Metroid Database.com

Well, I've gotten back from GDC and begun settling back in just as the work week begins again for me. I got to shake hands with Mr. Sakamoto and give copies of the Metroid Database's business card to him as well as Reggie and Nate Bihldorff. Sadly, I wasn't able to speak with either of them after the lecture. I hope they visit the site! I've also finally uploaded the lecture recap in a more legible version than the MDb Message Board, complete with images.

Mr. Sakamoto's design philosophy begins with the horror films of Dario Argento: Deep Red (Profondo Roso) and Suspiria. From watching these films at an early age (Deep Red debuted in Japan in 1978, when Mr. Sakamoto was 19), Mr. Sakamoto gained a deep appreciation for the qualities of mood, timing, foreshadowing, and contrast, which he then applied to games, especially in Famicom Tantei Club. These qualities are important to both horror and comedy, which is why Mr. Sakamoto is able to create such diverse series as Metroid and WarioWare. By learning how to engineer the desired emotion in his games, Mr. Sakamoto can inspire fear and joy within his audiences - though it seems that around the studio, he is more interested in inspiring laughter. Being able to "touch the hearts and spirits" of his audiences is his primary responsibility and goal when creating games.

Aside from insights into Mr. Sakamoto's design philosophy, the most interesting elements from the lecture included new information on Metroid: Other M, particularly in the development process. Mr. Sakamoto stuck with the Wiimote-only control scheme, but it was Team Ninja who suggested players move about in 3D instead of 2.5D like, say Kirby 64 or the lava area from the E3 2009 trailer (NOT as in a linear 'rail shooter' which this Kotaku article falsely implies!). We also learned that Metroid would be composed by new talent, Kuniaki Haishima, composer of such anime series as Blue Gender, Gasaraki, and Spriggan. Go Nintendo has also located a rap sheet for voice actress Jessica Martin, which also showcases some of her audio talent. For the cutscenes, Mr. Sakamoto worked closely with Ryuzi Kitaura, with their personalities and background allowing for truly dynamic work. A more detailed version of the lecture is available in our features section. You should be able to purchase an mp3 copy in a month or two from the GDC Vault for $7.95. We'll let you know when it becomes available.

Mr. Sakamoto also demonstrated footage from his stories in Tomodachi Collection (or Tomokore), a game that turned into a runaway hit in Japan. Here, we can see Mr. Sakamoto, Mr. Iwata, and Reggie interacting in hilarious situations, some of which make absolutely no sense (such as giant Sakamoto and Reggie destroying Tokyo with the 'Saka-Mojo Beam' or being chased by a giant boulder). Mr. Sakamoto also tries to woo a Mii version of Samus, comparing her beauty to a beautiful sunset and saying he will "put diamonds all over that red helmet in the sequel," to which Samus replies, "Get a life!" Unfortunately, the game won't come out in the US until a good English speech-generation system is found. Let's hope they build one soon because the game looks very fun!

Western audiences also received their first glimpses of Mr. Sakamoto's WarioWare DIY game, in which the player must freeze Metroids by touching them and then tap a second time to shatter them with a missile. If done correctly, Samus will pose in her armor. If done a second time, Zero Suit Samus will appear. A remix of "Theme of Super Metroid" plays in the background. There was another Metroid-themed WarioWare DIY title playable at the conference, this one a Metroid: Zero Mission game as part of the 9-volt collection. The player must tap Samus to turn into 8-bit Mario (no joke!) and sneak under a Skree, then tap again to collect the missile pack.

Until next time...
Captain Commando