Sakurai: Without Iwata, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Wouldn’t Be At Its Best

During a Game Informer interview, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai was asked about his favorite memories while developing the Super Smash Bros. series.

Sakurai said that it always feels like a miracle whenever they’re able to create a Smash Bros. game, as Nintendo requires approval from every single IP holder before they can proceed with development.

Also mentioned was a blurb on late Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. Sakurai said without Iwata’s call to create a “development team centered on” a freelance director, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate wouldn’t be in the “best possible shape”.

Check out his full words below:

You may not sense that, but it is actually a miracle every time we’re able to create a Smash Bros. game. It’s a bit different from any other game series that regularly comes out with new installments. Unless we get approval from all of the I.P. holders who are involved in this game, we can’t make this game. And every time, we are walking a fine line.

Especially after I left HAL Laboratories, normally, games continued to be developed by the remaining company. But instead, Mr. Iwata created a development team centered on the director who became freelance. That was his call.

Without that decision, I can easily imagine that we could not release this Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in the best possible shape at this point.

What do you think?