Creating the Switch was no easy task. In previous interviews, Nintendo has brought up how the word “balance” was key during development. This was something that was mentioned again in an interview with Toyo Keizai.

General Switch producer Yoshiaki Koizumi noted how game developers tend to be interested memory and a quality GPU for higher specs. As a developer himself, Koizumi can understand this. However, there was also the need to make the machine light, small, and stylish while giving consideration to the battery as well. On top of everything else, Nintendo only had a set amount of time and resources to produce the new console. So ultimately, balancing all of these different aspects was the most difficult part in developing Switch.

More: interview, Shinya Takahashi, top, Yoshiaki Koizumi

Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Odyssey devs share thoughts about each other’s games

Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 17 Comments

Two of the biggest and best games this year were made by Nintendo. We’re of course referring to Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey.

Recently, IGN caught up with developers of both games to hear about what they think about each other’s games. Super Mario Odyssey producer Yoshiaki Koizumi plus Zelda: Breath of the Wild director Hidemaro Fujibayashi and producer Eiji Aonuma shared their thoughts.

More: Eiji Aonuma, Hidemaro Fujibayashi, interview, Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Yoshiaki Koizumi

Nintendo on Switch’s initial success, demographics, more

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 9 Comments

Yoshiaki Koizumi talked a whole lot about Super Mario Odyssey in a recent interview of 4Gamer. But towards the end of the interview, there was some general talk about Switch as well. Koizumi was not only the producer of Mario Odyssey, but also Nintendo’s latest console on the whole.

As the general producer of Switch, Koizumi thought sales have progressed faster than thought, since he assumed it would take about one or two years for the concept to permeate by having players bring the console outside to introduce it to others. But since it has spread so quickly, he believed they have conveyed it in the right way.

More: interview, top, Yoshiaki Koizumi

Super Mario Odyssey producer on approach to development, theme song, Pauline, higher age rating, more

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 23 Comments

Around the launch of Super Mario Odyssey, Japanese website 4Gamer conducted an interview with producer Yoshiaki Koizumi. It was a pretty big discussion, with Koziumi touching on all sorts of points. He talked about how Nintendo went about developing the game, the “Jump Up, Super Star” theme song, Pauline’s inclusion (an interesting note on Nintendo’s original plans for her), the higher age rating compared to past titles, and more.

Towards the start of the interview, when asked about the theme of Super Mario Odyssey being “journey”, Koizumi first described that their initial concept was to make “a new Mario that continues to stick in people’s minds” and they thought of new ideas that couldn’t be put into past Mario games. Among them, the one that can be put in rather well was the term “journey”.

More: interview, Super Mario Odyssey, top, Yoshiaki Koizumi

Super Mario Odyssey devs on wanting to surprise players and more

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 8 Comments

CNET spoke with the developers of Super Mario Odyssey not too long ago. Kenta Motokura, the game’s director, as well as producer Yoshiaki Koizumi talked about the new game.

Something Motokura brought up is how Koizumi challenged him to surprise players. The team took that to heart, and it became a key words while development was ongoing.

Motokura said:

More: interview, Kenta Motokura, Super Mario Odyssey, top, Yoshiaki Koizumi

Nintendo says empathy, movements are important for Mario games

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 4 Comments

What is the key to Mario? In Nintendo’s view, empathy is at the top of the list.

Speaking with CNN, Super Mario Odyssey Yoshiaki Koizumi said:

“One thing that has always been constant is this idea of empathy. It’s the idea that anyone can pick up and play the game, and they have an intuitive understanding and feel for how the game works.”

More: interview, Kenta Motokura, top, Yoshiaki Koizumi

Nintendo intends to maintain a steady stream of releases for Switch

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 139 Comments

Update (10/25): Koizumi relayed many of the same points made to Famitsu as he did with 4Gamer. Also mentioned is that we can look forward to more than just Nintendo’s traditional IPs on Switch.

Original (10/23): 4Gamer published a new interview today with Super Mario Odyssey producer Yoshiaki Koizumi. It was mainly about that game as you would expect, but the piece also contained some talk about the Switch in general. It’s worth noting that Koizumi was the overall general producer of the Switch hardware.

Towards the end of its interview, 4Gamer brought up how Switch is getting a number of big games at a steady pace in its first year. The site almost feels like Nintendo compressed a five-year console cycle into just one year.

More: interview, top, Yoshiaki Koizumi

Koizumi on Mario Odyssey – DNA from previous 3D Mario games, travel theme, taking advantage of the Joy-Con

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 31 Comments

In the latest issue of GamesMaster, the magazine shares some choice words with Super Mario Odyssey producer Yoshiaki Koizumi. Koizumi weighed in on how the Switch game encompasses previous 3D Marios, the theme of travel, and wanting to take advantage of the Joy-Con.

Below is a roundup of the various comments:

More: interview, Super Mario Odyssey, Yoshiaki Koizumi

Nintendo was initially planning Super Mario Sunshine to be a “disaster recovery mission-style game”

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 26 Comments

This month, RetroGamer sat down with Nintendo’s Yoshiaki Koizumi. The two sides didn’t really talk about Super Mario Odyssey, however. Instead, the conversation was focused on a different project from Koizumi’s past: Super Mario Sunshine.

Koizumi directed Super Mario Sunshine on the GameCube 15 years ago. Initially, the team had a very different plan in mind for the game. Rather than the strictly 3D platforming gameplay that we know of, Nintendo instead was “exploring the idea of a disaster recovery mission-style game.”

Koizumi told the magazine:

More: interview, Super Mario Sunshine, top, Yoshiaki Koizumi

Koizumi on story in Mario games, Miyamoto’s involvement with Odyssey, chances of second 3D Mario Switch game, more

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 120 Comments

At Gamescom, The Verge chatted with Super Mario Odyssey producer Yoshiaki Koizumi. While the two talked, Koizumi touched on Nintendo’s approach to story in Mario games, Shigeru Miyamoto’s involvement with Odyssey, and the chances of a second 3D Mario title for Switch.

Head on below for some notable excerpts from the interview. For the full discussion, read up on The Verge here.