The creator of the iconic Super Smash Bros. series, Masahiro Sakurai, shared interesting thoughts on originality in the gaming industry and spoke about the challenges he faced during the development of the first game in the series in a recent interview with Denfaminicogamer.
Originality vs. Commercial Success
According to Sakurai, originality often has a relatively low priority when it comes to game sales. Many projects can achieve significant commercial success simply by imitating already proven mechanics and formulas. However, for the game designer himself, the drive to create something new has always remained a key driving force of creativity.
Early Criticism of Super Smash Bros.
Sakurai recalled that at the time of the release of the first Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 64, the project faced considerable criticism from fans of traditional fighting games:
- The game was accused of not resembling the recognized standards of the genre—Street Fighter II and Virtua Fighter.
- The mechanic of knocking opponents off the stage instead of using a classic health bar was perceived by many as too casual or incomprehensible.
- The focus on four-player simultaneous battles and the element of randomness with items raised skepticism among the hardcore community.
Despite this, Sakurai did not back down from his idea, and eventually Super Smash Bros. became one of the most successful and unique franchises in video game history.
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