Switch fans should have to wait longer than their PS4 and Xbox One-pals themselves when it comes to SNK & # 39; s Samurai Shodown Restart, but the important thing for the game to make is Nintendo & # 39; s hybrid console intact – and it's actually a success.
We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to speak with the match's manager Nobuyuki Kuroki before its release. Kuroki began his career with SNK as an artist working on Deadly Anger series, and it will also impact similar games Real Bad Burning, Martial Arts 3, Samurai Shodown 64 a fairy tale Garou: The Mark of the Wolves.
When SNK went bankrupt, Kuroki was collaborating with SNK alumni Takashi Nishiyama in Dimps, where he worked on many Sonic titles. Sonic Rush and Sonic Unleashed. He returned to SNK in 2014 and worked on it SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy and King of Fighters XIV before taking on the role of Game Director in the reboot of Samurai Shodown.
Nintendo's health: Before we talk more about the Switch version of Samurai Shodown, are you happy with how the game has been adopted on other platforms?
We are indeed very happy. As a unique game, we have heard many comments from our fans, and they seem to be satisfied with it.
Kuroki-san, your history and series goes back to Samurai Shodown 64. How important is that feeling when it comes to creating a new entry?
The Samurai Shodown team at the time were all very fond of our characters. They prepare tons of full details and individual images. Most of all, their love and love for the game was amazing. As a teenager and freshman of the day, I was struck by how amazing they were. Twenty years have passed, and I am still amazed at the fact that I personally work on this topic. The stories and experiences I learned from the group have definitely helped with the development of this new Samurai Shodown. In particular, the experience of color design that is unheard of in other game designs helped to improve it.
What was it like to join the game director's role in this intervention?
As I mentioned above, I was working with the crew that first made Samurai Shodown. Could the game grow in 2019 than the previous one built by the crew then? Can we develop something that will satisfy those fans who have been playing this game for over 20 years? These questions put a lot of pressure on me. But there is no response during development, and we will never know which decision is wrong. So, when we found out that our fans were satisfied after the release, and when complimented by those who started doing the title, we were thrilled. I felt comfortable when our work was accepted.
You used Inreal Engine to create Samurai Shodown. What are the benefits of using a middleware engine as opposed to building your own in-house engine and tools?
In particular, it helps us a lot when designing graphics. We weren't able to make the images we wanted while developing KOF14, but with Unreal Engine, we can now reach the goal. Of course, it wasn't easy. Unreal Engine has some rational expressions, and Samurai Shodown is like a lie, so it was hard for the team to make it realistic. For programmers, it seems difficult, but for our artists, the engine is easy to use.
How difficult was it to move the game to Switch? What consensus was made?
The main challenge point was to upgrade the switch to work on 60FPS and to make the graphics less bulky on other platforms. I think game developers will understand how difficult it is to optimize the level of the framework without changing the graphics style. Our goal is to expand Switch graphics without getting noticed by our fans. If fans are not aware of the difference, then Safari Games which has been doing its work is doing a good job.
My colleague, Yasuyuki Oda, has previously stated that he is open to the idea of winners & # 39; guests & # 39; they appear in this game. Are there plans for this?
Sorry, we can't reveal anything right now.
You stick to that topic, Terry Bogard he just made his own Super Smash Bros. Go through. Can we see any characters from Samurai Shodown also popping up in that game, too?
Sakurai-san would be the best person to ask.
Where will the Samurai Shodown series take you now? Will we see a full-fledged sequel, or a plan to maybe focus on renovating other SNK buildings, such as The Art of Fighting, for example?
We will not reveal anything about the upcoming plans for Samurai Shodown right now. All I can say is that the development team is working for King of Fighters 15 and the DLC characters for Samurai Shodown. Please look forward to our upcoming 2nd season of Samurai Shodown with KOF15. Personally, I wish we could update Garou: Mark of the Wolves.
Finally, do you have any message that SchK fans are SNK owners out there looking forward to playing Samurai Shodown?
When I saw how Samurai Shodown looked on the switch, I couldn't help but smile in amazement. The amazing graphics that move through the switchch screen really affected me. Players can now enjoy the game on the small screen with the same excitement as the other platforms. This is something I think everyone will enjoy. We really want players to experience this sense of excitement and tension that only Samurai Shodown experiences. Please take it and try it!
We would like to thank Kuroki-san for his time. Samurai Shodown launches on switch on February 25th.
