Iwata Asks ("The Inklings in Splatoon was going to be Rabbits")

[SquidisaWard]

http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wiiu/splatoon/0/0

In the latest Iwata Asks, Iwata, well, ask about how the character development for the game went. In the prototype, it was just a block and white block spraying ink at each other

and later on, they switch it from blocks to

Spoiler

Rabbits

They later change it to the Inklings we known and loved today due to the lukewarm response of the gameplay as it was just originally spraying the Ink around instead of using your Ink as a way to move faster.

How do you guys feel about this? While I like the design of the rabbit character, I think it was for the best. Could be cool if they were for a Easter event for the game or something.

 

[Trieste Sp]

Rabbits ?

Didn't expect that.

 

[Linkfreak404]

I thinks it's safe to say that they made the right choice to not make them Rabbits....

 

[Nabbit]

I would love if they could use those rabbits for another game and build off them. For this game inklings were the right choice.

 

[Captain Norris]

I really hope they add in a shirt or hat that has the tofu on it. Would be an epic Easter egg.

 

[Sleepy_Icarus]

They definitely made the right call not going with the rabbits. The Inkling concept gave the game a much more unique twist.

 

[Draayder]

That was a fun read

 

[Inari]

It's great to see how passionate the devs are about this game and hear about how much work they put into it, as well as the great teamwork they have at the core

I found this part to also be pretty interesting, regarding Splatfests:

Sakaguchi
The idea for these fests came from Amano-san, who said, "I want to have a function that would create some kind of festival in-game" during production. And we thought that if we posted announcements like "We’ll be having rice for breakfast!" on social media, it would be something else to get people interested.

Nogami
We wanted to make a system where we could use keywords that people who didn’t know about the game would be interested in, so that when we released the results, it would give them an opportunity to hear about Splatoon.

I never considered the social media aspect of splatfests, I think it's pretty cool that they thought of them as a way to spread word about the game to the more general public

 

[Lyn]

We'll that's.. something..

 

[DonkaFjord]

I wish they'd release some of the concept art from the past ideas like the Tofu blocks and more.

 

[missingno]

We could've had tofu amiibo!

 

[MaikoRules]

This is probably the only Iwata Asks that i thought the employees were honest

 

[DonkaFjord]

This is probably the only Iwata Asks that i thought the employees were honest

What do you mean? Of course they tend to be polite (That's how Japanese business culture tends to be.)

 

[MaikoRules]

What do you mean? Of course they tend to be polite (That's how Japanese business culture tends to be.)

maybe it's just the translation but the transcripts usually come off as awkward. this felt more like a conversation than a commercial. if that makes sense

 

[DonkaFjord]

maybe it's just the translation but the transcripts usually come off as awkward. this felt more like a conversation than a commercial. if that makes sense

Its probably the translation because, as I mentioned before, it is all really polite so when it is translated it may come off as very rehearsed or censored.

 

[Fate]

I hope there will be a rabbit head hat and rabbit body shirt obtainable in game somehow. Rabbits wouldn't have worked well for the game, but a costume would make a great easter egg.

 

[toadster101]

Is it bad that I prefer these character designs?

 

[missingno]

Is it bad that I prefer these character designs?

Yes.

 

[ndayadn]

Is it bad that I prefer these character designs?

They look pretty phallic.

 

[DonkaFjord]

Is it bad that I prefer these character designs?

They look pretty cute actually and kinda derpy.

They look pretty phallic.

You make me so sad.