Exclusive Toshihiro Nagoshi Interview

Up to his ears in Monkey Balls and charged with the production of the new F-Zero game, we caught up with Sega Amusement Vision president Toshihiro Nagoshi.

Question: Please can you tell us how it feels to have created Super Monkey Ball and its successor, undoubtedly one of the truest game series in history.

Toshihiro Nagoshi: It is a great please for me to create such a unique game. Making Super Monkey Ball was fantastic for everyone concerned. I like the “true game” label and think it fits the series very well. There is nothing else like it and we are proud of that.

Q: Super Monkey Ball, a Japanese launch title for GameCube, is widely believed to be the best game available for the system. What do you think of this?

TN: We were not exactly sure how well the game would be received outside of Japan, as it is a very Japanese game. We were pleased that the game has sold so well in Europe and the US and we are thankful that gamers recognise its qualities and hold it in such high regard.

Q: Sega Amusement Vision’s trademark is very simple control methods. Can you explain this and tell us what you see as its benefits?

TN: Simple controls mean that a game is accessible to more people. Games are too often over-complicated and there is no need for this. The only thing that matters is the game.

Q: The learning curve in Amusement Vision games is always very short, especially in Super Monkey Ball, which takes seconds to learn how to play. How important is this for games and gaming?

TN: The simplicity of the game is very important and this is one of the key things about Super Monkey Ball. There is a common misconception that simple to play games are for children and this is not right. The fact that a game is accessible to everyone is absolutely key. Our goal when creating a game is to make it as simple as possible and as fun as possible. Monkey Ball is a perfect example of this.

Q: The triumph of Super Monkey Ball is contained within the brilliantly conceived mini-games. Can you tell us about the mini-game development for SMB2?

TN: The mini-games in Super Monkey Ball was not part of the original game concept as they did not make up part of the Naomi release. However, we realised that there is lots of fun to be had when rolling balls in other situations. Also, we had lots of ideas for lots of games that in themselves we didn’t feel would constitute a full release. Monkey Ball was a great way of releasing them all. Actually, some of the mini-games are considered to be good enough to make up entire games. We are very proud of this. We had so many ideas in the Amusement Vision team for Monkey Ball. We could do fighting, racing, flying… Why not do them all well and put them into one big game?

Q: You are currently charged with the co-production of F-Zero GC and F-Zero AC. What can you tell us about this?

TN: Not a lot at this point that isn’t contained within the game footage already released. F-Zero occupies much of my thinking at this point in time. I am resolute that it will be the best racing game. It’s all I can think about and am determined that it will be brilliant.