Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Terry Stage Features Iconic SNK Characters Except Mai Shiranui

November 6, 2019 10:37 AM EST

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate just added Terry Bogard today, as a video with Masahiro Sakurai breaking down the character was published. The video most notably revealed Terry’s stage and how it features many iconic SNK characters in its background. However, Fatal Fury‘s Mai Shiranui didn’t make the cut.

Masahiro Sakurai explained that it was “impossible” to add Mai seeing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate‘s Cero A rating. Sakurai apologized to fans who were looking forward to it. You can hear Sakurai’s words directly at the timestamp linked below:

Personally speaking, I’m not revolted or anything. I love Mai as much as any other SNK character. But I simply find the whole situation extremely funny. Just as how Sakurai’s colleagues laughed when he talked about it. This isn’t a case of censorship, just a case of rating issues that anyone could have predicted.

Assuming Mai got in Smash but her outfit got censored, I would find it stupid. But I wouldn’t care. As an example, while I think the Tokyo Mirage Sessions censorship is pretty stupid, this isn’t what would prevent me from playing the game. Especially since I did get to see the game in Japanese. I did not miss out on the experience as I know exactly which dialogues and chapter which were censored. It’s funny because I bet TMS Switch is based on the Wii U western version even in Japan because it’s easier. They understandably didn’t want to do all the localization framework again. I’m sure Nintendo and Atlus would have gone without the censorship in Japan if they could.

Nintendo changed its “family-friendly games only” image over the decades, like how Resident Evil 4 was initially a Gamecube exclusive. And you’d be surprised at the amount of strip mahjong games you could find on the Nintendo Switch Eshop. Mai would have definitely been in if not for the Cero A rating. Or if Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was a Dragon Quest game. Dragon Quest is always Cero A, as if it has a free pass. Despite sexual-related elements like “puff puff” being in. You could also argue it’s because Dragon Quest is much more anchored in Japanese culture. Contrary to North America, Japanese culture is more lenient towards sexual content but less lenient towards realistic gore.

Anyway, while Joker didn’t get me to buy that Season Pass, Terry might be the one. But I’m still waiting for Adol from Ys, Laala from PriPara/Pretty Series and Reimu from Touhou to join Smash. I hope the latest leaks are all nonsense.

Sakurai recently shared some resonating words about games awards and notation systems.

November 6, 2019 10:37 AM EST