Steel Diver Was Originally Going To Be A DSiWare Game

Recommended Videos

Steel Diver was a Nintendo 3DS launch title in the U.S., Japan will see the game this week, following a delay caused by the earthquakes in March. Steel Diver was co-developed by Nintendo’s EAD department, and another company in Kyoto, Japan, called Vitei Inc.

 

Vitei Inc. is headed up by Giles Goddard, who’s an ex-EAD member himself. In the days of the Super Famicom, Goddard helped develop games like Star Fox and Stunt Race FX. Later, he would also work on 1080° Snowboarding for the Nintendo 64. On Star  Fox, specifically, Goddard was involved with the game’s camera. He also taught Miyamoto how to juggle (no, seriously).

 

In 2002, he established Vitei Inc., who have since worked on other games for Nintendo as well, including Rock N’ Roll Climber for WiiWare. Vitei were chosen to work on Steel Diver because Miyamoto was familiar with Goddard’s strengths as a designer and because both Nintendo and Vitei are located in Kyoto, making it easy to co-develop.

 

This information comes by way of a recent Iwata Asks interview, where the EAD staff working on Steel Diver reveal that the game was initially going to be a DSiWare title. Nintendo actually showed Steel Diver off at E3 2004, after which Nintendo of America requested that the game be developed for DSiWare.

 

Nintendo’s Japanese staff, however, wanted to turn the game into a more ambitious packaged DS title, and so, they set about adding more modes to the game and tweaking the controls to be simulation-like, in order to help the game stand out from other sidescrollers. Ultimately, development was moved to the 3DS.


Siliconera is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article Nintendo 2DS and New 3DS Repairs Will Cease Soon in Japan
Nintendo 2DS and New 3DS repairs to cease in Japan
Read Article Reminder: Online Services For 3DS and Wii U Will End in April 2024
nintendo 3ds wii u online
Read Article Nintendo Offers Free Repairs to Users Affected by the Noto Earthquake
Nintendo offers free repairs to Switch 3DS and Wii U affected by Noto Peninsula earthquake
Read Article All the Shin Megami Tensei Games Available in English
Read Article Nintendo Will Discontinue 3DS and Wii U Online Functions in 2024
nintendo 3ds wii u online
Related Content
Read Article Nintendo 2DS and New 3DS Repairs Will Cease Soon in Japan
Nintendo 2DS and New 3DS repairs to cease in Japan
Read Article Reminder: Online Services For 3DS and Wii U Will End in April 2024
nintendo 3ds wii u online
Read Article Nintendo Offers Free Repairs to Users Affected by the Noto Earthquake
Nintendo offers free repairs to Switch 3DS and Wii U affected by Noto Peninsula earthquake
Read Article All the Shin Megami Tensei Games Available in English
Read Article Nintendo Will Discontinue 3DS and Wii U Online Functions in 2024
nintendo 3ds wii u online
Author
Ishaan Sahdev
Ishaan specializes in game design/sales analysis. He's the former managing editor of Siliconera and wrote the book "The Legend of Zelda - A Complete Development History". He also used to moonlight as a professional manga editor. These days, his day job has nothing to do with games, but the two inform each other nonetheless.