With Super Mario Bros. Wonder releasing nearer to the end of this week, Nintendo has made Super Mario Bros. Wonder the latest game to get the “Ask the Developer” interview treatment. Across the interview’s multiple instalments, we got to hear from the likes of Takashi Tezuka and other developers all involved in Mario’s latest 2D outing.
During the interview, we heard from five of the devs behind Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Shiro Mouri brings up an 11-year absence in the Mario Bros. series:
Mario Devs on their Involvement with the Mario Bros. series:
Takashi Tezuka: Hello. I’m Takashi Tezuka. I’ve been involved in 2D Mario games in many ways for a long time, but I joined as the producer for this title. This year marks the 39th year that I’ve been involved in the development of Mario games.
Shiro Mouri: Hello, I’m Shiro Mouri. I joined as the programming director for New Super Mario Bros. U and the director for New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. For this title, I served as the director again.
Koichi Hayashida: Hi! I’m Koichi Hayashida, and I worked on the game design. I’ve served as a director for games including Super Mario 3D World and as a producer for Super Mario Odyssey and other games. My mission in this project was to apply my experiences from the development of 3D Mario games to a 2D Mario game.
Masanobu Sato: Hi, I’m Masanobu Sato, the art director for this game. My first involvement in the development of 2D Mario games was when I created animation for the Koopalings, the bosses in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. I’ve been involved as the design leader since New Super Mario Bros. U.
Koji Kondo: Hello, I’m Koji Kondo. As the sound director for this title, I was responsible for the approach we took for the sound and for making the final judgment on its quality. I also composed some of the game’s music myself. I’ve been involved in Super Mario games since the first Nintendo Entertainment System game.
Mouri on the First Mario Bros. game in 11 Years:
Shiro Mouri: Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the first entirely new instalment in the side-scrolling Super Mario Bros. series in almost 11 years. Whenever you collect the new item, the Wonder Flower, the course and its gameplay transform dramatically, and a variety of “wonders” occur that would’ve been unimaginable in previous titles in the series.
While Super Mario Maker, Super Mario Maker 2, and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe were released after the launch of the previous title, this is the first new 2D Mario game in almost 11 years.
For the full interview, why not click here to check out Ask the Developer Vol. 11, Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Chapter 1.
Ask the Developer | Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Participating Developers)
- Takashi Tezuka | Executive Officer Senior Officer, Entertainment Planning & Development Division
- Shiro Mouri | Entertainment Planning & Development Department Production Group No. 10
- Koichi Hayashida | Entertainment Planning & Development Department Production Group No. 10
- Masanobu Sato | Entertainment Planning & Development Department Production Group No. 10
- Koji Kondo | Senior Officer, Entertainment Planning & Development Department
