Brawl countdown reveals nothing, Nintendo Power picks up slack
by Christopher Grant 
{ May 21st 2007 at 12:26PM }
What's starting today? Since they're not saying anything, we'll turn to our friends at Nintendo Power, who happen to be really close friends with Nintendo. The "Don't Miss Calendar" in the latest issue -- #217 (pictures prove it's real) -- trumpets "Sakurai delivers the blow by blow." They continue, "Beginning May 22nd, Super Smash Bros. Brawl director Masahiro Sakurai will post a daily blog on smashbros.com regarding the title's progress and any other topics that tickle his fancy. Rumor has it that he'll be revealing Fabio as the next playable character."
IronSword cracks aside (and that is a good one), is Sakurai's blog what all this hubbub was about? Sounds like it to us. Hopefully his first post, which should show up in the next 23 hours, will shed some light on why a title that Kojima described as "very complete" wasn't on this morning's release calendar.
[Thanks, hvnlysoldr]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Fatass of Kickassness @ May 21st 2007 12:36PM
Wow, two consecutive intraweb explosions in a row... I'm surprised this series of tubes is still up and running after this and the Halo fiasco.
Almack64 @ May 21st 2007 12:38PM
Boooo, I again I say booooooo.
What a craptacular countdown. eerrrrrr
JCFG @ May 21st 2007 12:39PM
A new trailer would have been nice.
Almack64 @ May 21st 2007 12:41PM
This is almost as dissapointing as finding out what happens when you get all the meteorites in Spider-man 3 ..... Wait nothing can be that dissapointing and crappy.
Stagger @ May 21st 2007 12:48PM
Iron Sword was a sick game.
Lijik @ May 21st 2007 12:46PM
They closed down both sites for a new blog?
Really?
Lijik @ May 21st 2007 12:47PM
And by that I meant "closed down for 7 days" not closed down permanently
jaysins @ May 21st 2007 12:47PM
F*c%!()@ c*c%$.
D3stiny_Sm4sher @ May 21st 2007 3:17PM
Om, hello, guys, are you daft?
The countdown said _ days IN JAPAN time.
And why would the site get updated IN JAPAN TIME at midnight?
The press event isn't going to happen at midnight, it's going to happen in the morning/afternoon.
Why would they reveal the site before the press event? They never do that--it's always after.
Anyway, simmer down, you're making a big fuss out of it like the n00bs on the SmashWorld message forum--aren't you guys higher than that?
The news is coming today--in Japan. That means it'll be tonight or later for us. So calm the crap down.
BPM @ May 21st 2007 1:04PM
I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT FOR THIS
I AM SO MAD AT YOU NOW NINTENDO
I'M GONNA GO CRY AND SLIT MY WRISTS
Hahah, I love that. "Starting today." For a "countdown," it isn't very specific, eh?
Jonathan Tran @ May 21st 2007 1:06PM
wow that is hugely disappointing
only way it could've been worse is if blizzard announced its next game was a Diablo dating sim, instead of Starcraft 2
nagyss @ May 21st 2007 1:15PM
I think the japanese there says it's updating at noon, hence the "(Japan time)"... That's like 10:00 where I am... u_u
megaStryke @ May 21st 2007 1:20PM
@nagyss
The Japanese text translates to "Japan start!"
Only3Penguins @ May 21st 2007 1:20PM
Word on the GameFAQS boards is that Nintendo of Japan's site says that the site comes up at noon, Japan time. If I'm not mistaken, that would be between 8 and 11 PM here, depending on what time zone you're in.
Joshua @ May 21st 2007 1:33PM
It wasn't on Nintendo's release list because that list is only for their second fiscal quarter, which is July through September! If it's going to be released this year (and I really expect it will be), in will appear on their release list for their third fiscal quarter, which runs from October through December. Don't get so worked up over things like this.
And the whole countdown thing is not a disppointment, unless you were foolish enough to hype it up in your imagination. A daily blog straight from the director of the game is definitely something to get excited about, however!
NintendoFanbot @ May 21st 2007 1:52PM
Yah guys I'm pretty stoked for more of Sakurai's own words. Maybe we'll find out who the secret developer he's working with!
jonat3 @ May 21st 2007 2:54PM
I find this pretty amusing. I think if one keeps a clear head, it becomes obvious that this was done on purpose to tease the fans.
On the flipside, pissing off your fans can backfire on you, so i reckon they must have something good up their sleeves to avoid that.
Almack64 @ May 21st 2007 1:59PM
@14 The dissappointment is the fact that the countdown has ended and you still have to wait for the first blog entry. It would have been even more dissapointing if they had a countdown with minutes and secs that ended and you still had to wait.
I guess for me I would rather the countdown to be still ticking until the actual release instead of saying "starting today"
Sean Kelly @ May 21st 2007 2:04PM
Fabio >>> Chuck Norris
REUYL @ May 21st 2007 2:14PM
I was excited about Brawl...
...five months ago.
wackychan @ May 21st 2007 2:15PM
Just hurry up and tell me when its coming out! That way I'll know when to not pick it up.
hpkomic @ May 21st 2007 2:30PM
Honestly, considering how secretive Nintendo is with their games, this is pretty crazy news. We're going to have a developer blogging about the process.
I'm not all that dissapointed.
Jack of No Trades @ May 21st 2007 2:46PM
wackychan is one of my favorite posters.
hvnlysoldr @ May 21st 2007 2:49PM
Fabio for Brawl! I'm so excited for Brawl that I'll actually buy the game unlike its predecessors that I just rented.
wackychan @ May 21st 2007 3:01PM
My last memory of SSBs. I rented it one day for the gamecube. I put it in and three of my friends were playing it with me. We played for one round. Then we all looked at each other like WTF? Then one of my friends said "Fuck this bullshit Wacky! Put in Halo!" I was ashamed of my self for even renting it.
Then I told myself that'll be the last time I rent that game again.
N2 @ May 21st 2007 3:05PM
And here you are, in the middle of the day posting in a SSB thread. You disgraced yourself once again wackychan.
T @ May 21st 2007 3:15PM
Oh my GOD! The website didn't go live at exactly MIDNIGHT of the designated Day! Oh lord thsi is a disaster on par with that horrid and absolutely uncalled for delay of the Halo 3 beta! I swear I'm never buying another Nitnendo product ever!
Quickly my fellow gamers, get your weapons and let's march on Nintendo's headquarters. We'll show them we won't tolerate such a blatant disregard for the fans!
RRRAWWWWWRG!
wackychan @ May 21st 2007 3:16PM
Well, my friends aren't here atm. The only games I play are system link shooters. But last wed, thurs, friday, and saturday I had the house to myself every night and we played halo and gears. After doing that single player just doesn't compare. When Forza 2 comes out later this month, you guys wont be seeing me anymore for a while. Ill be painting, souping up, and winning races to do buy more cars. Rinse and repeat for a while my friend, rinse and repeat. =P
JodyAnthony @ May 21st 2007 3:27PM
"Well, my friends aren't here atm. The only games I play are system link shooters."
Then why the hell are you in a thread about a fighting game, and why the hell do you think anyone gives half a damn about your opinion on said fighting game?
"When Forza 2 comes out later this month, you guys wont be seeing me anymore for a while."
And for the first time, I can't wait for a racing game to come out.
Jack of No Trades @ May 21st 2007 3:34PM
You know why I like wackychan?
He is not serious guys lol. The reactions are great. I see a MANBEARPIG! Im serial!
hvnlysoldr @ May 21st 2007 3:40PM
Global warming is due to smug!
kanoko @ May 21st 2007 3:46PM
@ megaStryke
The Japanese text says "starting today." You read the kanji backwards. It says Honjitsu, not Nihon.
Mr Khan @ May 21st 2007 3:44PM
This game is the Halo 3 for nintendo fanboys
the only good that can come of this are extensive details, the more details, the better
Fabio would be all right, i was hoping for Sonic, of course, but since they've added in Meta Knight and Wario, i'd say the game is complete as is
Mr Khan @ May 21st 2007 3:52PM
@ 17
Fabio >>>> Chuck Norris
fixed
(I had to, you wouldn't want Chuck Norris coming in here and annihilating this website with his digital fists of fury)
NvM @ May 21st 2007 4:04PM
God calm the fuck down.
He still might reveal shit in the blog, especially on the first day.
megaStryke @ May 21st 2007 4:25PM
@kanoko
That's what I get for reading at the "speed of tomorrooooooooooooow!"
Red_Maniac @ May 21st 2007 4:53PM
Guys...the Japanese Nintendo site said that the Brawl website will reopen afternoon on the 22nd in Japan, which is about 11 PM EST tonight.
Platy @ May 21st 2007 5:13PM
The fact that kojima played the multiplayer of brawl and said that it was almost complete doesn't mean that it was near completion.
Melee's adventure single player mode was one of the most awesome and complex and originals single player modes for fighting games ever and deserves more attention in brawl. And of course ... there is time for the japanese dudes starting to model all those 300 trophys/pokemons for pokeballs =3
And yes, i was a little sad when i saw that the site didn't launched ...but at the same time .. thousands of jokes that most of the nintendo japanese target where sleeping after 10pm flooded my mind xD
BPM @ May 21st 2007 5:43PM
@30 Jack of No Trades:
"I see a MANBEARPIG! Im serial!"
OH CRAP, HE SPOTTED ME!!
[runs off and hides]
hvnlysoldr @ May 21st 2007 5:50PM
Oh My GOD! He was hiding out here the whole time! Quick after him into that conspicuous cave!
Eric @ May 22nd 2007 6:10AM
This site is up now.