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[maxcriden]

Hello there! My name is Akinori Sao and I am a writer who set up the Japanese game magazine ’64 Dream’ (now known as ‘Nintendo DREAM&#8217 pretty much exactly 20 years ago. I worked for many years as that publication’s chief editor before deciding to take a step back from the front line a few years ago. I’d always wanted to live in Kyoto, where Nintendo HQ is located, and ended up settling there where I became involved in books, magazines and websites while also keeping my hand in as a freelance writer – I suppose you could call me a gun for hire.

My latest order was to work on an interview with the team behind the Wii U title Star Fox Zero, which released on 22nd April in Europe. I went to Nintendo’s headquarters to speak with Shigeru Miyamoto, who worked as producer and supervising director on this game, along with the director, Yugo Hayashi, and asked them what had gone on behind the scenes during the game’s development.

This interview has been split into three parts: the theme of the first part is the need to ensure that the game both looked cool and had a really immersive feel. I asked the two directors how they had set out to realise their vision for the latest Star Fox title. Now let’s see what they had to say. Here goes!

Some excerpts:

Sao: So as a high school student back then, what impression did you have of Star Fox 64?

Hayashi: At first I thought it might be a bit too difficult, but I realised pretty quickly that once you play a little, you get better and better. I remember how you’d be able to find better routes through a level, so you’d rack up a higher score, and before you knew it, you were completely absorbed in the action. I’d play every day and see what score I could get. That way, I’d be able to tell what kind of physical shape I was in at any given point.

Miyamoto: When I was a kid, I would hold plastic models of aeroplanes and fly them right in front of my eyes, just like this... (twisting and turning his hand) I’d make the sound of the engines too.

Sao: So you’d pretend that you were flying the plane, right? (laughs)

Miyamoto: Yes, and as a kid playing like that, there’d be times I’d find something that looked so cool.

Full interview (this is just pt. 1 of 3, will update as more come out):

http://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/2016/May/Star-Fox-Zero-Dev-Team-Interview-Part-One-1106940.html

Part 2:

http://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/2016/May/Star-Fox-Zero-Dev-Team-Interview-Part-Two-1107887.html

 

[Spring-Loaded]

Reading this is like finding the journal of a marooned sailor next to his skeleton

 

[javac]

That Miyamoto excerpt for some reason makes me really nostalgic, it's a written interview and yet you can imagine the smile on his face as he's twisting and turning his hand as if it was an aircraft. To be young...

 

[Kai Dracon]

Comparisons to flying model airplanes is apt; I enjoyed the relative controls in the game during lock-on and that's what it reminded me of. But without a lot of practice such controls are difficult to manipulate. It's interesting to see Miyamoto and the team's confidence with the training mode.

I still think the fundamental game concept would have been received differently by at least a percentage of players if it wasn't a Starfox game. Starfox ironically has baggage; a lot of players want Starfox 64 with better graphics, to be blunt. That's not good or bad, it's just what happens with established series conventions.

By contrast, packaged in some one-off and wholly unique arcade shooter, there is an expectation of novel game mechanics designed to enable unique scenarios. Most savvy players would expect the buy-in for such a game to involve a significant learning curve.

I would hope that the Iwata-style interviews will continue into the future.

 

[Peltz]

Comparisons to flying model airplanes is apt; I enjoyed the relative controls in the game during lock-on and that's what it reminded me of. But without a lot of practice such controls are difficult to manipulate. It's interesting to see Miyamoto and the team's confidence with the training mode.

I still think the fundamental game concept would have been received differently by at least a percentage of players if it wasn't a Starfox game. Starfox ironically has baggage; a lot of players want Starfox 64 with better graphics, to be blunt. That's not good or bad, it's just what happens with established series conventions.

By contrast, packaged in some one-off and wholly unique arcade shooter, there is an expectation of novel game mechanics designed to enable unique scenarios. Most savvy players would expect the buy-in for such a game to involve a significant learning curve.

I would hope that the Iwata-style interviews will continue into the future.

Great point. I agree with you.

 

[wild wild rice]

nice

 

[-shadow-]

I've missed the Iwata Asks, but this is the next best thing considering his unfortunate passing. I can't wait for Miyamoto's background stories (outside of the airplanes). Despite my hate for the game controls (and Sticker Star) he's still a very interesting individual with great stories.

 

[Regiruler]

Someone found a japanese version over a week ago, I was curious as to when they'd translate it.

 

[Pyrrhus]

Wow, Miyamoto is really going gray.

 

[maxcriden]

Part 2 of the interview is now up. Edited OP.

 

[TheJoRu]

I've missed all the "(laughs)". These are some interesting interview pieces.

 

[Starwolf_UK]

In part 2 hearing that a transforming Arwing amiibo was in the works didn't surprise me (I can see how adding moving parts would make the amiibo safety and reliability testing harder see page 14 of the CRS report

Spoiler

for some Mario amiibo torture

) given that is one of the unlockable things in Super Mario Maker. I also didn't notice that Star Fox Zero has been the first game Miyamoto has directed since Ocarina of Time.

Part 3 of the interview is up:
http://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/2016/May/Star-Fox-Zero-Dev-Team-Interview-Part-Three-1109190.html

There is a bit about Star Fox Guard and the animated short Star Fox Zero: The Battle Begins (while it wasn't stated I can't help but think good thing the game itself was delayed I guess as otherwise that wouldn't have been completed in time for release?)