Celebrating 25 years of Nintendo's iconic crossover fighting game, we finally have the official story behind the name "Super Smash Bros.," directly from its creator, Masahiro Sakurai.
Masahiro Sakurai Reveals the "Smash Bros." Naming Story
Satoru Iwata's Influence on the Name
Super Smash Bros., Nintendo's celebrated crossover fighting game, features characters from a vast array of the company's beloved franchises. However, the name is a bit of a misnomer, as few characters are actually brothers, and some aren't even male. So, where did "Super Smash Bros." come from? While previously unexplained, Sakurai recently provided the official answer.
In a recent YouTube video, Sakurai revealed that the name originated from the game's core concept: "friends settling minor disputes." He credits the late Satoru Iwata, former Nintendo president, with a significant role in choosing the name.
Sakurai explained that numerous name suggestions were brainstormed within the team, culminating in a meeting with Shigesato Itoi, creator of the Mother/EarthBound series, to finalize the title. "Mr. Iwata selected the 'brothers' aspect," Sakurai stated. "His reasoning was that, while the characters weren't literally brothers, the term implied a friendly rivalry—a playful disagreement rather than outright conflict."
Beyond the naming anecdote, Sakurai shared personal memories of Iwata, including Iwata's direct involvement in programming the original Super Smash Bros. prototype, then titled "Dragon King: The Fighting Game," for the Nintendo 64.
