Super Smash Bros. boss Masahiro Sakurai has spoken to IGN about the fourth installment in the series, revealing that he's keen to avoid unnecessary gimmicks and feels that adding more non-Nintendo characters might be detrimental to the game's focus.
"The GameCube controller is not the only way to control Smash Bros., so we will look into ways that fits the Wii U," explained Sakurai, who recently worked on the sublime Kid Icarus: Uprising. "The game system itself is complete, so we don’t want to make it 3D or introduce complicated controls just for the sake of it. However, I am thinking of ways we can introduce a slightly different, fun experience all the while keeping the usual frantic game play."
While rumours are circulating that Nintendo could be introducing more cameos in Super Smash Bros. 4, Sakurai was quick to cast doubt over the idea. "I think Snake and Sonic joining were fantastic," he added. "It made many fans happy, and it broadened the Smash Bros arena. However, introducing more non-Nintendo characters willy-nilly will lose the focus of the game, so I also recognise the need to narrow it down."
Super Smash Bros. 4 is expected some time next year, and will launch on both the 3DS and Wii U.
[source uk.ign.com]
Comments 67
I'm still hoping either this or Super Sony Bros has some Squaresoft characters in it.
I'd STILL be surprised if they don't add at least ONE Namco character in recognition of their involvement in the development...but I'd be totally cool if that's where the third-party cameos end. I hope they aren't planning to cut Sonic and Snake, though...as a general rule, I'm against characters being removed.
YES YES YES YESSSSS HE SAID WILLY NILLY and I trust sakurai with my gaming life :3 I know in the end hell make another game of the year and @jamouse I think a square soft(enix) character has a bigger chance of making it into Sony all stars poorly done roster
I wouldn't mind seeing some more third party characters. But there has to be a limit to it. Looking at the character selection menu, I'd say that one vertical line (which is about 4 characters) of characters can be 3rd party only - but that's it.
I'd love to see Travis Touchdown from the No More Heroes franchise in this title.
Super smash bros. 4 is expected sometime next year? I can't see that happening. Hasn't Sakurai been saying not to expect it for like 4 years or something?
@Stuffgamer1: Namco characters previously appeared in the arcade versions of Mario Kart, so it wouldn't at all surprise me if they go on to appear in Super Smash Bros 4, though I can't help but wonder how Pacman could possibly fight alongside everybody else considering his relative lack of mobility. =P
It wouldn't be that far fetched for Super Smash Bros 4 to be released next year considering that it will have been 5 years between instalments.
@FonistofCruxis: I believe he said that BEFORE Namco's assistance was announced. I guess the theory is that their help will speed development along...like, a lot.
@sillygostly: I suppose they could always pull a Street Fighter X Tekken and put him in a mech...
This is good news, I was really worried we were going to be loaded down with pointless guest characters. Sonic and Snake were great additions, but we don't need see barely recognisable JRPG additions.
Pac-man would be acceptable. He's a classic character that would fit in well, especially alongside Game & Watch.
Your beans... where are they?!
I agree with FonistofCruxis. If Smash Bros 4 is released next year I will eat my hat.
I can't wait until this game comes out and all the Sony fanbois are bashing it for being a Sony All Stars Battle Royale rip-off
I would like them to make use of the controller screen by making this playable only on that though. Not with touch controls, just normal controls. I won't even bother wishing for x-platform with the 3DS as I just don't see that system being powerful enough to run a WiiU game. Though NSMB2 has local multiplayer so who knows.
And no, not next year. Heck when Brawl was announced at E3 it was supposed to come out in Dec. (not next year, not next spring, in the America's Dec. 3rd).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpYQOHOAhSk
Then it got pushed back once to Feb. and then again to March. So even if this was scheduled for 2013 it would still not release until 2014. If this article had said 2014 or 2 years I'ld be ok with that.
As long as he puts in pac-man I'll buy
Well, this is...underwhelming. I don't really see anything here that I hadn't already guessed.
As for Namco characters, everyone seems to be treating Pac-Man as an inevitability, but I honestly hope Lloyd from Tales of Symphonia gets in instead. He's got a lot more natural moveset potential that Pac-Man does imho.
Edit: The 2013 release date is BS; We get it 2014 at the earliest.
I still don't know about that next year thing but that did get me a little excited.
I agree with not wanting too much third party, but I do want Pac-man!
I would love if they put Sora or Riku (KH) there. Doubt it though, but a man can dream, can't he?
I'm just waiting. I'm probably going to get this for both 3DS and Wii U. Why should I ever have to leave Smash Bros. at home?
Did you say sometime next year?
@vonseux Not really since No More Heroes is on PS3 too.
Since he said, "introducing more non-Nintendo characters willy-nilly will lose the focus of the game," he will not be putting Pac-Man in.
Just take a moment to think about it, they will have to put legs and arms on Pac-Man (not very classic anymore, eh?) and his smash attacks will go along the lines of getting people inside his mouth and gasp! Guess what? There are already three Nintendo characters that do that! :0
Next year?
I really don't want any 3rd party characters and that includes Pac-man.
I expect 5 guest characters at most!
Some time next year? Wow! If that is actually true, then Namco must be helping out a LOT! But I'm not getting my hopes too high here, just watch it land in 2014. As for the 3rd party discussion, my personal choices would be Pac-Man and Sora.
@sillygostly #7 but most of that time Sakurai worked on KIU, he JUST started on SSB4
Also maybe they could add 3rd parties as DLC, to keep everyone satisfied, they should have DLC SE, Namco, Sega, Konami, and Capcom characters released from time to time
This is good news. Some people are saying they want more characters, but think about this: This is on Wii U and 3DS with the same roster. It will be a very small roster increase I predict, because the 3ds version won't be able to hold as many characters.
Also, I think PacMan won't be entering, because he has no attacks in his game.
I want Travis Touchdown as a character. That's all I want. Then, I will be happy. I think I might write to Sakurai!
All hail to Sakurai!
Please take Snake out. Replace him with Mega Man.
"The game itself is complete.."
"The game itself is complete.."
"THE GAME ITSELF IS COMPLETE..."
Best news I've heard all day.
2013? 2014 seems more likely.
Lack of GameCube controller was exteremely worrying at first (1-2 with gamepad and the rest of the players with herb derb Wii motes) but thankfully there´s WiiU Pro controller, which you don´t have to connect to Wiimotes like those classic controllers.
@Pixel-Perfect
Please no. Megaman would be OK, but replacing Snake is not.
Bring on the EGGMAN!!!!!!
It's a shame but please at least keep Sonic...
Well I am now much more relieved...I never wanted a whole bunch of non-nintendo characters.But a few 3rd parties would be pretty cool to have, just not too many. I have more faith now
I want me some Pit, Palutena, Hades, Viridi, and Pyrrhon in these SSBs!
@FluttershyGuy Pit is pretty much automatically set to return. As for the others, at the VERY very least we will see trophies of them!
@WingedFish @FluttershyGuy How about axing Ike and replacing him with Magnus? That way the character roster isn't expanded and is much more realistic than including the Gods and Godesses.
The dev teams at Nintendo better eat, sleep and Wii by their desks if they want to have any hopes of sticking to that deadline.
Well, it seems I wont be able to use the GCN controller anymore. Good thing I can use the sideways wiimote control scheme.
Also, yes for limited cameos. Looks weird having many characters from another franchise
Wonder if they will replace snake and sonic?
(anyway, they are mods for SSBB that replaces characters with completely new ones. Im happy with that)
I don't expect Sonic AND Snake to stay on... I think Sonic has the greater chance though. Who wouldn't want to see Nintendo's flagship character, SEGA's, and Namco-Bandai's (read: Mario, Sonic, and Pac-Man if you didn't catch that) in one game? I'm sure they will look for some way to implement the U pad and its touchscreen, but hopefully nothing forced so folks can use the U pad pro just fine. Whatever it is, I will like it... I never take the SSB so seriously and just try to have fun with it, so bring it on Sakurai-san
@MeloMan
Exactly what I'm thinking...
Oh, and I highly doubt its coming out next year. Was that IGN or Nintendo Life's claim?
Snake is staying. No use arguing about that.
Actually if they could replace Solid Snake with Naked Snake, I might be a whole lot happier~
Well, I am still hoping for more non-Nintendo characters!
Well PAC man was in the Mario kart arcade games, and sonic has been in the Olympics for a while with Mario, and lastly Mario has made cameos in the Nintendo versions of MGS
Put in Skull Kid, Pac-Man and Travis Touchdown and I'll buy the 3DS version for sure
"However, introducing more non-Nintendo characters willy-nilly will lose the focus of the game, so I also recognise the need to narrow it down."
Yes, you definitely need to narrow it down from...2.
wait...what?
Just put in Mega Man!
Sometime next year? Are you insane?! Don't be getting people's hopes up. Even with Namco's assistance I don't see this game being released before 2015. Even Call Of Duty games take two years(per studio) to be released. There's just no way that Namtenco can pull this off in 1-1.5 years, and, if they somehow do release this game in 2013, I would have to seriously question the quality of the title. No, the most we can hope for is the unveiling of the gameplay by E3 next year--and even that's pushing it.
gamecube controller isnt the only way to play smash bros, he is right. BUT it has so far been one of the best ways.
"Super Smash Bros. 4 is expected some time next year"
hahahahahaha, good one
I'm glad the Sakurai is prioritising innovative and fresh gameplay over bloated features (though, that's not to say it WONT be bloated with said features).
Oh, and for Christ's sake - there WILL NOT be any stupid Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts characters in the game, okay? There WILL NOT be any inclusion of friggin' Goku from Dragon Ball... got it? There WILL NOT be any of Sonic's moronic friends as playable characters, capiche?
@grimbldoo - Just because Sakurai said "introducing more non-Nintendo characters willy-nilly will lose the focus of the game," doesn't automatically mean their WON'T be any 3rd-party characters - it means their inclusion should be meaningful, and not just blind fan-service. Indeed, I believe Pac-Man's inclusion would fit such criterea, for reasons I've stated in other threads.
A more accurate statement would be: "SSB4 is expected sometime in the future."
And, this means we'll see more of Sonic and Snake, or Nintendo doesn't have or want to have further licences?
I'll be happy if any Belmont make the expected cameo. The vampire hunters owes it to Nintendo. And I trust they'll work in good, simple controls. But I need it in 3D!!
@Stuffgamer1 It's to be expected that they would be removed since they are nothing but guest characters. Fortunately there are no worry as Nintendo might add in character that plays similar to them for SSB4. I just hope the next SSB play as good as Melee and with more playable characters and stages including a few representing franchise like Another Code R, Wave Race, 1080, Golden Sun, Pushmo, Drill Dozer, Clu Clu Land, Xenoblade, Baten Kaitos, Fatal Frame (since Nintendo own the series now), Captain Rainbow, Advance Wars, Battle Clash, Star Tropics, Sin and Punishment, Eternal Darkness, Punch-Out!!, Gyromite, Uniracer, Pilotwings, Animal Crossing, Panel de Pon, Starfy, Endless Ocean, and Geist.
So, no Pacman or Frogger as a bonus character? Damn
Why is everybody doubtful about Puck-Man being in the game. Pac-Man World 2 should give plenty of fighting material!
I would be happy if Tails and Magnus make it.
I know we aren't talking about 3rd party characters, but what about more actual Nintendo characters? Like Shulk from Xenoblade, the Pokemon trainers from Gold/Silver/Ruby/Sapphire, etc, the return of Mewtwo, and dare I say it, PROFESSOR LAYTON?!
I'm glad they're focused on not adding too many non-Nintendo Characters. It really would ruin the feel of the game, although I hope Sonic stays. I have a list of Nintendo exclusive characters I would love to see added:
A character I would love to see is Kalas from Baten Kaitos, it was a Nintendo exclusive and one of the greatest games I've ever played. Bring that series back Nintendo!
Also, this is going out on a limb, but this character has been getting a lot of abuse lately, and I think he could really thrive in a game like SSB. This one is the only non-nintendo exclusive I would like to see. Who is this character you ask? Why, Megaman of course. I think he would be a great addition to this game as long as he's not old and fat.
A list of other Characters I would love to see added:
Lloyd - Tales of Symphonia
Isaac - Lost Magic
Samurai Goroh - F-Zero
-sigh- All i want is Princess Rosalina. But i guess it won't happen... Playing as your Mii would've been cool too...
I hope they have Samus (Im a boy, but Samus's abilities are awesome) again. The only difference will be her suit Varia suit design from Other M, and her final smash should be a power bomb ripping of her suit! Just some wild guesses...
I really want Megaman to be in this, but looking at it realistically, it just can't happen. Crapcom's made it quite clear how much they don't care about one of their most popular ip's, and ultimately, even if Sakurai wants to put Megaman in SSB4, Crapcom has to make that decision. If they do, however, allow the Blue Bomber to appear in SSB4, I'll take back every bad thing I've ever said about Crapcom.
@Varia01 Samus is one of my favorite Nintendo characters and Metroid is one of my favorite franchises, and I'm a guy, lol. Samus is cool. What I hope to see from her is instead of just having her suit different colors, giver her literally her other suits. I would love to see a selection that let you pick the original Varia suit, Dark Suit, Light Suit, Phazon suit, Fusion suit, etc instead of just similar color options. Hopefully that will happen with other characters too like LInk. I would love to see his blue version be his water suit from Twilight Princess instead of just a classic suit that happens to be blue. Basically what I'm saying is I hope that instead of just different colors we'll get access to different outfits for each character.
im vying for a tales character like luke from tales of the abyss
as long as skull kid,midna,bowser jr.,unova pokémon trainer and megaman or krystal makes it i will be buying
and toon zelda/tetra has a high chance whether you like it or not!
@Stratostar I agree,heck I believe in the 2013 release date.If the game itself is done then all they're doing is touchin' it up and editing it.Or...or making a new game mode.It's not impossible.
@Silverbullet89 Yeah, I sorta think that Samus is my favorite nintendo character too, even though I'm a guy. Good idea for different suits instead of different colors for the characters! As I said on my profile, I'm a big fan of sci-fi, especially Metroid. Samus is one the few #1 favorite female characters I have.
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