Otani: “In past entries of the series, we’ve heavily relied on piano melodies for the background music. This time, though, we wanted to infuse it with a fresh vibe. We decided to play around with wind instruments to add more emotion, and we let him have free reign over the creative direction.”
Ohashi: “Crafting this music was no easy feat. We’d have these weekly brainstorming sessions with Sakamoto-san, both of us scratching our heads over what ‘Mario & Luigi-like’ truly meant. (Laughs) Eventually, we boiled it down to instruments that resonate with the essence of Mario & Luigi. Think tropical steelpans, lively brass bands, and accordions.”
Otani: “Once we honed in on the instrument choices, they naturally aligned with the series’ spirit. Although there isn’t a concise definition of ‘Mario & Luigi-like,’ a guiding principle was ensuring the music complemented Mario and Luigi’s movements in the game. In the end, the soundtrack turned out brilliantly.”
“What fascinated me was the diverse range of songs crafted for specific scenes. It’s typical to reuse tracks for battles, boss fights, and various events. However, this time, a unique piece was composed for each cutscene.”
Ohashi: “For this game, music was integrated after the scenes had already been developed. Sakamoto-san composed tracks by watching how one scene transitioned to the next. Especially for climactic moments, we had lively discussions while creating the music.”
Otani: “And as the narrative progressed, a synergy between story and sound emerged. There’s an impressive collection of over 100 tracks, and each one is stellar. I’m itching to have that soundtrack! (Laughs)”
Ohashi: “Using generic music wouldn’t have done justice to these cutscenes. The scenes were crafted with such care, and the thought of enhancing them with scene-specific tracks sparked the idea. So, we ended up expanding from a plan of 60 tracks to a whopping 100. (Laughs)”
Okay, but what about the schedule?
Everyone: (Laughs)
Fukushima: “We were definitely on a tight timeline, but that only made us more engrossed in our work. Ultimately, recording a live performance elevated the music, making it a joy to experience.”
Otani: “This game’s authentic ‘Mario & Luigi-like’ essence can be credited to Acquire’s relentless dedication and profound understanding of the series. To amplify that authenticity, we invited seasoned contributors from the Mario & Luigi series at AlphaDream, including the director, the game world developer, and the battle director, to collaborate with us. Even Maekawa-san, who was instrumental in the series’ past success, supervised this project, which added to the genuine ‘Mario & Luigi-like’ feel.”
Ohashi: “For us, it was a massive learning curve. We didn’t want to alienate long-time fans of the series with any jarring elements.”
While the story is key in RPGs, maintaining the gameplay balance is crucial too, right?
Ohashi: “Towards the game’s final development stages, Fukushima-san was deeply involved with the team working on the battle mechanics.”
Fukushima: “Earlier games in the series used a badge system in battles, where a gauge would fill up and allow its use until depleted. Players typically saved them for crucial moments like boss fights. But we wanted something more liberating, which led to the creation of the Battle Plug system in collaboration with Acquire. Instead of badges, you equip Battle Plugs that modify actions in noticeable ways, aligning with the game’s theme.”
Otani: “One challenge, however, was achieving balance among the various Battle Plug combinations.”
Fukushima: “You’re not wrong there! (Laughs) With over 40 Battle Plugs, the possible combinations are immense. Instead of a mechanic demanding intricate strategies, players can freely experiment with different plugs and notice their impact, making it accessible even for younger gamers entering the video game world.”
Ohashi: “The real fun lies in not just discovering what each plug does individually, but exploring the combinations that yield unique synergies.”
Fukushima: “Everyone develops their own approach, whether it’s a set of offensive plugs for delivering heavy blows or defensive plugs aimed at healing and countering. Though each plug has limited use before it recharges, switching them up lets you uncover your favorites.”
Furuta: “I love incorporating Iron Ball plugs into battles! A single Iron Ball falls when using the Surprise Iron Ball plug alone, but combine it with a Kaboom Attack, and you’ll see multiple iron balls targeting foes. Equip two Surprise Iron Ball plugs, and you’re in for larger balls crashing down on multiple enemies with the Kaboom Attack. It’s all quite intuitive really.”
