In a recent interview with Game Informer, Masahiro Sakurai, creator of Nintendo's popular crossover fighting series,
Super Smash Bros., has shed some light on the new Spirits Mode for
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He also talked about the difficulties he has faced every time he makes a
Super Smash Bros. title, and also touched upon the future of the series after the latest entry releases in December.
In regards to the game's Spirits, Sakurai mentions how he came up with the idea and how this managed to help development by replacing character models for the Single-Player mode.
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We wanted to provide a solid single-player experience, but at the same time, we didn’t have enough development resources especially for creating character models. That’s where the idea came from. We needed to come up with a system that is fun and not a repetitive experience even when you battle against [computer players] repeatedly", explained Sakurai.
Spirits, much like everything else in life, has its pros and cons, and some of the cons include not being able to give stories to each individual fighter, creating exclusive stages, or adding new rules. While the pros include using a wide variety of characters, and featuring a large pool of music, stages, and fighters.
Cons for this system are:
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Because there are so many fighters, we can’t tell stories for each individual fighter in detail.
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We can’t support creating exclusive stages/terrains (i.e. side-scroll action game terrain, etc.) for it.
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We can’t add new rules, etc.
On the other hand, pros are:
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We can utilize a variety of characters (But not featuring figures anymore)
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We have a large pool of music, stages and fighters.
The
Super Smash Bros. series began back in 1999 when the first title in the franchise was released for the Nintendo 64. After all of this time, Sakurai mentions that it is a miracle that they're still being able to make these games, especially when it comes to getting the approval from all of the IP holders.
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You may not sense that, but it is actually a miracle every time we’re able to create a Smash Bros. game. It’s a bit different from any other game series that regularly comes out with new installments. Unless we get approval from all of the I.P. holders who are involved in this game, we can’t make this game. And every time, we are walking a fine line", explained Sakurai while adding that when he left HAL Laboratories, they were able to continue developing
Super Smash Bros. titles thanks to the late President of Nintendo Satoru Iwata.
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Especially after I left HAL Laboratories, normally, games continued to be developed by the remaining company. But instead, Mr. Iwata created a development team centered on the director who became freelance. That was his call. Without that decision, I can easily imagine that we could not release this Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in the best possible shape at this point".
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the name that the latest entry in the series was given in Western countries. However, the game is known as
Super Smash Bros. Special in Japan. Given that here the game has the 'Ultimate' word as its subtitle, fans were lead to believe that this may end up being the last entry in the series.
Masahiro Sakurai has already announced that he would not be coming back to direct any more
Super Smash Bros. titles in the past, however he has already returned twice. Given that
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate features every character, stage, and musical piece from previous entries in the series, it is not far-fetched to think this could well mean that Ultimate is, indeed, the last entry in the series.
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With the background I just explained here, every time I work on this game, I’ve devoted myself to making it under the assumption, “this is the last one.” That said, I have no idea what future holds, so I can’t deny that there’s no next one either".
Sakurai's response is somewhat ambiguous but, as of now, the
Kirby and
Super Smash Bros. creator has already done pretty much everything there is to do for the franchise and has earned the right to leave the series whenever he wants; whether fans like it or not. Let's just hope he doesn't though; we really owe this man a lot, and
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a testament to all of the effort he has put into making us, the players, happy.
Legendary game worlds and fighters collide in the ultimate showdown—a new entry in the Super Smash Bros. series for the Nintendo Switch system! New fighters, like Inkling from the Splatoon series and Ridley from the Metroid series, make their Super Smash Bros. series debut alongside every Super Smash Bros. fighter in the series…EVER!
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be available exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on the 7th of December.