[Source Gaming] Sakurai Discusses Fan Misconceptions

Masahiro Sakurai published his 505th Think About Video Games column in Famitsu today. He took a moment to discuss fans overreacting and even addressed some misconceptions within Smash. Source Gaming has the full column translated, but here are some select quotes.


Sakurai starts off the column by stating:

I suppose this cannot be helped, as people are only able to make judgments based on what they see and know for themselves. But on the internet, what people see can be rather limited, especially if they only look at things that interest them. I advise everyone not to get too heated up over every little thing they read.

After that warning he addresses the following misconceptions: Why are characters from his games seemingly overrepresented on the boxart, why certain characters are strong, why the Kirby series doesn't have post-Sakurai representation, and the number of Fire Emblem characters. Masahiro Sakurai revealed that there was a Kirby's Epic Yarn stage planned, but with the introduction of Wooly World, he decided to add The Great Cave Offensive as a stage instead.

Sakurai addressed these complaints with the following,

As you see, people have often suspected me of putting in extra effort in certain areas. Do recall, however, that I do not approach Smash as a fan. Regardless of who wins or loses, the outcome is the same as far as I’m concerned since I work on all of them. The opportunity to create all these characters is taxing yet extremely fortunate as well.

The rest of the column can be read here. Sakurai also discusses fan interactions, and reveals two stages that were considered. It's well worth the read!

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I think three things whe I think in Wario:

Wario is greedy as heck
Wario is a funny comic relief, a butt monkey
Wario is... gross (even in the Wario Land games he has some dirty traits).

Nothing about his "herculean strength"? That's exactly what his Melee trophy said. Fast foward to Smash 4 and his Wario Man trophy says he "still isn't very strong". There was no reason Sakurai had to ignore an entire half of Wario's game appearances (which came before WarioWare at that) in favor of flanderizing 1 or 2 traits that weren't even his more well known traits.

It's pretty much there alright. Charges fist with magic, slams it into something. Sounds like something similar to the Warlock Punch to me.[



Let's hear it then. I'm not sold on the idea of drawing exclusively from that source. Twilight Princess is a much better one.

 

I guess I respond to Ryu in a seperate post since my previous one just completely ate my replies for some reason.

It's pretty much there alright. Charges fist with magic, slams it into something. Sounds like something similar to the Warlock Punch to me.

I thought you were talking about fast falling Ganon's f-air so and squinting so it kind of maybe looks a bit like his ground slam attack from OoT. But no, Purple Falcon Punch is nothing at all like the ground slam attack.

Let's hear it then. I'm not sold on the idea of drawing exclusively from that source. Twilight Princess is a much better one.

So did you just like, completely skip over the moveset for OoT Ganondorf I gave you or something?

 

Trying to remember it from the top of my head. Mind you I only thought of the specials when I made it. If you want me to think of normal attacks than I could probably do that as well.

Keep in mind that Ganondorf would also use the sword that he uses from the Spaceworld demo from 2000.

Spoiler

: The electric ball thingy (Yeah I don't know the name of the attack lol) that he can use either on the ground or whilst in the air.
: Sort of like the Side B he has in Melee only that he uses his sword to thrust his opponent in the air instead.
: Being able to levitate for a duration like his does in OoT.
: His charged up shot he has that shoots multiple blasts like he does in OoT. Can be done both on the ground and in the air

Good man. That doesn't sound bad. Although I would always personally keep his Flame Choke regardless.

 

Nothing about his "herculean strength"? That's exactly what his Melee trophy said. Fast foward to Smash 4 and his Wario Man trophy says he "still isn't very strong". There was no reason Sakurai had to ignore an entire half of Wario's game appearances (which came before WarioWare at that) in favor of flanderizing 1 or 2 traits that weren't even his more well known traits.

Oh! I knew I was forgetting other trait.

Wario is strong, very strong, specially his fists, his shoulders/elbows, his head and his butt xD

 

I thought you were talking about fast falling Ganon's f-air so and squinting so it kind of maybe looks a bit like his ground slam attack from OoT. But no, Purple Falcon Punch is nothing at all like the ground slam attack.

I wasn't. Warlock Punch may have been initially an analogue of the Falcon Punch but thematically it makes sense for him because of the magic punch he delivers in Ocarina.

 

Good man. That doesn't bad. Although I would always personally keep his Flame Choke regardless.

Ah yes, the flame choke.(AKA the Ganoncide.)

 

It's really tells much of Sakurai's personal, if he thinks accusation of his bias extends mostly to the ****ing boxart.

Now Sakurai just needs to explain why:

Western centric franchises like DK and Metroid got the shaft

They didn't use a Return to Dreamland stage instead of the GCO, another Superstar stage, (who even liked it in Superstar) Also ignoring the fact that DK is more famous for having minecarts.

Zelda is still trash even after play testing

Dark Pit wasn't allowed to use the Three Sacred Treasures because of canon yet they removed Wario's shoulder barge and made Ridley a masochist because they didn't want to be tied down to canon

Sakurai thought that adding yet ANOTHER Sakurai created Kirby stage would not fuel the "Sakurai bias" claim.

He spoiled several game plots (Off the top of my head: Corrin's chainsaw sword, MUCH of Xenoblade's, Awakening barring Lucina) But still threw a fit when youtubers posted Subspace Emissary scenes from their rightfully owned copy of Brawl that they bought on/pass its release date.

-Neither of those are western franchises. but you may have answered your own question-they have limited returns in the home country, so Ninty probably determined the roster based on that.

-GCO was one of the stages chosen to introduce a new dynamic, much like Pyrosphere, Midgar etc. This game more then prior ones was one where they experimented with the concepts of stage features, so GCO being the way it was is par for the course.

-because just like with Pokemon some characters are more viable in certain modes then others-Zelda works fine in FFAs but poor in singles, just like how Pacharisu is bad in singles but good in dubs.

-....but by that same definition, would not adding anything from projects he was involved with at all be considered pandering? this game is supposed to be a tribute to the history of Nintendo after all, and some of their most notable works were made by him(namely the Kirby games.)

-while it is agreed his complaints about the SSE cutscenes were a little petty, many of these games were out for around 6 months to a year. FEif was an exception, but then again NoA up and showed the Lucina twist in the debut trailer for Awakening so I would not be surprised if they had done the same there as well. Arguing that they spoiled Corrin's blade is just like arguing they did the same with Roy's Sword of Seals in Melee.

 

Super Smash Bros. Brawl ruined Super Mario Sunshine for me. I never knew he had F.L.U.D.D!!11!!!! Plot was spoiled for me, thanks Sakurai.

 

Super Smash Bros. Brawl ruined Super Mario Sunshine for me. I never knew he had F.L.U.D.D!!11!!!! Plot was spoiled for me, thanks Sakurai.

that's funny

but to the rest of you, Corrin's sword is an exeption.
Fire Emblem Awakening and Xenoblade Chronicles had been out for a while.
There eventually comes a time when you can't just keep hidding story spoilers. Both of those games had been out long enough to openly spoil, like how Aerith dies in Final Fantasy 7 or how Kylo Ren is Han Solo's son

Fates haddn't been released internationally at the time of Corrin's reveal trailer

 

But sometimes it's impossible to avoid spoilers like showing that Zelda is Sheik, and it makes sense that they would use Corrin's ultimate sword in Smash, most of the characters with a weapon do this by using the strongest version of their weapon or their most personal one (ex; Link with his Master Sword, Ike with Ragnell, Pit with Palutena's Bow, Lucina and Marth with Falchion).

 

-Neither of those are western franchises. but you may have answered your own question-they have limited returns in the home country, so Ninty probably determined the roster based on that.

-GCO was one of the stages chosen to introduce a new dynamic, much like Pyrosphere, Midgar etc. This game more then prior ones was one where they experimented with the concepts of stage features, so GCO being the way it was is par for the course.

-because just like with Pokemon some characters are more viable in certain modes then others-Zelda works fine in FFAs but poor in singles, just like how Pacharisu is bad in singles but good in dubs.

-....but by that same definition, would not adding anything from projects he was involved with at all be considered pandering? this game is supposed to be a tribute to the history of Nintendo after all, and some of their most notable works were made by him(namely the Kirby games.)

-while it is agreed his complaints about the SSE cutscenes were a little petty, many of these games were out for around 6 months to a year. FEif was an exception, but then again NoA up and showed the Lucina twist in the debut trailer for Awakening so I would not be surprised if they had done the same there as well. Arguing that they spoiled Corrin's blade is just like arguing they did the same with Roy's Sword of Seals in Melee.

Sakurai still was the one who makes the roster

Doesn't mean that GCO was the only big Kirby stage with Danger Zones they could use. Dangerous Dinner for example would have fit the bill just fine

Pokemon was never intended to be balanced. Smash was

All Sakurai did was Kirby and Kid Icarus Uprising, so that doesn't make Sakurai that important in terms of 'notable franchises' as he made o franchise other than Kirby

The FE examples make sense. Spoiling Mecha Fiora and Yaldeaboth doesn't, those are incredibly spoiler heavy characters who have major roles in the story, Mecha Fiora is supposed to be a huge plot twist, so is Jade Face's identity, yet Smash spoils Jade Face's identity despite how Jade Face is fought in the final parts of the game. Xenoblade's well-known for a great story, yet spoiling Mecha Fiora alone can vastly change how it impacts someone. After all, Aerith's death in FFVII is known because how tragic it was for people who played the game. Spoiling that would decrease the impact. Sakurai spoiling major plot points makes zero sense

 

I wasn't. Warlock Punch may have been initially an analogue of the Falcon Punch but thematically it makes sense for him because of the magic punch he delivers in Ocarina.

It still doesn't make sense, much like basically the entire rest of his moveset. It never stopped being a Falcon Punch analogue either, so I don't know what you mean by "originally".

 

like how Aerith dies in Final Fantasy 7 or

Spoiler

how Kylo Ren is Han Solo's son

One of these is a video game over a decade old that everyone knows about by now, the other is a recent movie. Please be a little more considerate in the future.

 

Sakurai still was the one who makes the roster

Doesn't mean that GCO was the only big Kirby stage with Danger Zones they could use. Dangerous Dinner for example would have fit the bill just fine

Pokemon was never intended to be balanced. Smash was

All Sakurai did was Kirby and Kid Icarus Uprising, so that doesn't make Sakurai that important in terms of 'notable franchises' as he made o franchise other than Kirby

The FE examples make sense. Spoiling Mecha Fiora and Yaldeaboth doesn't, those are incredibly spoiler heavy characters who have major roles in the story, Mecha Fiora is supposed to be a huge plot twist, so is Jade Face's identity, yet Smash spoils Jade Face's identity despite how Jade Face is fought in the final parts of the game. Xenoblade's well-known for a great story, yet spoiling Mecha Fiora alone can vastly change how it impacts someone. After all, Aerith's death in FFVII is known because how tragic it was for people who played the game. Spoiling that would decrease the impact. Sakurai spoiling major plot points makes zero sense

The most realistic reps for Metroid and DKC are Ridley and Cranky, but Ridley's too big and Cranky's not K. Rool.

Dangerous Dinner doesn't do a good job of representing Kirby overall, though. GCO better represents a typical Kirby environment then DD does.

Not really, no. Smash's balance has only been slightly better then garbage up until now.

He would of included the Kid Icarus items into Smash even if they weren't in KIU to begin with, and that would of magically made it okay in your eyes... "Muh representation" is the last thing he should consider when making Smash.

Actually, even in Melee the trophies are obtained in "tiers." The most spoilery ones are obtained last, meaning that the person is likely to of beaten the game or know that the spoilers are there. After all, there's not much to be said about Jade Face besides spoilers.