These days, every gaming fan under the sun is aware of the franchise-spanning beast that is Super Smash Bros., but did you know about how it originally took shape under the name of a prototype known as 'Dragon King'?
Smash series director, Masahiro Sakurai, has discussed both this and another unfinished prototype destined for the Nintendo 64 in an interview for Hobonichi's book on Satoru Iwata. Translations of the interview have been shared online by PushDustIn.
According to PushDustIn's translations, Sakurai got to work on a number of N64 prototypes towards the end of Kirby Super Star's development. He began studying 3D tools and animation, eventually designing a prototype called Dragon King (or 'Ryuo: Fighting King', as it was known in Japan), which would use the N64's control stick and all four controller ports. At the time, the game didn't feature 'Special' attacks, but the gameplay "felt like" Smash and was eventually transformed into the original Super Smash Bros. game.
The second prototype discussed was an adventure game starring a robot which would explore a mysterious, underground city. This robot would need to hack into cameras so that the player could further explore the city, and while this title was never released, Sakurai notes that the original Resident Evil actually features a very similar control mechanic.
PushDustIn notes that Iwata handled programming duties for both of these prototypes; work on both continued for some time, but it was ultimately decided that focus should shift toward the fighting game as it would be completed faster. The robot adventure game would have taken "at least two years to finish".
If you're interested in learning more, Dragon King was once discussed in an Iwata Asks interview.
[source twitter.com, via gonintendo.com]
Comments 12
I remember seeing that screenshot ages ago
King dragon sends his regards!
For the people laughably writing this off as "old news," we knew about Dragon King, but there was previously no knowledge about this second prototype that controlled like Resident Evil. There is much more detail directly from the source, PushDustin's Twitter. These interviews and translations are not only hard work, but important to preserving video game history. Show some respect!
Captain Falcon's moveset was actually based of the original Dragon King Fighters
It’s funny to think that at some point someone at Nintendo could have canned what would go on to become Smash, to focus on this other game. Kinda crazy.
I don't know why, but for some reason this made me remember the old N64 Smash Bros commercial. I still laugh every time I watch it!
@DavidMac Who knows what amazing game we'd all be playing if someone in power at some point didn't order it be cancelled for being non-profitable.
Or in what beautiful world we could live if actual constructive creativity was considered more profitable, with all life's interests in mind, than destructive hierarchy that's only lucrative for those at the very "top" at the cost of all life being considered an expendable resource, from "human resources" to keep the machines running and the consumption going, to other animals as "meat", trees as "wood"... If the speakers of truth weren't shot, imprisoned, or silenced in whatever violent or "creative" way those with power through lies and fear could come up and get away with.
Humans often arrogantly think as if the current road traveled has to be the ultimate one, in the right direction. But what if we're entirely wrong, raising entire generations to follow in our footsteps... To wage wars with those of different views, who may be closer to being "right" than ours... Or even just because "their" "land" has "resources" "we" "need".
But I feel like I'm getting off-topic on a Nintendo related website...
Imagine though...
Old news being presented as news is bad news.
Slow day, eh NL?
Always happy for Sakurai when I think about what he has achieved in his working life. Just hope he will take some well deserved rest and not work himself to sickness (again)
@Maschinenmensch Look at my previous comment, you're embarrassing yourself.
@bahooney you’re one vindictive sort aren’t ya, sunshine? Mind your own business. No one was talking to you.
@Maschinenmensch Grow up, you're embarrassing yourself.
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