Kirby's Dreamland was my very first game ever and made me into the artist I am today! Loved this game so much, l drew Kirby everywhere. Now I still do fanarts now and then with Kirby, I used him a lot as a reference to learn animation. So, Thank you very much Mr.Sakurai for your hard work and creating such a fun and interesting character and such an amazing serie ❤
What's interesting I find is that a concept he envisionned thirty years ago: positioning something for newcomers by making it bite-sized and accessible for anyone, is still a concept that's applied today with this youtube channel's video length, graphics and explanation style.
That's a good observation. I'd personally watch 10 hour long videos about development subjects, but everyone can spare time for short videos and I appreciate the decision to make them short. It also gives us less time waiting for future videos. Although, I've some catching up to do.
Its interesting how the newer Kirby games made by HAL also still follow the same philosophy even after all this time. Kirby games are well known for being very easy. :)
@@lasercraft32 I love games which are notorious for being difficult and don’t really play easy ones, but Kirby is the main exception. Even though basically anyone could play through and beat it, the design and gameplay is just great even if it’s always been simple.
I'd just like him to clarify on his feelings about modern kirby so the belief that he is biased against it or even dislikes modern kirby can finally be put to rest. it doesn't have to be that detailed of an explanation, just a simple "hey heres my brief thoughts on how kirby is doing now" sort of thing
@@kirbysuperstaruhh3769 i feel like that may touched upon in his kirby superstar video (considering he said he will talk about kirby's adventure next), but it's hard to say. i wouldnt really mind if he didnt touch on it though, i feel like he's not really obligated to but it'd be nice to hear him also use later kirby games as an example of good design or talk about them.
It's interesting how holding an enemy in your mouth was referred to as "mouthful" state And about 3 decades later the latest mainline game has the "mouthful mode" stuff
I checked the Japanese version of the video. It's saying "It is in his mouth. This state is called the stuffed cheeks state." Mouthful mode is "ほおばりヘンケイ" or "stuffed cheeks transformation". So yeah, it's the same word conveying the same concept of something being held in Kirby's mouth.
4:38 "We put a lot of love into music as well" And to this day, that still holds true with HAL, with the modern Kirby soundtracks that seemingly only continue to improve, plus the 30th Anniversary Music Fest I like the wording of the bit about "taking advantage of the enemies" at 1:33, it helps display how Sakurai came up with the Copy Abilities that Kirby's Adventure introduced Fun analysis! Can't wait to see future discussion about Kirby's other adventures!
This game's soundtrack still holds up quite well today, every track is really good in this first entry even if they'd all go on to be remixed in future games. A New Wind for Tomorrow (the credits theme) is my personal favourite of the game
@@NegaSyrus5000 Fr bro. I really don't blame Sakurai for not wanting to keep doing Kirby, like that'd be super stressful to have to deliver beyond each and every time
@@kirbyeatsyou5248 It definitely wasn't stress and pressure that caused him to stop making Kirby games; otherwise, he wouldn't have directed 5 (6 if you count 3DS and Wii U as separate) Smash Bros games, which have a much larger fanbase that would certainly put more pressure on him than Kirby.
It’s so bizarre seeing a video like this straight from Sakurai himself, I’ve seen the origins of Kirby explained on this website so many times, but hearing it from the man himself just hits different
Kirby's dreamland was the first game I remember ever beating by myself. I felt very proud of myself since I was normally terrible at video games as a kid.
I love that he was adamant about making Kirby's Dreamland what it was. Beginners and newcomers are vital to the health of this industry, as in any, but also because everyone needs a starting off point as well. I'm glad he stuck to his guns and made Kirby's Dreamland the way he did.
0:48 - "This is called 'mouthful' state." I wonder if that was truly the wording Sakurai used back then, and if HAL used that as inspiration for Mouthful Mode in Kirby and the Forgotten Land...
Sakurai definetly did his job well, dream land 1 is what got my mom into games and that led to her meeting my dad, we've all been playing games together for as long as I can remember. Thank you sir! Without kirby I woudnt exist!
I never realized until this video that the first Kirby game didn't include copy abilities, which seems like such a core mechanic for the character these days. Its cool that the game was so well received even without that mechanic, meaning that the core elements; the look and feel of Kirby was kinda nailed on the first try, and built upon from there. Thank you for this friend-shaped character, Sakurai :)
Kirby’s dreamland is one of the first gameboy games I owned as a kid. Even though it was easy I still had a lot of fun playing with it repeatedly. Going back, I think the core reason for itself is that the game oozes so much charm and has kind of a “sandbox” element in which you can easily play the game and create your own challenges the way you want, which was probably pretty novel at the time of its release
Yeah while there no copy abilities (unless you count the mike in the middle of castle lololo for some reason) I personally think if the game had copy abilities it might made the game less intresting due to make the game too easy for the game's standards you could argue that dreamland 2 for did a kirby game with copy abilities on the GB but I will as the start of the franchise I can accept they wanted to design the levels and gameplay around inhale spit and hover only and I think is done good job
@@theenderkirby I think Kirbys Dreamland 2 utilized the copy ablities pretty smart, it wasn't difficult for sure, but getting all these secrets for the extra boss was quite mind-bending. (and the real final boss is quite hard too for the standard of the series)
Interesting to note how Kirby, while designed for beginners, can also appeal to the more hardcore as well. The lack of challenge in Kirby games, while most times nowadays rectified by harder modes, is appealing because it allows the player more time to relax and experience the game at their own pace, both as a beginner or a more experienced player. Stopping to take in the fun visuals and adorable designs, stuff like that. It's why an RPG maniac like me always picks up the latest Kirby game. Can't get enough of the adorable puffball.
@@neypaz8054Simliarly to Maplestory music as well, both series soundtracks really capture your 'throwbacks' of life as well as the design of the games
I think the thought of introducing people into video games gently was a very thoughtful mindset when making this game. While I definitely enjoy the difficulty brought on by NES and SNES games, Kirby's Dream Land being a good intro point for new gamers is something that I feel even to this day is a valid option.
"I could talk for days about these games" yes, and if you did we would all listen to your words of wisdom in their entirety. Yes, we would listen to you for days.
The first Kirby might not be seen as crazy now, but this video truly shows how for its time when games were hard as hell, Kirby was revolutionary for its accessibility to beginners.
I've always wondered why he implemented a flying mechanic where it almost trivializes most of the obstacles in the game and if that was intentional or not. Seeing his explanation makes a lot of sense.
“I could talk for days about these games,” And no one would complain if they went on for a half hour. Hell, that’s how most RUclipsrs usually do it (whether for ten minutes, half hour, or even 90 minutes; although that last one could be if they are raging against a game that did everything wrong).
Funny... When I was a kid, I actually found a Catridge of Kirby's Dream Land that happens to be thrown away in a Open Fire. It is badly damaged by the heat but the game still works when I inserted it on my Gameboy. Apparently, It was the Japanese Version but the game runs as it intended. That moment in my Childhood is how I met Kirby for the first time.
I still remember to this day on where I found it. Unfortunately, The Whole Lot along with my Childhood Home got demolished in favor for another boring building.
@@jesusramirezromo2037 Not sure actually. Never found out who owned it but I think it must have been mixed up with the trash. If I recalled, The Art on the Catridge got peeled off.
Sakurai-san, my son and I love playing games together, and one of his very first games was Kirby Star Allies. The ease of play you talk about in this video was a big factor in helping him gain the confidence to keep going and feel accomplished in his playing. Today, he's an avid gamer who plays all sorts of genres and levels of difficulty, but it all started for him with Kirby. Thank you for your works, sir.
"I could talk for days about these games." I'll be looking forward for each game that would be discussed. Can't wait for my favorite Kirby games to be talked about and the development process of them.
There are certain game developers who are only in it for publicity and money, but there are also game developers who just want to make a great game for people to enjoy, even if they break their hand in the process. Love what you're doing Sakurai.
This is so interesting to be able to hear the initial ideas behind Kirby! One of my favorite game series that uses the "risk and reward" mechanics with enemies is the Klonoa series. It's very satisfying to use enemies to jump higher and solve puzzles. In fact, Klonoa uses enemies very similarly to Kirby, with the ability to pick them up and throw them at other enemies for damage!
You can see that Mr. Sakurai loves this industry and has a lot of passion for his projects that he just put it FREE to everybody interested. What a legend, thank you for your videos!
I've always appreciated Kirby's dreamland, and the whole Kirby's franchise philosophy of making the main game as accessible as possible for inexperienced players, whilst keeping a much harder post game, for those who really liked the game, and want to get a good challenge out of it. Sakurai did a really good job with that gameplay philosophy, and it shows with how good the 3 Kirby platformers that he directed were.
This is an amazing gift for the video game fans and historians all across the world. Very interesting and inspiring too. Making Kirby the way he is was a very bold but well thought out decision, as shown in the video!
Mr. Sakurai, thank you for talking about design during the Super Nintendo/Game Boy years. It's not something i expected but i appreciate greatly. It's great to hear from someone of your caliber the reality about difficulty in titles released during that era.
I'm a life long gamer since the NES times and was ready to be harsh on this game low difficult. Turns out I hadn't ever connected the dots about NES action games being hard as the common workaround to the limited memory space and now I'm amazed at how Sakurai offer a pretty solid answer to the times. This concise & highly ilustrated format rocks.
Risk and Reward made me think about Super Meat Boy. The game is hard, but there's no penalty for death, not even a loading screen. You can die 50 times before beating a level. Then at the end you get to see an overlap of all your attempts running like a giant mob, showing how you gradually improved. Then there's the bandages, the optional collectable you can get. They can make levels more difficult, but again, there's no penalty for death. They keep the levels easy, while also providing challenges for advanced players.
Ngl, I am super down with this channel being so bite-sized, and am amazing at how much he is managing to pack into 5 minutes with these videos, BUT, I would also happily watch feature-length documentaries with him talking about making Kirby too, if he so chose. ☺
The very existence of this channel is an absolute treat. Concepts are explained in layman's terms, yet never simply dumbed down, and passion oozes through every sentence. This is an amazing resource for those seeking to learn more about game design, but also an inspiration for any aspiring teachers.
As an aspiring future game designer it's really nice to have a resource like this be so easily available and accessible. While I've seen other industry veterans make RUclips videos on the topics of games none have done it in such a concise and easy to understand format like this. It's really something I never expected to see done so professionally and yet I really hope it becomes a more common standard for veterans of the game industry to document the ins and outs of their job outside of the usual GDC talks.
I can rely to this, I was 8 when I first play the game. I remember every other games I played were too hard for a kid, my cousin was playing DK Country at the same time and remember I can’t pass level 3 or 4… But Kirby Dream Land was different, it was a confortable expérience, every party played was different, and music… This game define my love for video game, and definitely is responsible why I work on this industy now 😊
This is really fantastic, the concept of using enemies to your advantage has been carried through the ages in things like Dead Space and more recently Doom Eternal, and those are the games I'm always the most compelled to replay.
It's really amazing how much insight the man has for the industry even in his early days and how much of that vision Kirby series reflect even today Great video, Mr. Sakurai
It is such a treat to be able to get this kind of insight directly from developers. Thank you so much for sharing all this, it’s a hugely useful resource for fans and developers alike.
I like the explanation that the "punishment delta" for getting hit by an enemy on one hand, and missing a jump on the other, was too great. Similar mistakes but inconsistent "reward". And that's why Kirby can fly.
Its interesting how at the time before Kirbys Dream Land's release, HAL was at a very not so good position, and Dream Land sounded like it could've been the final nail in the coffin for HAL, but Sakurai was confident in his project and HAL continued development and eventually released the game, something a lot of game studios unfortunately don't have the guts to do. Dream Land was the game that saved HAL laboratory, and without it, we wouldn't have the amazing Kirby franchise, or, the biggest crossover in gaming history, and it's crazy to think that if Sakurai wasn't as confident in his project, then he and all of us probably wouldn't be where we are today...
I loved Kirby so much as a young girl, I am now realizing that element of accessibility in that game probably contributed a lot to me sticking with games as a hobby over the years. Thank you so much!
Kirby's Dream Land was the first game I ever owned and it really got me into gaming. Being so young, something that was fun and engaging without being punishingly difficult was perfect. It really sparked the imagination. And then I eventually beat Super Mario Land, which was much more difficult and it was very satisfying. I very much appreciate the training wheels you gave me that let me learn and become someone who loves games!
What Sakurai is doing with this channel is immensely valuable in a multitude of levels. As a massive Kirby fan, hearing tidbits from the original concept is fascinating and really important in documenting the game and franchise's history. Also, being interested in game development, the dificulty philosophy that was established here, among other concepts that Sakurai has and will treat in his videos are really educational, and will serve as inspiration for many, many devs. Especially coming from an industry veteran like himself. And all in fun, easy to understand, amazingly edited videos. Thank you for your work, Mr. Sakurai.
Kirby was *incredibly* polished for its time, especially next to its competition on the Game Boy. One thing Sakurai did not mention - though he has talked about it in the past - is "using a lunchbox to make lunch". HAL had an internal Game Maker style program for the Twin Famicom (a combo Famicom w/ disk drive) that they apparently did all the game design work for Kirby on. Having this sort of thing for development is absolutely invaluable, and it turns the process of design from "hope you know 6502 assembly" to a workflow more akin to what people would be doing with Director a few years later (or Flash a decade out).
This is honestly a bigger gamble than I feel people realize. Mr. Sakurai is explaining that he made a game, that he knew was short, very easy during a time where that was not the norm. His focus was trying to maximize 'enjoyment' as much as possible. From gameplay, easy to pick up and play, to visuals, the cute animations, to music that, heard once, will dig in deep in a good way. Also, his mentality, as someone who has been playing games for decades, is simple but makes you go, "Gosh, I never thought of it like that." Dying from a bottomless pit because you missed a jump is quite overly punishing, isn't it? Reminds me of when I thought that for some instances with Dark Souls series, which is why I was very open to Sekiro's 'spawn back but lose health' mechanic. But back on topic, that line of reasoning lead to Kirby's flight ability which, in my opinion, makes the character and gameplay really standout. That is highly praiseworthy for something fundamentally simple.
When you get recommended videos by none other than Masahiro Samurai himself, it really makes you nostalgic when hearing his voice, all the way back when Smash Ultimate was announced, the man's voice brings all sorts of hype, even if his English narrator isnt there with him!
A fantastic video. Even Sakurai recognized how difficult NES games were back in the day. And of course, it's success led to Kirby becoming a gaming icon.
I would unironically take a 3+ hour video on Sakurai just going over game design and pouring over the games he's made in the past and really deep diving them. I get he's busy and that just isn't what he does/what this is for. But it'd be cool
I just replayed Kirby's Dream Land a week or so ago and it's still absolutely brilliant. It still stands out among the Kirby series even without--or perhaps because--of the lack of copy abilities. Thank you for the wonderful insight into its creation, Sakurai
Yeah without this game we not gonna have this amazing franchise and personally he kinda the pioneer for easier to access games in my eyes and highlight for handhelds in my POV with this and 2 on GB amazi g mirror and nightamres in dreamland on GBA, super star ultra on DS, triple deluxe and robobot on 3DS and forgotten land on switch (yes I know star allies take a part too but it wasn't a switch highlight in my opinion even I love this game a lot)
Whoever does the animation does a great job! The fact that you were 19 when you made the initial design of the character blows my mind! Can’t wait to see more behind the scenes of the games you’ve created!
I like how consideration was given not just for beginners but for the platform itself. Portable play sessions are vulnerable to all sorts of disruptions. Having slightly simplified gameplay to account for that is smart.
![Development Secrets of the Original Kirby [Grab Bag]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZUY2AtBD6Sk/mqdefault.jpg)
![Development Secrets of the Original Kirby [Grab Bag]](/img/tr.png)
![Kirby's Adventure [Game Concepts]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/khJa2vIW0xY/mqdefault.jpg)
![Frame Rates [Planning & Game Design]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Rjdmi7628GM/mqdefault.jpg)
Kirby's Dreamland was my very first game ever and made me into the artist I am today! Loved this game so much, l drew Kirby everywhere. Now I still do fanarts now and then with Kirby, I used him a lot as a reference to learn animation. So, Thank you very much Mr.Sakurai for your hard work and creating such a fun and interesting character and such an amazing serie ❤
Wow that’s nice
It makes sense, the round style!
and also, drawing Kirby every now and then its a pleasure, easy and cute
Pfft okay
Hi keke! :D
Your most recent work of Kirby on RUclips is a great little vid that hopefully Mr. Sakurai will one day get to view (or maybe already has 🤷)
"I could talk for days about these games". Please do. I'd watch all of it.
If Tim Rogers can talk for 6 hours about Tokimeki Memorial _and we all watched it_, Sakurai-san can do what he wants and we’ll be onboard.
Thats gonna lose him a lot of money
@@paulinebunag4875 he is already retired and rich, he wouldn’t care
"I could talk for days about these games"
and i would watch the whole way through, with full attention.
What's interesting I find is that a concept he envisionned thirty years ago: positioning something for newcomers by making it bite-sized and accessible for anyone, is still a concept that's applied today with this youtube channel's video length, graphics and explanation style.
he even has a name for this accessibility philosophy apparently, he sometimes calls it kirbyism on interviews
That's a good observation. I'd personally watch 10 hour long videos about development subjects, but everyone can spare time for short videos and I appreciate the decision to make them short. It also gives us less time waiting for future videos. Although, I've some catching up to do.
Its interesting how the newer Kirby games made by HAL also still follow the same philosophy even after all this time. Kirby games are well known for being very easy. :)
@@lasercraft32 I love games which are notorious for being difficult and don’t really play easy ones, but Kirby is the main exception. Even though basically anyone could play through and beat it, the design and gameplay is just great even if it’s always been simple.
I hope he gives his thoughts on how the franchise has grown without his supervision, especially his thoughts on the Forgotten Land
his channel is about sharing his knowledge about making games a bit more fun, not about opinions
@@corgikun2579 It would still be fun to hear some of his thoughts, even if it’s for only 10-20 seconds
@@supermario6387 i think he stated for like, industry secret reasons he can't really talk about modern games and focuses on more retro games/classics.
I'd just like him to clarify on his feelings about modern kirby so the belief that he is biased against it or even dislikes modern kirby can finally be put to rest. it doesn't have to be that detailed of an explanation, just a simple "hey heres my brief thoughts on how kirby is doing now" sort of thing
@@kirbysuperstaruhh3769 i feel like that may touched upon in his kirby superstar video (considering he said he will talk about kirby's adventure next), but it's hard to say. i wouldnt really mind if he didnt touch on it though, i feel like he's not really obligated to but it'd be nice to hear him also use later kirby games as an example of good design or talk about them.
It's interesting how holding an enemy in your mouth was referred to as "mouthful" state
And about 3 decades later the latest mainline game has the "mouthful mode" stuff
What else would it be referred to as? It's not like he made up the word.
It's pretty much the best possible translation for the concept it describes.
I was curious if the original document used the same Japanese word that the new game uses for mouthful
I checked the Japanese version of the video. It's saying "It is in his mouth. This state is called the stuffed cheeks state." Mouthful mode is "ほおばりヘンケイ" or "stuffed cheeks transformation". So yeah, it's the same word conveying the same concept of something being held in Kirby's mouth.
This might be represent the reboot of kirby games as forgotten land is the first step to 3d kirby games (even if it was mistranslated)
4:38 "We put a lot of love into music as well"
And to this day, that still holds true with HAL, with the modern Kirby soundtracks that seemingly only continue to improve, plus the 30th Anniversary Music Fest
I like the wording of the bit about "taking advantage of the enemies" at 1:33, it helps display how Sakurai came up with the Copy Abilities that Kirby's Adventure introduced
Fun analysis! Can't wait to see future discussion about Kirby's other adventures!
kirby music is always amazing
Hi
Of course Christopher moon is here too lol
Kirby deserve to be at the top best soundtracks in franchises no doubt
This game's soundtrack still holds up quite well today, every track is really good in this first entry even if they'd all go on to be remixed in future games.
A New Wind for Tomorrow (the credits theme) is my personal favourite of the game
the fact that Sakurai created one of gaming's most iconic mascots at the age of 19 is such a lifetime achievement.
forever an inspiration.
I can't imagine the pressure that must put on your shoulders to keep delivering.
@@NegaSyrus5000 Fr bro. I really don't blame Sakurai for not wanting to keep doing Kirby, like that'd be super stressful to have to deliver beyond each and every time
@@kirbyeatsyou5248 It definitely wasn't stress and pressure that caused him to stop making Kirby games; otherwise, he wouldn't have directed 5 (6 if you count 3DS and Wii U as separate) Smash Bros games, which have a much larger fanbase that would certainly put more pressure on him than Kirby.
It’s so bizarre seeing a video like this straight from Sakurai himself, I’ve seen the origins of Kirby explained on this website so many times, but hearing it from the man himself just hits different
This is so cozy. It feels like listening to a proud dad talk about raising his favorite son.
So true
"You are my most favorite creation."
"POYO~!"
Because it is
Meanwhile, the other adopted son is Kid Icarus
Normal gamer: NES = Nintendo Entertainment System
Watched Sakurai Channel gamer: NES = Not Enough Space
Kirby's dreamland was the first game I remember ever beating by myself. I felt very proud of myself since I was normally terrible at video games as a kid.
using enemies as weapons against other enemies along with using their own attacks against them is one of my favorite gameplay tropes
one of the reasons I like SMB2 (or Doki Doki Panic) better than 3
I love that he was adamant about making Kirby's Dreamland what it was. Beginners and newcomers are vital to the health of this industry, as in any, but also because everyone needs a starting off point as well. I'm glad he stuck to his guns and made Kirby's Dreamland the way he did.
At the age of 19 he created one of the most iconic Nintendo games! Damn Sakurai
So yeah, actually this channel was a plot for Sakurai to talk about Kirby again.
I'm really interested now
0:48 - "This is called 'mouthful' state."
I wonder if that was truly the wording Sakurai used back then, and if HAL used that as inspiration for Mouthful Mode in Kirby and the Forgotten Land...
Sakurai definetly did his job well, dream land 1 is what got my mom into games and that led to her meeting my dad, we've all been playing games together for as long as I can remember. Thank you sir! Without kirby I woudnt exist!
I never realized until this video that the first Kirby game didn't include copy abilities, which seems like such a core mechanic for the character these days. Its cool that the game was so well received even without that mechanic, meaning that the core elements; the look and feel of Kirby was kinda nailed on the first try, and built upon from there. Thank you for this friend-shaped character, Sakurai :)
Kirby’s dreamland is one of the first gameboy games I owned as a kid. Even though it was easy I still had a lot of fun playing with it repeatedly. Going back, I think the core reason for itself is that the game oozes so much charm and has kind of a “sandbox” element in which you can easily play the game and create your own challenges the way you want, which was probably pretty novel at the time of its release
:)
And of course, that mimic builds upon the core mechanic of eating. It’s not a separate idea, it fleshes out the existing feel
Yeah while there no copy abilities (unless you count the mike in the middle of castle lololo for some reason) I personally think if the game had copy abilities it might made the game less intresting due to make the game too easy for the game's standards you could argue that dreamland 2 for did a kirby game with copy abilities on the GB but I will as the start of the franchise I can accept they wanted to design the levels and gameplay around inhale spit and hover only and I think is done good job
@@theenderkirby I think Kirbys Dreamland 2 utilized the copy ablities pretty smart, it wasn't difficult for sure, but getting all these secrets for the extra boss was quite mind-bending. (and the real final boss is quite hard too for the standard of the series)
I am so excited to hear him talk about kid Icarus uprising
Interesting to note how Kirby, while designed for beginners, can also appeal to the more hardcore as well.
The lack of challenge in Kirby games, while most times nowadays rectified by harder modes, is appealing because it allows the player more time to relax and experience the game at their own pace, both as a beginner or a more experienced player.
Stopping to take in the fun visuals and adorable designs, stuff like that. It's why an RPG maniac like me always picks up the latest Kirby game. Can't get enough of the adorable puffball.
The series' music is also very appealing for all ages
@@neypaz8054Simliarly to Maplestory music as well, both series soundtracks really capture your 'throwbacks' of life as well as the design of the games
I think the thought of introducing people into video games gently was a very thoughtful mindset when making this game. While I definitely enjoy the difficulty brought on by NES and SNES games, Kirby's Dream Land being a good intro point for new gamers is something that I feel even to this day is a valid option.
wake up babe new Masahiro Sakurai on creating games upload
I can't believe the term mouthful was being used since the beginning of Kirby
Puts perspective on the true history behind "Mouthful mode."
Well is make sense I meam he mouth is pretty much full lol
Find yourself someone who loves their children like Masahiro Sakurai loves his son Kirby
Kirby is a boy?
congratulations its a boy
having a vision and sticking to it: doesn't always work, but when it does work, it can make for something amazing
50% of the time, it works 100% of the time
One day as a RUclipsr and this man already got his silver plaque
oh hi Arthur!
Sakurai be like "this channel's gonna be pretty niche"
"I could talk for days about these games" yes, and if you did we would all listen to your words of wisdom in their entirety. Yes, we would listen to you for days.
The first Kirby might not be seen as crazy now, but this video truly shows how for its time when games were hard as hell, Kirby was revolutionary for its accessibility to beginners.
"Kirbo, you are my most favourite creation."
Sakurai as a game design tutorial is like unbelievably good
“this might have sucked all the fun out of the Kirby experience“
I see what you did there
he said that he wanted to keep the videos short but i would listen to him talk for hours tbh
I've always wondered why he implemented a flying mechanic where it almost trivializes most of the obstacles in the game and if that was intentional or not. Seeing his explanation makes a lot of sense.
The only man who can properly dissect Kirby lore
Fact.
1:42 At least the idea of a tongue to swallow enemies did pass on to Gooey in Kirby’s Dream Land 3 (even though Sakurai wasn’t involved in the game).
“I could talk for days about these games,”
And no one would complain if they went on for a half hour. Hell, that’s how most RUclipsrs usually do it (whether for ten minutes, half hour, or even 90 minutes; although that last one could be if they are raging against a game that did everything wrong).
Though Mr. Sakurai is so formal as usual, you can still notice how much he loves his son when talking about it.
Funny...
When I was a kid, I actually found a Catridge of Kirby's Dream Land that happens to be thrown away in a Open Fire. It is badly damaged by the heat but the game still works when I inserted it on my Gameboy. Apparently, It was the Japanese Version but the game runs as it intended.
That moment in my Childhood is how I met Kirby for the first time.
That’s a cute little story.
why did someone try and burn a kirby game??
I still remember to this day on where I found it.
Unfortunately, The Whole Lot along with my Childhood Home got demolished in favor for another boring building.
@@jesusramirezromo2037 Not sure actually. Never found out who owned it but I think it must have been mixed up with the trash.
If I recalled, The Art on the Catridge got peeled off.
Sakurai being a youtuber is basically the best thing ever happen to the human race
THANK YOU SAKURAI SAN
Sakurai-san, my son and I love playing games together, and one of his very first games was Kirby Star Allies. The ease of play you talk about in this video was a big factor in helping him gain the confidence to keep going and feel accomplished in his playing. Today, he's an avid gamer who plays all sorts of genres and levels of difficulty, but it all started for him with Kirby. Thank you for your works, sir.
Imagine creating one of Nintendo's biggest icons when you are only 19. Sakurai really is amazing.
"I could talk for days about these games."
I'll be looking forward for each game that would be discussed. Can't wait for my favorite Kirby games to be talked about and the development process of them.
There are certain game developers who are only in it for publicity and money, but there are also game developers who just want to make a great game for people to enjoy, even if they break their hand in the process. Love what you're doing Sakurai.
Hard to believe Sakurai was 19 when he made Kirby and yet 30 years later he's still a lovable character
Yes, after 30 years Sakurai is still very lovable
Who doesn't look too distantly far off from 19 years old.
Thanks sakurai for telling me to get comfortable, i was actually in a really bad posture before and that made me realize. No joke
Oh hey I recognize you hahaha
Woah for real??
No subsequent Kirby game has outsold the very first Kirby game? That's crazy!
I would've thought it was Kirby Super Star, really surprising
same with the first pokemon games
@@SoulBoundSagaDX honestly that's hard to believe 🤯
1. The Game Boy is one of the best selling consoles of all time
2. Kirby Super Star came out very late in the lifespan of the Super Nintendo
Forgotten Land might overtake it. At the last Nintendo investor briefing they showed it's now the 2nd vest selling and it's only just come out.
it actually kinda blows my mind to hear that kirby's dream land, after all this time, is still the best selling kirby game.
He posts every day
HE POSTS EVERY DAY
This is so interesting to be able to hear the initial ideas behind Kirby! One of my favorite game series that uses the "risk and reward" mechanics with enemies is the Klonoa series. It's very satisfying to use enemies to jump higher and solve puzzles. In fact, Klonoa uses enemies very similarly to Kirby, with the ability to pick them up and throw them at other enemies for damage!
You can see that Mr. Sakurai loves this industry and has a lot of passion for his projects that he just put it FREE to everybody interested. What a legend, thank you for your videos!
I've always appreciated Kirby's dreamland, and the whole Kirby's franchise philosophy of making the main game as accessible as possible for inexperienced players, whilst keeping a much harder post game, for those who really liked the game, and want to get a good challenge out of it.
Sakurai did a really good job with that gameplay philosophy, and it shows with how good the 3 Kirby platformers that he directed were.
This is an amazing gift for the video game fans and historians all across the world. Very interesting and inspiring too.
Making Kirby the way he is was a very bold but well thought out decision, as shown in the video!
Mr. Sakurai, thank you for talking about design during the Super Nintendo/Game Boy years. It's not something i expected but i appreciate greatly.
It's great to hear from someone of your caliber the reality about difficulty in titles released during that era.
I'm a life long gamer since the NES times and was ready to be harsh on this game low difficult. Turns out I hadn't ever connected the dots about NES action games being hard as the common workaround to the limited memory space and now I'm amazed at how Sakurai offer a pretty solid answer to the times.
This concise & highly ilustrated format rocks.
You know you've got a talent for something when you make an iconic Video Game Character at the age of 19.
Risk and Reward made me think about Super Meat Boy. The game is hard, but there's no penalty for death, not even a loading screen. You can die 50 times before beating a level. Then at the end you get to see an overlap of all your attempts running like a giant mob, showing how you gradually improved.
Then there's the bandages, the optional collectable you can get. They can make levels more difficult, but again, there's no penalty for death. They keep the levels easy, while also providing challenges for advanced players.
I absolutely cannot wait for the Melee episode!
Ngl, I am super down with this channel being so bite-sized, and am amazing at how much he is managing to pack into 5 minutes with these videos, BUT, I would also happily watch feature-length documentaries with him talking about making Kirby too, if he so chose. ☺
if you want to talk about Kirby all day, I'd listen all the way through
The very existence of this channel is an absolute treat. Concepts are explained in layman's terms, yet never simply dumbed down, and passion oozes through every sentence. This is an amazing resource for those seeking to learn more about game design, but also an inspiration for any aspiring teachers.
As an aspiring future game designer it's really nice to have a resource like this be so easily available and accessible. While I've seen other industry veterans make RUclips videos on the topics of games none have done it in such a concise and easy to understand format like this. It's really something I never expected to see done so professionally and yet I really hope it becomes a more common standard for veterans of the game industry to document the ins and outs of their job outside of the usual GDC talks.
I can rely to this, I was 8 when I first play the game. I remember every other games I played were too hard for a kid, my cousin was playing DK Country at the same time and remember I can’t pass level 3 or 4…
But Kirby Dream Land was different, it was a confortable expérience, every party played was different, and music…
This game define my love for video game, and definitely is responsible why I work on this industy now 😊
This was a wonderful thing to learn about. Listening to veteran creators talk about the things they've made is a genuinely peaceful experience.
I'm an aspiring game developer that basically worships Sakurai's games and I am crying.
him opening a personal youtube channel was not what we expected but it is certainly welcome
can't wait for sakurai to talk about his thoughts on the menus/UI's
This is really fantastic, the concept of using enemies to your advantage has been carried through the ages in things like Dead Space and more recently Doom Eternal, and those are the games I'm always the most compelled to replay.
It's really amazing how much insight the man has for the industry even in his early days and how much of that vision Kirby series reflect even today
Great video, Mr. Sakurai
Heyy te conozco un saludo bro jejeje
It's so surreal that one of the biggest figures in gaming made a youtube account
It is such a treat to be able to get this kind of insight directly from developers. Thank you so much for sharing all this, it’s a hugely useful resource for fans and developers alike.
I’d love of this inspired more developers, particularly current or past Nintendo ones, to do similar content
The guy could start a podcast, I would be sitting here for hours listening to him.
I love how the getting hit example and falling was made by Castlevania lol great vid
I can think of no better example. :D
Seriously, the knock back from getting hit in the old Castlevanias was brutal. :D
dont worry about making longer content, i believe many would love you getting into more detail about game development and the games you worked on
Yea and if he ever makes these longer I’d love for him to come back and redo this one!
I like the explanation that the "punishment delta" for getting hit by an enemy on one hand, and missing a jump on the other, was too great. Similar mistakes but inconsistent "reward". And that's why Kirby can fly.
The man just said as casually as he could that he directed his first game when he was 19 years old, as if that wasn't the mark of an absolute prodigy.
Its interesting how at the time before Kirbys Dream Land's release, HAL was at a very not so good position, and Dream Land sounded like it could've been the final nail in the coffin for HAL, but Sakurai was confident in his project and HAL continued development and eventually released the game, something a lot of game studios unfortunately don't have the guts to do. Dream Land was the game that saved HAL laboratory, and without it, we wouldn't have the amazing Kirby franchise, or, the biggest crossover in gaming history, and it's crazy to think that if Sakurai wasn't as confident in his project, then he and all of us probably wouldn't be where we are today...
Also, Kirby using his tongue to grab enemies once in development reminds me of gooey in Dream Land 3
Yeah kirby saved hal when you think about it
@@JoyconSwitch well he pretty much do it and is feel like mish mash of kirby and yoshi from my POV
"I could talk for days about these games" yes please 🙏🏻
I loved Kirby so much as a young girl, I am now realizing that element of accessibility in that game probably contributed a lot to me sticking with games as a hobby over the years. Thank you so much!
1:39 Pretty funny knowing that’s exactly what Kirby does when he inhales Yoshi in Smash Bros.
MIND BLOWN.
Kirby's Dream Land was the first game I ever owned and it really got me into gaming. Being so young, something that was fun and engaging without being punishingly difficult was perfect. It really sparked the imagination. And then I eventually beat Super Mario Land, which was much more difficult and it was very satisfying. I very much appreciate the training wheels you gave me that let me learn and become someone who loves games!
0:48 I can't believe they've been using the word "Mouthful" to describe Kirby's abilities since all the way back then
Isn't it baffling that mr. Sakurai directed his first game 30 years ago and if he came across me on a street and said he was 25 I would believe him.
Good Genes plus hair coloring may also help.
@@MatthewCobalt his face looks young regardless of hair colour
What Sakurai is doing with this channel is immensely valuable in a multitude of levels.
As a massive Kirby fan, hearing tidbits from the original concept is fascinating and really important in documenting the game and franchise's history.
Also, being interested in game development, the dificulty philosophy that was established here, among other concepts that Sakurai has and will treat in his videos are really educational, and will serve as inspiration for many, many devs. Especially coming from an industry veteran like himself.
And all in fun, easy to understand, amazingly edited videos.
Thank you for your work, Mr. Sakurai.
Wow... I had no idea Dream Land was still the best-selling Kirby to this date.
Until forgotten land inevitably passes it which isn't bad since its a great game.
Kirby was *incredibly* polished for its time, especially next to its competition on the Game Boy.
One thing Sakurai did not mention - though he has talked about it in the past - is "using a lunchbox to make lunch". HAL had an internal Game Maker style program for the Twin Famicom (a combo Famicom w/ disk drive) that they apparently did all the game design work for Kirby on. Having this sort of thing for development is absolutely invaluable, and it turns the process of design from "hope you know 6502 assembly" to a workflow more akin to what people would be doing with Director a few years later (or Flash a decade out).
Talking about the limited memory of the NES cartridge when games now can get to 100GB is insane to think about
This is honestly a bigger gamble than I feel people realize. Mr. Sakurai is explaining that he made a game, that he knew was short, very easy during a time where that was not the norm. His focus was trying to maximize 'enjoyment' as much as possible. From gameplay, easy to pick up and play, to visuals, the cute animations, to music that, heard once, will dig in deep in a good way.
Also, his mentality, as someone who has been playing games for decades, is simple but makes you go, "Gosh, I never thought of it like that." Dying from a bottomless pit because you missed a jump is quite overly punishing, isn't it? Reminds me of when I thought that for some instances with Dark Souls series, which is why I was very open to Sekiro's 'spawn back but lose health' mechanic. But back on topic, that line of reasoning lead to Kirby's flight ability which, in my opinion, makes the character and gameplay really standout. That is highly praiseworthy for something fundamentally simple.
When you get recommended videos by none other than Masahiro Samurai himself, it really makes you nostalgic when hearing his voice, all the way back when Smash Ultimate was announced, the man's voice brings all sorts of hype, even if his English narrator isnt there with him!
I love the Kirby series and the gaming principles it stands for: simplicity, accessibility, and fun! Well done, Mr. Sakurai.
Imagine creating Kirby when you’re 19. No wonder this guy wound up being such a major figure in the industry.
i cannot wait for the kid icarus uprising game concepts video
A fantastic video. Even Sakurai recognized how difficult NES games were back in the day. And of course, it's success led to Kirby becoming a gaming icon.
I would unironically take a 3+ hour video on Sakurai just going over game design and pouring over the games he's made in the past and really deep diving them. I get he's busy and that just isn't what he does/what this is for. But it'd be cool
Same, I would love for him to talk endlessly on all the concepts. I think we would all love to be his apprentice.
In this video, Sakurai talks about his precious video game son for 5 minutes.
And that's okay. We all love Kirby.
Babe wake up, Sakurai posted a RUclips video
literally
I just replayed Kirby's Dream Land a week or so ago and it's still absolutely brilliant. It still stands out among the Kirby series even without--or perhaps because--of the lack of copy abilities. Thank you for the wonderful insight into its creation, Sakurai
Yeah without this game we not gonna have this amazing franchise and personally he kinda the pioneer for easier to access games in my eyes and highlight for handhelds in my POV with this and 2 on GB amazi g mirror and nightamres in dreamland on GBA, super star ultra on DS, triple deluxe and robobot on 3DS and forgotten land on switch (yes I know star allies take a part too but it wasn't a switch highlight in my opinion even I love this game a lot)
Boy, do I feel lucky getting this channel recommended to me!
It's an honor to be here!
Whoever does the animation does a great job! The fact that you were 19 when you made the initial design of the character blows my mind! Can’t wait to see more behind the scenes of the games you’ve created!
Can't wait for one of these on kid icarus uprising
I like how consideration was given not just for beginners but for the platform itself. Portable play sessions are vulnerable to all sorts of disruptions. Having slightly simplified gameplay to account for that is smart.