Super Smash Bros. is one of the most legendary franchises in all of gaming, due in part to the tight and accessible fighting mechanics and the celebration of gaming it encourages by featuring characters from countless franchises.
The series is now older than most of its fans, with the first title coming out in 1999 on the N64. The idea of a fighting game bringing together various Nintendo properties was not always a sure thing, as the ten facts about the debut title show. Some of these have to do with the game itself, while others detail stories about the development.
10 Sound Differences Between Releases
As was common back then with Japanese games, the game released several months earlier in its home turf than it did in the United States. Besides the language, the most notable difference between the two versions are several sound effects. The beam sword’s sounds in Japan more closely resemble lightsaber sounds from Star Wars. Additionally, the punches and kicks sound more blunt and violent than they do in the American release.
9 The Prototype
The game was in the works before HAL, the developer, obtained permission to use Nintendo characters. The original aesthetic had characters who looked like the infamously dorky Pepsi Man mascot, which is why the game was codenamed Pepsi Man early in development. Levels also used real photos as backgrounds. These were placeholders until the team found a real aesthetic to build the game around. The game probably would not have been as big a hit if it came out without the Nintendo roster.
8 Final Smashes Were Planned
According to series creator Masahiro Sakurai, the concept of final smashes came about during the development of the first game.
However, limited development time left numerous ideas on the cutting room floor, including the final smash. They did not make the cut for the GameCube sequel either. It was not until the third game, Brawl, on the Nintendo Wii, that final smashes became a reality.
7 Satoru Iwata Worked On The Prototype
One of the more important figures in the history of Nintendo is Satoru Iwata. He worked on countless Nintendo Classics while working at HAL, remaining hands on even as President of the company. He believed enough in Sakurai’s concept for Super Smash Bros. that he worked on the prototype as a programmer, one of three people who started the project. He tragically passed away in 2015, but Iwata’s contribution to gaming has solidified his legacy within the medium.
6 Cut Characters
Compared to later games, the twelve characters available in Super Smash Bros. on the N64 seems like such a paltry amount. Several other characters were planned for release but left out for one reason or another. Bowser, Mewtwo, and King Dedede were all going to be on board. Even though they missed the train to the debut entry, they all made it onto the roster for future entries in the franchise. Give it enough time and just about every gaming series in existence will be represented in Super Smash Bros.
5 Prototype Name
Before taking on the moniker of Super Smash Bros., the prototype was being developed under the name Kakutō Gēmu Ryūō, which roughly translates to Dragon King: The Fighting Game. Ryūō is also a town in Japan where HAL Laboratory operated from. It is for the better that a new name was decided upon. We all love dragons, but Nintendo characters beating the tar out of each other is far more appealing.
4 How They Were Allowed To Use Nintendo Characters
Upon first asking Shigeru Miyamoto about using Nintendo characters for the fighting game, he denied the request. Satoru Iwata told Sakurai to make a prototype using the characters anyway, and he ended up showing it to Miyamoto. The creator of many of the characters featured loved the idea in action and eventually gave his approval. Considering how Shigeru Miyamoto does not like overly violent games and guards his creations well, it makes sense for him to have reservations about a fighting game using these iconic IPs.
3 Why Smash Bros. Is Not Just Another Fighting Game
The concept of Super Smash Bros. birthed within Sakurai’s mind long before Nintendo characters came into the picture. For him, the style and accessibility of the game came out of a desire to make a wholly unique fighting game where every round felt different.
This is why it is not a traditional one on one fighter like Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat. The freedom of movement plays a lot into the versatile gameplay, and skill is not reliant on memorizing long combos.
2 The Characters’ Placement On The Roster
There seems to be no order to the roster placement. However, it actually gives a short history lesson. Every character is placed in chronological order from top left to the bottom right, which is why it starts off with Mario and Donkey Kong. Even the unlock able characters fit into the same path, which is why Pikachu and Jigglypuff end up at the end, since the first Pokemon game only came out in 1996.
1 Unlockable Characters Reuse Animations
Scheduling was extremely tight when putting this game together. Even the four unlockable characters were almost cut from the release, which would have left the roster with a measly eight characters. In order to get these combatants in, they had to reuse elements from the other fighters. Captain Falcon moves like Samus, Luigi is similar to Mario, and Jigglypuff resembles Kirby. Considering the novelty and distinct personalities, reusing animations did not bother players.
