Smash Bros. Director Justifies "Clone" Characters, Dismisses Complaints

[Kenjitsuka]

"I guess when you look at it this way, with the clone characters being more of a "happy accident" than something they dedicated a lot of resources to, it makes a lot of sense."

I'd look at it like that from the get go.
I think that most complainers indeed do not know a whole lot about video game design (no offense).
Plus, it's likely that complainers are hardcore fans, and they are extremely hard to please... just ask Yahtzee

 

[Alleged_Alec]

"I guess when you look at it this way, with the clone characters being more of a "happy accident" than something they dedicated a lot of resources to, it makes a lot of sense."

I'd look at it like that from the get go.
I think that most complainers indeed do not know a whole lot about video game design (no offense).
Plus, it's likely that complainers are hardcore fans, and they are extremely hard to please... just ask Yahtzee

The problem arises when the devs start saying stuff about 'removing clone characters to make place for new original ones' and then adding more clones.

 

[Trishbot]

He sounds REALLY burnt out on this game and the fans. Maybe Sakurai should work on something less stressful for awhile... because he's make me feel cynical.

I'm not exactly eager to buy his game when he's just so openly dismissive towards fans. This game is basically FANSERIVCE: the Game. Of COURSE fans are going to be demanding about their favorite non-included characters (still can't believe there's no Golden Sun representation, for instance).

 

[Kenjitsuka]

"I guess when you look at it this way, with the clone characters being more of a "happy accident" than something they dedicated a lot of resources to, it makes a lot of sense."

I'd look at it like that from the get go.
I think that most complainers indeed do not know a whole lot about video game design (no offense).
Plus, it's likely that complainers are hardcore fans, and they are extremely hard to please... just ask Yahtzee

The problem arises when the devs start saying stuff about 'removing clone characters to make place for new original ones' and then adding more clones.

They did that? If so, then that's a different story altogether.

Although it would depend on how the clones differ from their main character.
If Dr. Mario only had the same skin (-ish) as Mario and everything else would have to be created from scratch then indeed he would be a clone in some sense, but as far as manhours to create him are concerned then those would be just as many as creating a completely different one.

There is a huge difference between copying 90% of something that you've already made and then finetuning it to get that last 10% and copying 10% and then having to do all the rest basically from scratch, after all.

 

[thatonedude11]

The reason I'm not at all mad about the clones is that a clone character takes much, much less work then creating a totally new unique character. All of the new clone characters combined probably took less work than creating a single completely new character. I would prefer more unique characters than clones, but I realize that it isn't that simple.

Admittedly though, Sakurai did seem to address these complaints in a somewhat dickish manner. However, one must keep in mind that it is a translated article, and those often do a poor job at conveying tone, so I wouldn't get too mad at Sakurai for that.

 

[KazeAizen]

Wow, I really hope something was lost in translation there, because if that's what he actually meant to say then Nintendo has officially joined the EA/Actiblizz/Ubi "oh my fucking god muzzle your insufferable asshole higher ups so they stop saying stupid shit and pissing off the community" club.

As for Smash, I'm waiting for the all clear from the community that its not as shit as Brawl before I have even a peripheral interest.

I don't think so. Nintendo has a long freaking way to go from heaven to hell also what do you mean by shit? You can't possibly be saying that Brawl was shit.

 

[blackdwarf]

I used to be a fighting gamer who hated "clones", but I find out if that you actually played those characters, you will they require a different play style to be actually good with them. Pit and Dark Pit have some minor differences, true and I do think the are they most alike in this game. But Marth and lucina have some differences. Marth is longer with a longer sword, but to be good with him, you have to have proper spacing, because the tip of his blade is a sweetspot. Lucina doesn't have that, so is a easier character. Marth has the potential to be better, but that requires a better player.

Mario and Docter Mario have some big differences. Their downair is differen and their down special is also different. But all the similar moves have different properties like range, strength and timing. Even though those moves looks similar, they require a different playstyle to be truly viable.

And can people stop saying that Captain Falcon and Ganondorf are clones, because besides animations there are nothing alike. Their moves have such unique properties compared to each other, that their playstyle is unique compared to each other. Captain is rush down character that has a high risk high reward gameplay, whereas Ganondorf is much slower gameplay, but amazing punisher. I can't overextend with Ganon, because that doesn't work with him.

 

[Roxas1359]

Whoa, so now he is a gigantic douche for telling people too cool the fuck off and trust him? Good god, how do you go through life without punching everybody you interact with?

If this is what he was truly saying and how he views his critics, then yes he's being a giant douchebag. I love the new Smash Bros game a lot, and love the work Sakurai puts into it, but even though there are people who really need to learn to be quiet that doesn't mean you stoop down to their level when it comes to insults. He's in a position that not only reflects his company Sora, but also reflects a bit on Nintendo as well. There is a reason why PR teams exist. I'm personally still hoping this was just a mistranslation, or a phrase that doesn't translate well in English. If it turns out it isn't, the I'm gonna have to put Sakurai in the same category that I put Don Mattrick in, and that's not a category that holds that person in a good light.

Yet you guys are going to get more mad about his stance on shitty clones. I'm just glad Metaknight isn't a broken ass fuck anymore.

Some of the clones could have been alternate costumes, since they feel more like it. No, I'm more displeased with Sakurai's tone, because it's rather bad and isn't something someone in a high position like that should say. I mean, it's not as bad as say Phil Fish, but it's still pretty childish. He also sort of put himself in a corner like this when we have completely alternate costumes for everyone, along with changeable movesets now. So we have a situation in which all 8 Koopalings, Alph, and Wario Ware Wario along with classic Wario take one slot as alternates, but we need separate slots for Dr. Mario and Mario. See, I'd be fine with that if Dr. Mario had a different Final Smash at least, but it's still Mario Finale, but with a different texture.

 

[Razhem]

Whoa, so now he is a gigantic douche for telling people too cool the fuck off and trust him? Good god, how do you go through life without punching everybody you interact with?

If this is what he was truly saying and how he views his critics, then yes he's being a giant douchebag. I love the new Smash Bros game a lot, and love the work Sakurai puts into it, but even though there are people who really need to learn to be quiet that doesn't mean you stoop down to their level when it comes to insults. He's in a position that not only reflects his company Sora, but also reflects a bit on Nintendo as well. There is a reason why PR teams exist. I'm personally still hoping this was just a mistranslation, or a phrase that doesn't translate well in English. If it turns out it isn't, the I'm gonna have to put Sakurai in the same category that I put Don Mattrick in, and that's not a category that holds that person in a good light.

This is the only "douchy phrase" I can see in the whole news section

Furthermore, he dismisses complaints about new character choices for the new game, stating that "a lot of [the complainers] are children" and imploring fans to "please leave it to me to select [characters] with man-hours and costs in mind."

Frankly, after watching the Ridley fans reaction, they are behaving like manchildren, so I fail to see how this is such an affront.

 

[Alleged_Alec]

Whoa, so now he is a gigantic douche for telling people too cool the fuck off and trust him? Good god, how do you go through life without punching everybody you interact with?

If this is what he was truly saying and how he views his critics, then yes he's being a giant douchebag. I love the new Smash Bros game a lot, and love the work Sakurai puts into it, but even though there are people who really need to learn to be quiet that doesn't mean you stoop down to their level when it comes to insults. He's in a position that not only reflects his company Sora, but also reflects a bit on Nintendo as well. There is a reason why PR teams exist. I'm personally still hoping this was just a mistranslation, or a phrase that doesn't translate well in English. If it turns out it isn't, the I'm gonna have to put Sakurai in the same category that I put Don Mattrick in, and that's not a category that holds that person in a good light.

This is the only "douchy phrase" I can see in the whole news section

Furthermore, he dismisses complaints about new character choices for the new game, stating that "a lot of [the complainers] are children" and imploring fans to "please leave it to me to select [characters] with man-hours and costs in mind."

Frankly, after watching the Ridley fans reaction, they are behaving like manchildren, so I fail to see how this is such an affront.

Because we hold random internet fuckwit #94282 and a well-known game developer to the same standard, right?

 

[Czann]

Considering Nintendo's situation in a distant third they could be less arrogant and give fans what they want.

 

[Hazy]

Considering Nintendo's situation in a distant third they could be less arrogant and give fans what they want.

They've been that way since the 80s I'm afraid, and very likely even before that. They may mask it behind a friendly mascot and cute games, but they're no less cutthroat in their practices than any other international country out there.

 

[Fappy]

Lucina made it into the game, so I don't really give a shit that we ended up with clones again. That said, there are still some that I'd consider clones that weren't specified. Ganondorf really needs a unique moveset :/

 

[VincentX3]

*edited*

Most of my reasons are on the second page.
Also less PR Food analogy's next time.

 

[Alfredo Jones]

I'm sure there will be more new characters coming as DLC like the article said, though I expect people who are mad about this will probably say something like "We should have gotten the new characters with the game and made the clones DLC" or something. Personally I don't care who comes first or who is DLC, as long as we get new and interesting characters to play as.

 

[DrOswald]

So people ***** about a couple of extra "characters" that barely sucked resources? Gotcha, gamer entitlement GOOOOO!

I didn't even care about the clones and the cut characters. However, if he's going to be such a gigantic douche about it, he can fuck off and look for money elsewhere.

Whoa, so now he is a gigantic douche for telling people too cool the fuck off and trust him? Good god, how do you go through life without punching everybody you interact with?

If he really called his critics children, then yes he is. You can tell a lot about someone by what they think of their critics, and writing off one's critics as children is quite (ironically) the childish thing to do. Insulting the opposition doesn't prove them wrong.

I think he was pointing out that many of the people complaining are literally children just doing what children do, which is complain, and that got lost in the translation.

 

[xaszatm]

Thing is you would expect a decent dessert or at least to be on par with the meal you just ate.
Not a piece of shit after a gourmet dinner :l Dont care if it's free, shit is still shit.

ALSO REALLY!? COMPARING GAMES TO FOOD NOW?

F**K YOU EA... oh wait...

Sorry I'm so used to EA being the one's screwing people over.

*Ahem*

F**k you and your shitty restaurant then Nintendo.

I'm sorry, but how Nintendo screwing people over here? Your options were these three clones or NOTHING. It's isn't like Ridley, Mewtwo, and Wolf were cut to replace them. And I understand why he snapped. Smash fans are some of the most obnoxious, entitled fans out there just behind Sonic, Final Fantasy, and Zelda fans.

Besides, this also could be what he picked up when he visited Platinum Games.

 

[VincentX3]

Thing is you would expect a decent dessert or at least to be on par with the meal you just ate.
Not a piece of shit after a gourmet dinner :l Dont care if it's free, shit is still shit.

ALSO REALLY!? COMPARING GAMES TO FOOD NOW?

F**K YOU EA... oh wait...

Sorry I'm so used to EA being the one's screwing people over.

*Ahem*

F**k you and your shitty restaurant then Nintendo.

I'm sorry, but how Nintendo screwing people over here? Your options were these three clones or NOTHING. It's isn't like Ridley, Mewtwo, and Wolf were cut to replace them. And I understand why he snapped. Smash fans are some of the most obnoxious, entitled fans out there just behind Sonic, Final Fantasy, and Zelda fans.

Besides, this also could be what he picked up when he visited Platinum Games.

Simple fact, more isn't always better.

If I had to choose between 3 Clone charterers or dedicating that little bit more of resources and man hours to make the game better and more balanced, I would pick the latter.

 

[chocolate pickles]

Wow. Guy's overall tone needs some work.

"a lot of [the complainers] are children" - nice generalisation to start with, but even if they were, why's that an issue? It's a game played by both kids and adults - their complaints are valid.

"This is like a free dessert after a luxurious meal that was prepared free of charge. In a restaurant with this type of service, I don't think there's anybody who would say, 'Change this to a meat dish!!'" - except the meal wasn't free, i paid £40 for it, dessert included: When i paid for that game, i paid for everything in it, including re-skins

 

[xaszatm]

Thing is you would expect a decent dessert or at least to be on par with the meal you just ate.
Not a piece of shit after a gourmet dinner :l Dont care if it's free, shit is still shit.

ALSO REALLY!? COMPARING GAMES TO FOOD NOW?

F**K YOU EA... oh wait...

Sorry I'm so used to EA being the one's screwing people over.

*Ahem*

F**k you and your shitty restaurant then Nintendo.

I'm sorry, but how Nintendo screwing people over here? Your options were these three clones or NOTHING. It's isn't like Ridley, Mewtwo, and Wolf were cut to replace them. And I understand why he snapped. Smash fans are some of the most obnoxious, entitled fans out there just behind Sonic, Final Fantasy, and Zelda fans.

Besides, this also could be what he picked up when he visited Platinum Games.

Simple fact, more isn't always better.

If I had to choose between 3 Clone charterers or dedicating that little bit more of resources and man hours to make the game better and more balanced, I would pick the latter.

...And, that's screwing you over? The only true clone character is Dark Pit. Dr. Mario is literally Melee Mario making him different from 3DS Mario, Lucina's blade actually completely changes how she plays compared to Marth, Gannondof now has a viable playstyle compared to Captain Falcon. No, seriously, how is this screwing you over? Who do you play as?