Smash Bros Wii U/3DS - Sakurai Explains Gap Between 3DS & Wii U Release Dates

Aug 21, 2014 by Eggmond

The below excerpts are from a Kotaku article that translated a Famitsu interview with Sakurai...

"Checking is done both domestically and overseas, so for a game like Smash Bros., several hundred people are employed." Sakurai explained. "So, debugging alone becomes a huge project. So much so that one of the biggest reasons for the separate release dates for the 3DS and Wii U versions was so that we could shift the debugging periods."

"In a previous Smash Bros., we found a bug during the debugging process where if fighter A hits item B and fighters C and D are simultaneously affected, the game would freeze." Sakurai recalled. "Considering not only the different fighters, but items, stages, color settings, play rules, and game modes, the number of varying combinations are astronomical. In order to properly debug, every pattern must be tried, but such a task would be impossible no matter how many decades or centuries you take."

http://www.gonintendo.com/s/235608-smash-bros-wii-u-3ds-sakurai-explains-gap-between-3ds-wii-u-release-dates

http://kotaku.com/smash-bros-creator-explains-why-wii-u-users-will-have-1624879347?utm_campaign=Socialflow_Kotaku_Twitter&utm_source=Kotaku_Twitter&utm_medium=Socialflow

Huh, so they decided to debug Smash 3D first.

Yep, I wouldn't doubt it and debugging is something that more companies should take seriously *cough* EA *cough*

Kind of odd they didn't handle the debugging process as two separate games. It be like say Mario 3D debug team had to also do work on Zelda 3ds.

Its probably more cause the wiiu version is bigger than the 3ds version. Like in terms of graphics, music, online and even the amount of different input methods u can use with the wiiu which = longer debugging

This is nothing really new, he already said that sometime during E3!
However, interesting decision to debug the 3DS version first.

Debugging your game before release, even if it means delaying it is what all companies need to do, especially that certain company which begins with E and ends in A

Man, I wish the 3DS version didn't exist. The Wii U version would have released over the Summer.

But gamers being used as free debuggers is progression. Gaw, get with times grampa....