Arc System Works talks BlazBlue on 3DS, thinks Street Fighter is too easy, explains where Guilty Gear went

A portion of a Eurogamer interview with Guilty Gear creator Daisuke Ishiwatari, alongside BlazBlue boss Toshimichi Mori…

Eurogamer: BlazBlue Continuum Shift 2 is coming out on the Nintendo 3DS in Europe. How have you recreated the visuals of the arcade version in the handheld?

Toshimichi Mori: For 3DS graphics, the first thing we thought about was to make it easier on the eye. So, there’s not too much detail. When characters are moving you can just focus on the fighting by looking at the character, and you’re not disturbed by the background movements.

Eurogamer: Why did you decide to make this game for the 3DS?

Toshimichi Mori: The main thing was to make BlazBlue available for more of an audience. Some people find the PS3 and Xbox 360 too expensive. But those people might have a handheld console. The 3DS is quite expensive, but buying a TV and a PS3 or Xbox 360 isn’t something a lot of kids can easily get into, whereas most of them own or will eventually own a 3DS. It lowers the barrier to entry.

Eurogamer: Have you made the gameplay more accessible for the 3DS version?

Toshimichi Mori: On Continuum Shift we introduced a beginner mode, and a similar system called Stylish Mode is implemented on the 3DS version. If you press a button then you get to launch special attacks. But it’s not an easy special. You don’t just tap one button and then the special moves comes out. It’s a middle ground between that system and playing normally. You still have to press buttons multiple times in order to execute combos, but it’s not as difficult.

Street Fighter IV 3DS has an easy special attack launch button on the bottom screen. BlazBlue doesn’t have that because we wanted to make it a pure fighting game and not too easy.

Eurogamer: You think Street Fighter IV 3DS is too easy?

Toshimichi Mori: Yes we do.

Eurogamer: What ever happened to Guilty Gear? Why did you stop making it?

Daisuke Ishiwatari: Guilty Gear got too hardcore for some people, so we wanted to reset the level of entrance. BlazBlue was the answer to it. Also, the generation of Guilty Gear players has become a certain age – maybe a little bit too old for playing games. So making that reset brings in a new generation of fighting game players. Then they will be with us for the next few years.