In a Mario Party double feature in Nintendo Online Magazine, developers from both Hudson Soft and Nintendo discuss the creation of Mario Party DS. The developers chat openly and candidly about their struggles with creating a Mario Party game unique to the Nintendo DS’s hardware, and also discuss their favorite minigames. This interview has been translated into English by Cargodin. If you intend to reference or quote this translation, please provide a link back to this article and credit its translator. Please do not copy or repost this translation in full.
Interviewees
Hudson Soft
池田 淳さん – Atsushi Ikeda (Producer)
菊池賢次さん – Kenji Kikuchi (Senior Director)
中田伸一さん – Shinichi Nakata (Director) [Planning]
西本英樹さん – Hideki Nishimoto (Programmer) [Program Director]
柴田晃宏さん – Akihiro Shibata (Graphics) [Visual Director]
Nintendo Co., Ltd
佐藤 浩 – Hiroshi Sato (Producer)
山根知美 – Tomoyoshi Yamane (Associate Producer)
廣瀬美由貴 – Miyuki Hirose (Associate Producer)
生田良子 – Nagako Ikuta (Coordinator) [Coordination]
Mario Party–More than a Nintendo DS game?!
Nintendo Online Magazine: We can only imagine the challenges that come with porting a console classic like Mario Party to the Nintendo DS, given the handheld’s entirely unique controls and avenues for gameplay. How much influence did the Nintendo DS’s features have in the game design process?
Sato (Nintendo): Actually, we did change course a few times during development.
We first launched with the idea of making “something you could only find on the DS,” but this changed when the thought crossed our minds that players would see certain mechanics and go, “Oh, well I guess they had to check off a list on the DS’s features or whatever,” which wouldn’t make anyone feel good.
Ultimately, we zeroed in on making a brand new iteration of what Mario Party already was, and… ah, maybe Kikuchi-san and Nakata-san can elaborate on this better than I can.
Nakata (Hudson): Well, I don’t think I could tell it any better. (Laughs.) It’s true though that we wanted to make “something you could only find on the DS,” and wound up leaning on that longer than we should have.
Early on in development, we tried making a baseline where “players could communicate with one another in real time, but each player’s screens would show different material.” It’s wordy, but picture a Mario Party game that looked and played like Old Maid.
As for how that went, uhm, let’s just say it was an uphill battle.
Nintendo Online Magazine: Either way, it sounds like we’re in for something our younger players will find fresh and unique!
Nakata (Hudson): Funny enough, that original pitch led us to make something that felt like a [boring] social game for grown-ups–likely because the game’s main focus became the strategic relay of information between players where no one could see the same thing. We sure took the “party” out of “Mario Party” with that one! (Laughs.)
Coincidentally, I was also involved with Mario Party 8’s development around that same time. That helped me rediscover what made Mario Party so fun: the fact that anyone can sit down and enjoy it without having to stress out over strategy.
Kikuchi (Hudson): I’m not so good of a storyteller, but… (Laughs.) The cool thing about Mario Party is that you can play games with your friends without much effort. You can even relax and go solo. The problem we had early on was that that was not the game we were making. People in the vicinity were looking at what we had on the screen and saying, “That’s no Mario Party.”
Sato (Nintendo): In the beginning, we thought, “Well, players already have Mario Party on consoles, so surely they’ll be more satisfied with something different from what they’ve seen on one big TV.” When highlighting the Nintendo DS’s unique features, we decided to focus on players having the ability to see something different on their individual screens.
What we made first with was… not an easy sell. (Laughs.) That proposal wound up not getting greenlit.
Nakata (Hudson): Given we were developing a Nintendo DS game, keep in mind that every player has a stylus and a microphone. We felt that the controls at our disposal were nothing like those we were used to when developing a console game. We had a lot of ideas on the table because of it.
On the other hand, we wanted to give the game a unique feel, and tried making a screen that let the player see everything in first-person. That didn’t go over well either. (Laughs.)
Sato (Nintendo): But you can see why playing the game from one character’s point of view the whole time doesn’t work here, right?
You either make the player character appear too lonely, or you make it hard for the player to see what their character is actually doing.
Nakata (Hudson): That wouldn’t fly for Mario Party. Besides, only adults would get anything out of meta strategizing and the like, so the mini-games felt way too difficult.
Using voice to play mini-games on separate screens
Nintendo Online Magazine: Putting those setbacks behind us, what should we pay attention to in Mario Party DS when picking it up?
Nakata (Hudson): This time, there are more communication-based mini-games than ever before.
There are some multiplayer mini-games that require the player to call out, “Go right! Go left!” or, “You go up, and I’ll go down!” to their teammates.
Sato (Nintendo): Nakata-san just made the exact point I had jotted down for this question.
Nintendo Online Magazine: Are there any hard rules you consider when designing a mini-game?
Nakata (Hudson): We don’t keep a checklist of requirements, so to speak, and would rather stay open-minded for any mini-games that sound fun. Some developers start by brainstorming new controls for a mini-game, like whether or not the player will use the stylus. Other developers start with a theme and add the controls later. It truly varies from developer to developer.
Kikuchi (Hudson): At the end of the day, each mini-game is crafted to be fun and competitive!
Hirose (Nintendo): It’s imperative to us that the mini-games remain fun in short bursts. If they were to drag out for too long, players would wonder, “Why are we doing this again?” and fall off. That wouldn’t do! To me, the Mario Party series promises two things: fun controls and a screen that’s exciting to look at.
Yamane (Nintendo): It’s important too that the rules and winning conditions for each mini-game are made immediately clear to the player. We found that players would avoid certain mini-games altogether if the rules were poorly explained or the game felt cumbersome to play.
Ikuta (Nintendo): Clarity is a big deal, but I think competition is key! (Laughs.)
The opportunity to impede on your opponents kicks things up a notch. That said, out of the many mini-games we have in the game, some focus on skill while others focus on luck. We always wanted Hudson to keep those focuses varied.
Sato (Nintendo): That all feels like a given to me. In Mario Party DS’s case, especially, I think talking and general communication are the most important. As Nakata-san mentioned earlier, you’re playing this game on individual screens, which gives players something more to share.
Kikuchi (Hudson): As I watched over the development process, I realized that the mini-games that made players involuntarily mutter or shriek during gameplay were the most fun. Once the debugging process began, I was hearing words around the room that I can’t repeat in an interview kids are going to read. (Laughs.)
Sato (Nintendo): Something I came to appreciate when looking at how these mini-games have grown between console iterations is that having a wide variety makes each individual game mini-game more fun.* Each mini-game is already fun in its own way, of course, but I think having the player ask themselves, “What will come next?” adds a twist of anticipation.
*The console iterations mentioned are the Nintendo DS and the Wii.
Nakata (Hudson): Mario Party shines for having so many game genres within it. Sometimes you’re racing, sometimes you’re solving puzzles, et cetera. It’s not confined to any one play style. Maybe I’ll sound my age by saying this, but I want players to feel like they’re walking through a “video game candy store.” (Laughs.)
Nintendo Online Magazine: Playing through all these mini-games for the first time really is exciting!
Sato (Nintendo): When I watch members of my family play the game, I catch myself thinking, “Huh! A-chan is really good at this!” or “But B-chan is really good at that!” That’s one of the highlights of Mario Party. It brings out why that variety matters for people.
We want you to play 100% of the game–including download play!
Nintendo Online Magazine: In Mario Party DS, Mario and his friends shrink down during the storyline. What inspired this?
Shibata (Hudson): It wasn’t inspired by any particular work. (Laughs.) We thought that since the screen was smaller on a handheld than it is for a console, people wouldn’t mind that Mario and his friends were tinier too.
When Mario and his friends are tiny, the world around them looks larger, right? We thought this would give the game a deeper contrast next to the Mario Party that fans have seen before this.
Sato (Nintendo): To Nintendo, the concept of Mario and his friends shrinking felt rather natural. Some people did ask, “How will this as a game feel on the DS when it’s always been made for the TV screen?” When we explained that Mario and his friends were tiny now, we felt they understood the assignment. It made everything feel right at home.
Nintendo Online Magazine: It’s a very “Nintendo DS” way of thinking.
Kikuchi (Hudson): Since we’re talking about the DS, I’d also like to bring attention to the DS Download Play feature. When at least one player has a copy of Mario Party DS, up to three of their friends can join them using their own Nintendo DSs.
Nishimoto (Nintendo): Whether you’re playing the full board game or just playing mini-games, up to four people can play with the same top-quality graphics and performance.
A number of developers on the team had little experience developing games for a handheld, so this took a lot of work to make happen! A multiplayer experience running on a single cart was a major element for us since the very beginning of development. I’m glad we were able to make it happen.
Sato (Nintendo): From a producer’s perspective, playing a multiplayer game on a single cart felt like a necessity here. I’m sure Ikeda-san from Hudson would agree with me. The idea of making four players buy the exact same game just to play with one another felt like a line we couldn’t cross.
Yamane (Nintendo): There were programming hurdles up the wall with this one, but seeing it actually work took all the weight off our shoulders.
Nintendo Online Magazine: The computer (“COM”) characters are quick-thinkers themselves. The mini-games run smoothly and are snappy to play.
Shibata (Hudson): We put a lot of work into keeping the game’s overall tempo high. For one, the DS is battery-operated. During development, characters moved twice as quickly as they do in the final product. We did slow it down because, if characters ran too quickly, players wouldn’t be able to see what their opponents were doing.
Nishimoto (Nintendo): We thought players would want to play the game at a faster pace on their own as they got better with the mechanics, so the game had a pretty brisk play cycle at first. That said, we didn’t want players to feel rushed, so we were making adjustments with player comfort in mind.
Nintendo Online Magazine: What gameplay experience would you like for players, Mario Party beginner or otherwise?
Nishimoto (Nintendo): Our mini-games are the heart of Mario Party DS, so the board game segment itself was meant to be beginner-friendly. Beginners may have a hard time challenging those long-time Mario Party fans right away, but there are pros and cons at every twist and turn on the board; take the road less traveled, and you might find that trump card you need to make a surprise comeback!
Hirose (Nintendo): To keep the board game balanced, we made sure luck played a big role. A high mini-game skill doesn’t necessarily mean a guaranteed victory. The tables can turn at the drop of a hat.
Nintendo Online Magazine: Will we ever see Hudson and Nintendo go head-to-head in Mario Party DS?
Hirose (Nintendo): We all play against one another in meetings. Of course I love to win, but… (Laughs.) It’s Hudson’s team developing all of the mini-games, so clearly they’ve played them long enough to have an advantage.
Ikeda (Hudson): Making excuses, are we?
Sato (Nintendo): That was only during development! Hirose-san and Ikuta-san are even bigger threats than us now. (Laughs.) Speaking of which, didn’t we play a few penalty games? There’s another Sato working at Hudson, and I remember the prize between us being [the winner becoming “the real Sato” and] the loser becoming “the fake Sato.”
Kikuchi (Hudson): Yeah, that did happen.
Sato (Nintendo): Pretty sure I won that.
Ikeda (Hudson): Oh, no, no! I seem to remember the Nintendo Sato becoming the fake Sato! (Laughs.)
A Word to the Players
Nintendo Online Magazine: Before we go, would everyone like to leave tips for the players?
Nishimoto (Nintendo): First, practice in single player.
Shibata (Hudson): Then try playing with a friend.
Nakata (Hudson): It makes developers like us happy when a whole group of players can enjoy a multiplayer game to its fullest after a little practice.
Kikuchi (Hudson): There are a boatload of mini-games, so have fun experimenting.
Yamane (Nintendo): Now that players can play whenever and wherever they feel like, we hope people will loosen up, play with new people, and make even more friends.
Hirose (Nintendo): Puzzle Mode is rather elaborate and brings a lot to the table, so we hope you take your time with it and see everything it has to offer.
Ikuta (Nintendo): We put a number of challenging mini-games into this title, so we hope you enjoy them for a long, long time.
Sato (Nintendo): The Nintendo 64 and the GameCube–both homes to Mario Party–were not nearly as popular as the Nintendo DS is right now. The Nintendo DS has given us an opportunity to share the thrill of Mario Party with an even greater audience. We made sure not to hold ourselves back just because “it’s on [a handheld like] the Nintendo DS.” We want people to know they’re playing the freshest entry of Mario Party to date. It might be a few years before we get to make another Mario Party, so take advantage of this one. (Laughs.)
Your Favorite Mini-games
Sato (Nintendo): Well, I can name my least favorite in a heartbeat. (Laughs.) It’s the one where you jump across that long row of wooden planks.
Ikuta (Nintendo): That’s gotta be Domino Effect.
Sato (Nintendo): I turned that one down at first just off of personal preference. (Laughs.) I really wanted it out of there, but everyone else got a real kick out of it, so it stayed in. My overall favorite is Star Catchers. It has a romantic vibe.
Hirose (Nintendo): The one I like is Boogie Beam. I relish in the chaos of making split-second decisions.
Yamane (Nintendo): Mine is Cucumberjacks. All you have to do is slice up a cucumber, but one of the guys on the debugging team whipped through that game like lightning, so I found myself constantly competing with them to try and top their high score.
Ikuta (Nintendo): I like playing Camera Shy. Camping and running around are both strategic ways to play that one. Once I got the hang of it, I would impose little challenges onto myself, like seeing how many close ups I could snap with as little film as possible.
Kikuchi (Hudson): That’s oddly hardcore. (Laughs.)
Ikuta (Nintendo): Yeah, I was really going overboard.
Kikuchi (Hudson): My favorite is Hedge Honcho. I like it because it’s a four player game that’s so exciting, players can’t help but get fairly vocal.
Nakata (Hudson): My favorite is called Perfect Fit*. It’s a unique entry to the series in general, as it requires both luck and skill to win.
*Perfect Fit is named “Trash Landing” in the NTSC-U version of Mario Party DS.
Shibata (Hudson): You can get by with a little bad luck in that one, so long as you work hard and develop the skillset to balance things out, can’t you?
Nakata (Hudson): Yes, you can!
Nishimoto (Nintendo): One that’s easy to get the hang of is Get the Lead Out. I also like Double Vision for the same reason. They’re fun mini-games that you can still absorb the mechanics of right away.
Shibata (Hudson): I’d say mine is Double Vision–not because I was in charge of graphics, mind you. Sometimes the best party strategy is to totally defect from the game and draw something silly for other players to see. (Laughs.) Soil Toil is another good game to laugh along with.