Celebrating 25 years of Nintendo's iconic crossover fighting game, Super Smash Bros., we finally have the official story behind its name, courtesy of creator Masahiro Sakurai.
Sakurai Unveils the Origin of "Smash Bros."
The Role of Former Nintendo President Satoru Iwata
Super Smash Bros. brings together a diverse cast of characters from Nintendo's vast game library. However, the name's "brothers" component is somewhat misleading, as the roster includes characters who aren't even male, let alone siblings. So, why "Super Smash Bros."? While Nintendo hadn't previously offered an official explanation, Sakurai recently shed light on the matter.In a recent YouTube video, Sakurai revealed the name stemmed from the game's core concept: "friends resolving minor disputes." He credits the late Satoru Iwata, former Nintendo president, with a significant contribution to the title.
Sakurai explained that numerous name suggestions were considered before a meeting with Shigesato Itoi, creator of the Mother/EarthBound series, to finalize the title. "Mr. Iwata chose the 'brothers' element," Sakurai stated. "His reasoning was that, while the characters weren't literally brothers, the term implied a friendly rivalry—a playful squabble rather than outright conflict."
Beyond the naming origins, Sakurai shared anecdotes about his relationship with Iwata, including Iwata's direct involvement in programming the Super Smash Bros. prototype, initially titled "Dragon King: The Fighting Game" for the Nintendo 64.
