The final Mr. Sakurai Presents took place today forSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, and it was revealed thatSora would be the last character in Nintendo’s epic fighting game. There has been a massive build-up for this moment, asSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatewas revealed in early 2018, released later that year, and since then Sakurai and Nintendo have continued to support the game in remarkable ways. But the game looks to be finally coming to a close, and Sakurai is grateful for a community that is extremely appreciative.
The gaming community can tend to be a bit harsh at times, but in the case ofSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate,fans have been showering Sakurai with praise. And for good reason, as the multiplayer mashup has exceeded expectations and turned into a love letter to video games with additions such as Banjo and Kazooie, Hero, Kazuya, and Steve fromMinecraft. After a long game development journey, Sakurai took to Twitter to thank the fans for their support.
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The hashtag #ThankYouSakurai has been trending since thefinal Sakurai Presents. The director ofSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatetook notice and said he is “really grateful,” according to the Google translation. Ever the humble game designer, Sakurai says this culmination is “the result of the support of many people.” The game has been developed by Sakurai, Bandai Namco, and published by Nintendo, selling nearly 25 million copies worldwide.
What is amazing aboutSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateis the evolution that has taken place, and the tagline “Everyone is Here.” When the series first started, characters like Ness and Captain Falcon introduced fans to lesser-known series such asEarthboundandF-Zero. That continued with characters like Marth and Roy introducing North American fans toFire EmblemwithSuper Smash Bros. Meleeor the Ice Climbers receiving a roster spot with a much smaller game compared to others. That tradition would live on in the newer games as well. However, the doors would be blown open with third-party opportunities withSuper Smash Bros. Brawl.
Fan always held out hope for third-party characters inSuper Smash Bros., and the addition of Snake and Sonic made it possible. Now, a few games later, it truly feels like “Everyone is Here,” especially if Mii costumes are considered as well. Even fighters that are considered Microsoft characters or more closely connected toPlayStation are now inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, and much of that is thanks to the hard work that Sakurai and his team have put in. Whether it be Simon and Richter fromCastlevania, fan-favorite Nintendo asks like King K. Rool and Ridley, Joker fromPersona, Sephiroth fromFinal Fantasy,now Sora fromKingdom Hearts, and the entire roster, library of music, and more in the game;Super Smash Bros. Ultimatefeels like a living and breathing video game museum.
