke)

"Can Luigi win by doing absolutely nothing?" (joke)

 

[AstraEDM]

"Have you considered varied platform layouts as an option for the "For Glory" mode of online play?"

Also +1ing the "how do you know if balanced" questions, as well as letting other people talk about DLC

 

[knuckles213]

My questions (even tho a few my be repeats of other people)

- will DLC happen for this game (characters, costumes, stages, etc)? Make it happen sakurai

- release date?

- will get a GOOD SIZED roster? (60 characters)

- will there be any past stages from smash 64 and melee?

- will there be more third party characters? like some from namco (like pacman) or even characters that haven't got as much attention in the years (like banjo-kazooie, bomberman)

- will the character balance issue be fix? (and I mean for all the characters) cause brawl had major issues with certain characters having an either unfair or major advantages over most the cast.

- do most of the veterns character have any major changes to their moves sets? ( and not just a copy cut paste feel to them)

- please remove infinites and chain grabbing

- Will there be patches/updates for this game after the release of both games

- will the wifi be better this time around? because I felt like brawl's wifi was neglected and a terrible experience for some people especially with all the lag

- for the "for the glory Mode" for online, I feel like just only being able to play on final destination stages only brings imbalance only due to some characters having a clear advantage when it comes to stage selection, will we be able to choose different stages (non-final destination) when playing against friends and other people

- will we be able to have our own custom music play and will it support SD and HCSD to do so? (Please ask this question)

- will there be more competitive scene support for this game?

THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION I HAVE LEFT IS ABOUT CONTROLS (CONTROLLERS FOR BOTH VERSIONS) PLEASE ASK THIS QUESTION!!!!!

3ds version

- can you elaborate on how the controls are going to work for this version or be much different being that this game will be on a hand-held

- will there be any customization with this and what are they?

Wii U version

- what are the different types controllers pacifically used to play this game; how many different controllers will this support?

- will there be a fifth player because of the gamepad?

- can we expect customization of any sort for the wii u version as well?

- will you support gamecube controller media in some sort of fashion? I've play all versions of smash and have tried all the different controllers in brawl along with the remapping of buttons, but by far the gamecube controller is the BEST (even though there will be few that try to argue other wise) and feels most natural for gameplay. I know there's the gamepad and the pro controller u and even the classic controller, but the button placement for those controllers dont feel natural for a smash game to get the maximum experience.

- will you be able to do something along the lines of creating wireless, bluetooth, or usb official gamecube controllers for this game?

 

[Swift Fox]

-Is chain grabbing intended or not?
-Any use with gamepad? What about NFC?
-why was one potd with polar bear attacking zelda taken down?

 

[Starcutter]

The first thing I'd ask him is how his hand condition is coming, and tell him get well soon.

 

[TheMagicalKuja]

- for the "for the glory Mode" for online, I feel like just only being able to play on final destination stages only brings imbalance only due to some characters having a clear advantage when it comes to stage selection, will we be able to choose different stages (non-final destination) when playing against friends and other people

The answer is yes. You can chose to play however you want among friends.

 

[BBG|Scott-Spain]

Can you liveblog this on Twitter or something? Would be cool to get your notes in real time.

Also, I have a question: How do they plan on maintaining the interest in Smash in the months leading up to the console release?

 

[Gnarleysquid]

Can you liveblog this on Twitter or something? Would be cool to get your notes in real time.

Also, I have a question: How do they plan on maintaining the interest in Smash in the months leading up to the console release?

I very well could end up doing that, and had definitely planned on it. It'll all come down to how the wifi at E3 is running, so I didn't want to commit to that prematurely and let anyone down. I'll definitely be tweeting about it once I have wifi (my handle is @TheRileyLittle), so if anyone wants to shoot me any last minute questions the day of the roundtable then Twitter could be the best place to reach me.

I'll also be doing a last minute check on this thread the day of the Q&A session. My guess is that a TON of Smash news will be revealed that same day during the Nintendo Digital Event, so I'll have to update my list of questions accordingly. Understandably I won't be able to ask ALL of these questions (although I certainly wish I could), but I'll pick a couple that a believe could bear the best answers.

You guys are bringing up some really good ones, but I also came up with one I'd love an answer to. Let me know what you guys think, of course.

"Do you believe that Super Smash Bros. is best fit for one iteration per console generation? Given the immense success of every installment, why doesn't Nintendo create Smash sequels on the same hardware in a similar style to other blockbuster fighting games like Street Fighter or Tekken?"