Masahiro Sakurai
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese video game designer, the creative force behind both the Kirby and the Super Smash Bros. series on Nintendo
platforms. He is currently Director of Software Development for the video game developer's Sora Ltd.
and Project Sora
. He is also the author of a weekly column for Famitsu
magazine. He has developed a cult following for his streamlined, yet deep gameplay.
. It is here that he created the character Kirby at the age of 19. He would soon direct his first title, Kirby's Dream Land
.
Sakurai resigned from his position at HAL Laboratory
on August 5, 2003, leading many to believe that the Kirby and Super Smash Bros. series would cease to continue. Reasons for his departure are said to be because he was seeking more freedom and was not happy with the structure that was present at HAL Laboratory. Most of all, however, Sakurai grew tired of the sequelization of the industry and at HAL.
His resignation came just days after an interview where he openly criticized the company for circumstances surrounding the development of the Nintendo GameCube
racer Kirby Air Ride
. He has publicly stated that he wishes HAL to continue working on the Kirby series. It is known that Sakurai holds no resentment towards his past at HAL Laboratory, or his old characters. To this day, Sakurai's signature
is a Kirby face.
After his departure with HAL in August 2003, Sakurai began working with Q Entertainment
, along with Tetsuya Mizuguchi
. This collaboration resulted in Meteos
, a unique puzzle game for the Nintendo DS
.
On September 30, 2005, Sakurai announced that he had formed his own company, Sora
. Two titles have been announced to be in development but any information on the titles (other than that they are in development) has not yet been divulged.
As for the future of the Super Smash Bros. series, former HAL Laboratory President and current President of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata
, during the Nintendo E3 2005 press conference, promised an online iteration of the game would come to Nintendo's video game console, Wii
. In issue #885 of Famitsu
magazine, Sakurai first revealed that he would be serving as a director and game designer on Nintendo's highly anticipated game Super Smash Bros. Brawl
for the console.
Sakurai completed development of Super Smash Bros. Brawl
in 2008. He developed the game, despite personnel borrowed from 19 different developer studios being put in charge of preliminary development of it. Brawl was released on January 31, 2008 in Japan
, and on March 9, 2008 in North America
. Sakurai had also been updating daily the official Super Smash Bros Brawl web site called "The Dojo". Starting a year previous the release, Sakurai had started revealing Brawl secrets and gameplay content through the site. Regular updates began May 22, 2007 and ended on April 14, 2008. On the final day of updates, it was revealed that Sakurai provided the voice for King Dedede in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Sakurai's name also appeared under "Voice Actors" in the final credits of Kirby 64.
Sakurai and his company, Sora Ltd.
alongside Nintendo have started a new first-party studio, Project Sora
, which is 72% owned by Nintendo and 28% owned by Sora Ltd. It was revealed at E3 2010 that Sakurai and Project Sora have been working on a new Kid Icarus game
for the Nintendo 3DS console. In the following year at E3 2011, Nintendo announced that Sakurai will work on the next games in the Super Smash Bros. series for Nintendo 3DS
and Wii U, with both titles being able to interact with each other. Sakurai intends to begin full development upon the completion of Kid Icarus: Uprising.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese video game designer, the creative force behind both the Kirby and the Super Smash Bros. series on Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
platforms. He is currently Director of Software Development for the video game developer's Sora Ltd.
Sora Ltd.
Sora Ltd. is a Japanese video game developer founded by former HAL Laboratory employee Masahiro Sakurai. It was formed in the years following Sakurai's resignation from his position at HAL Laboratory....
and Project Sora
Project Sora
is a Japanese video game developer founded by Nintendo Co., Ltd. president Satoru Iwata and former HAL Laboratory employee Masahiro Sakurai. It was formed in the year 2009 after the successful launch of Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii console. On formation of the new company, Nintendo is...
. He is also the author of a weekly column for Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
magazine. He has developed a cult following for his streamlined, yet deep gameplay.
Biography
One of Sakurai's earliest experiences in the video game industry began when he worked for HAL LaboratoryHAL Laboratory
is a Japanese video game developer that was founded on February 21, 1980. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Its name comes from the HAL 9000 computer in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The company is most famous for its character Kirby, the protagonist of the eponymous game series, as well as...
. It is here that he created the character Kirby at the age of 19. He would soon direct his first title, Kirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land, known as in Japan, is a 1992 third party developed platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America. It is both the first video game...
.
Sakurai resigned from his position at HAL Laboratory
HAL Laboratory
is a Japanese video game developer that was founded on February 21, 1980. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Its name comes from the HAL 9000 computer in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The company is most famous for its character Kirby, the protagonist of the eponymous game series, as well as...
on August 5, 2003, leading many to believe that the Kirby and Super Smash Bros. series would cease to continue. Reasons for his departure are said to be because he was seeking more freedom and was not happy with the structure that was present at HAL Laboratory. Most of all, however, Sakurai grew tired of the sequelization of the industry and at HAL.
- "It was tough for me to see that every time I made a new game, people automatically assumed that a sequel was coming," said Sakurai on August 26, 2003, in an interview with Nintendo DreamNintendo DreamNintendo Dream is a Japanese video game magazine first published by Asahi Communications, and currently published by Tokuma Shoten. It is Japan's main Nintendo Magazine featuring Nintendo game reviews for the Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and Wii. It was originally named "64 Dream" and went on sale...
, two weeks after his resignation from HAL Laboratory. "Even if it's a sequel (laughs), lots of people have to give their all to make a game, but some people think the sequel process happens naturally."
His resignation came just days after an interview where he openly criticized the company for circumstances surrounding the development of the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
racer Kirby Air Ride
Kirby Air Ride
Kirby Air Ride,or カービィのエアライド in Japan, is a racing game video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube video game console starring Kirby, one of HAL's characters....
. He has publicly stated that he wishes HAL to continue working on the Kirby series. It is known that Sakurai holds no resentment towards his past at HAL Laboratory, or his old characters. To this day, Sakurai's signature
Signature
A signature is a handwritten depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. The writer of a signature is a signatory. Similar to a handwritten signature, a signature work describes the work as readily identifying...
is a Kirby face.
After his departure with HAL in August 2003, Sakurai began working with Q Entertainment
Q Entertainment
Q Entertainment creates, produces, and publishes in digital entertainment content across multiple game consoles, PC broadband and mobile units...
, along with Tetsuya Mizuguchi
Tetsuya Mizuguchi
is a video game designer and founder of the video game development firm Q Entertainment. He formerly worked for Sega were he eventually became the head of their United Game Artists division...
. This collaboration resulted in Meteos
Meteos
is an action puzzle video game for the Nintendo DS portable gaming system. The name of the game comes from the English word meteor, transliterated to "meteo". Meteos was developed by Q Entertainment and published by Nintendo and Bandai. The producer for the game was Tetsuya Mizuguchi and lead...
, a unique puzzle game for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
.
On September 30, 2005, Sakurai announced that he had formed his own company, Sora
Sora Ltd.
Sora Ltd. is a Japanese video game developer founded by former HAL Laboratory employee Masahiro Sakurai. It was formed in the years following Sakurai's resignation from his position at HAL Laboratory....
. Two titles have been announced to be in development but any information on the titles (other than that they are in development) has not yet been divulged.
As for the future of the Super Smash Bros. series, former HAL Laboratory President and current President of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata
Satoru Iwata
is the fourth president of Nintendo, succeeding the long-standing previous president of the company, Hiroshi Yamauchi in 2002. He was responsible in great part for defining Nintendo's strategy both before and during the release of its Nintendo GameCube video game console in 2001, a vision which...
, during the Nintendo E3 2005 press conference, promised an online iteration of the game would come to Nintendo's video game console, Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. In issue #885 of Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
magazine, Sakurai first revealed that he would be serving as a director and game designer on Nintendo's highly anticipated game Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
for the console.
Sakurai completed development of Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
in 2008. He developed the game, despite personnel borrowed from 19 different developer studios being put in charge of preliminary development of it. Brawl was released on January 31, 2008 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and on March 9, 2008 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Sakurai had also been updating daily the official Super Smash Bros Brawl web site called "The Dojo". Starting a year previous the release, Sakurai had started revealing Brawl secrets and gameplay content through the site. Regular updates began May 22, 2007 and ended on April 14, 2008. On the final day of updates, it was revealed that Sakurai provided the voice for King Dedede in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Sakurai's name also appeared under "Voice Actors" in the final credits of Kirby 64.
Sakurai and his company, Sora Ltd.
Sora Ltd.
Sora Ltd. is a Japanese video game developer founded by former HAL Laboratory employee Masahiro Sakurai. It was formed in the years following Sakurai's resignation from his position at HAL Laboratory....
alongside Nintendo have started a new first-party studio, Project Sora
Project Sora
is a Japanese video game developer founded by Nintendo Co., Ltd. president Satoru Iwata and former HAL Laboratory employee Masahiro Sakurai. It was formed in the year 2009 after the successful launch of Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii console. On formation of the new company, Nintendo is...
, which is 72% owned by Nintendo and 28% owned by Sora Ltd. It was revealed at E3 2010 that Sakurai and Project Sora have been working on a new Kid Icarus game
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Kid Icarus: Uprising, known in Japan as , is an upcoming title for the Nintendo 3DS video game system, developed by Project Sora and to be published by Nintendo. It is the third game in the Kid Icarus series and the first since 1991's Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters, a nineteen-year wait...
for the Nintendo 3DS console. In the following year at E3 2011, Nintendo announced that Sakurai will work on the next games in the Super Smash Bros. series for Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...
and Wii U, with both titles being able to interact with each other. Sakurai intends to begin full development upon the completion of Kid Icarus: Uprising.
Games designed
- 1992 - Kirby's Dream LandKirby's Dream LandKirby's Dream Land, known as in Japan, is a 1992 third party developed platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America. It is both the first video game...
(credited as "Masa Sakurai") - 1993 - Kirby's AdventureKirby's AdventureKirby's Adventure, known as in Japan, is a platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released March 26, 1993 in Japan, and was later released in North America on May 1, 1993, and in Europe on...
- 1993 - Kirby's Pinball LandKirby's Pinball LandKirby's Pinball Land, known in Japan as is a 1993-1994 pinball video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. It was HAL Laboratory's third pinball video game after the MSX and NES title Rollerball and the Game Boy title Revenge of the 'Gator...
- 1995 - Kirby's Block BallKirby's Block BallKirby's Block Ball is a Breakout-style Game Boy game developed by HAL Laboratory. It was released in Japan on December 14, 1995, in North America on May 1996, and in the PAL region on December 25, 1995.-Gameplay:...
- 1996 - Kirby Super StarKirby Super StarKirby Super Star, known as Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe and as in Japan, is a 1996 platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released in Japan on March 21, 1996, in North America on...
- 1999 - Super Smash Bros.Super Smash Bros.Super Smash Bros., known in Japan as , is a fighting game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on January 21, 1999, in North America on April 26, 1999, and in Europe on November 19, 1999. Super Smash Bros. is the first game in the Super...
- 2001 - Super Smash Bros. MeleeSuper Smash Bros. MeleeSuper Smash Bros. Melee, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 game Super Smash Bros., and the predecessor to the Wii game Super Smash...
- 2002 - Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
- 2003 - Kirby Air RideKirby Air RideKirby Air Ride,or カービィのエアライド in Japan, is a racing game video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube video game console starring Kirby, one of HAL's characters....
- 2005 - MeteosMeteosis an action puzzle video game for the Nintendo DS portable gaming system. The name of the game comes from the English word meteor, transliterated to "meteo". Meteos was developed by Q Entertainment and published by Nintendo and Bandai. The producer for the game was Tetsuya Mizuguchi and lead...
- 2005 - Kouchuu Ouja: MushiKing -- Greatest Champion e no MichiMushiking: King of the Beetlesalso called Mushiking: Battle of the Beetles, is a Japanese combination of an arcade game and collectible card game developed by Sega. The game involves battles between cards describing various beetle species...
- 2008 - Super Smash Bros. BrawlSuper Smash Bros. BrawlSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
- 2012 - Kid Icarus Uprising
External links
- MasahiroSakurai.com Also known as "Masahiro Sakurai Fans Unite!", a website dedicated to the work of Masahiro Sakurai, 2007.
- Meteos Man Forms New Studio, Talks Game Design. Interview with Edge Magazine, 2005. URL accessed 05/11/2006
- PRESS START 2006 -SYMPHONY OF GAMES- Concert in which Masahiro Sakurai largely participated, 2006. URL accessed 1/21/2007
- Smashbros.com Web page ran by Masahiro Sakurai that offers straight-from-the-creator reports on Super Smash Bros. Brawl, 2007.