A portion of a Game Informer interview with director of Super Mario 3D Land, Koichi Hayashida...
GI: Would you be interested in doing a Super Mario Galaxy 2-style sequel to Super Mario 3D Land?
KH: I guess I have to say first of all that Super Mario Galaxy 2 development was really, really hard for us. We usually have the opportunity to look at technological innovation in a new piece of hardware that can drive us to new play experiences for people who love Mario. When you have to make a second Mario game on the same hardware generation, you don’t have that same driving force to push you into completely new experiences based on unique hardware capabilities. The burden was on us in the case of Super Mario Galaxy 2 to try and come up with ideas that could surprise people without the technological innovation pushing us as it would have normally.
GI: I saw during your GDC 2012 presentation that you used levels from Mario 64 to test out the 3DS’ stereoscopic 3D. Fans were really excited by Super Mario Galaxy 2’s Mario 64 tribute level, Throwback Galaxy. Would you ever consider a 3D Super Mario 64 remake?
KH: That early test that we did on the Mario 64 level when we were beginning development of Super Mario 3D Land was actually just to see how that game might play with stereoscopic 3D. What we figured out very quickly was that that way the levels were all designed was going to create so many stereo window violations – where an object would come in between Mario and the camera – that we knew we were going to need a different approach. So at the very least, we did rule out a remake of Super Mario 64 in stereoscopic view on the Nintendo 3DS.
GI: Are there any scrapped Super Mario 3D Land ideas that you would be excited to see in a future Mario game?
KH: It’s hard to say, because I feel like we did use every single good idea that we thought of for Super Mario 3D Land. I often think back to that time on Super Mario Galaxy development when Mr. Miyamoto told us we came up with so many ideas that we should use the ones that didn’t make it into the game for a sequel. But now as a director when I look back on those brainstorming thought processes I realize that you come out with a huge amount of ideas, but what you decide to use are the ones that floated to the very top. The ones that seem like they’re going to be especially effective and are going to implement well. What you’re left with are a bunch of ideas that are maybe a little bit more difficult to implement or don’t seem like they’d be as effective which can be quite a challenge if you’re making a game based off that set of ideas.
But this time around we didn’t even have that situation because I don’t feel like we left very many ideas at all, if any, on the cutting room floor of Super Mario 3D Land. Maybe if we hadn’t been able to include statue Mario that could have been an element that could’ve came forward to another game, but as it turned out very late in development we did have the chance to include statue Mario as a reward for players who were able to reach the special worlds.
Full interview here
GI: Would you be interested in doing a Super Mario Galaxy 2-style sequel to Super Mario 3D Land?
KH: I guess I have to say first of all that Super Mario Galaxy 2 development was really, really hard for us. We usually have the opportunity to look at technological innovation in a new piece of hardware that can drive us to new play experiences for people who love Mario. When you have to make a second Mario game on the same hardware generation, you don’t have that same driving force to push you into completely new experiences based on unique hardware capabilities. The burden was on us in the case of Super Mario Galaxy 2 to try and come up with ideas that could surprise people without the technological innovation pushing us as it would have normally.
GI: I saw during your GDC 2012 presentation that you used levels from Mario 64 to test out the 3DS’ stereoscopic 3D. Fans were really excited by Super Mario Galaxy 2’s Mario 64 tribute level, Throwback Galaxy. Would you ever consider a 3D Super Mario 64 remake?
KH: That early test that we did on the Mario 64 level when we were beginning development of Super Mario 3D Land was actually just to see how that game might play with stereoscopic 3D. What we figured out very quickly was that that way the levels were all designed was going to create so many stereo window violations – where an object would come in between Mario and the camera – that we knew we were going to need a different approach. So at the very least, we did rule out a remake of Super Mario 64 in stereoscopic view on the Nintendo 3DS.
GI: Are there any scrapped Super Mario 3D Land ideas that you would be excited to see in a future Mario game?
KH: It’s hard to say, because I feel like we did use every single good idea that we thought of for Super Mario 3D Land. I often think back to that time on Super Mario Galaxy development when Mr. Miyamoto told us we came up with so many ideas that we should use the ones that didn’t make it into the game for a sequel. But now as a director when I look back on those brainstorming thought processes I realize that you come out with a huge amount of ideas, but what you decide to use are the ones that floated to the very top. The ones that seem like they’re going to be especially effective and are going to implement well. What you’re left with are a bunch of ideas that are maybe a little bit more difficult to implement or don’t seem like they’d be as effective which can be quite a challenge if you’re making a game based off that set of ideas.
But this time around we didn’t even have that situation because I don’t feel like we left very many ideas at all, if any, on the cutting room floor of Super Mario 3D Land. Maybe if we hadn’t been able to include statue Mario that could have been an element that could’ve came forward to another game, but as it turned out very late in development we did have the chance to include statue Mario as a reward for players who were able to reach the special worlds.
Categories: Top Stories, Consoles, Portables, Interviews | Tags: Mario, 3DS, N64, Wii, Virtual Console | Rating: 
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Galaxy, 64, 3D Land...any 3D Mario sequel would please my butt. Get on that Nintendo.
"What is it like seeing other parts of the Japanese gaming industry struggle while Nintendo appears to remain in a relatively safe position?"
Another lame bate false question from gameinformer............
Thankfully most japanese devs dont take that troll bate because in reality the japanese industry is #1 in everything that counts. So why would he say anything bad
It's like they forget that SM64 already got a remake on Nintendo's last handheld.
@stealth
Limited by the constraints of realism huh. . .
FRICKIN' STOP WITH THE REMAKES AND PORTS, NINTENDO!
Their minds are totally messed up. Why do they want to re-release the same old games again and again? We know that it makes them money, but it's really lazy.
I'm glad that SM64 didn't make it as a real game.
Why not create a new Super Mario Bros. 2-styled games, with Daisy as a playable character.
New Generation. New Games.
Now, where's my Wave Race?
I'd rather honestly see them remake Super Mario World.
The only remakes I want to see are Majora's Mask and if they remake 2D games into legit 3D games (not "3D Classics" and blow my mind.
We don't need a 2nd remake of Super Mario 64. That doesn't even make sense. Who even wants that?
Hey, I just noticed something about Mario and remakes...
Super Mario Bros. (NES, console #1) --> Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (GBC, handheld #2)
Super Mario World (SNES, console #2) --> Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World (GBA, handheld #3)
Super Mario 64 (N64, console #3) --> Super Mario 64 DS (DS, handheld #4)
If this trend continues, it looks like we should expect a Super Mario Sunshine 3D sometime soon. That could be interesting.
A 3D Land sequel on Wii U with increased difficulty would be fantastic! As far as SM64 goes, not a full-blown remake, but bring back classic stages in future Mario games just like they did in Galaxy 2. I'd love to play through Bob-Omb Battlefield, Tick Tock Clock, Lethal Lava Land, and Tiny-Huge Island with greatly improved visuals and gameplay.
A SM64 sequel that brought back Peach's castle and functioned just like the original, jumping into paintings, nearly every star accessible at any point in a level etc would be fantastic.
New levels of course, although I wouldn't mind seeing some old favorites return but with updated designs.
If anything gets a 'remake' (more like an enhanced port) on the 3DS it will be Super Mario Sunshine.
And really, we need to move away from sequels, so I'm glad they're not too enthusiastic about that idea. What we need on the Wii U is not a Super Mario Galaxy nor a Super Mario 3D Land, we need a return to the open world level design of 64 and Sunshine.
Just give the Galaxy gameplay mode a rest already.. Open worlds ala Mario 64 will be most welcome again.
I agree completely. 100%.
lol que
The Japanese gaming industry is #1 when it comes to some things, just like the western development world is #1 on other things. Neither are perfect, though. Nowhere near.
I truly, truly hope you were being sarcastic. If that is the case, well done. If not, please read this and learn.
2011-12 ORIGINAL TITLES
(Wii)
Pandora's Tower
Kirby's Return to Dreamland
Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)
The Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword
Mario Party 9
(DS)
Pokemon Black - White
Kirby - Mass Attack
(3DS)
Nintendogs + Cats
Pilotwings Resort
Steel Diver
Super Mario 3D Land
Mario Kart 7
Kid Icarus - Uprising
Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (3DS)
Pokedex 3D
Pushmo
Luigi's Mansion 2
Mario Tennis - Open
Paper Mario
Fire Emblem - Awakening
Animal Crossing
2011-12 Ports - Remakes
Ocarina of Time 3D
Star Fox 64 3D
That's twenty-one original games. Against two remakes.
I will continue to pull this out every single time I hear "3DS only has/Nintendo only makes ports and remakes" or anything along those lines. You're welcome.
As much as I like Super Mario 64. I don't know if I would buy another version of the game having already played it on N64 and DS. Original titles should be the focus, not remakes... Although, I would prefer if they returned to the style of SM64 for the next 3D Mario game. Maybe they could even return the the castle, except this time it could be a much grander scale with even more things to do inside and around the castle. All the levels/ courses would be new of course.
@Windsor
If you're going to include stuff like Pokedex 3D and the SEGA-made Olympics crossovers, you have to include the 3D Classics remakes as well. I also wouldn't really call Nintendogs+Cats an "original" game, just an update in the same vein as WiiFit+ is an update to WiiFit without being a sequel. Also, that Wii list really shows how badly Nintendo has abandoned the system.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. All that Throwback Galaxy did for me, was make me realize I'd have rather had a full Wii Super Mario 64 remake, than Galaxy 2. To me, Galaxy 1 was already as perfect as it needed to be, and should have just been a standalone game. Seeing a Mario 64 level look that crisp and detailed, on the other hand? Was a major virtual cock tease.
I only stuck the Pokedex in there because it was a lot of work going into something that isn't a port or a remake. It was more directed at the 'Nintendo is lazy' comment than anything else. I was unaware that the Mario & Sonic stuff was developed by Sega since I haven't played any of them. The 3D Classics slipped my mind as well, though I can't say they're important enough to warrant inclusion (Though I think my point would still stand at twenty-one vs. six). The 3D conversions aren't nearly as impressive or time consuming as Ocarina or Star Fox 3D, and neither are $5 digital releases really comparable in that regard to retail releases. I guess they are remakes though at the end of the day so they should be up there. My apologies.
Nintendogs + Cats seemed like enough of a step up to me. I see what you're saying though. I can't really think of much that they could put into a pet simulator game to clearly define it as a sequel over an earlier title. I stuck in it there since the entire game required a complete visual overhaul and plays quite a bit nicer, again more toward 'Nintendo isn't lazy' than 'Nintendo has this awesome game out'.
(T.T) Yeah, I'm not defending Nintendo's Wii-decision-making tactics right now, just pointing out that the few games that they have put out for it over the last two years don't include a port or remake among them. I wouldn't use the word "abandoned" though. That sounds a bit harsh. We just got a Kirby and Skyward Sword, and I don't remember my N64 or GameCube having that much less than a year from being replaced. With 3 Marios, 2 Metroids, 2 Kirbys, a Smash Brothers, a Zelda, and more, I think Nintendo's done a solid job with the Wii since 2006. Where the Wii is concerned it's the third-parties I'm disappointed with really, and not all of them, just most.
Windsor
I have never said that remakes & ports were all that Nintendo does. I'm saying that too many companies have done it too many times, with Nintendo being VERY guilty of this. Unfortunately, this way of business have already leaked over into the next generation of games.
I would like Super Mario 64 on the 3DS eShop. I would like to have a portable version that uses analog control.
That's certainly true right there but you have to remember that for the entirety of the summer and fall of 2011, those two remastered ports were all Nintendo released for the 3DS.
The numbers stack up against the ports, but the reality of the amount of time in which they were all we had made it easy to think otherwise.
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