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

[Johnny Wellens]

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?"

I want to say that you're super awesome for reaching out to the community to get some suggestions on questions. Good on you for that and good luck narrowing them down!

 

[kackamee]

Most of the questions I'd ask are already posted, but I'd love to hear Sakurai's thoughts on why he didn't include Battlefield stages in For Glory mode, or if he has any plans to implement them in later.

 

[SmashChu]

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?"

First, I think that's a good question. It'd be interesting to hear.

Second, I wouldn't tweet the responses during the Q&A. It would be better to take notes and post them later. This way, you wont miss anything.

 

[TORNADO BUS DRIVER]

ask:
when comeing up with ideas for Mega Man/Sonic the hedgehog/ any other 3rd party's movesets, stages, assist, etc. Is there anything the company who owns them asked you to include ?

 

[Deleted member]

you should ask him, if golden sun win get a representative!

 

[Deleted member 245254]

First, I think that's a good question. It'd be interesting to hear.

I think it's an awful question.

I for one, am glad Smash doesn't partake in all of that ultra/alpha/turbo/super nonsense that the other fighting franchise fan-bases are forced to imbibe through paying $60 every couple of months.

At least with Smash you know they are putting stock in it for a long term lifespan.

 

[Gnarleysquid]

First, I think that's a good question. It'd be interesting to hear.

Second, I wouldn't tweet the responses during the Q&A. It would be better to take notes and post them later. This way, you wont miss anything.

I'm allowed to record audio from the roundtable, so I'll have plenty to draw back on – albeit an hour and a half worth of content to sift through. Sadly no photos, which sucks because during the Pokemon X and Y roundtable last year they had some very cool design docs showcasing how Noivern came to be – something I've never seen resurface.

I'll definitely tweet about anything newsworthy as soon as I'm hooked up to the Internet. If there is a character reveal or major announcement (NFC compatibility, etc.), I'll try my best to get out a very brief tweet so you guys can start refreshing the Smash Bros. website. My priority will be to get it written up and on Game Rant though, so everyone will have more to go over than just a tweet. I'll also update this thread with a link to any major news I write up.

Then there's the secret 3DS game Q&A, Nintendo booth tour, hands-on with Destiny, Sunset Overdrive, etc.. I've definitely got a lot of work ahead of me, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited.

I want to say that you're super awesome for reaching out to the community to get some suggestions on questions. Good on you for that and good luck narrowing them down!

It's my pleasure, and you guys are helping me out too so it's a win-win. It'll be hard narrowing them down, but I'll try to map them around what other journalists are asking Sakurai so we can get the bulk of these questions answered.

Again, I'm trying to avoid asking things that we'll know within a couple months or won't for sure be asked during the roundtable, and the community thus far has been delivering some Q's I wouldn't have come up. I'm interested to see what comes of it!

 

[Kamikazek]

"Sakurai, will my village receive plentiful rains and a bountiful harvest this year?"
"Sakurai, how will I die?"
"Sakurai, are the gods angered by our hubris?"
"Sakurai, will I ever find true love?"
Also, I'm told that Sakurai is startled by his own shadow when he appears for an E3 QnA session, there will be another month of Spring.



In seriousness, I have one burning question to ask Sakurai. People have already presented questions that are somewhat similar but not quite...

"Sakurai, do you or anyone on your team monitor forums on major gaming sites or fan sites, before after or during development? If so, do you also have translators relate information from non-Japanese forums to you as well?"

For years(At least since pre-Brawl) I've seen people argue many many times about whether the team in any way checks forums or not. It seems like a simple enough question to ask and one Sakurai would be able to answer, but I've never seen someone ask it. I don't even need to know how much he considers that data when building the game(that funnels into the greater question of "how much do you incorporate fan feedback/how much does fan opinion affect your decisions"), just if it's part of the equation at all.

 

[Giga Man]

Thank you for offering to ask our questions to Mr. Sakurai.

Why is Mega Man's icon a generic gear and not his helmet?
Why does Mario still use the FLUDD? Was there something wrong with having the Mario Tornado as his down-special and the drill kick as his down-aerial?

I hope these are suitable questions.

 

[DakotaBonez]

We are in your debt Gnarleysquid.

 

[ImaClubYou]

My question to Sakurai.

How long will you continue to torment the Ridley fans?

 

[Swift Fox]

"Pic of the day. The rocket belt from Pilotwings lets you fly upward by jumping. This is a really useful item for characters that have weaker recoveries. By the way, is that cape fireproof?"

Ask Sakurai to answer his own question on that last sentence.

 

[BridgesWithTurtles]

"Sakurai...do you think love can bloom on the battlefield?"

"Thanks to Smash 4's HD graphics, we can see every detail on Luigi's nose, but can you see why kids love Cinnamon Toast Crunch?"

Serious questions:
*I too would like to pic his brain on the inclusion of Greninja and his opinion on starter favoritism, though I concede that this is probably a waste of a question and isn't relevant to the vast majority of people in the community.
*"After the critical success of Kid Icarus Uprising, would you be willing to create a revival for another franchise represented in Smash Bros, such as Ice Climber or F-Zero?" I'd avoid mentioning Star Fox specifically, since the most likely response would be a lecture on how Uprising started as an idea for a new Star Fox game, which we already know about.
*"Would you ever consider the possibility of a reboot for the Smash Bros. franchise, such as cutting down the cast of characters to a minimum amount and perhaps exploring a different genre?"

 

[Aninymouse]

I'm allowed to record audio from the roundtable, so I'll have plenty to draw back on – albeit an hour and a half worth of content to sift through. Sadly no photos, which sucks because during the Pokemon X and Y roundtable last year they had some very cool design docs showcasing how Noivern came to be – something I've never seen resurface.

FYI, someone posted all the design documents for X&Y on 4chan's /vp/ a while back. I saved the gym leader ones, but not all of them. Take note of the locket that Wulfric wear on his neck!

 

[DakotaBonez]

FYI, someone posted all the design documents for X&Y on 4chan's /vp/ a while back. I saved the gym leader ones, but not all of them. Take note of the locket that Wulfric wear on his neck!

I don't know anything about the pokemon games, but google says,
"It was rumored that his locket holds a picture of his favorite pokemon."

But judging from those sketches, it looks like a picture of his family. How did you even get these?

 

[Aninymouse]

I don't know anything about the pokemon games, but google says,
"It was rumored that his locket holds a picture of his favorite pokemon."

But judging from those sketches, it looks like a picture of his family. How did you even get these?

Some mysterious guy posted them on /vp/. I guess he got them from Nintendo or smth. There were a whole bunch on the Pokemon themselves, but I didn't save them. I'm not on 4chan anymore, really.

 

[SmashBroski]

1. Does the original 12 mean anything?
2. Has the inclusion of Greninja played a role in deciding whether or not Mewtwo returns?

 

[CrusherMania1592]

1. How do you choose your Pictures of the Day?
2. What made you decide to include Nintendo characters after scrapping Dragon King for Super Smash Bros?
3. How do you choose the Assist Trophies?
4. Will there be a Smash 5?

Derp questions. I may edit more later

 

[Rockaphin]

• I'd like to hear more info about the possibility of DLC and what kind of content would we expect to see from it.
• Was character balance a big focus this time?
• How are characters, stages, and assist trophies decided? Also, when was this planned?
  
• Did the 3DS limit some characters that were planned?
• Do fan requests play a big role in character decisions?
• How are characters cut? Why them over other characters?

Us, Smashboard users, appreciate what you're doing. So I personally thank you for your effort in reaching out to us.

 

[Sarki Soliloquy]

"Mr. Sakurai, you've mentioned in previous interviews how you contact Game Freak/The Pokémon Company to ask which Pokémon should be considered for the new game. Do you consult Intelligent Systems for Fire Emblem characters as well?"

Phrase it to serve you however you please. Just make sure the details of the question remains intact.

 

[Claire Diviner]

"How do you go about choosing which third-party character to include?"

"You mentioned there were no immediate plans for DLC, saying you wanted to release 'a complete game'. Will Smash Bros for 3DS and Wii U support the ability to include DLC or even patches in case something were to come up at a later time?"

 

[2ndComing]

I really do appreciate what you are doing and so do everyone else how asking all these different questions that may not be asked isn't productive, I will look through them and give at least an majority vote view of questions we can ask because asking random questions without focus will definitely confuse someone. Asking about the game balance then why Megaman's icon is a gear... What!?

So hopefully we get a few more question but I do suggest you tell people to upvote the best questions and I can try and compile some together for you. I won't put any in since the only things I want answered have already been asked

I also just want to make the work load a bit easier since you ACTUALLY reached out to us for this. You should also post this in the Wii U and 3DS general tabs as well. There is more traffic there (if you haven't already) and the mods shouldn't be mean enough to redirect you to here and then close the thread

 

[Gnarleysquid]

I really do appreciate what you are doing and so do everyone else how asking all these different questions that may not be asked isn't productive, I will look through them and give at least an majority vote view of questions we can ask because asking random questions without focus will definitely confuse someone. Asking about the game balance then why Megaman's icon is a gear... What!?

So hopefully we get a few more question but I do suggest you tell people to upvote the best questions and I can try and compile some together for you. I won't put any in since the only things I want answered have already been asked

I also just want to make the work load a bit easier since you ACTUALLY reached out to us for this. You should also post this in the Wii U and 3DS general tabs as well. There is more traffic there (if you haven't already) and the mods shouldn't be mean enough to redirect you to here and then close the thread

That's very kind of you! I've actually been compiling the questions and combining relevant points from everyone thus far, so I have a pretty good idea of what to ask. I've got a list of about 6 or 7 major ones that I've summarized on my laptop computer and I planned on posting them for feedback by the end of the week. I'll probably only be able to ask two or three max (provided everyone in the press doesn't throw up their hands with reckless abandon during the Q&A), but I'll hold a vote in this thread later and we can determine the priorities.

As for posting this topic in additional tabs, if the mods are okay with that I'll do it. As for now, I figured the best place for it would be the dedicated E3 area.

I think it's an awful question.

I for one, am glad Smash doesn't partake in all of that ultra/alpha/turbo/super nonsense that the other fighting franchise fan-bases are forced to imbibe through paying $60 every couple of months.

At least with Smash you know they are putting stock in it for a long term lifespan.

I'm not at all suggesting that Nintendo should pursue that release pattern, nor would I push that line of thought onto Sakurai. My thought process is that fans (this one anyway) are probably curious as to why the company believes in only releasing one per console generation. With job postings from Bandai Namco stating intentions to hire staff for a Super Smash Bros. 6 game which will allegedly release in 2015 (source), I think it's a very reasonable question. Of course, the plan and purpose of this thread is to let the community decide.

 

[2ndComing]

Ok then, if 2 or 3 is the Max, I think the best questions forms

1) Casual Question

2) A competitive question

3) (I am sorry but this is a MUST) Ask him will be he be taking a break from games after Smash 4 because of his arm injuries, he really deserves a break and he should know we are all very worried about him

and there ofcourse should be back ups if they are asked but I feel like that is the best format even though it kinda contradicts what I said about focus but whatever

 

[Aninymouse]

I still think the concerns over wireless WiiU controllers needs addressed. Casual gaming websites like IGN or Gamespot aren't likely to bring it up. Only tournament-minded communities see the potential roadblock to Smash 4 being an acceptable tournament game, I would imagine.

 

[ToothiestAura]

I still think the concerns over wireless WiiU controllers needs addressed. Casual gaming websites like IGN or Gamespot aren't likely to bring it up. Only tournament-minded communities see the potential roadblock to Smash 4 being an acceptable tournament game, I would imagine.

I'm sure it's possible to come up with some third party controller that uses the Wii U's USB ports to relieve the problem if Nintendo doesn't. The hardcore will do it to make them game more viable, I have no doubt.

 

[Aninymouse]

I'm sure it's possible to come up with some third party controller that uses the Wii U's USB ports to relieve the problem if Nintendo doesn't. The hardcore will do it to make them game more viable, I have no doubt.

Don't be so sure of yourself. I'm pretty sure such a thing would require a system update for the WiiU.

Corperate Nintendo needs to be on board, one way or another.

 

[ChunkyBeef]

Don't be so sure of yourself. I'm pretty sure such a thing would require a system update for the WiiU.

Corperate Nintendo needs to be on board, one way or another.

Oops. You're late to the party.

 

[MasterOfKnees]

I don't think Sakurai has the power to make a wired controller happen, that's up to the big guys.

 

[Handy Man]

"Pic of the day. The rocket belt from Pilotwings lets you fly upward by jumping. This is a really useful item for characters that have weaker recoveries. By the way, is that cape fireproof?"

Ask Sakurai to answer his own question on that last sentence.

Your signature is Sakurai's reaction.

 

[ToothiestAura]

Don't be so sure of yourself. I'm pretty sure such a thing would require a system update for the WiiU.

Corperate Nintendo needs to be on board, one way or another.

Yeah, you may be right. It may need Nintendo behind it to run as efficiently as the tournament crowd would like.

 

[Aninymouse]

Oops. You're late to the party.

First of all, you don't have to be a smartass. I certainly did nothing to deserve that.

Secondly, that's an adapter that plugs a GC controller into a Wiimote, not directly into the WiiU system. Unless they've developed a new one I'm not aware of... At which point, FANTASTIC! That'd be reason to celebrate. My worries would be over. But you know what? I haven't seen any wired controllers for WiiU. At all. Please, PLEASE, prove me wrong.

I don't think Sakurai has the power to make a wired controller happen, that's up to the big guys.

True, Sakurai can't make it happen on his own. But you don't think he talks directly with Iwata from time to time? Planting the seed that, "hey, the fans demand a wired controller," is enough, sometimes.

 

[ChunkyBeef]

First of all, you don't have to be a smartass. I certainly did nothing to deserve that.

Secondly, that's an adapter that plugs a GC controller into a Wiimote, not directly into the WiiU system. Unless they've developed a new one I'm not aware of... At which point, FANTASTIC! That'd be reason to celebrate. My worries would be over. But you know what? I haven't seen any wired controllers for WiiU. At all. Please, PLEASE, prove me wrong.

First: Sorry, I didn't mean to come off that way.

Second: Here you go. It's not exactly connected directly to the Wii U - and I'll be honest, I doubt anything will ever come to fruition like that anytime soon - but it's definitely a lot easier than the first linked alternative. The fact that it's only $25 makes me question the quality of it, but hey. There you have it. It's apparently partnered with Nintendo to get it done, as well.

It's worth noting that they had other things they intended to release - like a 'fight pad' - that never saw the light of day, so who knows.

 

[Golden Gallade]

1. How do you choose your Pictures of the Day?
2. What made you decide to include Nintendo characters after scrapping Dragon King for Super Smash Bros?
3. How do you choose the Assist Trophies?
4. Will there be a Smash 5?

Derp questions. I may edit more later

Technically, Smash for wiiu is smash 5. Because the 3ds one would be 4.

 

[R0Y]

1. Does the game run in native 1080p.
2. What made you change your mind and include Ridley?

 

[Aninymouse]

First: Sorry, I didn't mean to come off that way.

Second: Here you go. It's not exactly connected directly to the Wii U - and I'll be honest, I doubt anything will ever come to fruition like that anytime soon - but it's definitely a lot easier than the first linked alternative. The fact that it's only $25 makes me question the quality of it, but hey. There you have it. It's apparently partnered with Nintendo to get it done, as well.

It's worth noting that they had other things they intended to release - like a 'fight pad' - that never saw the light of day, so who knows.

No big deal, no hard feelings.

And although I am excited to see what the controller you linked will be like, it's still........ a wireless controller. So my concerns are still warranted, I feel.

 

[PlasmaPuffball]

I still think the concerns over wireless WiiU controllers needs addressed. Casual gaming websites like IGN or Gamespot aren't likely to bring it up. Only tournament-minded communities see the potential roadblock to Smash 4 being an acceptable tournament game, I would imagine.

I'd actually love to have wired controllers be brought up. I know Sakurai can't do it on his own, of course, but I feel like it should be mentioned just to have Nintendo know that it's what fans want. I feel like though, it wouldn't be likely to happen, just because casual players greatly outnumber competitive, and it's mainly the competitive players who want them.

So I'd like a question to be about if wired controllers could be a possibility. He probably can't really answer that. But it's probably one of the best times to bring it up.

 

[Hoots]

Please ask about K. Rool and Ridley. And if you want to sound journalistic, ask him why he thinks that these two characters are the most popular and why villains seem to get overlooked in Smash.

 

[Aninymouse]

And if you want to sound journalistic,

That could be offensive, since Gnarleysquid IS a journalist. If he's worth his salt, he's going to be professional about it. And he's already said, like, one billion times that he's not going to ask Sakurai for roster spoilers, since it's likely a waste of valuable time.

 

[Spazzy_D]

If the question isn't answered beforehand, I would want to know if this version of Smash will have unlockable or hidden characters and if any of the characters revealed so far (besides the third party ones) are hidden or if they are all on the starting roster.

I would also like to know if it was the technical limitations of the 3DS that lead to the removal of transformations in the game.