The game’s unique visuals and setting undoubtedly took time to develop, but how did you craft the gameplay and narrative that form its heart?
Fukushima: For the core gameplay, we leaned heavily on Acquire’s initial concept, which was promising from the start. Their proposal included an exciting pitch: “A Mario story that’s uniquely yours. Living and adventuring on drifting islands.”
Ohashi: The idea of drifting islands really struck me as interesting. Imagine discovering a new island, embarking on an adventure, and forming friendships with the locals. It seemed thrilling to link more islands together and grow the number of allies for these adventures.
Otani: I must agree, it was quite an innovative concept. During our brainstorming sessions at Nintendo, no one had come up with something similar. The idea of connecting disparate islands isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. (Laughs)
Ohashi: Nevertheless, perfecting that distinctive “Mario & Luigi-like” vibe took a lot of time, which pushed our testing of the drifting island element to the back burner. As we brainstormed how to make this drifting island gameplay engaging, it took us longer than anticipated to present solid ideas to Nintendo. I suspect that caused some apprehension.
Otani: Indeed, it made me a bit uneasy. Fukushima-san and I kept wondering when Acquire would unveil their ideas to us. (Laughs)
Fukushima: Despite this, Ohashi-san has a reputation for being thorough, only presenting solutions once he’s fully satisfied. We believed in his approach, but still held numerous internal meetings to gauge how long we could manage the wait. (Laughs)
Ohashi: In the game, Shipshape Island is the hub for Mario and his friends’ adventures. This island drifts across the ocean toward other islands, sparking various adventures. However, developing the mechanics, like how the island navigates the expansive ocean, was a lengthy process.
Fukushima: Typically, the gameplay and story direction get settled early on, with details refined from that point. However, this time, that initial phase stretched on. Concurrently, we developed the battles and exploration actions, even without some final details, such as how Shipshape Island would drift or the overall game scale, including the number of islands and their themes. It felt like we were chasing dreams, and it was quite a challenge.
Otani: The contrasting development styles between our companies also posed challenges. Normally, we design the gameplay first, followed by a story to complement it, guiding the director throughout. But Acquire’s process was different. Ohashi-san conceptualized the drifting islands gameplay while an external team simultaneously crafted the game’s narrative. In RPGs, though, gameplay and storytelling must harmonize to move forward.
Ohashi: The story team also struggled to nail that “Mario & Luigi-like” essence initially, having difficulty crafting a fitting narrative.
But you eventually reached a pivotal solution, right?
Ohashi: Indeed, I recall when it happened. We were brainstorming the plot and establishing themes for each sea — the first being “family,” the second “friends,” and so forth.
Fukushima: Absolutely, and that’s when the pieces began fitting together around the theme of “connection.” While the gameplay focuses on linking islands, it also highlights the bonds between the people inhabiting them.
