Smash Bros. Ultimate Director Talks Series Future, Beginner Support and More

People have been talking about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate like wildfire since this week's Direct special, which revealed a couple of new combatants, along with other abundant features. But that's just the tip of the iceberg, as game director Masahiro Sakurai has weighed in on a number of subjects while speaking with the Guardian.

One topic that came up revolved around whether Sakurai will be done with the series once Ultimate is wrapped up.

"The best way to enjoy video games is to play what other people have made. But at the same time, I have a role. At this point I have been asked to create Smash and so I am doing that, and will continue to do so if the demand is there," Sakurai said.

"On the one hand, I play games because of my job, but on the other hand, games have this eternal, immortal attraction. Of course I do go back to old games if I need a refresher, but I think it is important to intentionally play and observe new games, to know what's out there. Games that are coming out now are just incredible; they're amazing. Even for people who say that they grow out of games, once they have kids and there's a game they can play together, they return. It's not about quitting or graduating from playing games; it's about finding what's enjoyable for you at that time in your life, and playing that," he added.

He then talked about Ultimate's accessibility with newbies and pros alike.

"If we were to lean towards one kind of player or the other…game development would be easier, but forgoing the pros, or forgoing the beginners, wouldn't result in Smash as it is now, and that's something I hold dear and important," Sakurai said.

"In the arcades, when I was younger, there was a game called King of Fighters 95, and I thought I was pretty good. I had a 50-strong win streak on Street Fighter 2 around that time. So I was playing King of Fighters once – and the way arcades are set up in Japan, you can't really see the person you're playing against, because you're on opposite sides of the cabinet. I was feeling pleased with myself because I was winning, and it turned out to be a total beginner with their partner, just trying to have fun, and I thought, 'Oh no, I shouldn't have beaten them so badly. Now they're going to feel like they never want to play it again!' It's important to think about the beginner crowd," he continued.

He also touched upon Smash's avid community. "I realize that this is a game that lends itself to creating community. That's something I've been aware of since the initial iteration on N64. I really want to continue to create something that doesn't break or shatter that," he added.

Finally, he's proud overall of what Smash has been able to accomplish over the years. "I feel like it should be a dream project for anybody who is into video games! The fact that we can collaborate with all these different people and characters and meld that all together without any inconsistencies is something I am very proud of," Sakurai said.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate releases on Dec. 7 for Nintendo Switch.