Kamiya reflects on making Bayonetta and harsh directing style, Platinum on collaborations
Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News, Wii U | 10 Comments
With PlatinumGames celebrating its tenth anniversary, Japanese magazine Famitsu has a big feature about the studio in its latest issue, including an interview with several staff members. It focuses more on the developer as a whole rather than specific games. There are some interesting Nintendo-related bits from the discussion though.
Hideki Kamiya has only made two games in the last ten years at Platinum. Of course, those are Bayonetta and The Wonderful 101. Kamiya created the original Bayonetta with the following prerequisites: make an original game with hardware you’re touching for the first time with no library, no resources, and no game engine. He wanted to have it published in three years.
More: Bayonetta, Famitsu, Hideki Kamiya, interview, PlatinumGames, top, Yusuke Hashimoto
Niantic delves more into the origins of Pokemon GO
Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Mobile, News | 1 Comment
In Famitsu last week, Niantic went more in-depth with the origins of Pokemon GO. The magazine caught up with Setsuto Murai, representative president of Niantic Japan and Kento Suga, marketing manager of Niantic Japan.
As has been mentioned before, you could say that the concept was born after Google teamed up with The Pokemon Company for an April Fools event back in 2014. Murai and Suga touch on this, and then explain how things carried on from there.
Head past the break for our full translation.
More: Famitsu, interview, Kento Suga, Niantic, Pokemon GO, Setsuto Murai, top
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash team on HD development, new characters, amiibo, and online play
Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 23 Comments
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash finally launched in Japan last week. To celebrate, Famitsu spoke with a few developers who worked on the game. The lineup includes director Shugo Takahashi and producer Hiroyuki Takahashi from Camelot as well as Nintendo producer Toshiharu Izuno.
Our complete translation of the interview can be found after the break. The staff touched on topics like approaching HD development for the first time, how new characters were selected, amiibo integration, and online play. There’s also an interesting bit about how Nintendo was initially opposed to including Boo in Mario Tennis 64.
Aonuma on valuing feedback from Zelda fans, not trying to force messages into the games
Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 79 Comments
Speaking with GamesMaster this month, Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma commented on how feedback from the fans is greatly valued.
He said:
“We’re constantly thinking about how to make it unique compared to other games, both in general as well as to others in the Zelda series. Of course, the response of fans is most important and something we care very much about, which is why recently we have been showing early previews at events like E3. We’re looking to see that there are no problems with the directions we’re taking, and are reflecting the reactions we do get into subsequent development.”
At another point of the interview, Aonuma talked about how the Zelda games are free of meaning. He finds the idea of putting ideologies in games “kind of scary.”
Aonuma stated:
“I haven’t and won’t be trying to put any message or meaning into the games. (If someone else were to make a Zelda game though, of course it might be different.) Occasionally I receive messages from fans telling me how playing Zelda games has changed their lives. While of course this makes me incredibly happy to hear, I feel a great sense of responsibility as well, so part of me feels that developers putting their own ideologies in games is kind of scary.”
That wasn’t all from Aonuma. During the same interview, he also weighed in on Link having a voice. You can find his comments about that topic here if you missed them last week.
More: Eiji Aonuma, interview, The Legend of Zelda, top
Video: Image & Form talks possibility of a SteamWorld amiibo
Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Videos | 0 comments
Image & Form has prepared a new episode for its series known as “The Engine Room” – watch it below.
This time around, the studio tackles the topic of amiibo. To put it simply, Image & Form is interested in making a SteamWorld amiibo happen, but there would be a lot of work involved. They do want to continue to see fans support the idea, and they encourage everyone to share their own ideas for what the figure would look like and how it would function.
More: Amiibo, Image & Form, indie, interview, SteamWorld Heist
Shigesato Itoi on Mother 3’s development and much more
Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 3 Comments
Late last year, an event for the Mother series was held in Japan. Nintendo Dream was in attendance, and spoke up with well-known designer Shigesato Itoi.
In the interview, Itoi commented on topics such as Mother 3’s development (cancelling the project on the Nintendo 64 before moving onto the Game Boy Advance), the series in general, the fans, and plenty more.
We now have a complete translation of Nintendo’s Dream’s piece. To read it in full, head past the break.
More: interview, Mother 3, Nintendo Dream, Shigesato Itoi, top
Genei Ibun Roku #FE devs on how the setting and Fire Emblem characters were chosen
Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 19 Comments
Last week, we posted some translated excerpts from Nintendo Dream’s Genei Ibun Roku #FE interview. It’s a very interesting read since it gives you more of a clear picture about the project’s origins and how the game eventually turned into an RPG. If you missed it, be sure to check it out here.
We have a few final excerpts from Nintendo Dream’s piece today. Primarily, today’s topics include an in-depth explanation as to how the setting was decided upon, and how the team determined which characters from Fire Emblem to include.
Head past the break for the translation. The comments are from the interview with producer Hitoshi Yamagami (Nintendo), director Kaori Ando (Nintendo), producer Shinjiro Takata (Atlus), director Eiji Ishida (Atlus), chief director Wataru Hirata (Atlus), and art director Fumitaka Yano (Atlus).
Aonuma unsure about having Link speak in Zelda games
Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 80 Comments
In an interview with GamesMaster this month, Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma shared some thoughts about the possibility of having Link speak. He does believe that this could be a good idea, but at the same time, he also “feels that that air of proud independence he has because he doesn’t speak is a precious part of the individuality of his character.”
Aonuma’s words in full:
“We’ve had a lot of requests from fans to hear [Link’s] voice, and while in some ways I do feel that it could be good to have a game where he speaks, part of me also feels that that air of proud independence he has because he doesn’t speak is a precious part of the individuality of his character. I want to think long and hard about whether changing that would be for the better or not before I make any decision.”
Link has been known throughout the history of Zelda as being a silent protagonist. If he were to be given a voice, that would definitely have a notable impact on the series. How would you feel if Link spoke in a Zelda title?
More: Eiji Aonuma, interview, The Legend of Zelda, top
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam – Miiverse Miiting – lack of Paper Luigi and original characters, more
Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News | 10 Comments
Nintendo held a “Miiverse Miiting” for Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam earlier today. This is the Big N’s interview series on the social community involving the game’s developers.
A number of topics were discussed in today’s Miiting, including why Paper Luigi isn’t featured in the game, and the lack of original characters. We’ve included the full interview below.
More: AlphaDream, interview, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, top
Genei Ibun Roku #FE devs – thought about different genres, considered 3DS, more
Posted on 9 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 39 Comments
In late December, Nintendo published Genei Ibun Roku #FE in Japan. Nintendo Dream thought it would make sense to speak with the game’s staff now that development is complete. The Japanese magazine caught up with producer Hitoshi Yamagami (Nintendo), director Kaori Ando (Nintendo), producer Shinjiro Takata (Atlus), director Eiji Ishida (Atlus), chief director Wataru Hirata (Atlus), and art director Fumitaka Yano (Atlus). That’s quite a number of developers indeed!
We’ve translated a lengthy part of the interview below. The excerpts are very insightful, as the developers spoke about how they thought about different genres for the project, considered 3DS (even making a project plan), and more.
