When shaping the core gameplay and storyline, the collaboration with Acquire was pivotal. They pitched a compelling concept right off the bat: “A Mario story that’s uniquely yours. Living and adventuring on drifting islands,” which captured the imagination.
Ohashi found the idea of drifting islands incredibly appealing. The thought of discovering new islands, embarking on adventures, and forming friendships with the islanders was captivating. It just seemed like a brilliant way to keep expanding the adventure and gathering allies along the way.
Otani himself was pretty impressed. It’s not every day someone comes up with such an innovative concept, especially back when we were brainstorming at Nintendo. Connecting islands as a gameplay element is far from your usual idea. (Laughs)
However, Ohashi mentioned that nailing that “Mario & Luigi-like” vibe took longer than expected, which initially put this unique element a bit on the back burner. The delay in presenting tangible ideas for the drifting island gameplay understandably caused concern, even among those at Nintendo.
Otani candidly shared his own worries. Both he and Fukushima were eager to see when Acquire would finally reveal their ideas. (Laughs) But they trusted Ohashi to deliver when he was truly ready, as he’s known for being thorough and giving thoughtful answers once he’s certain.
Regarding gameplay, Shipshape Island became the central hub for Mario and his crew. They would sail this island across a vast ocean, arriving at different islands for adventures. However, perfecting the mechanics of island movement took more time than expected.
Fukushima noted that typically, the gameplay and storyline are mapped out early in development. This time, progress was slower than anticipated, partly because they were refining battles and exploration actions without final decisions on key aspects, like how Shipshape Island would drift or the scope and themes of each island. It felt a bit like chasing after elusive goals, with plenty of effort required.
Otani pointed out one major challenge: the differing development styles between the companies. Historically, their approach often focused on establishing gameplay before weaving in a story, with the director driving all progress. But Acquire had Ohashi design the drifting island gameplay while an external story company worked separately on the narrative. In an RPG, though, gameplay and story must evolve together to be effective.
Ohashi added that the storywriters also found it tricky to capture that “Mario & Luigi-like” feel. They struggled to craft a fitting narrative.
Ultimately, they reached a breakthrough. Ohashi recalled the moment they brainstormed the plot and settled on distinct themes for each sea. The first sea represented “family,” the second focused on “friends,” and so on.
Fukushima agreed, noting that this decision helped many components align under the theme of “connection.” The gameplay revolved around linking islands, just as crucial were the relationships connecting the islanders.
