Home > News > Smash Bros: Friendly Fire Fuels the Name

Smash Bros: Friendly Fire Fuels the Name

by Caleb Nov 24,2024

Smash Bros Got Its Name Because Friends

After 25 years since the Nintendo crossover fighting game's release, we now have the official backstory explaining how Super Smash Bros. received its name, courtesy of creator Masahiro Sakurai.

Masahiro Sakurai Explains the Game's

Super Smash Bros. is Nintendo's crossover fighting game featuring a roster of characters from the company's extensive list of iconic games. But, contrary to what the game series' title implies, only a few roster members are actual brothers—some aren't even male. So, how come it’s called "Super Smash Bros."? Nintendo hasn't provided an official explanation, but recently Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai has elucidated the reason!

In an episode of his YouTube video series, Sakurai explained that Smash Bros. received its name because the fighting game series was essentially about "friends amicably resolving minor disputes." The late Satoru Iwata, former Nintendo president, also contributed to formulating the name of Super Smash Bros., according to Sakurai.

"Mr. Iwata also participated in devising the name Super Smash Bros. We had team members propose numerous potential names and words we could use," Sakurai detailed in his video. They then convened a meeting with Mother/Earthbound series creator Mr. Shigesato Itoi to finalize the series' title. Sakurai added, "Mr. Iwata is the one who selected the 'brothers' component. His rationale was that, although the characters weren't brothers at all, using the word added the nuance that they weren't simply fighting—they were friends settling a minor disagreement!"

Besides the Smash Bros. backstory, Sakurai shared how he first encountered Iwata as well as other cherished memories of the former Nintendo president. According to Sakurai, Iwata personally assisted with programming the code for the Super Smash Bros. prototype, then called Dragon King: The Fighting Game for the Nintendo 64.

Trending Games More >