After Smash Bros. was first released in Japan in 1999, players flocked to the game's website, where Masahiro Sakurai posted survey results, game tips, and even answered players' emails. There are reams of emails left from this period that offer a fascinating, funny, and even touching look at nascent Smash Bros. culture. In this episode, Sean, Gigi, and Bridget look over some of these early surveys and conversations Sakurai had with fans. From speculation over a sequel to parents asking for advice on how to defeat their kids, and even a bit of unrelated Goldeneye advice, these classic emails are an amazing archive of gaming history. (And of course, people have tons requests for characters they want to see join Smash Bros., because some things never change.)
Thank you to Source Gaming and PushDustin for the translations of these emails. And thank you to Gigi as well for the translation she was able to do on the spot.
Questions or comments about the show? You can email us at mail@kirbyconversations.com and we may read your letter on a future episode.
Kirby Conversations is part of the Sound Stone Podcast Network, a collective of independent podcasters covering video game history. We are a founding show alongside Pixels and Polygons and Flashback 64, and we encourage you to check out those shows as well!
Please enter our giveaway with this link to win a $200 video game shopping spree, all four volumes of Darren Hupke's 32-Bit Library, and more!
Join us online:
Kirby Conversations
Bluesky: @kirbyconversations.bsky.social
Sound Stone
Bluesky: @soundstone.network
Bridget
Bluesky: @kabulaqueen.bsky.social
Sean Douglass
Bluesky: @seandouglass.bsky.social
Ky "Captain Dangerous" Parker
Gigi
Our opening music is by Megan Kelz (https://diamondthorns.bandcamp.com) and arranged by Duncan "PixelTea" Smith (https://duncansmith.carrd.co/).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!