News: Miyamoto Talks Super Mario Galaxy 2, New Wii Videos Page 1

Miyamoto Talks Super Mario Galaxy 2, New Wii Videos

11.05.2010

Miyamoto Talks Super Mario Galaxy 2, New Wii Videos on Nintendo gaming news, videos and discussion

With the highly anticipated Super Mario Galaxy 2’s release edging closer, Mario’s father sat down and discussed working on the Wii game.

In a new Iwata Asks session, Mario creator and Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto discussed some of the approaches that went into creating the direct follow-up, something which hasn’t been done in a major 3D Mario platformer.

Working on the direct sequel reminded Miyamoto of the jump seen in the N64 Zelda games Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, where the latter used the same engine and many of its predecessor's assets - character models, movement, textures etc.

He felt that it would have been a huge waste not to expand on the original Galaxy engine, and the team wanted to take the planet-hopping concept further.

Internally was known as Galaxy 1.5 but, as mentioned previously, progress went fast and extensive enough that it quickly grew to a true sequel as opposed to tacked on content.

Development ended up taking around two and a half years, instead of a plans to initially bring it together in a year.

Miyamoto worked on editing text for Super Mario Galaxy 2, something that he hasn’t worked on since Super Mario 64. Said to be enjoyed by himself, but caused a stir with other members of the team.

Game is hard enough to get Miyamoto himself frustrated, with the often cheerful gamer seen slamming tables and likely muttering a few profanities.

Iwata’s idea for bonus DVD - gives control and Super Guide videos for newer players to get to grips with quickly.

And if that wasn’t enough Super Mario Galaxy 2 love for you, Nintendo has released a pair of videos for the game �" including the first US commercial.

Thanks to Andriasang, C3 reader squidboy.

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JoshSL 11.05.2010#1

# Working on the direct sequel reminded Miyamoto of the jump seen in the N64 Zelda games Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, where the latter used the same engine and many of its predecessor's assets - character models, movement, textures etc.

Except this time Miyamoto is whipping all his binded team members and telling them what to do, rather than letting another team run free with their own ideas, which is what made something as amazing as MM possible.

# Internally was known as Galaxy 1.5 but, as mentioned previously, progress went fast and extensive enough that it quickly grew to a true sequel as opposed to tacked on content.

I'm not seeing that. I'm not saying I have a problem with it, but I don't see how this is much more than a stage pack. It lacks the plot of a sequel, for one thing, or any real new features.

# Miyamoto worked on editing text for Super Mario Galaxy 2, something that he hasn’t worked on since Super Mario 64. Said to be enjoyed by himself, but caused a stir with other members of the team.

No wonder the text is so soulless and unfunny then. Miyamoto needs to lighten up and let Mario cutscenes have more feeling, more humour would go a long way. It's no wonder he thinks cutscenes are boring/pointless and serve no purpose to the gameplay if his standards are the unskippable "cutscenes" seen in NSMBW.

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EdEN 11.05.2010#2

So, will you buy it then?

JoshSL 11.05.2010#3

EdEN said:
So, will you buy it then?

Duh, it's one of my most anticipated games.

Miyamoto just needs to realise that gameplay and gameplay alone isn't the only important factor of a game. His attitude towards evolving his franchises has been annoying me lately because he's so stuck in the past.

There are some decisions made on SMG2 that have genuinely disappointed me. Being excited about a game doesn't bar me from criticising certain elements of it.

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EdEN 11.05.2010#4

If all that SMG2 brought was more of the same I'd be happy. But they ARE including new power-ups, Yoshi centric levels, they've upped the difficulty and seem to include more 2D type stages. To me it does feel more like a sequel than an expansion. Let's look at God of War 1 to 3: What difference is there really from one game to the next other than some power-ups and graphical changes? If re-using assets and engines means we get more of the great games from this generation then I'm buying.

@Superlink: So, what are the decisions that disappointed you?

JoshSL 11.05.2010#5

EdEN said:
If all that SMG2 brought was more of the same I'd be happy. But they ARE including new power-ups, Yoshi centric levels, they've upped the difficulty and seem to include more 2D type stages. To me it does feel more like a sequel than an expansion. Let's look at God of War 1 to 3: What difference is there really from one game to the next other than some power-ups and graphical changes? If re-using assets and engines means we get more of the great games from this generation then I'm buying.

Like I said in my first post, I don't have a problem with Galaxy 2 being more of the same, especially when the first was so amazing, I just don't see it as a "true sequel", having new powerups is incredibly standard stuff, there are no real new features. As for God of War, I've never cared for that series.

@Superlink: So, what are the decisions that disappointed you?

- Retconning SMG1 so it never happened by using the "alternate universe" idea.
- As a result plot is completely ignored, and Rosalina (the most original Mario character in years) won't be returning. Even though I, as a Mario fan, loved the spectacular cutscenes and the storybook of SMG1, my disappointments are apparently void because "Mario doesn't need a story"
- Luigi has limited playability unlike the first game
- The hub is still nowhere near as good as SM64's hub, which was made over 10 years ago.
- There won't be any secrets as awesome as Luigi this time Smilie

So as you can see my disappointments aren't to do with the gameplay, visuals or music.

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EdEN 11.05.2010#6

Wait, what hub? Didn't they say there was no hub and it was just an over-world like NSMBW?

I guess we're some of the few that actually liked the story-book sequences from SGM, huh?

JoshSL 12.05.2010#7

EdEN said:
Wait, what hub? Didn't they say there was no hub and it was just an over-world like NSMBW?

There is a hub-like-thing called Starship Mario, which may or may not be more fun than the Comet Observatory, but still no Castle/Island.

I guess we're some of the few that actually liked the story-book sequences from SGM, huh?

I loved it Dx
It was really cute and heartwarming. AND it was completely optional, so noone has any real reason to complain about it. It wasn't even badly written!
Miyamoto should learn to invoke a little emotion every now and then, it even lacks any humour, which would suit the series perfectly.

( Edited 11.05.2010 20:11 by SuperLink )

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Guest 12.05.2010#8

I just want to say I lurved the storybook stuff in Mario Galaxy as well. MOAAARRRRRRRRRRRR!

Marzeee 12.05.2010#9

I also loved the storybook. Smilie

JoshSL 12.05.2010#10

.Bart. said:
I just want to say I lurved the storybook stuff in Mario Galaxy as well. MOAAARRRRRRRRRRRR!

Marzy said:
I also loved the storybook.

Oh, well, Miyamoto doesn't care about you guys. Having a children's storybook vaguely explaining the backstory of a single interesting character in the game of her debut is much too deep for a game like Mario.

It's better Mario games just have no story at all. Obv.

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Guest 12.05.2010#11

Well if the game is great, I don't mind too much. The storybook in SMG was just really surprising and an amazing bonus to a great game.

What I'm saying is...Mario Galaxy = 95%, storybook bonus + 5%.

WP-Final 12.05.2010#12

I didn't mind the story book, was interesting if a little slow.

Outside the book though, I didn't like the design of Rosalina. She was pretty much a Peach clone in blue pyjamas. Smilie Plain, dull and no stand out personality. Toadsworth in Sunshine had more character than her. Smilie

Regarding Galaxy 2. I don't mind about the lack of story. It's the first time they've ever done a sequel to a 3D Mario so I just see it as a bonus game till the next game on Wii's successor. Smilie

JoshSL 12.05.2010#13

wAyNe said:
Outside the book though, I didn't like the design of Rosalina. She was pretty much a Peach clone in blue pyjamas. Plain, dull and no stand out personality. Toadsworth in Sunshine had more character than her.

Well like you're going to get any imaginative designs in the Marioverse these days? Every new character is some colour swap of an old one. Atleast Rosalina wasn't annoying like Peach can be, she's almost the opposite, quiet and interesting, and almost god-like, as opposed to loud and simple, and has terrible defenses.

And Toadsworth was annoying too, and not interesting in the slightest D:

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TAG 12.05.2010#14

Mario has never needed a story. He's always been about pure gaming. There is only enough "plot" to drive the game forward ("The princess is in another castle"). How much of a plot can you really have about an Italian plumber who eats magic mushrooms and rides dinosaurs in space to save a princess? After that, you want a story to move you?

Sonic was the same way. Yet Sega tried to give him a plot...

I am looking forward to this game. I hope I have the money to buy it when it releases. Mario Galaxy was loads of fun, and I only seeing 2 being better.

TAG: That American Guy

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18

JoshSL 13.05.2010#15

TAG said:
Mario has never needed a story. He's always been about pure gaming. There is only enough "plot" to drive the game forward ("The princess is in another castle"). How much of a plot can you really have about an Italian plumber who eats magic mushrooms and rides dinosaurs in space to save a princess? After that, you want a story to move you?

Yes, I do, is that such a crime? Just because story isn't necessary, that doesn't mean the shouldn't be done. The amount of story in Galaxy was perfect, it suited Mario, and it was interesting enough to keep me going.

Why did I stop playing NSMBW? Nothing to look forward to, just the same thing I've played hundreds of times. Just a small plot would help to change that.

Sonic was the same way. Yet Sega tried to give him a plot...

Because Sonic's plot is terribly written and embarrassing, huge difference between Sonic and "Mario-with-story". Nintendo would never let Mario become like that, the proof is SMG1's story.

If gaming was only based on what a game NEEDS then the industry would never evolve.

( Edited 12.05.2010 19:20 by SuperLink )