Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of Super Smash Bros., and Kacho Arino, the Retro Game Master of Game Center CX, join forces in an exciting crossover event. Sakurai’s YouTube channel, “Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games,” features him discussing iconic video game titles and their unique aspects. In a recent episode, Sakurai invited Arino to compete in a friendly gaming challenge.
The crossover video begins with Sakurai playfully teasing Arino about the lack of arcade games on Game Center CX. To rectify this, Sakurai challenges Arino to play 25 groundbreaking arcade titles from the late 1970s to the late 1980s, starting with the classic game Space Invader. He dubs this challenge “The Space Invader Decade” to highlight the era’s innovative gaming advancements.
What makes this competition even more intriguing is Sakurai’s advantage. Not only did he select the games himself, but he also knew about the challenge beforehand. To level the playing field, Sakurai imposes a handicap on himself. Points are awarded to the player whose opponent loses first. However, while Arino has until he gets a game over to be declared the loser, Sakurai loses if he takes even a single hit. This unexpected twist surprises Arino, but they proceed with the challenge, playing the games side-by-side and providing commentary.
Currently, only the first episode of the series is available, featuring nine games. Alongside the expected classics like Asteroids, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong, Sakurai introduces some lesser-known titles to showcase niche games to fans. One such game is Crazy Climber, where players must climb a towering building while avoiding obstacles like open windows, falling flower pots, and a giant ape reminiscent of King Kong.
Sakurai and Arino make an incredible duo, with Sakurai explaining the significance of each game while Arino adds colorful commentary and laughs at his own mistakes. Although they have collaborated in the past, this is the first time Sakurai gets to work with Arino without representing Nintendo. As a result, they can freely poke fun at each other while discussing the innovative features of these arcade titles.
Despite Sakurai’s significant handicap, he manages to keep the games close and ends the video with a lead of 5-4. The next episode teases games like Mario Bros. and Ghosts ‘n Goblins.
While fans eagerly await the next episode of “The Space Invader Decade,” they can find Sakurai and Arino playing the original Super Smash Bros. together on Game Center CX. Unfortunately, this video is only available in Japanese.
This crossover between Sakurai and Arino is hopefully just the beginning of many more collaborations. Their combined years of experience as a game designer and player provide incredible insights into the rich history of video games.
Source: DOTESPORTS
