Miyamoto discusses how Super Mario Galaxy 2 is similar to Majora's Mask and why resonance trumps story
- May 21, 2010 12:04 PM PT
In a recent interview with Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, famed developer Shigeru Miyamoto explained the development process behind his most famous character's latest adventure, Super Mario Galaxy 2. Read on to find out how Miyamoto hoped to finish Galaxy 2 in a year, how the game incorporates more 2D elements, and why he believes that resonance is more important than story.
The always-informative Iwata Asks interview series doesn't disappoint in its latest installment, as the man in the interviewee role is none other than Shigeru Miyamoto. Having played an influential role in both the Super Mario and Legend of Zelda series, Miyamoto is able to draw a parallel between his latest game (Super Mario Galaxy 2) and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask noting that both games were rare opportunities to re-purpose content from an existing title on the platform. Miyamoto mentioned that Majora's Mask was able to come together in a little over a year's time, a turnaround he was hoping to replicate on with Galaxy 2. However, due to the inclusion of 2D-esque elements by creating sequences with side and top-view camera angles, the game ended up taking two and a half years to create.
During the course of the interview, Miyamoto also divulged that he has often opposed the inclusion of story in Mario platformers, stating that the addition of plot had made the series more like the Zelda franchise. However, during the course of Galaxy 2's development, Miyamoto found that the story additions had gotten out of hand, and spoke to Yoshiaki Koizumi, the director of the first Mario Galaxy and the producer of the second. While the conversation did not lead to Miyamoto's acceptance of Koizumi's addition of story elements, he did encounter a major epiphany during the conversation. "I realized that whether it's story or movies, it's not about whether we need them or don't need them," Miyamoto told Iwata. "What's most important is that the game resonates."
When it came to creating Mario platformers, Miyamoto discovered the importance of helping the player feel comfortable within a world and with its characters. Being able to understand why an enemy is located on a level and what it is capable of was tantamount to the creation of Mario Galaxy 2. Citing a classic Nintendo trope as an example of the company's ability to resonate, Miyamoto explained "You notice things like how a certain enemy wasn't scary, but the next time a similar one appears, its color is a little different and it spits out two rocks instead of one, so you think it must be tougher. You reason things out for yourself and put them to the test. This kind of interaction is interesting."
Super Mario Galaxy 2 comes out this Sunday. You can read our review of the game here and read the entire interview between Iwata and Miyamoto in the source link below.
SOURCE: Iwata Asks: Super Mario Galaxy 2 [Wii.com]
Like this story? You may also enjoy these articles.
Comments [1]
-
- 1
-
- May 25 2010 at 02:25:09:PM PST
-
I loved Majora's Mask, even though I had mixed feelings about the time system. The freedom to do whatever you wanted over and over again from the get go was really nice. Assuming SMG2 is every bit as good as MM (which it probably is) then I have another game to look forward to playing.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
-
- 1
