has quickly cemented itself as one of Nintendo's best-selling and most beloved franchises. It has had multiple games across the majority of Nintendo's platforms, all of which are as iconic and loved as the next.
While the series has evolved and grown over the years, its base formula of exploring a sleepy town inhabited by talking animals, catching bugs, fishing, and decorating a house has never really changed.
It is this formula that has earned a place among the very best life sim games of all time, with many titles, especially within the indie space, being inspired by it.
However, what many may not know is the origins of and how it was almost an entirely different game. Not only is that story fascinating, but the bones of what could have been are actually surprisingly compelling and could make for a very good modern spin-off entry within the storied franchise.
In an interview from 2008, transcribed and translated by NintendoWorldReport, Satoru Iwata sat down with other key members from Nintendo to discuss the creation of and how it became the beloved life sim everyone loves today.