Castlevania interview with creator Koji Igarashi on the future of the franchise
Castlevania Wii? In an interview with Koji Igarashi, the guy who has been at the helm of Castlevania since it’s inception (a franchise that is as strong today as it ever was), he revealed some interesting nuggets of info about the future of the Castlevania series and where he wants to take it on next-gen consoles and on the DS. As a fan of both 2D and 3D games, it’s interesting to read the comments from one of the few remaining masters of the 2D game-style today. He even discusses Castlevania Wii as well as the upcoming DS title in the series which is still unnamed.
The interview:
Destuctoid (D): Symphony of the Night was successful in reinventing the franchise, and helped propel the Castlevania series forward over the last ten years. Now that a decade has passed since the game was released, do you feel any pressure to once again make drastic changes to the series?
Koji Igarashi (KI): Yes, exactly. It’s been ten years since Symphony of the Night, and it did take the franchise to the next level. And I definitely want to do something . . . I’m working on something to take it another step so that we can make it even bigger.
D: Where can we expect Castlevania to head over the coming decade?
KI: Castlevania’s become a very popular type of action game in the 2D genre, and I think the next step is I have to do something in 3D where the fans will say “This is a great action game in the 3D sense, too.” So I feel that I’ve accomplished that in 2D, but I want to accomplish that in 3D also. It doesn’t mean I’m actually doing something about it right now, but it’s something I’m thinking a lot about, and it’s something I really want to plan out and do something great. I want to do something huge, so I’m thinking about that right now.
D: The design of the original Metroid games for the Famicom and Super Famicom was clearly a large influence on the evolution of the Castlevania series. As a game player, how do you personally feel about the direction that Metroid has taken with the Metroid Prime trilogy? Would you have been happier if they stuck to the 2D realm like you’ve mostly done with Castlevania?
KI: I think with Metroid the new direction it has taken is great. I think it’s fabulous. With Castlevania, I want to do something like that. Not exactly what they did, but something that takes it to the next level. So, I haven’t found the right way to do it yet, but it’s something I’m looking for right now.
D: You recently announced that there’s a new Castlevania under way for the DS. Will this game follow the anime style of Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin, or will it be removed from that universe?
KI: I can’t really go into it too deeply, but I’m going to get away a little bit from the anime style. We’ll be doing a press release sometime soon with more information.
D: Do you feel happy with what you achieved in Portrait of Ruin’s multiplayer functions? Will multiplayer be incorporated into the next DS title?
KI: In the beginning I was a little concerned about the multiplayer aspect of that title, but as it got developed it exceeded my expectations. It was a lot better than I expected. So I’m very happy with it. I can’t comment yet on its inclusion in the next title.
D: The Castlevania games are known for having great music. You’ve collaborated with Michiru Yamane several times, and Yuzo Koshiro came in recently for Portrait of Rune. After working with him on the most recent DS game, do you have plans for involving Yuzo Koshiro for future titles?
KI: We get along very well. So yes, I’d definitely like to have him do more music for me.
D: In general, the Castlevania series has done an incredible job of keeping fans happy. The release this week of Rondo of Blood for the PSP is something many people have been clamoring for. On the other hand, a lot of fans want to see a Wii game that allows you to directly control the whip using the Wii remote. You’ve mentioned before that you don’t feel using the whip in this fashion would be a wise choice. How do you walk the line between implementing concepts you know are truly best for the game, while incorporating aspects that will keep fans satisfied?
KI: The way we develop the games, myself and the team, is we create games that make us happy, that we like. So it’s not really geared toward this direction or that direction. It’s not just what we feel that fans will like, but it’s what we want out of the game.
D: In general, the Castlevania series has done an incredible job of keeping fans happy. The release this week of Rondo of Blood for the PSP is something many people have been clamoring for. On the other hand, a lot of fans want to see a Wii game that allows you to directly control the whip using the Wii remote. You’ve mentioned before that you don’t feel using the whip in this fashion would be a wise choice. How do you walk the line between implementing concepts you know are truly best for the game, while incorporating aspects that will keep fans satisfied?
KI: The way we develop the games, myself and the team, is we create games that make us happy, that we like. So it’s not really geared toward this direction or that direction. It’s not just what we feel that fans will like, but it’s what we want out of the game.
You can read the entire interview over at Destructoid.
