Video: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai talks about how he enjoyed video games when he was still a child himself

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai has started a new YouTube channel called “Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games.” Check out the latest batch of uploaded content via the embedded video below:

Games During My Childhood [Grab Bag]

It’s fascinating how thinking back to our childhood days conjures up different images and eras for each of us.
In today’s Grab Bag, I’ll talk about how I enjoyed video games when I was still a child myself, back during the dawn of gaming as we know it.

Daily Report Suggestions [Team Management]

I’ve been writing an internal Daily Report for my projects for a long while now. It’s become something of a habit for me.
Today, I’d like to share a few of the many benefits this can provide. If you have the means, it’s worth trying!

Game Demos [Marketing]

Demos can make for great promotional opportunities for your games! But the act of making them is far more challenging than you might expect…

Squashing and Scaling [Animation]

Scaling refers to changing the size of an object or polygon. While it’s used less often than rotation and translation, employing it effectively can dramatically alter an object’s feel.

The Fun in Picking Sides [Planning & Game Design]

There’s one big secret to enjoying sports or competitive video games as a spectator: be invested in one of the teams!

Maps Are Game Screens, Too [Design Specifics]

Have you ever found yourself exploring a huge world in a game, only to be looking exclusively at the map instead of the game itself?
When you’re creating a game, you should always be aware of where the player will be looking.

Family BASIC [Programming & Tech]

Without Family BASIC, neither Kirby nor Super Smash Bros. would exist today! In this video, I’ll introduce this special peripheral from 1984 by recording myself actually using it.
This really takes me back. I had lots of fun with this thing.

Make Retries Quick [Game Essence]

The player lost a life, and now they’re rapidly losing interest in your game, too… Put control back in their hands before they give up on it entirely!

The Basics of Pixel Art [Graphics]

Pixel art can be lots of fun, right?
There are plenty of techniques out there for creating it, but today I’d like to explain a few we used back when we had limited colors and screen resolution.

Explain Ideas to Everyone at Once [Team Management]

The system I’m introducing today keeps team members in meetings a bit longer, but its pros far outweigh that one con. Remember: managing a team means also factoring in the cost of keeping everyone on the same page!
FWIW, our team liked this system, too.

Game Writing is Unique [Planning & Game Design]

Writing stories for novels, movies, and anime is quite different than writing for games! You can’t go about it the same as with other forms of media. Today, I’d like to use a few examples to discuss what makes games writing different.

Branching Tastes [Work Ethic]

The games and media we interact with when we’re young shape our values as we grow older. You could say each person branches off in their own direction.
With such diverse values in mind, I’d like discuss what you should consider when choosing a target audience.

Menus Define Your World [UI]

To immerse players in a game, we design detailed characters, scrutinize the backgrounds, create appropriate lighting and effects… It’s a lot of work. Before digging in on all that, think about how your UI design can reflect your game’s world!

Canceled Games [Grab Bag]

Plenty of games release to great fanfare, but so many others are canceled before they’re ever even announced. Making games can actually be pretty tough.

Don’t Rely on a “Plan B” [Work Ethic]

I sometimes see proposals that hedge their bets, suggesting both a Plan A and a Plan B for accomplishing their goals.
This should be avoided at all costs. Stick to the one plan you think is best!

About This Channel

Join me as I kick off my new channel, “Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games,” with an overview of the kinds of things I’ll be talking about.
Why am I making a channel, exactly?
You’ll find out in this video.

Source: Masahiro Sakurai