News Sakurai Says Getting Banjo-Kazooie In Smash Bros. Ultimate Came "Quite Easily"
Was nervous to work with Dragon Quest
News Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Balance Isn't A Concern For Masahiro Sakurai
It’s doing just fine according to battle data
News Sakurai Battled Through Health Issues With An IV Drip During Smash Ultimate Development
"I just get an IV drip and go to work like normal"
News Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Wins Famitsu Game Of The Year Award
Alongside Monster Hunter: World
Video Sakurai Declined Offer To Work On Oculus VR Games Because Of The Small Audience
Not enough users for his liking
Masahiro Sakurai - News
June2019
News Sakurai Says Getting Banjo-Kazooie In Smash Bros. Ultimate Came "Quite Easily"
Was nervous to work with Dragon Quest
Super Smash Bros. series director Masahiro Sakurai has explained that securing Banjo and Kazooie as playable characters for Ultimate came "quite easily", despite the IP now being owned by Microsoft. The information comes from Sakurai's latest column in Japanese magazine Famitsu. In the column (which has been...
News The Next DLC Fighter For Smash Ultimate Will Be Revealed At Nintendo's E3 Direct
In case you were wondering...
At major fighting game tournaments nowadays, developers and publishers tend to reveal new content once a winner has been crowned. While Nintendo fans were hoping this would happen at the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate World Championship, unfortunately, it didn't. Instead, we got a brief message from the game's director...
April2019
News Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Wins Famitsu Game Of The Year Award
Alongside Monster Hunter: World
If Super Smash Bros. Ultimate hasn't already received enough praise, it's now taken out Famitsu's 2018 Game of the Year Award alongside Monster Hunter: World. It's a similar situation to the previous year when The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Dragon Quest XI both won. The game's creator Masahiro Sakurai...
March2019
News Sakurai Battled Through Health Issues With An IV Drip During Smash Ultimate Development
"I just get an IV drip and go to work like normal"
The health of Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai has been discussed rather heavily over the last few years, with fans often concerned about his wellbeing thanks to a seemingly overly-punishing work schedule. Various health issues have caused Sakurai to hint at rethinking his work-life...
February2019
Video Did You Know Gaming Takes A Look At Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Smashing stuff
Now that the majority of Switch owners have played Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Did You Know Gaming recently uploaded a lengthy video sharing a bunch of interesting facts, secrets and easter eggs about the game. It turns out the project plan for this game was dated around the same day as the final Super Smash Bros. presentation for...
Video Sakurai Declined Offer To Work On Oculus VR Games Because Of The Small Audience
Not enough users for his liking
When you read or hear the name Masahiro Sakurai, you're likely to think of the Super Smash Bros. series or the famous pink puffball, Kirby. Either way, this legendary video game director and designer has commonly been associated with multiple Nintendo projects over the duration of his career. There was one point,...
News Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Balance Isn't A Concern For Masahiro Sakurai
It’s doing just fine according to battle data
Competitive games can be an absolute nightmare to balance due to a number of different factors in play. In the case of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, you would think it would be near impossible to keep each fight fair when there are now 75 playable characters. Apparently, though, each of the fighters in...
Random Sonic Team Composer Gets Masahiro Sakurai To Sign His Copy Of Smash Bros. Ultimate
What a nice guy
Masahiro Sakurai - the creator of the Super Smash Bros. series - isn’t only idolised by fans of his games, there are also people within the video game industry who consider him to be a living legend. One of these individuals is Sonic Team composer Tomoya Ohtani, who provided some remixed tunes for Sakurai's latest release on...
January2019
News Masahiro Sakurai Thanks Fans For Playing The Super Smash Bros. Series Over The Past 20 Years
No, thank you
The Super Smash Bros. series started out life in 1999 as a humble party game on the Nintendo 64 for up to four players. Since then, Masahiro Sakurai and his team have improved each entry by adding more characters, levels and features. Most recently, we saw the release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Switch. Unsurprisingly, it was...
News Masahiro Sakurai Reveals He Plays Smash Bros. Ultimate For Fun Just Like The Rest Of Us
Fancy a match, Sakurai-san?
It's been well documented over the years that each and every Super Smash Bros. game takes an awful lot of development, and every so often we hear stories of director Masahiro Sakurai overworking to the point of exhaustion before being forced to consider retiring from games altogether. Amazingly, though, this doesn't stop...
December2018
News Masahiro Sakurai Says There's No Correct Way To Play Super Smash Bros.
You heard the man
Earlier this week, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai wrote about the new Switch release in Famitsu. According to the translation - courtesy of Siliconera, Sakurai's thoughts about how the game should be played are still the same. His belief is there is no correct way to necessarily play Smash Bros. As for his v
News Masahiro Sakurai Rules Out A Modern Port Of Kid Icarus: Uprising
"I don't think this will be possible"
Earlier this week when Nintendo was counting down the days until the release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Switch, it revealed a previously unpublished augmented reality card for the 2012 3DS release, Kid Icarus: Uprising. If it got you wondering about a potenti
Random Masahiro Sakurai Immortalised As A Super Smash Bros. Ultimate amiibo
A new challenger is approaching!
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will grow Nintendo's amiibo library with its inclusion of a bunch of new and returning fighters. There's a current total of 70 fighters to collect in figurine form. If this current list and the upcoming DLC fighters weren't already enough, two fans have gone the extra mile creating a Super...
November2018
No need to forward him your requests
Last week during the final Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct before the release of the game in December, Director Masahiro Sakurai confirmed a total of five DLC fighters would eventually be made available and that the team would be working "really hard" on the development of this content. This announcement...
August2018
News Masahiro Sakurai Will Continue To Make Smash Bros. Games "If The Demand Is There"
Which it will be
We've only just been given our second taste of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate action, and the game is still months away from release, but that doesn't mean that the series' lead creator Masahiro Sakurai isn't already thinking about the future. With each Super Smash Bros. title that passes, whispers from the man himself...
News Masahiro Sakurai's Arcade Days Taught Him To Be Mindful Of All Types Of Players
Life lessons
Masahiro Sakurai - the director and public face of the Super Smash Bros. series - is known for his tireless efforts when it comes to making video games. In a recent interview with The Guardian about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the 48-year-old Tokyo-based developer discussed how his gaming experiences growing u
Here we go again
The Director of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Masahiro Sakurai said during the latest broadcast the team intended to reveal the design of every fighter before the game launched on the Switch later this year, with a few more to announcements to come. He also noted the addition of two highly requested fighters - in Echo form - during the...
July2018
News Nintendo's Bill Trinen Wants To Dispel The Myth That Smash Bros. Became Popular By "Accident"
"That actually suggests that Mr. Sakurai didn't know what he was doing"
Super Smash Bros. is one of Nintendo's premier franchises and has millions of fans all over the globe - many of whom play the game with incredible skill at a competitive level. However, for as long as Smash has been popular, there have been critics who attack the game's...
June2018
News Sakurai Is Well Aware That You Want Waluigi In Smash Bros. Ultimate, Says Reggie
"In the end it's his decision to make"
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate features every character that has been playable since the series began, but one thing is missing - Waluigi isn't part of the roster and remains relegated to the role of an assist trophy. For some fans, this is an injustice which cannot continue - and they're even prepared to...
News Super Smash Bros. Fans Are Harassing Masahiro Sakurai Over Waluigi Snub
File under "not cool"
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is going to be a greatest hits package worth waiting for, as it includes every character from the entire series, dating all the way back to the N64. However, for some fans, this isn't enough. The fact that Waluigi never seems to catch a break has become something of a running joke in
May2018
"This game is so hard to stop playing!"
Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai is a busy man, but he still makes time for a little gaming when he needs to unwind and according to his latest Famitsu column (as translated by Source Gaming), he is currently quite partial to playing a bit of Stardew Valley on Nintendo Switch after a hard day...
March2018
Weirdness Siri Thinks Masahiro Sakurai Is Called 'Mashed Potato Samurai'
Joy contained within
Some days are average, some days are downright dull, and other days present you with the most utterly wonderful things that you could never have even dreamt of. Today is one of those fine days, ladies and gents, and we couldn't be more delighted. Yes, today brings the news that Siri - the 'intelligent personal assistant' that...
News Masahiro Sakurai Confirms He's Working On Super Smash Bros. Switch
But his role remains uncertain...
Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai has revealed via Twitter that he is working on the Switch version of the popular fighting franchise, which was officially announced during yesterday's Nintendo Direct. According to
February2018
News Famitsu Interview Hints That Masahiro Sakurai Could Step Back From Directing Games
"It might be good to take on more of a consulting role"
Masahiro Sakurai has created some incredible games, but he's most commonly connected with the Super Smash Bros. series. Sakurai is forever hinting that he can't be in charge of Smash forever, and in a recent interview with Japanese magazine Famitsu - which is in the process of being...
May2017
News Masahiro Sakurai Compares Zelda: Breath Of The Wild And Horizon Zero Dawn
"They really are masterpieces"
Kirby and Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai has a regular column in Japanese magazine Famitsu, and the topic of his latest entry - kindly translated by Source Gaming - is two of 2017's biggest open-world video games: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Horizon Zero Dawn
January2017
News Masahiro Sakurai's Recent Toy Purchase Is Related To His Current Project
Rifle used as a visual reference, apparently
It's a fair bet that Masahiro Sakurai is working on something for the Nintendo Switch right now, but exactly what that might be is anyone's guess. However, Sakurai has revealed in an interview with Denfaminicogamer that his latest toy purchase is related to his current work. The robot in question is from...
November2015
News 1993 Kirby's Adventure Interview Reveals Cut Content, Alternative Names And Why Kirby Is Pink
"Normally a character like Kirby would have been yellow"
Kirby is now a firmly-established member in Nintendo's vast catalogue of intellectual properties, but back in 1993 he was very much a newcomer looking to prove himself - as this fascinating interview from the period attests. Freshly translated by Shumplations.com, the feature originally...
July2015
News Super Smash Bros. Creator Pays Tribute To His Former Superior And Friend, Satoru Iwata
"My mind went white and even now the reality hasn’t sunk in"
Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai has used his column in Weekly Famitsu to pay tribute to his former superior at HAL Laboratory, Satoru Iwata. Iwata passed away recently after a long battle with cancer, and Sakurai says that after hearing the sad news his "mind went white and...
June2015
"Every now and then someone will vent their misplaced anger towards me"
With a roster as massive as that seen in Super Smash Bros., making sure each fighter is balanced can be a tricky business - hence the issues with Diddy Kong, which have recently been patched. However, there are some Smash fans who feel that creator Masahiro Sakurai has...
February2015
News Sakurai Considered Having All Fighters Unlocked In Super Smash Bros. For Wii U
Nothing of value comes easily
Masahiro Sakurai has published a new "Smash Bros. Diaries" entry in the latest issue of Game Informer, and one question in particular struck a chord with Smash fans: had he ever considered allowing the fighter unlocks in the 3DS version to transfer over to the Wii U version? Although Sakurai's answer started with a...
October2014
News Sounds Like Super Smash Bros. Director Masahiro Sakurai Sure Could Use A Break
Somebody give this man a medal
Fans of Super Smash Bros. will already know just how much effort series head Masahiro Sakurai puts into developing Nintendo’s all-star franchise, but that hasn't stopped the passionate game maker from talking about how he balances his private life with the full-force development cycle of the Smash series. In his...
News Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Announcement Revealing its "True Potential" is on the Way
Development isn't finished yet
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U isn't far away, due in late November / early December depending on your region. Logically development should be drawing to a close, as a result, though Masahiro Sakurai — in his most recent Weekly Famitsu column — has said "I'm not done yet...". There's still work to be done. Of course,...
"We need to listen not just to the biggest fans"
This week sees the launch of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, the first portable iteration of the famous fighting game franchise. As you'll already know if you're a seasoned reader of Nintendo Life, we've delivered our critical verdict of the game and found it to be something of a smash hit, and in...
September2014
Review Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
The smash-hit 3DS owners have been waiting for?
Ever since being announced alongside its Wii U counterpart, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS has been scrutinised by fans around the world to an almost excessive degree. Being the first game in the popular crossover fighting series to be released on a handheld system, there were understandably some...
Developer Profile Masahiro Sakurai
About the man behind two of Nintendo’s most significant franchises
"I decide what goes in the game; nobody else." These were the words of Masahiro Sakurai during a 2008 interview with Official Nintendo Magazine about Super Smash. Bros. Brawl. It's a quote that stands out because it contrasts quite starkly with the modest way in which the man...
August2014
Feature The History of Super Smash Bros.
How Nintendo's crossover fighting series smashed its way to fame and glory
Despite its immense popularity — not to mention the frenzied hype and anticipation that comes during the lead-up to each new instalment — the origins of the Super Smash Bros. series are in fact remarkably humble. When its creator, Masahiro Sakurai, initially came up with...
July2014
News Sakurai Explains Why Chrom Didn't Make It Into Super Smash Bros. For Wii U And 3DS
"Compared with other characters, he lacks any unique characteristics"
The recent announcement that Captain Falcon, Lucina and Robin would be joining the cast of Super Smash Bros. on the Wii U and 3DS was both thrilling and somewhat disappointing; although the reveal trailer featured Fire Emblem favourite Chrom — leading
April2014
News New Online Multiplayer Modes Revealed for Super Smash Bros. on 3DS and Wii U
Prepare yourself for a smashing time over the net
The online modes for Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U were finally revealed to the world in Nintendo's recent Super Smash Bros. Direct presentation, and it seems that both inexperienced and competitive players have something to be happy about. The online portion of the game, which has been...
March2014
News Super Smash Bros. Director Masahiro Sakurai Seems To Quite Like The PS4
Isn't it nice when everyone gets along?
Masahiro Sakurai may be famous for working on Nintendo hardware, but that doesn't mean he can't say nice things about the company's rivals. Speaking in his regular column in Japanese magazine Famitsu, the Smash Bros. director heaped praise on the Sony PlayStation 4, describing it as "good-looking" and capable...
June2013
News Sakurai Aiming To Please "The Silent Majority" With New Smash Bros.
Series director no longer considers Smash to be just a fighting game
As we all know, there's a new Smash Bros. title coming to the Wii U and 3DS next year. It looks amazing, has Mega Man in it, and is driving its creator to the point of
News Smash Bros. Director Pushing Himself "To The Brink" To Decide Character Roster
Masahiro Sakurai reveals the mental cost of making a legendary fighter
We already know the physical torment Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai has had to suffer during the development of the Wii U and 3DS titles, but he has now revealed to
News Masahiro Sakurai Confirms Smash Bros. Reveal For Next Week's Nintendo Direct
"For the first time, simultaneously worldwide!"
Masahiro Sakurai has taken to Twitter to confirm what we perhaps already knew — next week's E3-flavoured Nintendo Direct will contain footage of the new Super Smash Bros. title. The tweet — which has been translated by Kotaku — reads as follows: Notice: On the June 11th 11PM Nintendo Direct,...
March2013
News Sakurai: Online Play Will Be Improved in Upcoming Smash Bros.
"We've learned a lot about net play since Brawl was released"
Super Smash Bros. Brawl was one of the few Wii games to venture online. By delving into the Nintendo WFC players from all four corners of the world could brawl with each other in what was a decent experience in some battles, and a more turbulent one in others. Unfortunately, as with most...
February2013
News Masahiro Sakurai: Stories in Video Games Can be "Irksome"
"I just want the game to let me play"
With the rise of technology over the years video games have established themselves as one of the biggest storytelling mediums out there. Stories used to be as basic as climbing a tower to save a damsel in distress, but as time has worn on they've become full cinematic experiences - even if we are still rescuing...
August2012
News Rest Easy, New Characters Are Coming To Smash Bros. 3DS and Wii U
Masahiro Sakurai confirms new additions to roster
Super Smash Bros. supremo Masahiro Sakurai's recent comments regarding the 3DS and Wii U versions of the game have caused a little concern amongst fans. Speaking a few weeks ago about adding more cameos to the game, he said: "Introducing more non-Nintendo characters willy-nilly will lose the focus of...
News Sakurai Spills Some Beans On Super Smash Bros. 4
Control methods being explored, more cameos looking unlikely
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...
June2012
News Masahiro Sakurai Steps Up as Keynote Speaker at CEDEC
Talking about video games, presumably
Masahiro Sakurai has gained a reputation as the go-to man for some of Nintendo's key franchises that don't necessarily have Mario in the title. As a young employee at Nintendo he created Kirby, and has also masterminded the three entries in the Super Smash Bros. series, while also taking on the upcoming Wii U...
News Yuzo Koshiro Really Likes Kid Icarus: Uprising's Multiplayer
Killer beats
Legendary musician Yuzo Koshiro is best known for his soundtracks to The Revenge of Shinobi, Streets of Rage and Sonic the Hedgehog on Master System, but he's also a killer at Kid Icarus: Uprising. Uprising supremo Masahiro Sakurai spoke to Cubed3 and revealed
May2012
News Sakurai Won't Make a Kid Icarus: Uprising Sequel
Smashing hopes
We've only just asked if Kid Icarus could be Nintendo's next big franchise, but along comes Kid Icarus: Uprising director Masahiro Sakurai to say he won't create a sequel. IGN asked if Project Sora had created a "lasting universe" the team could return to in future projects, to which Sakurai replied: If by ‘lasting u
News Sakurai: Dual Analogue Control in Kid Icarus: Uprising Was "Technically Impossible"
Stylus aiming speed "is on a whole different level"
Kid Icarus: Uprising enjoyed an excellent critical reception from the majority of the gaming press, though even some of the most positive reviews raised the controls as an issue. We argued that they work well 'with practice' in our Kid Icarus: Uprising review, but it was nevertheless a common...
April2012
News Sakurai: Smash Bros. to 'Change Direction a Little' on Wii U and 3DS
Still a long wait ahead
Masahiro Sakurai has been busy with Kid Icarus: Uprising for a while now, but it seems that he's finally turning his attention to the next entry in the Super Smash Bros. franchise. The confirmation of a new title for both Wii U and 3DS was actually made at E3 2011, though we later learned that the announcement was premature...
News Kid Icarus: Uprising Development Landed on Wii, Briefly
Took in PC too
Masahiro Sakurai started work on Kid Icarus: Uprising so long ago there weren't even 3DS development kits, according to a new Iwata Asks. Sakurai told Nintendo president Satoru Iwata that his Project Sora team made do with the other hardware available, including Wii: At first we didn’t have the Nintendo 3DS development kit, so we...
February2012
News Kid Icarus: Uprising Gives New SpotPass Weapons Every Day
Getting stronger all the time
Masahiro Sakurai has revealed players will be able to grab new weapons for Kid Icarus: Uprising through SpotPass. Speaking at the on-going Nintendo Direct, Sakurai spoke about the system's StreetPass and SpotPass functions opening up new ways to share and create weapons. Players will be able to get new Power Gems to...
News Next Smash Bros. Development Starts with a Look Back
Sakurai in retrospective mode
The announcement of a new Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS drew cheers at E3, even if we knew it would be a few years until we got to play it. Creator Masahiro Sakurai has just wrapped up work on Kid Icarus: Uprising, but before his thoughts turn to the new fighter he's taking a look back at development of Super Smash...
January2012
News Sakurai: Next Smash Bros. "May Take a While"
Who knew?
Super Smash Bros. helmsman Masahiro Sakurai has told Nintendo Power (via Nintendo Everything) that the next instalments are a long way off yet. Satoru Iwata announced Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS at E3 last year, but with Kid Icarus: Uprising on Sakurai's plate it seems development on the fight
June2011
News Sakurai "In Talks" to Bring Original Kid Icarus to 3DS
Another 3D Classic on the way?
Masahiro Sakurai's long-awaited Kid Icarus: Uprising is coming to 3DS around Christmas this year, and impatient gamers are looking towards Pit's previous outings to plug the gap. Wii owners can already play Kid Icarus on Virtual Console, but will 3DS owners get a downloadable slice of Pit too? A recent IGN interview...
Masahiro Sakurai - Features
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