Miyamoto, Koizumi, Motokura on Mario 3D World’s clear pipes, appealing to advanced players/newcomers, more
Eurogamer has posted up some Super Mario 3D World interview session bits from Shigeru Miyamoto, producer Yoshiaki Koizumi, and director Kenta Motokura. The three commented on the game’s clear pipes, appealing to advanced players as well as beginners, and more. Head past the break for the full Q&A roundup.
On how the clear pipes came to be…
“One of our younger development staff told me that they wanted to know what went on when Mario entered a pipe. They were curious as you could never see what was going on in there.” – Miyamoto
On developing Super Mario 3D World…
“It was a very stressful time. We’re relieved that we were able to finish everything, but also we very much enjoyed developing the game.” – Miyamoto
On how Super Mario 3D Land achieved a balance of appealing to both advanced and beginning players…
“Super Mario 64 was a key turning point in the history of Super Mario. It was a good game but we were not quite able to achieve something that was both fun and easy for both beginners and advanced players. But with Super Mario 3D Land we found the spirit of the original games which were easy for beginners but allowed for advanced play, all within the 3D environment.” – Miyamoto
On how the cat suit is a concession to newcomers, but is also useful for advanced players…
“The cat costume is the key to this game. It makes it easier for beginners to make it through levels and get to the goal posts. But advanced players can use the transformation to perform acrobatic moves and impossible feats. For example, you can perform horizontal jumps from one wall to the other – a new feature that advanced players will enjoy.” – Koizumi
“Super Mario is fundamentally a game about jumping. So this addition might seem strange: the ability for the player to climb seems to challenge the core [of the series]. But I think we’ve found a way to implement that doesn’t cause harm.” – Miyamoto
On the different playable characters…
“When Miyamoto and Koizumi were working on Super Mario Galaxy 2 we discussed the topic of empathy. I think in the design of the characters we aimed for achieving this empathy. When it comes to Peach, I think many players will want to play as her; but I don’t think that’s gender specific. Remember, we’ve had her as a playable character in Super Mario Kart for a while now.”
“Players can choose type that best fits their playing style and it’s also fun to play same course with different characters to see how it plays differently.” – Motokura
