Direct-quotes from Ono regarding Super Street Fighter IV 3DS, Street Fighter Fit
Yoshinori Ono on the opportunities one considers when bringing a franchise like Super Street Fighter to 3DS…
“In the plan of bringing Street Fighter IV back to the scene, my desire was to bring back everyone into how people used to play Street Fighter 2. We just wanted to bring that passion back to the industry. So when we started, we started from HD [consoles], Xbox 360 and PS3, because that’s where we thought most gamers were, so that’s how we released the games first [in those consoles].
But obviously, even with those consoles we couldn’t quite bring back the sensation we had with Street Fighter 2 because the situation is different now. People play games on different machines, so the next point was iPhone. I thought about releasing a game on iPhone and you know that, again, is directed to a different demography and that also touched the casual gamers as well, and I was then looking for another medium to touch an even bigger casual market, and at that point Nintendo announced 3DS and I decided that that was the way to touch the casual market with Street Fighter.
Although it’s a hardcore game on a hard gamers console, previous to 3DS, on iPhone we could play with the touch screen as well. With 3DS you’ve got stunning graphics anyway so all in all, that [the 3DS] is going to be an important core of the Street Fighter gaming in the entire hardcore and casual gamers [community].”
Ono discussing the touch controls on 3DS…
“Fundamentally, I think about the SNES pad, the D-pad… There were 4 buttons and… Yeah! There were 6 buttons (laughs). But for this time, because the 3DS has got a touch screen, we want to bring down the entry barrier of the difficulty of the game even lower, so then we tried to utilize the touch screen as well, to make it easier for people to play.
I think most of people must have touched Street Fighter through Super Nintendo console, that’s where it was most popular, and obviously with the 3DS, that’s where I can bring the real sensation back. Those people who used to play Street Fighter 2 on the SNES are probably about my age – I’m entering forty (laughs). When they play Super Street Fighter on 3DS they might not remember everything, they may go like “I remember this move, but how do I do this?” and to help that we use the touch screen.”
Ono on what the 3D adds to the gameplay experience…
“When we talk about 3D graphics, people was thinking “we have to utilize the 3D graphics and we have to rotate the game and make everything 3D”, but when I started making Street Fighter 4 for the HD consoles someone asked me “does it have to be HD resolution?” In fact, it didn’t have to be, I could have done it in 8-bit graphics and get the same gameplay, because in these 10-20-30 years what has evolved is technology. But gameplay itself, some games don’t change, they already have been established so well that they don’t need changing.
But what does graphics help is to bring the memory back. So say if you played Street Fighter ten years ago, and then if you see it on an 8-bit screen, that’s not really going to bring back any of the memories. But we could see that people complement the memories within they head: when they see the new Ryu, they will actually remember the Ryu that they saw in 16-bit, that is back. So we’re trying to help people to bring their memories back, to have these experiences back to the modern world, where people are completely into high def and 3D graphics.
What we want to do in 3DS is that yeah, you are going to see the same Street Fighter, but it will help you in every single way to bring back the memories. You don’t need any more help: you just look at it and you can tell that it’s Street Fighter, and that’s how we utilize 3D.”
Ono on how the 3D effect is…
“This time, Nintendo is making an amazing hardware and as they mentioned in their conference a few months back, there’s going to be a ‘3D slide’ so it’s always up to the player whether it’s 3D or not. If he wants the latest technology, the latest 3D graphics with Street Fighter, he can, and he can have a 3D box when viewing the fighting in the environment. But also if the consumer’s desire is to have something that you can play on 360 or PS3 he can turn the 3D off, and it just basically be Super Street Fighter 4 on your handheld console.
At the moment, I believe the games industry is in a transitional stage from 2D to 3D gaming. Obviously, this time the 3DS is providing us this bridge in between, and it’s going to fill the gap between this changing era, so this Nintendo hardware, which is brilliant this time, is going to provide both 2D and 3D gaming, and the choice is yours.”
Ono on whether or not the game will have new content…
“I really want to tell you, but I can’t (Laughs) You’ll probably have to wait about a month and a half [Note: this interview is from August 18th, 2010]. But I can tell you that there are going to be three things with the 3DS as for Super Street Fighter IV 3DS: One, the most important, we’re going to port Super Street Fighter 4 from HD consoles to a handheld and when you play the portable version it won’t be any lesser than the others, it’s going to be Super Street Fighter IV. Secondly, we’re going to adapt the game so it’s suitable for everyone, whether they’re ten years old or forty years old they’re going to have choices, so we’re going to make some changes or adaptations. Third point, we’re going add something that will surprise people and this will have to be done on 3DS because it requires the 3D function. This is to let people know that something like this can be done in the 3D hardware, but I won’t tell you what! (Laughs). But you will find out, you will be surprised and this has to be on the 3DS.
I was inspired by Iwata-san’s and Miyamoto-san’s talks, it clearly is in what they said. They were saying that 3DS can do this, and this, and this… other than just being 3D. So what we’re trying to do in Street Fighter IV 3DS is somewhat related to that (Laughs).”
Ono and whether or not the downloadable characters will be included…
“Super Street Fighter 4 for HD consoles had 35 characters and you will see all of them in 3DS.”
Ono on the multiplayer in the game…
“That’s a very, very good point! (Laughs) First of all, it’s Street Fighter, so of course it’s going to have multiplayer. We’re currently working on cutting edge technologies in order to bring best fighting game to everyday life, so that’s something you have to think and specify time come how it’s going to be part of your life, and we’re going to make that easy. So Nintendo will be announcing exactly how that’s done sometime soon, and Super Street Fighter IV will be there when they announce the features, so you might have to wait until then (Laughs).”
Ono on the possibility of DLC…
“Exactly what we can do and what we’re allowed to do with the DLC and the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, we don’t know yet. We’re still in discussions with Nintendo, so as soon as we get something we’ll decide on it and you will know.”
Ono on which control scheme he prefers for the 3DS…
“For me it’s gonna have to be the D-Pad, which I’ve been using for 25 years, invented by the genius Mr. Gumpei Yokoi. Thus, here I have my trademark ‘Nintendo thumb’ (Laughs). Please check my Nintendo thumb, you can notice the callus!”
Ono on how the 3DS d-pad feels compared to the SNES d-pad…
“Are you going to speak to Nintendo after this? (Laughs). So you could tell them later. Nintendo is very suggestive of collaboration with third parties this time, they’re very keen of questions of what thirds parties are thinking. We’re suggesting how D-Pad should be. I’m aware that the 3DS D-Pad keeps on changing, it’s not finalized yet, but it’s becoming closer and closer to Street Fighter team’s ideal (Laughs). Hopefully it will get there and hopefully, it will fit my ‘Nintendo thumb’ (Laughs).”
Ono on Street Fighter for Wii…
“When it comes to Wii, what I had in mind was Street Fighter Fit… Because Street Fighter 4’s nature kind of slightly differed from the identity Nintendo seemed to be chasing of with the Wii brand, it didn’t seem to quite fit. We weren’t sure, and we were more inclined to go for the idea of Street Fighter Fit. I actually had a plan, I submitted my game design and everything. When the discussion was about to get further or to be cancelled or whatever, 3DS came in with confidential information from Nintendo, so attention kind of shifted to 3DS and kind of reflected form Wii now. Hopefully, with 3DS I’ll get to show off my thumb to everyone.
Thanks to Shezard for the tip!
