{"id":102859,"date":"2022-10-20T16:04:58","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T16:04:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/smash-bros-creator-posts-never-before-seen-footage-of-the-original-n64-prototype\/"},"modified":"2022-10-20T16:04:58","modified_gmt":"2022-10-20T16:04:58","slug":"smash-bros-creator-posts-never-before-seen-footage-of-the-original-n64-prototype","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/smash-bros-creator-posts-never-before-seen-footage-of-the-original-n64-prototype\/","title":{"rendered":"Smash Bros. Creator Posts Never-Before-Seen Footage of the Original N64 Prototype"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai has revealed footage from the game’s original N64 prototype – and it shows a surprisingly fully-formed version of the game.<\/p>\n

A new video<\/a> unveils footage from Dragon King: The Fighting Game \u2013 the original game that formed the basis for Super Smash Bros.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were no special moves, dodges, or even items yet,\u201d explained Sakurai. \u201cBut the game’s rules were basically the same as Smash Bros.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt had smash attacks, mid-air jumps, shields, dashes, and five-direction aerial attacks,\u201d he added. \u201cA Battlefield stage layout, too, though you could change that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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WAKE UP EVERYONE<\/p>\n

Sakurai just dropped never before seen gameplay of Dragon King: The Fighting Game prototype for the N64 which would later become Super Smash Bros.!<\/p>\n

THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!! pic.twitter.com\/VSbLkEDMKs<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Tommo says \u201cPlay Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series\u201d (@TommoTheCabbit) October 20, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cAt the time we were very limited in how we could configure models,\u201d he explained. \u201cBut they still move pretty well, I’d say.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Dragon King prototype was met with high praise from Nintendo, and it was eventually adapted into the Super Smash Bros. we know and love today.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, when you think of Smash Bros., you can’t help but think of its large roster of Nintendo characters,\u201d he explained. \u201cBut this wasn’t in the original proposal \u2013 it’s something we negotiated for later.\u201d<\/p>\n

As you can see from the footage, the prototype included generic fighting game-style characters, but Sakurai didn’t want to flood the market with a load of new fighters nobody cared about.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn’t want to throw players into a roster full of character nobody had ever seen and knew we needed to come up with an objective solution to this problem,\u201d he added. \u201cIn the end, we convinced Nintendo to let us borrow their most popular characters.\u201d The result was an instant classic, letting players battle with some of Nintendo’s most iconic heroes.<\/p>\n

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Sakurai also shed some light on the design process behind the game’s relatively simple controls:<\/p>\n

\u201cI came up with the idea for this game in 1996, around when command inputs for fighting games were starting to get extremely complicated,\u201d he said. \u201cSome of these were extremely intense. So, I opted for simple controls with a stick direction and a button, something players could intuitively pick up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Often thought to be the antithesis of fighting games, Smash Bros’ controls allow just about anyone to pick up a controller and start playing, without having to learn long and difficult combos.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s also the Smash input, performed by ‘flicking’ the analog stick,\u201d he added. \u201cWith just a quick flick, you could unleash a stronger attack, or jump. I came up with this after thinking about how best to utilize the N64’s new analog stick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Want to read more about Smash Bros? Check out how Nintendo is finally embracing its grassroots Smash Bros. scene as well as our top 25 Nintendo Switch games.<\/p>\n

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on <\/em>twitter<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n