I’m happy to dive into the creative process behind producing this game’s unique visuals and setting. To lay the groundwork for the core gameplay, Acquire initially presented an intriguing idea. The proposal laid out a vision: crafting a “Mario story that’s uniquely yours,” where players would live and explore on drifting islands.
Reflecting on this concept, Ohashi shared his enthusiasm, “Drifting islands just sounded like a blast. Imagine uncovering a new island, going on adventures, and building friendships with the local folks there. The idea of connecting multiple islands and forming a team of allies for these quests seemed really exciting.”
Otani chimed in, admitting the originality of the idea. “It’s not something we came up with during brainstorming sessions at Nintendo. This concept of connecting different islands was refreshingly unique,” he noted with a chuckle.
However, Ohashi pointed out the challenges they faced in capturing the familiar “Mario & Luigi-like” feel. This aspect took longer to refine, which delayed progress on the drifting island gameplay. As a result, it took a while to present polished concepts to Nintendo, which naturally raised some concerns.
Otani admitted to feeling a bit anxious during the process. “Fukushima-san and I were on edge, waiting for Acquire to unveil their ideas,” he remarked with a smile.
Fukushima, however, expressed faith in Ohashi’s methodical approach. “Ohashi-san is someone who takes his time to think things through and only presents an idea once he’s completely satisfied. We trusted in that,” he said, despite frequent internal discussions on timelines.
The foundation of the game revolves around Shipshape Island, which acts as the main hub for Mario and his friends. Players embark on oceanic voyages to various islands, each offering unique adventures. The development of mechanics for how this island would navigate the vast seas took considerable time to finalize.
Typically, gameplay and story direction are nailed down early in development. This time, it proved more challenging, with battles and actions being conceptualized before certain core elements were locked in. Solidifying mechanics like Shipshape Island’s drifting system or determining the scope and themes of the islands felt a lot like chasing after rainbows—time-consuming and intricate.
Otani pointed out a significant contrast in development approaches between the two companies. Traditionally, he’d oversee the gameplay design, with the narrative woven around it to complement and enhance it. However, Acquire’s strategy involved Ohashi primarily focusing on the drifting islands gameplay. Meanwhile, a third-party story writing company worked on crafting the narrative. The challenge was ensuring that both story and gameplay intertwined harmoniously, which is crucial for any RPG.
Ohashi admitted that the story writing team struggled to pinpoint the desired “Mario & Luigi-like” vibe in their narrative attempts.
Eventually, though, they stumbled upon the breakthrough moment. “I remember when we collectively outlined themes for each sea,” Ohashi recalled. Concepts like “family” for the first sea and “friends” for the second brought clarity to the plot’s direction.
Fukushima agreed, noting that it was thematic decisions like these that brought cohesion. “Everything began to click around the theme of ‘connection.’ The gameplay focuses on linking islands, but it extends to the bonds between the inhabitants too,” he explained. The game ultimately came together through a shared dedication to blending these elements seamlessly.
