Splatoon Dev: It Couldn't Have Been Mario

[Steven Bogos]

Splatoon Dev: It Couldn't Have Been Mario

"It had to be squids" says Splatoon producer Hisashi Nogami.

Game Informer [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/conferences/e32014/11689-Splatoon-Hands-On-Modern-Squidfare] about how the strange hybrid squid children came to be the game's main characters, rather than the more obvious choice of simply using established Nintendo characters.

When we had a really good long think about, would one of [our established IP characters] fit it? Or should this new squid idea be the way to go? We realized squids were definitely the only thing we could go with.

"With us, first we're making the game, and then we think what kind of characters we would use with it, and obviously, one of those choices is established IP," stated Nogami, going on to explain that "We found that it really had to be new characters to would fit this game we were making. It would be kind of weird if Mario got splattered with ink and then exploded."

But what about Super Mario Sunshine, where Mario had a water cannon that worked somewhat similar to the "ink cannons" in Splatoon? "Yeah, but it's not like he blew up or anything," said Nogami with a laugh. "First we started with the ability to shoot ink but then we added the ability to swim really fast through it, and as we kept adding more abilities to what the player was able to do, there was this kind of moment where we all realized, 'Oh yeah, this would work really well with squids.'"

"Making them squids, it made a lot of the actions easy to explain and also made it really fun, and it was also this idea where all the actions we wanted to include in the game could be built around the idea of squids to get them all in there."

So there you have it, the reasons why Splatoon because its own IP, and not Super Mario Paintball (though we have to admit that sounds like a badass idea).

Source: Game Informer [http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2014/06/22/splatoon-interview-it-couldn-39-t-be-mario-it-had-to-be-squids.aspx]

Permalink

 

[Dark Knifer]

Well yeah. Mario isn't allowed to explode in anything.

Although I thought those squids looked just like the bloopers from mario anyway so you could probably tie it in if you really wanted.

 

[MrMan999]

Well yeah. Mario isn't allowed to explode in anything.

Although I thought those squids looked just like the bloopers from mario anyway so you could probably tie it in if you really wanted.

Maybe one of the maps will be Delfino Island. Just after Mario leaves.

 

[Dark Knifer]

Well yeah. Mario isn't allowed to explode in anything.

Although I thought those squids looked just like the bloopers from mario anyway so you could probably tie it in if you really wanted.

Maybe one of the maps will be Delfino Island. Just after Mario leaves.

I think that would finally set mario off the deep end.

Make it happen nintendo.

 

[Aikayai]

I think we'll be seeing more of the squids after the Anti-CoD images they associate with.

I know there's a fish joke in there, even if they are squid.

 

[Arqus_Zed]

I really hate the fact that "using established Nintendo characters" is seen as "the obvious choice".

I mean, why bother with original IPs at all, right?

I would love for someone to make a chart with percentages of 'new versus established IPs throughout the generations', from gen 3 up to gen 7.

 

[Akiraking]

I really hate the fact that "using established Nintendo characters" is seen as "the obvious choice".

I mean, why bother with original IPs at all, right?

I would love for someone to make a chart with percentages of 'new versus established IPs throughout the generations', from gen 3 up to gen 7.

Nintendo have in the past said that to them gameplay is the focus instead of story which also means they don't see the need in new ip unless they need it. The thing is everyone likes to think that simply being a new ip is good but a lot of the time if your gameplay is not good enough it does not matter. I am not saying that new ip is wrong but at the same time from a business perspective Nintendo are about gameplay and gameplay does not rely on new ips. The original Zelda was actually labelled Mario RPG or something like that, they only made the new world and characters when they decided Mario would not fit the style.

 

[mindfaQ]

Not to mention that Mario is probably the most boring character in video gaming for me.

 

[Lightknight]

Was somebody complaining that this wasn't Mario? Thank God that someone over there is finally considering good new IP territory. And a family friendly shooter? Brilliant Nintendo. I'm not even going to get a WiiU and I can admit that.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

Nintendo have in the past said that to them gameplay is the focus instead of story which also means they don't see the need in new ip unless they need it. The thing is everyone likes to think that simply being a new ip is good but a lot of the time if your gameplay is not good enough it does not matter. I am not saying that new ip is wrong but at the same time from a business perspective Nintendo are about gameplay and gameplay does not rely on new ips. The original Zelda was actually labelled Mario RPG or something like that, they only made the new world and characters when they decided Mario would not fit the style.

Indeed; the fact of the matter is that due to Nintendo putting gameplay first, it completely exposes a lot of "new ips" for what they really are: old games that just have a new skin and/or one shallow gimmick slapped on them. To be a new IP, the game truly has to bring something new to the table at Nintendo. It keeps the IPs at Nintendo from blurring together.

 

[medv4380]

I mean, why bother with original IPs at all, right?

You're conflating Character Intellectual Property with Game Play Intellectual Property.

Nintendo has always focused on Game Play IP first, and if existing characters don't fit then they create new character IP. You're concept of IP would only result in Nintendo making Mario clones of itself. Leave the clones to the indies, and 3rd parties.

For example, if Nintendo made a game that had the look, feel, and similar enough game play to Metroid, and didn't use the existing Metroid Character IP I'd feel cheated out of a Metroid game.

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

I really hate the fact that "using established Nintendo characters" is seen as "the obvious choice".

I mean, why bother with original IPs at all, right?

I would love for someone to make a chart with percentages of 'new versus established IPs throughout the generations', from gen 3 up to gen 7.

Nintendo have in the past said that to them gameplay is the focus instead of story which also means they don't see the need in new ip unless they need it. The thing is everyone likes to think that simply being a new ip is good but a lot of the time if your gameplay is not good enough it does not matter. I am not saying that new ip is wrong but at the same time from a business perspective Nintendo are about gameplay and gameplay does not rely on new ips. The original Zelda was actually labelled Mario RPG or something like that, they only made the new world and characters when they decided Mario would not fit the style.

See, this seems like such a noble goal to put gameplay ahead of everything else, but I have to take issue with it.

Less so because of story, though game story shouldn't be disregarded so easily, and more so in terms of aesthetics. The look of a game is extremely important and by using established characters over and over to the point of absurdity, Nintendo loses a massive amount of potential to have new, interesting, and ultimately better aesthetics.

Gameplay is great, but the other aspects of games absolutely contribute to the quality of gameplay.

As an aside, when is the spellchecker going to decide "Gameplay" is a word? I'm getting sick of all these red wavy lines. I mean Cthulhu is fine, but not gameplay?

 

[KDR_11k]

For example, if Nintendo made a game that had the look, feel, and similar enough game play to Metroid, and didn't use the existing Metroid Character IP I'd feel cheated out of a Metroid game.

Metroid is one of those series where I wouldn't mind that, a big appeal of the earlier Metroid games was exploring the unknown, seeing the worlds and mechanics out there. As Metroid got more established those worlds and mechanics got codified and are now considered mandatory. Same for SotN-style Castlevania. This genre works best when it's a new, unknown setting where you don't know what their solutions to the various obstacles will be (vs already knowing that you'll be getting the powerbombs or roc's feather jump later).

 

[oldtaku]

I'm glad it's not 'Super Mario Whatever' again. Or worse, Super Luigi Whatever.

Yo, Mario! Watch your back de geso.

 

[Haru17]

A game is good if it's good, the cast fits the tone and story of the game. The squid children, while certainly an improvement over Mario, they just look like customizable characters 1-4 to me. The squid mechanic is neat, though.

And before we demonize Mario any further, let's remember that the Paper Mario series spawned 3 of the most creative AAA RPGs out there. All with a decades old IP.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

"We realised squids were definately the only things we could go with"

Yup! You flubber loving rubbers! I appreciate your absolution. Fantabulous!

 

[Chaos Isaac]

I think most everyone is glad it's not mario.

 

[VinLAURiA]

I would love for someone to make a chart with percentages of 'new versus established IPs throughout the generations', from gen 3 up to gen 7.

If you're just talking about Nintendo, I've got you covered [http://i.imgur.com/vQeU701.png] on that.

 

[Rad Party God]

The anti-Nintendo snark is palpable on this thread.

Well, I'm glad they decided for an entirely new IP, I want to see how capable is Ninty of making a family friendly shooter

 

[Ieyke]

It's really stupid that Splatoon isn't a game about colorful Bloopers.
First have them show up in Splatoon and then have them become the primary enemies of Super Mario Sunshine 2 lead by Gooper Blooper who has become empowered with magic rainbow ink after recovering Bowser Jr's paintbrush.

WASTED OPPORTUNITY

The Splatoon characters are REALLY bland and their world is even MORE bland. Their world ESPECIALLY would hugely benefit from the Mario setting.