Update on Super Smash Bros for Wii U and 3DS

Though announced at Nintendo’s E3 2011 press conference, the upcoming Super Smash Bros. titles for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U have really just now slipped into production. Due to franchise creator Masahiro Sakurai focusing his complete attention on getting Kid Icarus: Uprising out the door, his ability to start work on the Smash Bros titles was somewhat limited – until now.

Since Kid Icarus: Uprising is finally on store shelves, development is now underway for both of the titles, and we’ve received some information from Sakurai himself, helping break the silence on his plans for the game. This comes from a nifty interview with IGN’s Richard George, who conversed with Sakurai through an email exchange recently.

So, what does Masahiro Sakurai and the team at Nintendo have planned for the Wii U and 3DS versions of Super Smash Bros?

“As you noted, there is a certain dead end we come to if we just expand the volume of the game,” said Sakurai in an email.

“I intend to change direction a little as we go. The key to that’s going to be its dual support for 3DS/Wii U.”

Sakurai is not the only one who’s made known his interest in linking the Wii U and 3DS versions of Smash Bros, as global Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has also expressed his anticipation for such a system.

“I’m really just getting started on this so it’s going to take time, but I’ll come up with something that uses that link as the game’s central axis, so I hope you’re looking forward to it.”

Development on the two titles has merely just begun, albeit with full concentration by Sakurai and his team. Though it puts these two games pretty far off in terms of release date, we can take comfort in the fact that much thought is going into their design.

Perhaps we’ll receive an update on the direction of the games at E3 2012, but until then, we’ll keep our ears close to the ground.

[via IGN]