Masahiro Sakurai published a new personal column in the latest issue of Famitsu. Following the addition of Xenoblade Chronicles 2‘s Pyra and Mythra in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Sakurai explained the decision to make the two heroines the main fighter in Smash Ultimate, instead of the game’s protagonist Rex. Excerpts from the column have been made available online. [Thanks, Ryokutya2089.]
According to Sakurai’s column, the development team initially considered having Rex and Pyra appear together in Smash Ultimate, just like the original game. However, as each character has different movements, it would overburden the game’s processing capability. The team then opted to instead feature Pyra on her own, who can also transform to Mythra at any time.
Here are some of the highlights from Masahiro Sakurai’s latest column:
- “When it was decided that we were to create a character from Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the very first thing I thought about was to show and move Rex and Pyra at the same time on screen. But a conclusion that it’s impossible came at a match speed. I somewhat requested the team to inspect it, but it was impossible.”
- “When we talk about 2 people who move as a single group, there are the Ice Climbers. They have the same looks and can only do the same things. When we tried Rex + Pyra, it was clear that we could not do an essential task to have their [data] capacity exceed a processing load threshold.”
- “The system to have Rex as the main fighter and Pyra overseeing him was also determined to be difficult. The design was so complex that a lot of things would have to be done.”
- “Rex would have to be moved on his own. But then I thought it would be better if we can change between Pyra and Mythra.”
Xenoblade Chronicles 2‘s Pyra and Mythra joined the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster via DLC on March 4, 2021.
