In the final regular episode of the YouTube series, Smash Bros. Producer Masahiro Sakurai paid tribute to his former boss, the late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata.
Earlier this year, Sakurai announced on social media that she would be shutting down her channel after posting videos for two years.
Since 2022, the game designer has been running his own YouTube channel named ‘Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games’ where he shares game design tips.
The final regular video, which can be seen below, focuses on the relationship between Sakurai and Satoru Iwata.
“I couldn’t end the story without talking about Mr. Iwata.” Sakurai started speaking.
Sakurai first met Iwata while interviewing for a job at HAL, where Iwata was head of development. “One of the things that stood out in that interview was the speed at which he typed,” Sakurai recalls. “The other thing was his smile.”
“Whether he was taking notes, listening, or even talking, he always had the most serene smile. “It wasn’t something forced; it was a genuine expression of joy.”
Sakurai continued to reminisce about his days at HAL. The company faced financial difficulties, so Mr. Iwata took on the role of president of the company in the ’90s, despite being, as Sakurai put it, an “extraordinary programmer.”
“The only time Mr. Iwata personally wrote code for a game I was working on was Smash Bros. for Nintendo 64. – It was the prototype for Dragon King: The Fighting Game. It’s a separate adventure game.
“Mr. Iwata was very busy with other projects at the time, but he kindly took some time off to help me do it.”
As the video ends, Sakurai reflects on her feelings following Mr. Iwata’s death.
“Mr. Iwata was truly the person who understood me the best. “He was a man of great virtue, tireless hard work, dedication to service, and a man who transformed the gaming industry.”
