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Konno on Retro's help with Mario Kart 7, need for the blue shell, series' future
A portion of an IGN interview with Nintendo's Hideki Konno...
IGN: When and why was the decision made to bring Retro in to help with track design? Had the company previously expressed an interest in the series? If not, how did this partnership come about? How did you determine which team would handle which tracks?
Konno: We asked Retro Studios to help with the track design because at the end of 2010, Retro Studios had just finished developing Donkey Kong Country Returns, and we were faced with a development staff shortage. It was a very fortunate coincidence for the Mario Kart series.
Retro Studios and Nintendo each designed about half of the courses. I think that EAD and Retro Studios were able to cooperate and work productively to create a high-quality product. I am very grateful for the work that everyone at Retro Studios accomplished.
IGN: Mario Kart has increasingly added items like the Blue Shell or Bullet Bill that allow players coming in last to surge ahead, even if they aren't playing well. Are you worried items like these take too much away from skill-based play? Have you ever considered allowing players to turn off specific items like these?
Konno: I believe that Mario Kart is enjoyed by a wide range of players, including both new and veteran gamers. Ideally, we would like to allow players of different experience levels to play Mario Kart together. We don't want to create a game in which more experienced players will always win; we want to create a game in which when less experienced players are lucky, they can win too sometimes. That's why we use items to add an element of chance to the game. I think it's fun to play Mario Kart as if you were checking your horoscope. Even if your luck isn't good today, it might turn around tomorrow if you keep trying.
On the other hand, we have added the ability to limit the items that are available in local and online multiplayer games so that players can also enjoy races that are less influenced by luck.
IGN: Many Nintendo franchises have changed drastically over the years, but Mario Kart seems to be a series that thrives on updating a familiar formula. Do you see a need to significantly change the Mario Kart series in the near future?
Konno: The need to significantly change the Mario Kart series will arise if an innovation is developed that will enable more people to enjoy Mario Kart. On the other hand, there are good things that don't change, like familiar tastes and sports rules. I'm repeating myself now, but I want to emphasize that the multiplayer gameplay of the Mario Kart series is one of its most important elements. We want to make Mario Kart a series that can be enjoyed by people all over the world, regardless of boundaries like age and nationality.
Full interview here
IGN: When and why was the decision made to bring Retro in to help with track design? Had the company previously expressed an interest in the series? If not, how did this partnership come about? How did you determine which team would handle which tracks?
Konno: We asked Retro Studios to help with the track design because at the end of 2010, Retro Studios had just finished developing Donkey Kong Country Returns, and we were faced with a development staff shortage. It was a very fortunate coincidence for the Mario Kart series.
Retro Studios and Nintendo each designed about half of the courses. I think that EAD and Retro Studios were able to cooperate and work productively to create a high-quality product. I am very grateful for the work that everyone at Retro Studios accomplished.
IGN: Mario Kart has increasingly added items like the Blue Shell or Bullet Bill that allow players coming in last to surge ahead, even if they aren't playing well. Are you worried items like these take too much away from skill-based play? Have you ever considered allowing players to turn off specific items like these?
Konno: I believe that Mario Kart is enjoyed by a wide range of players, including both new and veteran gamers. Ideally, we would like to allow players of different experience levels to play Mario Kart together. We don't want to create a game in which more experienced players will always win; we want to create a game in which when less experienced players are lucky, they can win too sometimes. That's why we use items to add an element of chance to the game. I think it's fun to play Mario Kart as if you were checking your horoscope. Even if your luck isn't good today, it might turn around tomorrow if you keep trying.
On the other hand, we have added the ability to limit the items that are available in local and online multiplayer games so that players can also enjoy races that are less influenced by luck.
IGN: Many Nintendo franchises have changed drastically over the years, but Mario Kart seems to be a series that thrives on updating a familiar formula. Do you see a need to significantly change the Mario Kart series in the near future?
Konno: The need to significantly change the Mario Kart series will arise if an innovation is developed that will enable more people to enjoy Mario Kart. On the other hand, there are good things that don't change, like familiar tastes and sports rules. I'm repeating myself now, but I want to emphasize that the multiplayer gameplay of the Mario Kart series is one of its most important elements. We want to make Mario Kart a series that can be enjoyed by people all over the world, regardless of boundaries like age and nationality.