Super Mario Bros. Wonder Once Had a Tsundere Live Commentary Option

Nintendo published a double-part interview with Super Mario Bros. Wonder staff: producer Takashi Tezuka, director Shiro Mouri, game designer Koichi Hayashida, art director Masanobu Sato, and sound director Koji Kondo.

Parts 1 and 2 were released yesterday, while parts 3 and 4 have been posted today.

One of the most interesting notes here is how, at one point in development, there was a live commentary feature with a Tsundere option, which is certainly something. According to Mouri, several testers chose that option. This feature eventually became the Talking Flowers that we’re more familiar with.

You can view the quoted passages regarding this point below:

Mouri: Even the team was evenly split between those in favor and those against [live commentary]. (Laughs) The default voice was very generic, like a newscaster, but you had the option to switch it to a Tsundere commentary.

(17) Tsundere is an adjective term in Japanese that is used to describe a personality or a person who usually has a cold and harsh attitude but on the other hand shows a glimpse of affection.

Wait, a Tsundere commentary?

Mouri: In fact, according to our play test records, quite a few people were switching to the Tsundere commentary. (Laughs)

Everyone: (Laughs)

Tezuka: But if we were to do this commentary feature seriously, just the process of creating voice variations alone would’ve involved a tremendous amount of work. So, unfortunately, we had to let it go.

Still, it would’ve been a shame to shut down the whole experiment. So we brought in an additional team member to dedicate themselves to this feature full-time.

You can view Parts 3 and 4 of the full interview for additional details.

In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Prince Florian invited Mario and his friends to the Flower Kingdom. However, when Bowser attacks and comes into contact with the Wonder Flower, he merges with the prince’s castle. Of course, the heroes set off on a quest to halt Bowser’s ambitions.

The game has six worlds that circle the petal isles, with a total of 7 areas to explore. There will be several types of environments throughout the levels, such as caves, deserts, and grasslands.

Luigi, Peach, Daisy, two Toads, and Toadette are also playable alongside Mario, and they all control the same. The Yoshi and Nabbit won’t take damage, though, so they’re for beginners. But they can still lose lives if they fall into a pit.

Players can experience stages with new power-ups, badges, and the Wonder Flower that significantly alters the layout of the environment. Four-player local play will also be featured alongside indirect online player interaction.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder will launch for Nintendo Switch on October 20, 2023. Fans can now pre-order the game via the Switch eShop.