Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games | Start with the Climax [Planning & Game Design] @sora_sakurai_en | Uploaded July 2024 | Updated October 2024, 8 hours ago.
One of the most challenging things to design for in a game is giving players control right from the very start.
While there's merit to starting out slow and building up the story, it's more suitable these days to cut straight to the action.
One of the most challenging things to design for in a game is giving players control right from the very start.
While there's merit to starting out slow and building up the story, it's more suitable these days to cut straight to the action.
![Start with the Climax [Planning & Game Design]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eAd0pt-uv8g/hqdefault.jpg "Start with the Climax [Planning & Game Design]
One of the most challenging things to design for in a game is giving players control right from the very start.
While theres merit to starting out slow and building up the story, its more suitable these days to cut straight to the action.")
![Dont Be Unresponsive [Planning & Game Design]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eia2IAmvtKI/hqdefault.jpg "Dont Be Unresponsive [Planning & Game Design]
When a player presses a button, they expect a response—so dont you think its best to make sure they get one?")
![Famicom and NES Audio [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eyQSb_tC0Fg/hqdefault.jpg "Famicom and NES Audio [Audio]
When the Famicom was first released, it could make sounds unlike any console wed ever seen—which only evolved further over the decade that followed.
In this Grab Bag-esque episode, Ill be discussing the audio output of this simple game system.")
![Competition and Abundance [Work Ethic]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fWWwELXIAEw/hqdefault.jpg "Competition and Abundance [Work Ethic]
A lot of people out there want to make games...which means if you want to make games, youll have a lot of competition! This is something I hope both creators and consumers will keep in mind.")
![Amplify Both Strengths and Weaknesses [Game Essence]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fc-hOvTBTCc/hqdefault.jpg "Amplify Both Strengths and Weaknesses [Game Essence]
In todays Game Essence video, Ill be discussing a way characters often end up getting balanced: by rounding off both strengths and weaknesses.
While that process certainly can resolve issues, its hard to say it makes a game more fun...")
![How I Stuck With My Column [Work Ethic]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ff7HadWHTJo/hqdefault.jpg "How I Stuck With My Column [Work Ethic]
My Weekly Famitsu column, Think About the Video Games, ran for 18 years and 9 months. How did I manage to keep it going that long? Youll find out in this video.")
![Making Games as Part of a Company [Team Management]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fiCLKUQtKg0/hqdefault.jpg "Making Games as Part of a Company [Team Management]
I dont belong to a company myself anymore, but in this video Id like to talk about making games in-house. Consider this advice for those of you who work at game companies—or those who are hoping to.")
![Praise the Player! [Planning & Game Design]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fryDyXROp8A/hqdefault.jpg "Praise the Player! [Planning & Game Design]
People play games to feel good! Dont hold back on praising them at every step along the way!")
![What is “Play”? [Game Essence]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/g5uooUqdXXs/hqdefault.jpg "What is “Play”? [Game Essence]
Why do we play just for the sake of play? What about it is so fun?
Today, Id like to introduce a famous book on this topic, and share my own thoughts as well.")
![The Pros and Cons of Leaderboards [Game Essence]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/g7nC6NtTMIk/hqdefault.jpg "The Pros and Cons of Leaderboards [Game Essence]
Leaderboards are an indispensable part of the online play experience. But have you ever wondered what percentage of players actually appreciate them?")
![Avoiding Comparison [Planning & Game Design]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gYuvggptkDM/hqdefault.jpg "Avoiding Comparison [Planning & Game Design]
When making creative works, its important to make something unique—or at least something fresh!
But what about content people have truly never seen before? It may be that humans simply cant picture something without a reference for comparison...")
![Using Other Songs for Audio Reference [Audio]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/heFZ6qQXfDw/hqdefault.jpg "Using Other Songs for Audio Reference [Audio]
When composing a piece of music, sometimes the perfect song to fit your vision already exists.
This can be a great help, but also presents a potential pitfall—so be careful when referencing someone elses work.")
