Keep in mind that the translation isn't the most accurate, so Sakurai may have mentions things differently than what the translation provide.
Nintendo Power: on the occasion of the E3 2011, Satoru Iwata has surprised everyone by announcing that the next Super Smash Bros. game. beyond on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. What are the main differences between the two versions? Can we expect a few surprises, especially at the level of connectivity?
Masahiro Sakurai: While the development of Kid Icarus: Uprising was at its end, Satoru Iwata came me propose to develop the new Smash Bros game, and asked me if he should be on 3DS or Wii U. We were arrived at a point where the series could not evolve too, and we wondered if the passage on handheld console was the solution. In the past, we have increased the number of characters and arenas, but this was not enough.
At that time, we could have chosen to develop a 3DS version only, but we realized the presence of several limitations. I am referring to the fact of playing a game like Super Smash Bros.. on a small screen. Thus, even if it is not easy to develop two versions simultaneously, we chose to adapt the game experience to the specificities of each platform.
Even though the characters will be the same in the version Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, the arena will be completely different. In the 3DS version, they are based on games released on portable consoles, while Wii U, arenas are based on articles on home console games.
I think this is our answer as to why the 3DS version is being developed; because it was the first thing on his mind. I'm curious to see if the 3DS will actually stand out of if its just going to be a portable Smash 4/5 with different stages and the customization gimmick (not pleased with the lack of cross play. At least do it with stages that are on both versions).
PN: In all your games, and particularly Smash Bros. and Kid Icarus: Uprising for example, the density of content is very important, sometimes offering up to 100 hours of game play. Why do you integrate as much content in your games? Could this be because you do not really like the DLC [additional downloadable content], and you prefer to enjoy the gaming experience complete at the outset?
Sakurai: Oh, it is not as if I did not like the DLC, it is just that I do not really have the time to think. I'm too busy to work on the game and to include a maximum of content. The goal is to propose a complete and interesting gaming experience for players.
In principle, I am not opposed to the DLC. I loved those proposed for the game Fallout 3, for example.
I honestly would not be surprised if Sakurai were to use DLC for this game due to this statement. Obviously not in the same way Capcom does it, but in a way where Sakurai can add what he couldn't get in the initial game due to time constraints.
PN: Music has always held an important place in the Smash Bros games, with a large number of pieces, remix and composers, but for what reason exactly?
Sakurai: I think it is a matter of respect. I have great respect for all these characters, and the experience that people have been playing these games. I believe that music plays an important role in this experience, and so in order to please fans of these games and original series, we need to recreate the same music to match their memories and their expectations.
PN: In the past, you indicated always wanting to involve the artist or the composer. Why is it so important to your eyes, that these people work at your side?
Sakurai: I never really decided that one specific person was appropriate for a given situation. But in general, what I do is that I talk with people who have composed the original music for a game, like the composer, for example, and I ask them how they would like to contribute to the project. In general, we find an agreement, and they come to compose the special versions of their music for Super Smash Bros. games.
Can be more complete than Smash bros on Wii?
I'm glad Sakurai takes such good care of the game when it comes to the music. One of my favorite parts about Smash is the great music provided in the game and hearing him emphasizing the importance of music makes me feel optimistic about what will happen with SSB4's music.
PN: You get very personally involved in play-testing of your games; you test everything in detail: additions, changes, etc... You even play the multiplayer by yourself. Why do you do that? Is it the only way for you to ensure that the game remains on the right track?
Sakurai: I am afraid that the answer to a question like this is so essential to the nature of my work, sometimes I have much trouble finding a suitable response. I can explain it this way: develop a game is much harder than it looks at first glance, seen from the outside.
This is why I believe that the Director should enormously engaging and interested even in the smallest details of a game, each element of gameplay. This is why it would be very difficult for me to develop a game in a different way.
I don't think we'll ever be able to understand what exactly he means by how excruciatingly difficult it is to make the game unless you have experience making games in the first place. I can't imagine how much of a nightmare it was to fit Snake, Sonic, Mega Man and presumably Pac-Man in.
PN: Several months ago, in Famitsu magazine, you express the regret of not being able patcher Super Smash Bros.. Brawl, especially at the level of online. But with the Wii U and the 3DS, it is now possible to modify a game after its release. What are the aspects of the new Super Smash Bros. game. which will be the subject of scrutiny, for possible patches?
Sakurai: It is difficult to say at present, but rather obviously, we always try to keep the best balance. Nevertheless, I do not yet know if it will be really easy to patch these games once they will be released. For example: you have a person with a patched version of the game, and another with a non-patched version. If these two people play together, do they meet no problems? We will have to do extensive research about it.
That said, I think the patches are an important tool to maintain the balance of a game, once this last released. As you surely already know, the reputation of some characters, who are considered weak or powerful, is something to which players are very interested on the internet.
And sometimes, you have to ask if these perceptions are correct, or if people simply to join a popular opinion and to follow the movement. We really want to make our characters each have their specificities, with statistics that compensate their strengths.
We want to highlight these individual characteristics, but at the same time, players must also be asked whether they accept the reputation of a character on the internet. This is something that we will also have to take into account when creating patches.
Mario will face a newcomer among the fighters: Mega Man!
Hopefully Sakurai won't require the latest patch in order to play online. I remember Gran Turismo 5 doing this and I can understand that was aggravating for many fans out there. Nevertheless, glad to see that Sakurai is taking into account patches. Also,
at the last line.
PN: With each new opus, you have added still more characters, arenas. But with Brawl, the game appeared less polished than its predecessors. For the new Smash Bros., will you change your approach by including less content, but making sure that all is well polished?
Sakurai: Until now, I am always considered myself personally responsible for specificities of each characters, from the balance at all, so I came to create each attack separately, for each display. But it is a task that I have to share with others this time, so if ensure that the right balance is found for this game.
In the past, I have often been exceed, and this is something that I now try to avoid. Of course, working on such a game is really very time consuming as much as we are currently developing two different versions. It will therefore have plenty of time to refine everything, and achieving the required balance. Of course, I always assume my duties as Director for these two games, and I test every aspect of the latter, but I also try to not take care of each task by myself. I just try to focus on things that I am the only one to occupy me.
At the very least we should be seeing better balance for this game than we did with Brawl, which is good to hear. Hopefully this mean no more Meta-Knight and Ganondorf in terms of overpowered/underpowered characters. Seems as Sakurai is really trying to focus on balance this time around.
PN: In Brawl, he had a large focus on history, with notably the Subspace Emissary: the first mode 'History' of the series. Are you going to propose something similar in the new Smash Bros. ?
Sakurai: in fact, we do not expect to include a similar story mode this time. As you already know, Smash Bros. has a large number of different characters, which were entitled to their own cutscenes in the story Mode. These were supposed to be rewards for players finishing this mode with each of the characters.
I think it was something fun for the players, but at the same time, all the cutscenes finally found themselves on the internet. Players watched them online, which was not really sticking with what we had originally planned. It is for this reason that we are not going to do something similar this time.
Nevertheless, we expect well introduce new characters with cinematics of introduction, as we already did for the villagers of Animal Crossing Mega Man or even the coach WiiFit. We have several ongoing collaborations to propose several cutscenes of this kind there.
I think Sakurai is hinting at something closer to Melee's Adventure Mode here more than ever. My guess is a glorified version of that.
PN: During the development of Brawl, you you are shown very open with fans via the Dojo, where you have shown many elements of the game with infos, pictures and videos... Will you show so much content this time for the new Smash Bros., or well do you plan to keep more intact surprises before the release of the game? With Brawl, many were the players to have had the impression of having any discovered before even leaving the game...
Sakurai: This time, we will not share as much info than [for Brawl]. You will have information about the characters via the official website, with images, but we will not always have very detailed info, as in the past.
Won't lie, I'm kind of disappointed here, but with Sakurai working incredibly hard on this game, it's not hard to see why he went with this route. Wonder when he'll do reveals for Assist Trophies, stages, music, items, etc?
PN: What level of customization will be proposed in the game? In the past, players have always had access to a large number of options, including at the level of the items. Are you going to propose new, as for example the ability to disable the damage caused by the stages?
Sakurai: You can still manage the appearance of items, but you cannot disable the damage caused by the stages. If we propose such an option, it might as well be PlayStation all-stars!
Not that PSABR can match up to Smash, but this was a good idea. Pretty dumb move for Sakurai to not allow stage hazards.
PN: You receive many requests for new characters, and this on the part of fans and even developers. Do you take into account those requests, or do you prefer to keep your vision of the game intact, and thus to maintain the balance in not taking into account these suggestions?
Sakurai: in fact, I would indeed like account requests from fans. But the phase during which I am collecting this kind of information is already complete, and we are currently integrating this content to the game. We always try to incorporate a maximum of content in our program.
At least we can say that whatever bandwagons form on characters won't do anything. At this rate, it looks as the roster has all of the pool in and that there will only be cuts and maybe one or two clone additions.
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I could see a Kirby situation happening with DK this go round. 2 new unique reps in one game.
I think there's a good chance DK will get two newcomers. Both Dixie and King K. Rool have great résumé and many reasons to be added. If there's going to be a double addition, it's definitely Donkey Kong.
Still want to see Gankplan Galleon, even if it's really unlikely at this point (even if K. Rool gets in).
I'm pretty cool with not being able to turn off stage hazards. Some stages are always going to be a royal pain in the *** and should stay that way. Plenty of hazard-free competitive stages will always exist.
Not that I have a big issue with stage hazards, but I do believe the option should be present for those who don't like stage hazards.
