Sakurai on how characters are chosen for Smash Bros.
Posted on October 9, 2014 by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News, Wii U
Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai returns in Famitsu this week with his regular column. Once again, Sakurai addressed questions fans may have about the new Wii U and 3DS games.
One topic Sakurai discussed: “How are characters selected [to be in Smash Bros.]?” His response was a bit lengthy, though the process ultimately comes down to polls, research, and the team’s decisions.
Here’s what Sakurai wrote:
“We conduct a character popularity poll both domestically and internationally. We also research games that are currently being developed. After that, it’s pretty much up to us, with a touch of convenience.”
“There are a lot things to take into account when deciding [characters]. Does the character have something inherently unique about them? Can that be used to make Smash Bros. interesting? Is the character a representative character [for the source material]? Do they conflict at all with other characters? Was there anything about them that stood out when we began development?”
“Characters from a series that has no future are rarely chosen. Also, fighters that switch models are a different matter.”
“Basically, any character is accepted if I believe it works [in the game]. On the other hand, even if a character is unique, if they overlap with other characters and aren’t unique as a fighter, they are rejected.”