Sakurai on Smash Bros. Brawl

Super Smash Bros. Brawl director Masahiro Sakurai made an appearance at last week's Tokyo Game Show as part of a talk event hosted by Metal Gear Solid producer Hideo Kojima. The topic of Smash Bros. Brawl came up only once, with Sakurai assuring that development is proceeding smoothly with the game.

It turns out that Sakurai had a bit more to say on the subject, but he was holding out for an interview with Japan's Weekly Famitsu. This week's issue contains the text of the interview.

Mostly, Sakurai reinforced statements he'd made in the past about his big Wii project. Smash Bros. Brawl will definitely see Japanese release in 2007, he said, although he wouldn't commit to a more specific time frame.

Following a discussion in which Sakurai commented that many Wii games seem to be tailored around the Wii controller, Famitsu asked if Smash Bros. Brawl won't be using the controller's special functionality at all. "At the very least, you won't be using it during normal play," responded Sakurai.

Smash Bros. Brawl seems to be getting all of Sakurai's attention at the moment. Famitsu asked if he's working on anything aside from the Wii title and a recent concert that he lead in Tokyo. Apparently, Sakurai has gotten many offers, but he's turned them all down. "I feel the need to fully take on the responsibility when taking on a job. This has become even more important since becoming a freelancer. If you take on two projects, you definitely won't be able do a good job with a game as big as Smash Bros. Brawl."

While Nintendo didn't have a presence at the Tokyo Game Show, and thus didn't show off anything from Smash Bros. Brawl, it's possible that we'll learn more when the big Japanese Wii tour kicks off in November.