Sakurai defends Kid Icarus: Uprising’s controls
Perhaps the only controversial element in Kid Icarus: Uprising is the game’s controls. The fact that Nintendo included a 3DS stand with each copy of the game just goes to show how unconventional they are.
Uprising does support the Circle Pad Pro. However, rather than providing dual analog controls, the accessory is mainly a tool to assist left-handed gamers. Director Masahiro Sakurai feels that implementing a dual analog setup “was technically impossible.”
Sakurai told IGN:
“Considering how close to the limit we pushed the 3DS during development, it’s a miracle that we were even able to provide support for left-handed controls at the point of completion. Providing support for independent analog control was something that was technically impossible.
“I do have my doubts over whether it’d be that easy to provide support. I think any game needs to provide new experiences and stimulating things to discover, but if we provided run-of-the-mill controls for it, that cuts down on the game’s potential. If a player used to touchscreen-based aiming played against someone used to right-analog control, the first player would probably dominate. The speed is on a whole different level.”
Sakurai does have some advise for those who are struggling with Uprising’s controls:
“If there are players who say that it makes their hand tired, that’s because you’re applying too much force. Try to relax and work on building a rhythm to your control. Place the pen in the middle of the touchscreen; when you’re flicking it, take the pen off the screen as you’re sweeping with it, and stop right there. That’s the basic idea.”
In some ways Kid Icarus: Uprising is analogous to Super Smash Bros. With both titles, Sakurai remained confident in his approach even though there was doubt surrounding his projects.
According to Sakurai:
“Smash Bros. led to similar misunderstandings when it first came out. Some people, including within the company, commented that they couldn’t imagine a worse game. The project was really saved by the fact that people ‘got’ how to play it after it was released. If we had just listened to the complaints and instituted health gauges or command-based special moves, I don’t think we would have invented a new style of play that way. The controls here really aren’t that difficult, either, so I’m hoping that people will be able to get used to them.”
