Joystiq

Kid Icarus: Uprising prototype began on Wii and PC

David Hinkle — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:00:00 EST

Before Kid Icarus: Uprising became the carpal tunnel syndrome-inducing good time it is today, it began development on the PC and Wii. In a new Iwata Asks column, designer Masahiro Sakurai shares the story of development and some neat prototype videos showcasing Kid Icarus: Uprising as it was way before its E3 2010 unveiling. At the outset, Sakurai's company Project Sora didn't even have 3DS dev kits, so they had to start on PC and Wii.

The videos -- uploaded to YouTube by Siliconera and embedded above and past the break -- were created to illustrate Sakurai's vision to new dev-team members coming onto the project. Iwata admits the reason it took so long to get Kid Icarus: Uprising out the door was having to port the already established work on PC and Wii over to 3DS.

Gallery: Kid Icarus: Uprising (1/19/12)

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Kid Icarus: Uprising prototype began on Wii and PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata reveals three canned Kirby games, more than a decade in the making

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:01:00 EST

The relative ease of Kirby games usually result in their powderpuff protagonist avoiding death from start to finish -- however, Kirby's not immune to the most permanent form of death there is: Project cancellation. In the most recent Iwata Asks, Kirby's Return to Dreamland producer Shigefumi Kawase revealed that three installments in the franchise were killed off mid-development, explaining "We spent 11 years ... making and abandoning these three games."

The three Kirby titles in questions would have been starkly different: One was a 2.5D four-player adventure title (sort of like Return to Dreamland, but with more depth), one was a fully-3D exploration-centric game and the other was an animated platformer with "pop-up visuals." They sound charming as all-get-out, which makes us all the more forlorn that they're dead as doornails. Goodnight, sweet princes. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

Iwata reveals three canned Kirby games, more than a decade in the making originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks how Miyamoto learned English

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:20:00 EST

Beyond founding Q-Games and helping to father the PixelJunk series, Dylan Cuthbert has done some other extraordinary things in his years working in the game industry. He recounts some of those adventures in a recent Iwata Asks column, woefully exclusive to Japanese readers for now, but thankfully summarized by Andriasang.

But why is Cuthbert appearing in an Iwata Asks ... you ask? Because he helped create several of Nintendo's major Star Fox titles, of course (including the original), and he's heading up development of Star Fox 64 3D as director. Cuthbert actually didn't work on the Nintendo 64 title, as he had left Nintendo and was busy working on Blasto for Sony's PlayStation at the time.

Also detailed in the piece is an interesting fact about how Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto learned how to speak English. When Cuthbert began working at Nintendo, he had only a rudimentary grasp on the Japanese language -- after initially impressing staff during a visit when he was 18 to show off a 3D Game Boy engine, he was hired on, regardless of language skills. Miyamoto had an equally unimpressive grasp on English at the time, and it seems that the two worked together to help each other out. Miyamoto is said to have had a particularly hard time in by of with prepositions. We feel your pain.

Iwata Asks how Miyamoto learned English originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenoblade Chronicles gets European special edition, very European localization

JC Fletcher — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST

While American fans are doing their best to fume productively about the localization prospects for Xenoblade Chronicles, Nintendo continues working on the European localization. And Nintendo is really hammering home the fact that it's a European localization. A video clip from a recently posted Iwata Asks interview reveals a surprising amount of Britishness in the voice acting. See the clip in question after the break, and find lots more in the interview itself.

An announcement on Nintendo of Germany's site reveals that not only is Xenoblade being released in Europe on September 2, it's being released in a limited edition with a red Classic Controller Pro. That's like twisting the Xenoblade in the backs of already irritated Americans.

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Xenoblade Chronicles gets European special edition, very European localization originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's development detailed in new Iwata Asks

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:10:00 EST

Nintendo's regular Iwata Asks features are typically capable of dredging up some fairly magical feelings of nostalgia, but none have tapped into our happiness centers quite like the latest installment, which details the development of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Not only does it talk about the game's early prototypes (including that ill-advised, short-lived FPS version), it talks about the inspiration for some of the major revelations that made the game possible. For instance, Z-Targeting? That was inspired by actual ninjas. Seriously!

Check out the full interview for more details, like the developmental relationship between OoT and Super Mario 64, as well as a long-overdue admission that, yes, Link is running around Hyrule in long, white underwear.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's development detailed in new Iwata Asks originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata chronicles the history of Samurai Warriors

JC Fletcher — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 03:00:00 EST

For his latest Iwata Asks interview, Nintendo's Satoru Iwata put the spotlight on one of the less-examined 3DS launch window titles: Tecmo Koei's Samurai Warriors: Chronicles. He speaks to Hisashi Koinuma, who is in charge of the Warriors series at Koei, and who has been with the company since 1994.

Koinuma offers a few details about the 3DS game, like the fact that you can use the touch screen to select from a party of four warlords at any time, but the most interesting things he has to say are about the series in general. For example, while most non-fans can't really tell the difference between the Samurai Warriors and Dynasty Warriors series, except that all the names are Japanese in the former and Chinese in the latter, Koinuma reveals that there are design considerations that separate the two.

"In Dynasty Warriors 2, you fight on a wide-open field, but castles are more representative of the Sengoku (Warring States) period, so in Samurai Warriors, we decided to feature castles and the characters surrounding them in order to create a difference."

Koinuma also offered the following information, which we didn't expect to be mentioned so openly: "The games in the Samurai Warriors series can be played by pure button-mashing."

Iwata chronicles the history of Samurai Warriors originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo designers on Game & Watch's history

JC Fletcher — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:30:00 EST

In honor of the new Game & Watch Ball reward available through Club Nintendo, the company released a translated Iwata Asks interview about Nintendo's first experiments with handheld games. The designers and engineers describe just how early the technology was -- it was based on calculator chips, and the games were all designed around the same limits imposed on calculators' numerical displays.

"So if a chip can calculate eight digits," explained Takehiro Izushi, "that's 7 segments [each number is built from 7 segments] times 8 digits for a total of 56 segments. And there's the decimal point and symbols like the minus sign. We made the Game & Watch: Ball game using a chip that could display 72 segments." And 28 of those went into the score/time display!

Elsewhere in the interview, the developers share early concept art for the devices (like the image above) and detail the process of making a new version of the Ball handheld for Club Nintendo.

Nintendo designers on Game & Watch's history originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo engineers explain 3DS design, brag about battery cover

JC Fletcher — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:20:00 EST

In Nintendo's latest Iwata Asks interview, president Satoru Iwata pulled in the engineers that worked on the exterior design of the 3DS to discuss the process. For example, the unique three-layer color scheme, which is a break from the usual monochrome design of DS systems, is designed to represent "how all kinds of content would come in, not just when you went out walking around with it, but also when you just had it sitting at home," according to Yui Ehara from the design group. The layers represent an "accumulation" of content, as Iwata put it. Like ... sediment?

Other new design elements include the 3DS's tapered top half (which makes the system easier to open) and a new, stronger material for the body -- "A type of high rigidity nylon with glass fiber in it," Hironori Akai from the product development group explained -- along with battery cover that comprises the entire back surface of the device. The team was especially proud of this feature, but sad that nobody got to see it at E3, since the back of the test units were covered.

Nintendo engineers explain 3DS design, brag about battery cover originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo considering future 3D video recording 'update' for 3DS

JC Fletcher — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST

In the latest excerpt from Nintendo's "Iwata Asks" interview about the 3DS, Shigeru Miyamoto excitedly revealed that "Iwata-san also wants to include 3D video in the future!" Iwata tempered that exclamation by saying, "I think it will be fun if we're able to include video recording capabilities with future updates." Clearly, that's no guarantee that such a feature will be added to the handheld's 3D camera functionality, but if Iwata thinks it would be fun, then don't be surprised if you find yourself shooting low-res 3D video with your 3DS at some point in the future!

Later in the interview, Hideki Konno joined the group and discussed the StreetPass feature in Nintendogs + Cats. "When you're using StreetPass and exchange data with someone, in walk mode, that person's Mii is walking whatever puppy he or she has chosen," Konno explained. "Then your Miis and puppies talk and exchange gifts." The feature is designed to imitate the random meetings of people walking their dogs on the street ... without having to actually meet random people walking their dogs on the street.

Nintendo considering future 3D video recording 'update' for 3DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo tried 3D on GameCube and GBA

JC Fletcher — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:20:00 EST

In a new Nintendo-organized roundtable discussion with the excitable Earthbound writer and all-around Japanese celebrity Shigesato Itoi, company president Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto discuss how the 3DS came about, revealing Nintendo's long history with 3D experimentation. In fact, the company had 3D running on both the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance SP, which was also used as a test platform for the DS's touchscreen technology.

"Making three-dimensional images that can be seen by the naked eye requires a special liquid crystal, so we tested it out by putting it in the Game Boy Advance SP," Iwata reveals. "But the resolution of LCD was low then, so it didn't look that great and it never made it to being a product."

Of course, Nintendo's most famous dalliance with three-dimensional technology, the Virtual Boy (pictured), actually made it into stores, where it ... didn't do much. Miyamoto attempts to cast the odd goggle thing as a toy, like the Ultra Hand or the Love Tester, rather than what was intended to be the next step in the company's game console line. "I imagined it as something that people who were on the lookout for new entertainment or who could afford to spend a bit of money could buy and enjoy, even if the price was a little expensive," he offers. "But the world treated it like a successor to the Game Boy system."

"That was also true within Nintendo," Miyamoto adds. "Our sales department treated the Virtual Boy as an extension of our licensing business." In hindsight, it does make sense for Nintendo to file away the Virtual Boy, along with its low sales and small game library, as a weird, one-off toy, instead of a true platform iteration. Of course, all the headaches it caused are probably best forgotten.

Nintendo tried 3D on GameCube and GBA originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Last Story's insane 'chat' system revealed

JC Fletcher — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 06:30:00 EST

Mistwalker's Hironobu Sakaguchi and Takuya Matsumoto from co-developer AQ Interactive spoke to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata about The Last Story's online play in a new Iwata Asks interview posted by Nintendo of Japan. The game won't exactly have chat when played online, but it will have a bizarre, kind of useless, but also probably really amusing replacement.

Basically, you'll be able to trigger voice-acted lines from the single-player game in multiplayer. Matsumoto offered the silly example of one of the characters being made to say "Father ... Father ..." repeatedly, which is weird, and hilarious. It would have been even more hilarious had Mistwalker not replaced the placeholder staff voice acting with professionals.

The Last Story's insane 'chat' system revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks the Mario team about the series

JC Fletcher — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., and the release of Super Mario All-Stars: Limited Edition, Satoru Iwata has gathered up more members of the Mario team for another round of questioning. The developers probed include Katsuya Eguchi, who joined the team in 1986, and Super Mario Galaxy director Yoshiaki Koizumi, who didn't join until 1991.

As always, Iwata proves an expert interrogator, drawing neat information out of his employees. For example, New Super Mario Bros. on DS was originally conceived as a fifth game in the GBA's Super Mario Advance series. "After we released Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3," says Hiroyuki Kimura, "people were asking if a '5' in the series would be released. That's right when the Nintendo DS system came out, which was perfect timing, so I thought if we're gonna make it, it should be a new title."

Additionally, Koizumi describes the experience of working with Miyamoto on Super Mario 64, which Miyamoto directed himself. While Koizumi expected written instructions, instead he got, well ... "it was just Miyamoto-san and me in the office, and he starts showing me how Mario is supposed to swim while saying, 'It's not really a breast stroke, and not a crawl, but something like this maybe...?' And he was completely sprawled out on the desk doing these swimming motions." This is the part where you laugh, perhaps nervously.

Iwata Asks the Mario team about the series originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Mario All-Stars was almost 'Mario Extravaganza'

JC Fletcher — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:00:00 EST

Before Super Mario All-Stars got the name we're familiar with (and the even more staid Japanese game "Super Mario Collection"), the team considered other titles, including the more exciting "Mario Extravaganza." That's one of the factoids revealed by this Iwata Asks interview with Naoki Mori and Tadashi Sugiyama, who worked on the SNES remakes of the NES series. It became "Super Mario Collection," as far as the two could recall, at the suggestion of Shigeru Miyamoto.

After the break, we have a video detailing another factoid: the composition of Bowser's castle in both the NES and All-Stars versions of Super Mario Bros. We promise you've never paid this much attention to that castle.

Continue reading Super Mario All-Stars was almost 'Mario Extravaganza'

Super Mario All-Stars was almost 'Mario Extravaganza' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Mario All-Stars U.S. box art revealed, Iwata Asks talks music

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 13:30:00 EST

Listen, if you're a dyed-in-the-wool Wii owner who hasn't already purchased the entire Super Mario catalog on Virtual Console, you're probably going to pick up the 25th Anniversary Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition package. Nintendo recently revealed exactly what the game you'll be hunting for is going to look like, posting the game's official U.S. box art on the company's Twitter feed.

Also, the latest installment in the Iwata Asks saga sees the president pressing a few Nintendo EAD composers about the music which will come in the bundle's soundtrack CD. Give it a read, if you're interested in the history of the franchise's timeless accompaniment -- just don't get surly with us if you get "Slider" stuck in your head for like, a month.

Super Mario All-Stars U.S. box art revealed, Iwata Asks talks music originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Nov 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How Kirby's Epic Yarn challenges players through humiliation

Ludwig Kietzmann — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 22:00:00 EST

In a new English edition of "Iwata Asks," in which Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata politely interrogates designers and employees about recent games, there's an interesting discussion regarding the difficulty of Kirby's Epic Yarn. Specifically, it's about how developer Good-Feel cut out deadly traps and objects in order to preserve the game's endearing, fluffy and fun atmosphere.

"As a team, we were extremely opposed to the idea of an action game where the game wasn't over when an enemy got you," said producer Etsunobu Ebisu. "We debated that for quite a long time." At first, levels in Kirby's Epic Yarn (formerly Fluff's epic yarn) were full of thorns, a thrilling contrivance that didn't sit well with the game's warm aesthetic. Later, however, "we thought it would be fine if we just made a fun game the way we're good at," Ebisu explained.

This led to the introduction of a different characteristic in obstacles, with failure to avoid them resulting in the loss of Kirby's collected beads. You can collect them once dropped, but the in-game currency -- used to unlock bonus levels, for instance -- acts as a strong measure of success at the conclusion of a stage. "When serious gamers play, they want to clear a level without any mistakes like running into enemies, so this game is made so you really feel regret when you run into enemies and a strong sense of achievement when you clear a level without any mistakes," said producer Nobuo Matsumiya.

Or, as Iwata succinctly put it: "As a gamer, it's humiliating to bump into an enemy."

How Kirby's Epic Yarn challenges players through humiliation originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks about development of the NES

JC Fletcher — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Indulging his inquiry habit, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata spoke with Masayuki Uemura, advisor to Nintendo's Research & Engineering Dept., and Hiroshi Imanishi, Ex-Director and GM, Corporate Communications Division, about their time working on the Famicom (NES) way back in 1981-82. The two veteran developers describe the impetus behind the decision to make the Famicom, the problems competing with Nintendo's own Game & Watch, and the lasting appeal of Super Mario Bros.

Uemura shared how the Famicom came to use its (at the time) unusual 6502 processor. A friend at Ricoh cold-called him and asked for help getting the factory's efficiency up. While working on that, Uemura consulted with Ricoh about processors, and told their engineers about his desire to make a console that could run Donkey Kong. " When I think about it now, I think I was spot-on in asking 'Can we make Donkey Kong?' rather than 'Can we make a circuit like this?'," Uemura said. "It seems like the engineers at Ricoh were starving for the challenge of working on some new technology. Even more important to them was the idea that if they worked at it, they could take Donkey Kong home! (laughs)"

Iwata Asks about development of the NES originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Epic Yarn of how Fluff's game became Kirby's

JC Fletcher — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 22:40:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Kirby's Epic Yarn bears little resemblance to traditional Kirby games, and it partners the beloved pink sphere with a new character, Prince Fluff. It turns out, according to an Iwata Asks interview with Good-Feel and Nintendo staff, that there's a good reason for both -- Epic Yarn was originally Prince Fluff's game.

Wario Land: Shake It! director Madoka Yamauchi came up with an idea for "World of Fluff" and designed it around the Prince Fluff character. Nintendo loved the idea, but thought something was missing from the "warm" world Good-Feel had created. Nintendo proposed turning it into a Kirby game last year.

Producer Etsunobu Ebisu said that having Kirby in the world gives Epic Yarn "a greater feeling of existing." Also, we're sure, Kirby gives it a greater feeling of hope for good sales.

The Epic Yarn of how Fluff's game became Kirby's originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 22:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Miyamoto explains why it's 'easy' to make a Mario game

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 18:20:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

As part of Nintendo's ongoing celebration of Mario's 25th anniversary, the latest edition of Iwata Asks is a lengthy conversation between Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto and guest host Shigesato Itoi, creator of Earthbound. In the interview, Miyamoto suggested that making Mario games has been "easy," thanks to ever-evolving technology.

"What's been easy about making the Mario games is that they could naturally change along with the progress of technology," Miyamoto observed. "For example, when you make live action SFX movies and as special effects technology advances, then you have new methods at your disposal."

Adapting to new technologies has been key to Mario's longevity, Miyamoto explained. "In the same way, as technology advances, the Mario games change, too [...] And as technology changes, so does what you want to do. If it weren't for that, I don't think I could have stuck with it this far." Because the Mario franchise is meant to change with technology, there hasn't ever been a "roadmap" for the series. Instead, the impromptu schedule of Mario games has fueled its creative stamina. "The games turn out more fun that way than if you planned everything out on paper," Miyamoto added.

Although Miyamoto has been working with Nintendo and the Mario series for the past 25 years, it seems the famed designer isn't ready to quit any time soon. When quizzed about his position 25 years from now (when he's 85!), Miyamoto admitted that "I'll probably be working on something." Of course, there's a caveat: "If I'm still alive then."

Miyamoto explains why it's 'easy' to make a Mario game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metroid: Other M team under the Iwata Asks microscope

JC Fletcher — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:20:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

In an Iwata Asks interview about Metroid: Other M, Team Ninja head and Other M director Yosuke Hayashi classifies the game as "a NES game with the latest technology," an ideal that went on to inform much of the design. "Yes, we thought that if we could make a game that could be controlled with just one Wii Remote controller," Hayashi told Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, "we'd enable players who were put off by complex controls to enjoy 3D action games as well."

The automatic movement of perspective enabled the game to have 3D environments while maintaining simple controls, and clever Wiimote movements like pointing at the screen to explore in 3D allowed the team to avoid "resorting to the Nunchuk," as producer Yoshio Sakamoto called it.

At the same time, Sakamoto wanted the story and action to blend seamlessly, so the team worked with video production company D-Rockets. Director Ryuzi Kitaura described creating detailed storyboards to impress Sakamoto: "I think I drew more than 300 storyboards in total. The image count was over 2,000. By this stage, I was also accounting for camera work and action, so they became really elaborate production storyboards. I think I took over six months to finish them."

Metroid: Other M team under the Iwata Asks microscope originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Iwata Asks -- Dragon Quest IX

David Hinkle — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:45:00 EST

We know you had stuff planned today. Grocery shopping, volunteering at the soup kitchen and taking Fido for a walk may have just been a few of those planned activities, but you're going to want to clear your schedule. The Nintendo Channel update this week has nearly 40 minutes of conversation between Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata and Yuji Horii and Ryutaro Ichimura, the creator of the Dragon Quest series and Dragon Quest IX's producer, respectively. These are some conversations you won't want to miss.

For the full list of this week's Nintendo Channel content, head past the break.

Continue reading This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Iwata Asks -- Dragon Quest IX

This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Iwata Asks -- Dragon Quest IX originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Iwata Asks video focuses on Nintendo's E3 announcements

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:53:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

If you've got a few leftover questions about the 3DS, Zelda: Skyward Sword or any of the other new products announced during Nintendo's E3 keynote, we suggest you check out the new Iwata Asks video that's currently up on Nintendo's site. The company's president fires off queries at Shigeru Miyamoto, Reggis Fils-Aime and more on the new handheld, as well a handful of the new titles revealed during the event. If you're wondering about the origins of the 3DS, you can satisfy your curiosity by watching the video here.

New Iwata Asks video focuses on Nintendo's E3 announcements originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks Treasure about Sin & Punishment: Star Successor

JC Fletcher — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:30:00 EST

In case you missed Siliconera's translation of the Iwata Asks interview with Treasure about Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, Nintendo of America has posted its own translation. And if you have read it, you'll appreciate Nintendo's updated translation of Iwata's statement that the N64 "was a machine that was hard to create things for and didn't work at all." Now that semi-infamous line -- probably more accurately -- states that "If you didn't do it well, it wouldn't work at all."

Later in the interview, Nintendo producer Hitoshi Yamigami described the difficulty of working with Treasure on the first Sin & Punishment, given, well, the difficulty of Treasure games. "When I said, 'It's too difficult. I can't do it," they responded, 'Then you're not good enough to be in charge of this project.'" It took about a year for the team to finally determine that Sin & Punishment was, in fact, too difficult.

For Star Successor, Nintendo's Yurie Hattori joined the project and initially found it too difficult as well, pushing to make the game more accessible. While she did prevail upon Treasure to streamline the experience with a tutorial, she eventually discovered the Treasure fan within her and ended up recommending that the difficulty be increased.

Iwata Asks Treasure about Sin & Punishment: Star Successor originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo collaborated with Capcom on the Classic Controller Pro

JC Fletcher — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 19:42:00 EST

In a new Iwata Asks feature with Capcom's Ryozo Tsujimoto and Kaname Fujioka, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed just how closely Nintendo worked with Capcom to ensure the success of Monster Hunter Tri. Not only did the hardware manufacturer create a new controller, the Classic Controller Pro, but it actually consulted Capcom about it.

"I'm just gonna go ahead and say it," Iwata said, "but we even discussed where the best place for the analogue sticks would be." Fujioka expressed the team's relative shock at Nintendo's openness. "To be honest, when we were first asked that, I thought, 'Is it all right for us to decide?'," Fujioka said. We said what we thought would be a good spot for the analogue sticks, and when it turned out just like that, I was surprised." Of course, that spot is "exactly where they are on the PS2 controller," but that's due to Capcom's choice!

Nintendo collaborated with Capcom on the Classic Controller Pro originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 19:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WarioWare DIY was in planning since the DS was called 'Iris'

JC Fletcher — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:15:00 EST

In an Iwata Asks interview about the upcoming WarioWare DIY, Nintendo president and expert interviewer Satoru Iwata revealed a previously unknown codename for the system that would become the Nintendo DS: Iris. "Iris was the codename of a next-generation device we were exploring to succeed the Game Boy Advance-in other words, before development of the Nintendo DS," Iwata explained. "Eventually, it became a two-screen device with the codename Nitro, which went out into the world as the Nintendo DS. So, broadly speaking, Iris was the foundation for the Nintendo DS."

And surprisingly, Software Planning Development's Gorou Abe had been thinking about a WarioWare microgame creator since the DS was called Iris. WarioWare DIY has been a long time coming. Elsewhere in the (fascinating) interview, it's revealed that some of the included microgames were made by debuggers during the QA process, who made microgames as part of testing.

[Via Siliconera]

WarioWare DIY was in planning since the DS was called 'Iris' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks: 25 years with Miyamoto's dev posse

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:30:00 EST

In the most recent edition of Iwata Asks, Nintendo prez Satoru Iwata gathers up Takashi Tezuka and Toshihiko Nakago for a thorough discussion of their time with the company, the many projects they've worked on and their 25-year-long partnership with Shigeru Miyamoto. Let's break it down: Takashi Tezuka and Toshihiko Nakago both started at Nintendo around 1984, helping to shape everything from Balloon Fight to Super Mario Bros. These guys were part of the team that developed Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda -- at the same time.

During the 10-page chat, a plethora of interesting tidbits are revealed about some of the game industry's most influential Nintendo titles. Did you know that Zelda was initially designed as a dungeon game without an overworld? Or, how about the revelation that World 1-1 was created last, after the rest of the levels in Super Mario Bros., and designed implicitly to teach the game to non-gamers? The chat even gets into the lurid sleeping arrangements of Miyamota-san and Nakago-san while on business trips for ExciteBike (spoiler: it's not that lurid).

Iwata Asks: 25 years with Miyamoto's dev posse originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mario used in original Punch-Out without Miyamoto's permission

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:30:00 EST

For fans of the NES' flagship pugilism sim Punch-Out!!!, the latest edition of Iwata Asks is chock-full of tidbits about the game that you probably didn't know. For instance, Nintendo Entertainment and Analysis Division's Makoto Wada reveals a long-hidden secret that makes fights against Bald Bull go much easier. Also, Glass Joe? He's got osteoporosis. Yeah, you should feel bad. Poor guy.

However, the most entertaining unearthed secret is the fact that Shigeru Miyamoto never signed off on the use of Mario as the game's mustachioed referree. In Miyamoto's own words, "we didn't have an approval system when using Mario images back then and it went right past my check." The interview transcript adds that he laughed after saying this, but we imagine at least one stink-eye was shot across the table.

[Via GameSetWatch]

Mario used in original Punch-Out without Miyamoto's permission originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks, Rhythm Heaven team charms

JC Fletcher — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:30:00 EST

Nintendo's latest Iwata Asks interview puts the surprisingly small Rhythm Heaven team in the universally awkward position of being interviewed by their employer. The five-person team turns out to be every bit as quirky as the game.

Project lead Kazuyoshi Osawa, for example, said he "agonized" over the DS control scheme for about six months. Apparently, he wasn't exaggerating -- other team members noticed. "Yeah, he was in grueling agony for quite some time," said Kou Takeuchi. Osawa said that Masami Yone helps him cheer up by sending him pictures of kittens (an unauthorized use of company e-mail for which the two were semi-jokingly admonished by Iwata).

Oh, and there's also a lot of discussion of the Game Boy Advance, arcade, and DS games and their development, including details of producer Tsunku's involvement. But the adorable interaction between the team is the real draw here.

Gallery: Rhythm Heaven

Iwata Asks, Rhythm Heaven team charms originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata asks Development Folk about Animal Crossing

Chris Greenhough — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews

"Iwata Asks" articles are almost as old as the Wii itself, coinciding as they do with any notable first-party release, and the latest round of questioning stars four of the Animal Crossing: City Folk team: Aya Kyougoku (who forgot to wear her regulation beige Nintendo jacket for this), Ryuji Kobayashi, Isao Moro and Kou Nogami (not pictured here).

Most of the discussion focuses on fairly obscure minutiae. So Nogami discusses how WiiConnect24 allows for the exchange of village data without you knowing it, which means people can visit a friend's village while their Wii is off, as can NPCs from other villages, who may then spread rumors from their hometown. The team estimates the game's appeal becomes "two or three times" as great when played online, a statement we look forward to testing.

We're also told that City Folk will let players create "trails" on the landscape. Apparently, the ground in your village consists of a top layer of grass which slowly wears thin the more you walk on it. A little grass grows back at the end of each day, but if you walk over a certain area enough (say, from your house to Tom Nook's), a trail will begin to form. Kobayashi says that it takes about a fortnight before a faint path becomes visible, and Moro adds that a clear trail will have appeared after two months, but that grass grows back more speedily if surrounded by grass and trees. Nifty!

[Via andriasang.com]

Iwata asks Development Folk about Animal Crossing originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata and staff discuss Nintendo DSi development, rumors of SDHC support abound

Chris Greenhough — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, News

The latest entry in the "Iwata Asks" series has returned with an up-close look at the Nintendo DSi. For this exercise, Iwata carefully prepared a pot of green tea (possibly), sat down with three chaps from Nintendo's technology division (definitely), Yui Ehara, Kentaro Santa, and Masato Kawabara, and then talked some DSi.

As usual, all sorts of interesting nuggets get dropped. Apparently, a new DS was discussed in late-2006 (just a few months after the DS Lite launched!), the chipset was basically completed by February 2007, and for quite some time the DSi was going to have one rotating camera, and two cartridge slots. As it happens, Iwata was concerned that a rotating device would break easily, and believed the extra cartridge slot made the DSi too big, so both got the chop.

There was also some brief discussion of the DSi supporting SD cards. Supposedly, it was Shigeru Miyamoto himself who requested this feature, promising that he'd find a way to utilize it. In related news, a DSi spec sheet has appeared at NeoGAF with the SDHC logo on it, suggesting the new handheld supports the extended SD format. The DSi may only be two days away, but there's clearly plenty we're still not aware of!

Source: Iwata asks!
Source: Spec sheet hints!

[Via Tiny Cartridge]

Iwata and staff discuss Nintendo DSi development, rumors of SDHC support abound originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo: Wii Music assists musical education

Chris Greenhough — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:15:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews

In what is now a time-honored tradition for Nintendo's first-party releases, Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto came together over a cup of tea and a Jammie Dodger* to have a chinwag about Wii Music. Neither man fell about laughing hysterically at any point in the interview, so we assume the game is actually going ahead.

As usual, Shiggy came up with some corking soundbytes, in between reflecting on the ukelele he received as a youngster and other trivial details. These included the shocking revelation that he had never been so excited while making a game as when making Wii Music -- not even when he was crafting Super Mario Bros. In an even more controversial twist, the conversation then turned to how Wii Music could (in Iwata's words) "raise people's basic level of music education." Not surprisingly, Miyamoto agreed, adding, "I've even thought it would it would be great if kindergartens or elementary schools got Wii Music and began kid's music education with that ..."

So there you go: according to Nintendo's top men, Wii Music could kickstart basic music skills in kids ... by making them play invisible instruments. Eh?

* Awaiting confirmation on this.

[Via Kotaku]

Nintendo: Wii Music assists musical education originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Miyamoto: Link's Crossbow Training is FPS Training

JC Fletcher — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: News, Interviews

Now that Link's Crossbow Training is coming out in the region that matters (Japan), Nintendo has begun promoting it with one of their "Iwata Asks" interview series. This time, Shigeru Miyamoto is back in the hot seat -- and at the beginning of the interview, he expresses surprise that producers Takashi Tezuka and Eiji Aonuma aren't there as well.

Right away, the surprises begin. Describing his motivation for Link's Crossbow Training, which he sees as an introduction to the FPS genre, Miyamoto reveals himself to be an FPS fan: "I've always been into first person shooter (FPS) style games, 3D games in which you can walk around freely and see things from your own point of view. " He describes the perspective as "more comfortable, more natural," and then upturns the interview's tea table, saying that he originally wanted The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to be in first-person.

Since this is an interview between Iwata and Miyamoto, you know that can't be the only awesome quote. There's a bit in there about explaining Link's gun use with a Terminator-esque story. You should really just go read the whole thing.

Miyamoto: Link's Crossbow Training is FPS Training originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 May 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks: Mario Kart Wii

Chris Greenhough — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Interviews, Nintendo Wi-Fi

After Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii has become the latest title to appear in the excellent "Iwata Asks:" series of interviews. Featuring producer Hideki Konno, Wii Wheel project leader Kenichiro Ashida, and Shigeru Miyamoto (in fully relaxed, shirt-open mode) getting grilled by Satoru Iwata, it's a treasure trove of information for Mario Kart enthusiasts.

Alongside an enjoyably lengthy dissection of the series' history, there's also discussion about Mario Kart Wii's online play. The online matchmaking in particular sounds a treat, in that it allows players to join a race once it's finished, thus avoiding races becoming one-on-one affairs (as so frequently happened in Mario Kart DS). Players can use the Mario Kart Channel to check which of their friends are currently playing online, and even join them instantly.

Producer Konno and Miyamoto also explained the decision to include bikes in this game, with Konno admitting that his own hobbies influenced the choice, and Miyamoto stating that the bikes are there to "make the world of Mario a little more for boys [by] adding an extreme-like element to the game." (Apparently, the title was originally known as "Mario Kart X," with the "X" taken from "extreme")

Finally, we hear more on the Wii Wheel, and the reasoning behind it. As expected, the peripheral is designed to make Mario Kart more approachable than ever before, and project leader Kenichiro Ashida reportedly created "about thirty" prototypes (many of which you can see in our gallery). Oh, and he even made gold and black versions -- just for the hell of it. Do want!

Iwata Asks: Mario Kart Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata asks about Wii Fit, Volume 4

Candace Savino — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

The fourth and final segment of Iwata Asks deals with an often overlooked part of gaming -- sound. The interview also focuses on the design and planning of Wii Fit.

Three of the people Iwata questioned had previously worked on Zelda games, which (as you can imagine) are completely different than Wii Fit. Toru Minegishi talks about the challenges when making music for Wii Fit as opposed to Zelda, which was our favorite part of the interview.

For some interesting anecdotes, and to know what some of the developers' favorite things about Wii Fit are, make sure to hit up the last Iwata Asks, Wii Fit edition.

Iwata asks about Wii Fit, Volume 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks Wii Fit: Volume 3

David Hinkle — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

For those of you who just love the interviewing skills of one Nintendo pres Satoru Iwata, then you should know the next segment in the interviews revolving around Wii Fit has gone live. This time around, Iwata chats with Hiroshi Matsunaga and Tadashi Sugiyama, two folks who oversaw the software development of the game.

As you might imagine, the interview not only focuses on the introduction of the title from a developer's standpoint, but also fleshing out Miyamoto's idea to something more than an application for weighing yourself every day. Oh, and did you know that Wii Fit was originally planned as a DS game?

Iwata Asks Wii Fit: Volume 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks about the Balance Board

Candace Savino — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Interviews, Peripherals

For the second installment of Iwata Asks (the Wii Fit version), Iwata gets the nitty gritty from the developers of the Balance Board. It's pretty interesting to see what the board could have ended up looking like. Take, for example, the crazy octogan-shaped thing about. Also, whenever reading about a development process, it's almost scary to know all the problems and obstacles that the makers run into.

Of course, the developers prevailed and the Balance Board was born. From Sumo wrestlers to Miyamoto slamming a table, the interview has some nice insight on what it was like to make the unique peripheral. As per usual, click the picture or the "read" link to check it out for yourselves.

Iwata Asks about the Balance Board originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The skinny on Wii Fit is that it won't make you skinny

Candace Savino — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

Once Iwata's Brawl interviews ended, we started having severe "Iwata Asks" withdrawals. Yet, we're glad we waited before turning to heroin, hash, or horse tranquilizers to fill the voids in our hearts.* Our patience was vindicated, and a few days ago Iwata once again started up his Q&A segments, this time questioning Miyamoto about Wii Fit.

If you were hoping that Wii Fit would be the answer to your love handles or scrawny limbs, though, think again. Wii Fit isn't a get-thin-quick plan, it's a life lesson. As was clarified by Miyamoto in the interview, "I don't think Wii Fit's purpose is to make you fit; what it's actually aiming to do is make you aware of your body."

Since body awareness is part of attaining a healthier lifestyle, don't be too deterred. It's possible that Wii Fit can still get you on the right track to becoming fit, if you let it. Still, at the end of the day it's just a video game, not Richard Simmons.

*Seriously -- don't do drugs. [/Public Service Announcement]

[Via CVG]

The skinny on Wii Fit is that it won't make you skinny originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks Sakurai: Volume 7

Candace Savino — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

We've been told that all good things must come to an end, and this unfortunately applies to Iwata's informative interview segments with Sakurai (no one ever expects a Sakurai inquisition!). So, what better way is there to end things than to talk about the beginning?

In this installment, Iwata questions Sakurai about the roots of the Smash Bros. legacy. While the original idea (Dragon King: The Fighting Game) sounds like it'd be a good time, we're really glad that Smash Bros. became what it did. To think, the game almost didn't have Nintendo characters in it (gasp, shock, sound of horror)!

As we always say, you can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been -- so, head on over to the interview and read about the beginnings of Nintendo's beloved fighter in the final segment of "Iwata Asks."

Iwata Asks Sakurai: Volume 7 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks Sakurai: Volumes 5 & 6

David Hinkle — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

Looks like we missed an update in the on-going series of discussions between Nintendo president Satoru Iwata and Smash Bros. Brawl. dev lead Masahiro Sakurai. This latest portion of their discussion centers around some of the new features that made the cut into the latest Smash Bros. game. Things such as the decision to include Final Smashes into the mix, as well as the almost limitless supply of trophies in the game are discussed.

Today's portion of the discussion focuses on the music of the game. With over thirty different games to pull tracks from, the music in the game is almost as important as the character roster. And with new arrangements of classic tunes, as well as the option to pick from multiple tracks on each stage, we imagine the task of incorporating what Sakurai felt to be enough music was brutal, to say the least. Still, we're glad they put the effort in, because that surely means this will be the greatest game ever made.

Read - Iwata Asks Sakurai: New Smash Bros. Brawl features
Read - Iwata Asks Sakurai: Music

Iwata Asks Sakurai: Volumes 5 & 6 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks Sakurai: Volume 4

David Hinkle — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:45:00 EST

Filed under: News

Another day, another portion of the discussion between Satoru Iwata and Masahiro Sakurai. And today's focus is on the single-player experience in Brawl, which has gotten a lot more love from Sakurai than from those who've worked on previous installments in the franchise.

Essentially, he describes the single-player campaign as a completely different experience than that of the tried-and-true multiplayer game, citing differences in both character movement and the "basic game system." On top of that, it will offer players a more fleshed-out and digestible storyline, instead of just tossing the player into a scenario and asking them to complete it.

Iwata Asks Sakurai: Volume 4 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata Asks: Volume 3

David Hinkle — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: News

Following the first two installments of Iwata Asks with special guest star Masahiro Sakurai, we're now presented with the third. And, just like the first two segments of the interview, this one is chock full of interesting stuff. Again, we point to Iwata's uncanny ability to interview folks.

This piece of the interview focuses on the fun you can have in Super Smash Bros. Brawl with others, whether it be locally or through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connect. It touches on stage building, sharing and, one of the aspects of the title we're most looking forward to, co-op.

Iwata Asks: Volume 3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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