Nintendo 3DS

Now that we have discussed the Pokédex 3D application, I would like to ask about the Pokémon Rumble Blast game. Thank you for coming.

It's our pleasure.

First, Ishihara-san, would you tell us what you did for Pokémon Rumble Blast?

Sure. Thanks to the fans' long support of the previous game, the WiiWare¹ game Pokémon Rumble², I was quite satisfied with it, so I had a strong desire to bring a sequel out for the Nintendo 3DS system. The only one who could achieve that was Ambrella³, so my job was saying to them, "You gotta make this for Nintendo 3DS!" (laughs) 1. WiiWare™: The service where users can use Wii Points™ to download new Wii™ software that is not available in stores to their Wii console via the Internet. The service began in March 2008. Broadband Internet access required. For more info, go to support.nintendo.com

2. Pokémon™ Rumble: An action game available for download from the WiiWare service of the Wii Shop Channel since June 2009.

3. Ambrella Co., Ltd.: A video game developer established in 1996 in Tokyo. In addition to Pokémon Rumble, they have made such games as Hey You, Pikachu!™ (Nintendo 64™), Pokémon Channel™ (Nintendo GameCube™), and Pokémon Dash™ (Nintendo DS™).

Yes. (laughs) And now you two from Ambrella who accepted that request. Who shall we start with?

Well I'll go, I'm Matsumura.

All right. Go ahead.

I was this game's director. Last time, for Pokémon Rumble, I felt like we started making it without establishing a firm enough in-house consensus on how to develop the game first so it was really hard, but this time for Nintendo 3DS, we had the previous game to use as a starting point so we were able to concentrate on development without faltering. (laughs)

When you started, you had the foundation laid by Pokémon Rumble, so you had a clear idea of what kind of game to make, and that made this time easier.

Yes.

I'm Ozawa from Ambrella. This time, we were moving from Pokémon Rumble, which was WiiWare, to packaged software for the Nintendo 3DS system, so our target at Ambrella was to make something with impact. The scale of the project became larger, so we had to communicate with Ishihara-san and Nintendo more often. I listened to the opinions of the staff at Ambrella, and served as a kind of coordinator.

Matsumura-san, some of our readers may not be familiar with Pokémon Rumble. Could you tell us a little about what kind of game it is?

All right. Pokémon are creatures that battle, right? In the main series of Pokémon RPGs (role-playing games), you use commands to fight, but in Pokémon Rumble, you battle in real time. The Pokémon appear as toys… Well, they crash into each other in real-time.

They crash into each other? (laughs)

Yes. It's labeled an action game, but it doesn't require anything too difficult to have fun and play.

It doesn't demand any mind-blowing button pressing techniques.

That's right. You move with the +Control Pad and Circle Pad. The A Button and B Button are for moves. And that's all. Like that.

Yes. (laughs)

It really is that simple to play. When it comes to controls, it's pretty straightforward, like games from the days of the NES era, so it's an action game that you can feel comfortable playing.

It may be like a NES game in style, but it draws on the increased power of today's hardware.

Yes. Over 200 Pokémon appeared in the Pokémon Rumble game for WiiWare, so it's a jumble of lots of Pokémon fighting and presented in a way that's representative of the Wii console. The players can only use one Pokémon at first, but you crash into the Pokémon you meet, defeat them, and befriend them.

And you rapidly become able to use the Pokémon that are now your new friends.

Exactly. The fun grows as you bring out a new Pokémon, try it out, and think, "Wow! It can use this move!"

More than 200 Pokémon is quite a number.

So adjusting them all was tough. When players who enjoy the main Pokémon RPGs see the Pokémon they encounter in this game, they make all kinds of new discoveries with regard to the moves they can use. I think it would be great if this series serves as a sort of introduction to the broader Pokémon series.

I see.

Earlier, Matsumura-san said that this is an action game you can play comfortably, but at first, we didn't think we could make a Pokémon action game even if we tried.

You didn't think Pokémon were suited to the direct controls of an action game.

That's right. But when we made Pokémon Rumble as WiiWare, we came up with having them be wind-up toys, which worked, and as a result, we made something that everyone could play.

It's an action game with simple controls, so you felt like it was accessible to all.

Yes. You move the Pokémon around on a flat field, beat opponents, and move on. I actually like this kind of action game best.

I hesitate to talk about my personal life, but my wife is so bad at action games that she says, "I hate action games!" so she won't play the Super Mario Bros. or The Legend of Zelda games. Sorry, Iwata-san. (laughs)

Huh?!

(laughs)

That's quite a statement! (laughs)

Well, she says, "I can't play them."

I guess there are lots of people who back away just by hearing the words action games. But those people are among our customers, too.

But even my wife could play the WiiWare game, Pokémon Rumble.

Oh, okay.

Only Pokémon Rumble. Each day, she would befriend a few new Pokémon, move on to the next stage, and say, "I wonder if I'll get a stronger one!" She just keeps on going.

Why do you think she can keep making progress?

She isn't so much playing an action game as she is enjoying popping bubble wrap.

Popping bubble wrap?

Yes. There was a mode last time called Battle Royale. Lots of Pokémon come out on one screen, and you fight until only one is left. That's what she played.

It's fun for her to just punch buttons and somehow keep standing.

That's right.

When you just pound buttons, you eventually get tired of it, but Ishihara-san's wife has been able to keep going for a long time. Why do you think that is, Matsumura-san?

Hmm… Actually, when we started making the WiiWare game, Pokémon Rumble, the balance of the moves was off, and there was a relatively long period when people within the company weren't crazy about it.

Why wasn't it balanced?

Well, we thought we could take care of it anytime, so we were like, "We'll handle that later!" (laughs) But no one liked it, so I snuck into the company during the weekend and straightened it out.

All alone? (laughs)

Yes. (laughs) Then everyone suddenly took to it.

When I played it, I could tell there was a clear improvement between the before and after versions.

The rhythm and pacing really improved. That may be one reason she can play for so long.

And it's a game with depth. Even if you just punch buttons at first, you gradually pick up all kinds of moves, and as a result, go on a sort of "quest" to find slightly better Toy Pokémon. Once you get absorbed in that, you can play forever.

And that's what your wife does.

Yes. She's off on a quest! (laughs)