IGN gave Atari and Pipeworks’ Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee an 8.4/10 overview when it launched in 2002. On the time, we stated, “so far as multiplayer experiences go, Godzilla represents certainly one of GameCube’s best.” Now, senior designer Simon Strange and the remainder of the group are again and able to do it over again.
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered is one thing followers have pleaded for however by no means thought would really occur. In any case, it has been 24 years because the unique recreation got here out, and with no signal of the sector brawler sequence since Godzilla: Unleashed stomped onto the scene in 2007, there’s been little hope for a correct return. That modifications this November.
With remastered graphics, a playable Showa-era Mechagodzilla, and some new irradiated bells and whistles, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered is about to reach at a time when kaiju followers are in determined want of a standalone recreation that includes the King of the Monsters. IGN spoke with Strange to find out about how issues have modified since he first helped carry the unique recreation to gamers within the 2000s.
From the choice to chop the Smog Monster, Hedorah, to launching so near GTA 6 and the potential for Godzilla: Save the Earth and Godzilla: Unleashed remasters, we talked about (nearly) every thing Godzilla followers might ever wish to find out about Pipeworks’ return to the franchise. You’ll be able to learn the dialog in its entirety under whereas we anticipate Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered to launch for PC by way of Steam, Nintendo Change 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Sequence X/S November 3, 2026.
IGN: It has been nearly 24 years because the unique Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee got here out. Why do a remaster now, and why is 2026 the proper time for extra Godzilla from Pipeworks?
Simon Strange: We have been eager to do a remake of this recreation for years. We have talked about it for a minimum of a decade. An enormous impediment for lots of that point was that the unique recreation was made in our personal proprietary engine, which known as Spigot. Internally, we nonetheless have a variety of the engineers who labored on Spigot, and we stated, ‘If we needed to revise these video games, does that imply bringing Spigot up, getting again into that, working it with the brand new variations of DirectX, having to assist all the brand new consoles?’ We’re very a lot an engineering firm. The engineering behind revitalizing the previous engine was the massive impediment, however a distinct concept that got here up two, two and a half years in the past is that a part of our Spigot engine was we compiled all of our knowledge right into a proprietary format.
One of many engineers who had written these compilers was like, ‘I might simply write a device that might recompile these into generic codecs which might be utilized by different engines.’ He did that, so we had been immediately capable of carry all of these belongings from the unique recreation out of Spigot and put them into different engines, like Unreal, on this case. As quickly as we might do this, I simply began enjoying round with stuff, and I used to be like, ‘Oh, look, I bought the characters working. Oh, look, I introduced the cities in.’ Then we had been principally off to the races.
Then, it was only a matter of getting in contact with Atari, getting in contact with Toho, and ‘Look what we have!’ We began to place all of the issues collectively. So, that was actually type of the genesis there, is that, as an alternative of utilizing the previous engine and bringing it as much as fashionable requirements, bringing the belongings out of the previous engine into new engines which might be already engaged on fashionable requirements.
A few questions from that, then. So, it is referred to as Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered, however there are some new parts as properly. Why name it a remaster and never a remake? How did you outline that line?
Strange: Oh, that was a protracted dialogue. In the end, remaster is only a time period that folks perceive. When you say remake, individuals say, ‘What precisely is that?’ after which it’s important to clarify it. This isn’t a strict remaster. The best way that I take into consideration the time period… I imply, remaster is sensible in music recording, proper? We’re positively utilizing most of the unique belongings. Most significantly, all the animations for the characters are precisely pulled out of the previous recreation. It is all simply the identical animations, however for instance, all of the meshes on the characters, the textures on the buildings, the lighting, the VFX – that stuff is simply new.
We simply constructed new issues for there, but it surely’s a combating recreation, so the character animations, I feel, are actually the core. I imply, that is the realm that I work on most, and so these are precisely the identical. The audio is strictly the identical. The texture and the controls and the button layouts, precisely the identical. Whenever you play by means of the journey mode, it is precisely the identical sequence of the fights. We do have some parts which might be precisely the identical. We’ve got some parts which might be all new, however are constructed to evoke the previous recreation, after which we have now some parts which might be simply new.
So, ‘remaster?’ Only for readability. Simply to not confuse individuals. That is actually the place we got here with that. I feel remake is extra appropriate, however there are parts which might be precisely the identical. So, 40% is remastered instantly from the unique supply, 60% is new.
I keep in mind seeing that Pipeworks emblem flash on the display once I assume again to the 2000s. How a lot of the unique group is again engaged on this recreation? What number of have caught round by means of all these years?
Strange: Not very many.
I imply, that is 25 years in the past that I began engaged on this recreation. Actually, it was nearly precisely 25. I began at Pipeworks in November of 2001, and the group had already began on the Godzilla recreation. I used to be introduced in particularly to work on the Godzilla recreation.
I feel we have now six individuals who have labored on a minimum of one of many Godzilla video games up by means of Godzilla: Unleashed. That is by means of 2007. We’ve got, of that unique unique group, three or perhaps 4. We positively have 4 individuals nonetheless on the studio who labored on that unique recreation, and a minimum of three of them have instantly contributed, certainly one of whom being the unique engineer who wrote the exporter. There’s myself being the sport design lead, after which our technical director and certainly one of our senior producers even have been making contributions.
Definitely, we’re enjoying the sport, being like, ‘Nicely, did not we do it this fashion? Why do not we have now the highlight?’ So, that is a variety of enjoyable.
What was it like revisiting your relationship with Toho and the license holders? What has it been like working with them on this recreation once more?
Strange: I actually admire Toho. They’re very exacting. They don’t seem to be a hands-off type of group. They’re in there, and so they get into the trivia, and I fairly admire that. It’s a must to actually schedule time. It’s a must to do extra iterations with them than you’ll with different license holders, however so long as you will have that in thoughts, it isn’t an enormous deal.
My expertise from the unique sequence of video games was that it was fairly tough for the primary recreation, however then, as we established these relationships, Godzilla: Save the Earth and Godzilla: Unleashed bought a lot, a lot quicker and simpler as we constructed up that degree of belief. So, we’re restarting a few of that, so issues are taking some time once more, however that is OK. That is good. That is a part of the method. We’re doing this as a result of we’re not making an unique recreation; we’re utilizing the Godzilla license, and we wish to get the license proper. We wish to be respectful to the corporate and to the followers, and that is a part of the enjoyable.
Right me if I am improper, however I consider the rights for all of those totally different characters may be tough. Was there something that you simply needed to do within the unique recreation however could not that you’re now capable of do on this recreation? The very first thing that involves my thoughts is Jet Jaguar. There have been tales about the way you needed that character, however there have been some points. Was there something like that that you could possibly herald?
Strange: I am going to say that I’ve modified my language round this some. After we make the video games, we discuss issues. Over the a long time, I’ve stated issues like, ‘Oh, we needed to do that,’ however that is perhaps overselling it. It is not like, ‘We spent all this money and time, and we had been making an attempt one thing.’ We had been like, ‘Jet Jaguar could be cool. Can we get him? No? Oh, OK.’ That is concerning the degree it went to. We positively had Atari individuals wanting into, ‘Can we get Jet Jaguar?’ but it surely’s not like we had constructed Jet Jaguar and had him working within the recreation. It was simply notional. That stated, there’s stuff that we’re positively…
There are issues that we bought higher at all through the sequence. We had some critical discussions about, ‘Will we do it the higher method that we did later, or can we protect among the clunkiness of the unique recreation?’ We’ve got determined usually to protect the clunkiness.
We’re making an attempt to make issues the way in which they had been. There have been moments after we’re like, ‘Hey, we might do that higher. We might do that in a brand new method. We might do one thing that is a bit totally different,’ however usually, we have now determined to do it the previous method as a lot as doable.
One instance I am going to provide you with: Initially, we labored for the GameCube controller. The GameCube controller had one shoulder button; it had the Z button. Then, after we went to the Xbox, the Xbox had two. They’d an additional button. So, after we went to Xbox, we added a seize button.
Earlier than, it was punch and kick concurrently seize, however now we have now a brand new button, a devoted seize button. Trendy consoles, all of them have the additional button, so everybody has a seize button. Nicely, do you continue to wish to assist punch plus kick for a seize? It is only a more durable solution to do it. Why would you do it that method? You’ve a devoted button.
Nicely, we’re supporting it. You press punch and kick on the similar time, and it grabs as a result of we would like it to nonetheless really feel like the unique recreation. Regardless that there have been excellent arguments made internally that we do not want that, and supporting it simply encourages individuals to typically do issues in a method that you’ll typically screw up, or your fingers will not fairly hit it proper, we had been like, ‘No, simply train them to all the time use the devoted button.’ We’re supporting the previous method in that case.
It was cool to see so many individuals excited concerning the announcement on-line. Was that one thing Pipeworks anticipated?
Strange: I anticipated it, personally, as simply me. I’ve been energetic within the Godzilla neighborhood for many years now, and I understand how excited individuals are for this stuff. I feel that different individuals had been skeptical. I imply, in fact, Pipeworks thought that there’d be a great response, however I feel everybody was actually stunned. I feel Atari was actually stunned. I feel Toho was actually stunned to see simply how massive it was, however that is nice. That is excellent news for us.
Which recreation are you going to purchase this November?
Grand Theft Auto 6:
$79.99 Customary Version
$99.99 Final VersionGodzilla Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered:
$29.99 (digital all platforms and PS5 bodily)
$39.99 (Change 2 bodily comes on cartridge) pic.twitter.com/g7z7Sth6ux— GodzillaGuyZ (DAMMR HYPE) (@GodzillaGuyZ) June 24, 2026
There was additionally a variety of on-line chatter about Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered’s November launch date. How was that launch date chosen? Is that date sticking?
Strange: I imply, sure. This can be a key factor, actually. November 3 is Godzilla’s birthday. That is Godzilla day. That is the day that is when Toho releases new Godzilla movies in Japan. That is the day that new Godzilla bulletins are made. I imply, that is Godzilla Day, and I did not know that 25 years in the past once I first began working at Pipeworks. Now, I am like, ‘Nicely, clearly, we should always come out on Godzilla Day.’ I feel that is nice. People who find themselves massive Godzilla followers, they see that it is popping out November 3, and so they’re like, ‘Oh, I see what they’re doing.’ As a result of they know that is Godzilla Day. Now we all know, so we wish to present that off.
So, that leads into my subsequent query: You’re nonetheless November for Godzilla’s birthday as a result of it’s important to.
Strange: Completely. We’ve got to. Yeah.
One of many causes there was a lot discuss on-line – and I’ve beloved seeing all the memes and light-hearted jokes round it – is for those who have a look at the online game launch calendar for the yr, Godzilla is likely one of the very, only a few video games popping out in November. I am not an professional, however my guess is that Grand Theft Auto 6 has one thing to do with that. I’ve seen Pipeworks tweet about this just a few instances too, so my query is: Why is not Godzilla scared to go up towards GTA 6?
Strange: I’ve additionally beloved all these memes. I feel that is nice. Truthfully, wasn’t even in our head in any respect after we had been choosing the discharge date.
That is not my enterprise. I make the video video games. I am not too apprehensive about after they come out. If Atari had come to us and stated, ‘Wow, we will not as a result of we expect it will have an effect on the gross sales with GTA,’ we might’ve had that dialogue. However nobody ever stated something. It was like, November 3 is clearly the day. Based mostly on after we began, after we bought the contract with Atari, we had been like, how lengthy does it take to fabricate the bodily disc? Yeah, November was all the time the date.
So, the GTA factor, that is hilarious. It is actually cute memes. We have all actually loved that. It was by no means a part of our pondering. I wasn’t that calendar and worrying in any method or fascinated about what different video games are popping out as a result of the Godzilla followers are very excited for it. They’d purchase it on any day that it got here out, and placing it on Godzilla’s birthday, that is simply respectful.
https://t.co/Lh4c0SyWvl pic.twitter.com/4hzmDYUVVy
— 🐙Dumbo Octopus🐙 (@DumboOctopus4) June 7, 2026
https://t.co/cUmNKjwGBD pic.twitter.com/fBWjeJ2AoR
— TheColeBrew (@TheColeBrew) June 6, 2026
Was there any temptation to incorporate much more monsters within the roster? Clearly, because the sequence went on, there have been extra.
Strange: Certain. There have been potentialities of doing every kind of various issues. We talked about a variety of totally different plans. We had the flexibility, now, to usher in belongings from these previous Pipeworks video games, so what can we do with that? It wasn’t apparent {that a} remaster of the primary recreation was the factor. We talked by means of a variety of totally different plans, however a trustworthy remaster of the primary recreation is the plan that we settled on. So, that is the way in which we’re going, however definitely earlier than we settled on that plan, we talked about doing various things. We talked about doing totally different units of issues, or what can we do now that we have now this know-how? Will we make a brand new recreation? I imply, every kind of issues had been on the desk, however the plan we settled on was a trustworthy remaster of the unique recreation, so which means utilizing the unique forged.
The primary factor I see individuals asking for is, now that Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee is coming again, they clearly need the opposite video games. Is {that a} want that the group has seen, and is it one thing you’ll be focused on bringing to life in some unspecified time in the future?
Strange: Let me let you know, I had that want lengthy earlier than we introduced this recreation, so I get it. I wish to do all that stuff, too. I imply, all that stuff is now technically doable. We will carry all these belongings from all these Spigot video games, and we will carry them into Unreal, and we will do every kind of issues with that. The unlucky, bland reply is that it will depend on what sort of a contract we put collectively. Pipeworks as an organization is de facto massive now. After we had been doing these video games again 25 years in the past, we had been actually 12 individuals in a single room. Now, Pipeworks is like 300 individuals. I imply, it’s enormous. We’re engaged on dozens of various tasks. We’ve got every kind of various stuff pulling at our time and a spotlight, and there are every kind of various potentialities for what we’re doing at any given time.
Atari has their very own concepts and their very own plans. Me, as a person individual, I like the thought of bringing all that content material again to the gamers. I feel that is nice. I might particularly love – and I am talking a bit out of flip right here – however I might like to avenge the type of mediocre launch of Godzilla: Unleashed.
There was a variety of bother on that, and I had a dialog the place we had been like, ‘Would we remaster each doable recreation?’ I used to be like, ‘No one needs an easy remaster of Godzilla: Unleashed as a result of that recreation was busted in some methods.’ So, if we needed to revisit that content material, I might wish to do it higher. There may be not already a contract for that, however no matter. Contracts… We have a complete biz dev part, Atari’s bought a complete biz dev part, they’re speaking based mostly on the response… I imply, a variety of stuff is on the desk. There’s a variety of conversations available sooner or later, and I am very excited for all of that.
I am positively rooting for it. This goes again to my earlier query: Was there any temptation to construct on the unique recreation with content material from the extra fashionable Godzilla releases? Minus One, Shin Godzilla, and even the Monsterverse sequence? These, primarily, might even be skins for Godzilla. Is that one thing you thought-about, as properly?
Strange: The Monsterverse, no. That could be a separate entity. Godzilla Minus One, Shin Godzilla, Godzilla Minus Zero, that stuff is Toho, although. So, that’s one thing that has been type of mentioned within the ether. That’s one thing that is a bit fascinating. There’s additionally been a variety of discussions about what’s a pores and skin? What’s a brand new character? How a lot do it’s essential differentiate issues?
There was a variety of dialogue because the recreation’s launch about which characters are too just like different characters. I do know a variety of that’s good-hearted, however man, a few of that stabs at me as a result of that is my space. I am constructing the fight, the motion, the controls; I am differentiating the characters. After I made the primary recreation, we had Godzilla ’90s and Godzilla 2000, and in my thoughts, that was Ryu and Ken. I used to be like, ‘Oh, yeah, in order that they’re principally the identical as a result of they’re rivals.’ Then individuals stated, ‘Oh, they’re simply clones of one another and so lazy.’ I used to be like, ‘It is Ryu and Ken!’
The place individuals could be like, ‘Ghidorah and Mecha-King Ghidorah, they’re simply clones.’ I might say, ‘They’re so totally different. They’re so totally different. They’ve completely totally different weaknesses. Sure, they’re sharing many animations, however…’ Anyway, that type of stuff actually bugged me. You’ll be able to see within the later video games, I labored actually arduous to make it tremendous clear that every one the monsters are actually totally different. They have actually totally different play kinds and methods. That was the half for me on this remaster that has been the toughest. It is all of the stuff I am like, ‘That is the half the place it is the identical, however individuals need them to be totally different, however I can not as a result of it is bought to be the identical. It needs to be the identical recreation. I can not make it extra totally different.’
Godzilla 2000 runs quicker than Godzilla ’90s, but it surely’s like 9% quicker. It is a small distinction. I used to be like, ‘Perhaps I am going to make that greater.’ Nope, it is bought to be the identical. Each time I wish to make it much more totally different or develop on issues, I used to be like, ‘It is bought to be the identical,’ however let’s discuss concerning the one massive exception as a result of I assume you are going to. Do you wish to ask the query concerning the one massive exception about being the identical?
I do find out about bringing within the alternate Mechagodzilla design, so enlighten me!
Sure, that was the massive change. As an alternative of utilizing the ’93 Mechagodzilla mesh, we’re utilizing a 1975 Mechagodzilla mesh, and that was not an preliminary plan. After we first sat down and we began, we had been like, ‘It will be a trustworthy remaster. That is the plan.’ I used to be like, ‘OK, trustworthy – however what can we wish to change?’ I got here up with a brief listing of issues that we’re altering, although it is a trustworthy remaster.
Then, we bought into improvement, and we’re going by means of, and we’re working stuff, and it simply got here up, and as quickly because it got here up, it was so apparent. We had been constructing all the brand new character meshes, and we had been attending to the purpose the place we had been going to construct the Mechagodzilla mesh, and it was stated out loud: ‘Clearly we should always change.’
Within the unique recreation, we did not know we had been making a couple of recreation. We thought this was it. We did not assume there was going to be a bunch of others and remakes. So, we’re like, ‘Mechagodzilla’s bought to be a personality.’ We’re making this recreation, and the ’93 Mechagodzilla – which, that film did not come out within the U.S. till ’94 – that is like 5 years previous. That was the latest Mechagodzilla. We had been like, ‘We’ll use that. That is Mechagodzilla.’ That is the one we had toys for that was straightforward to get. Actually… [Editor’s Note: Strange then held up a small Mechagodzilla figurine.] That is the precise toy that Pipeworks purchased that we modeled our Mechagodzilla off of. These are all the unique toys, and I like it when individuals say issues like, ‘The characters, they seem like they’re modeled off these toys.’ Yeah, they completely are. We purchased a set of those toys, and that is how we did it.
So, that is Mechagodzilla, however then we had been like, ‘What does a Mechagodzilla do?’ Nicely, we weren’t precisely matching the ’93 movie. We had been simply pulling all of the Mechagodzilla stuff collectively to make our type of a gestalt Mechagodzilla. The identical method with Ghidorah; it wasn’t Ghidorah from ‘this movie.’ We had been simply pulling in numerous totally different Ghidorah parts. Kiryu did not even exist. After we had been making the sport, that film hadn’t even been shot. Then, for the Japanese model, they’re like, ‘Oh, we wish to add this new Mechagodzilla.’ Kiryu wasn’t even the fan identify. It was the New Mechagodzilla. We referred to as it Mechagodzilla 2000 or Mecha 2K.
So, inside the sport recordsdata, there’s Mechagodzilla and Mecha 2K, however then, we stated, ‘Nicely, that is complicated as a result of what can we name him? We won’t name him that.’ We then referred to as it Mechagodzilla 2 for the ’93 model, after which Mechagodzilla 3 for Kiryu. However then, I hadn’t considered this: Within the Showa period, ’74 is Mechagodzilla, after which ’75 is similar Mechagodzilla, however on his armband, it says MG after which MG2. Nicely, that suggests that the ’75 is Mechagodzilla 2. So, then what? So, ’93 is now Mechagodzilla 3, however he is in a distinct continuity. The naming is so unhealthy. I hate it a lot. What do you name it? Is it Mechagodzilla 2K is 3, however now it is 4?
And all of the file names are all simply all over. What we are saying in-game, and what we have recorded for the announcer voice, is simply totally different in several video games. I used to be like, ‘Oh, my God. Let’s tamp it down.’ Mechagodzilla is the ’74/’75 character. Tremendous Mechagodzilla is the ’93 character. Kiryu is the 2002 character. Three totally different names. On condition that was the naming and provided that the announcer says Mechagodzilla, we had been like, ‘We’re utilizing the ’74/’75. That is what we’re doing.’ We needed to then go to Atari. Actually, we did this with out getting Atari’s approval. We did it, and we had been like, ‘Look what we did, Atari, please say it is OK!’ Atari stated, ‘That is cool, however we have now to go to Toho now and discuss to them and get permission,’ and fortunately they did.
Toho stated, ‘Sure, properly, so long as there’s an correct Mechagodzilla, that is all good. It is all kosher.’ It might’ve been no massive deal if we had referred to as that out earlier than the challenge began, like, ‘Right here, it is on the listing of modifications,’ but it surely was midstream. As we bought to the purpose the place we needed to make the character match, we had been like, ‘We should always repair this to repair the naming and repair…’ So, that was an enormous deal. I am so happy. I am so happy we bought that accomplished.
I, alone in my workplace, cheered. I used to be so blissful to see that exposed. That is the primary factor I noticed everyone speaking about on-line after the trailer got here out.
So, we did this internally. I confirmed it off to one of many artists who’s an enormous Godzilla fan, and he fell off his chair. We had been simply on a Zoom name. It is late at night time. He simply fell out. I stated, ‘That is going to be so good.’ Nonetheless, although, it is the identical recreation. It performs precisely the identical. He is bought the rocket fingers; he is bought the jet thrusters. It is all precisely the identical. It is the cross-attack beam as an alternative of the plasma cannon, but it surely features simply the identical, the identical hit containers. It has totally different VFXs; the identical laser eyes, however the laser eyes at the moment are rainbow. However mechanically, it is all precisely the identical. We did not change something; we simply modified the mesh. The collision spheres are all precisely the identical. The animations are the identical, et cetera.
Is Mechagodzilla 2 not within the recreation, then? Utterly changed?
Strange: Sure, we have now a single character. The character’s identify is Mechagodzilla, which is the unique character identify we used within the first recreation, however the visible look of that’s the 1975 Mechagodzilla.
Is there something you are notably excited for followers of the unique recreation to see on this remaster?
Strange: Yeah. Gosh, there are issues I am very enthusiastic about. There are some issues that we had been making an attempt to do an announcement of or showcase. Yeah. OK. Bear with me.
We’ve got a director mode. You’ll be able to pause the sport and fly the digital camera round, pause time, zoom in, and use that to do screenshot type of stuff, flip off the HUD… I feel that is going to be superior. I feel we’ll see lots of people making movies and taking screenshots and capturing content material in that method. I feel that is going to be actually cool. I feel individuals are going to love that lots. We had that as a debug possibility within the unique recreation, but it surely wasn’t one thing we shipped out to the shoppers. This time, we put a bit time into it and made a bit UI, so we let individuals have that. I feel that is going to be nice.
Let’s examine… We even have the brand new unlock system. It has been talked about a bit bit, however that is my child. I actually prefer it lots. I feel it is much more fascinating, much more partaking. The unique unlock system was type of a grind and a bit boring, and we did not let you know find out how to unlock something. It is such as you solely have three characters of 12. You are like, ‘Nicely, what do I do?’ It was like, ‘I do not know. Determine it out.’ Now, there’s a complete analysis system, there’s rumors, you are type of enjoying because the G-Drive labs. It is like, ‘Rumors of a sighting of a monster over right here. Perhaps we should always go examine that.’
We use that to say, ‘Play a distinct recreation mode. Play some Melee video games, play an Journey recreation, play some Survival video games.’ All these various things lead you to totally different unlocked paths, after which as you play the sport, you earn analysis factors that you simply then use to unlock the monsters.
I performed by means of lately, and I unlocked Orga first. I would like Orga first; Orga is the primary one I went after, and I did it. That is nitpicky: The press launch says ‘unlock issues in any order.’ That is not 100% true. Some issues must occur after different issues, and there are some pure issues. Like, Orga takes much more analysis than Godzilla 2000. Most individuals, I feel, will get Godzilla 2000 earlier than they get Orga, however you do not have to. You are able to do it in one other order, but it surely’s not actually any order.
Two of the characters, they’ve conditions of getting one other character unlocked first, but it surely’s actually versatile. I feel it is a variety of enjoyable. I like simply restarting and getting a clear save and unlocking and making an attempt to determine how it may be extra environment friendly. It is like, ‘Oh, now I’ve to play 4 video games in San Francisco.’ Yeah, I feel that is a variety of enjoyable. I nerd out on that stuff lots, however once more, it is my system.
On the flip facet of that, hopefully, a variety of new individuals will choose up this recreation, as properly. Individuals who have by no means performed it, who’re followers of Godzilla, or perhaps even individuals who’ve simply seen the current motion pictures. What’s your pitch to newcomers on why they need to play this recreation? Why this can be a nice Godzilla expertise?
Strange: I imply, I feel the sport is de facto enjoyable. We’ve got some playtester movies that got here again lately, and there have been these individuals who had been making an attempt to be actually harsh concerning the recreation and actually nitpicky, or no matter. However I had video, and so they had been simply laughing and simply cackling as they might play, and it was a lot enjoyable. Typically, individuals get down the nuance, and it is like, properly really, the sport is sort of sophisticated. There’s really a variety of nuance on totally different block heights, and there are 5 totally different assault instructions, and there are 12 totally different injury sorts. There’s all this nuance. It is like, yeah, but additionally, increase, increase, increase, I shot you with my high-energy breath, and it is superior.
I actually take pleasure in combating video games. I play a variety of combating video games, however I feel that combating video games are sometimes inbuilt type of a mean-spirited method. In most combating video games, if I hit you, you possibly can’t do something. If I hold hitting you and hold hitting you, you simply cannot do something. In some methods, in the way in which that folks typically strategy combating video games, if I play very well, you actually do not get to play the sport. I am hitting you on a regular basis as a result of I am actually good, and you are like, [noises of frustration]. You by no means get to play the sport. I feel that is actually unfun, so all of those video games have all the time been constructed to not be that method. I do not know. If I am actually good, I’ll hit you, bam, however you then get knocked away, and also you rise up, and you’ll simply come proper again and hit me again.
A rank newbie enjoying these video games ought to have the ability to take away half of my well being earlier than I win. Even for those who aren’t excellent on the recreation and do not perceive the programs, you ought to be throwing down numerous injury, getting numerous hits in. You need to be enjoying the sport lots. I feel that is one thing that makes it actually enjoyable, is that everybody’s all the time partaking. You get to be an enormous monster, you get to smash the town, you get to ship your opponents flying, you get to cost up your high-energy breath. All that stuff is thrilling and enjoyable, and I feel individuals like these one-on-one fight combating video games, however particularly after they really get to play it. We made a recreation right here the place everybody actually will get to play the sport on a regular basis, and particularly you get into four-player and everybody will get to play the entire time. I feel that is actually enjoyable and really particular.
What does the ability of contemporary consoles will let you do for this recreation? Are there any console-specific options? Clearly, the PlayStation has a contact pad, for instance. I do not know if that is one thing you utilized or something like that.
Strange: We didn’t use the contact pad, particularly. We considered it. I am actually into controllers and totally different management issues. One factor we did use that we labored arduous to verify labored very well is that, on the Change, we made positive that you could possibly play the sport with a single Pleasure-Con as a result of native, in-person multiplayer is, I actually assume, the place this recreation shines. I take into consideration being a child, and if I had a Change, I do not essentially produce other controllers – however the Change has bought two. So, right here, I take it out, and I can play with my sister. I would like to have the ability to have a controller, and we will simply sit there and play. It is higher when you have the complete controller or the Professional Controller, no matter. It is higher, but it surely’s very playable with a single Pleasure-Con.
That is necessary as a result of man, I would like youngsters to have the ability to say, ‘You and I every have a Change. We will play four-player as a result of we have now two Change consoles; that is 4 controllers. 4 individuals can now play the sport.’ I believed that was actually necessary. A part of the rationale that this recreation was initially a GameCube recreation and never an Xbox recreation is as a result of the GameCube had 4 ports. It had 4 controller ports, and Atari was all the time like, ‘This can be a four-player recreation. It is a social gathering recreation. It is a Melee recreation. That is so necessary.’ Having the ability to have 4 individuals domestically and play is de facto necessary, so supporting the only Pleasure-Con, I feel, hopefully, will actually drive Change 2 homeowners to play in native mode. I feel that is going to be massive.
We clearly talked lots about sustaining the roster and retaining the roster the identical, however there may be one character that I’ve heard rumors about. I am undecided I’ve seen official affirmation about it, however there was discuss a PlayStation 2 port which will have had Baragon included.
Strange: Sure.
Did you wish to carry Baragon into the Remaster? Is that one thing you thought-about?
Strange: No. So, that is true; The Baragon recordsdata exist. We’ve got all that stuff, however Baragon was by no means completed.
With a view to end Baragon, I might have to usher in new animators. I might have to usher in new audio. We would must create a bunch of latest knowledge that did not exist earlier than. Clearly, we did create Baragon for the second Godzilla recreation. Folks consider them as comparable, however we didn’t use a single factor from the primary Godzilla recreation within the second Godzilla recreation. It’s 100% constructed from scratch. It is the identical individuals with the identical concepts, however the skeletons are totally different. The animations are totally different. The entire fight system is totally different. So, yeah, we do have Baragon belongings that had been constructed for Godzilla 1, however we do not have a whole set, so there was by no means any chance of bringing that over.
Perhaps the second largest query I’ve seen so many individuals discuss is, there have been some Xbox unique maps and areas. Is that one thing we will anticipate to see within the remaster, or are these locked onto that system?
Strange: I am not going to reply that query right now.
Do you know that you simply had been making a recreation that might follow so many individuals again within the 2000s? And is that very same particular sauce, I assume you could possibly say, on this Remaster, in your opinion?
Strange: We positively did not know. Pipeworks had labored on a factor, a factor and a half, earlier than this, however Godzilla was the primary console recreation that Pipeworks really revealed, completed, and it was not clear. I imply, simply very briefly, Pipeworks was engaged on a factor, began to workers up, after which that fell aside, and so they needed to let their workers go. Then, they’d this Godzilla; it was a backup type of factor that was going, and so they stated, ‘Nicely, perhaps the Godzilla factor is definitely going to occur.’
I used to be the primary individual employed to workers them up for that Godzilla challenge, so it was actually simply founders and me making this Godzilla factor. It was not clear that we had been going to succeed. Perhaps this complete Pipeworks factor wasn’t going to succeed. They’d misplaced a challenge. It was like, ‘We needed to let individuals go. If this Godzilla factor does not go, that is it. We shut up store.’ We had been positively scrambling. We weren’t like, ‘Let’s make it actually good.’ We had been simply… we had been in survival mode for positive.
OH MY GOD https://t.co/oXAT8nNNN6
— 💥 GODZILLA DAMM REMASTER COMING NOVEMBER 3 💥 (@GodzillaNewGame) June 6, 2026
I imply, I had a younger baby, and I used to be like, ‘I actually wish to hold making these video video games.’ I might moved again to [Eugene, Oregon] to affix Pipeworks, and I used to be like, ‘That is very thrilling, however we bought to actually hit this one.’ I might say, actually shortly, as soon as we launched it, we knew that we had one thing actually good, and that was actually thrilling going into making all the longer term video games and making [Rampage: Total Destruction].
That was very thrilling. This was a dialogue that I had with Pipeworks’ chief know-how officer Dan White. We had been speaking about this preliminary factor, and he was like, ‘Nicely, how do we all know it will have that very same really feel? How are we going to get the texture? The place does that really feel come from? That is a tough factor to do.’ I used to be like, ‘Dan, I am proper right here. I do know precisely find out how to get the group to breed the unique really feel, as a result of the unique recreation really feel was a deliberate objective, not some unintended accident.’ I am the fight and controls and monster man. I stated, ‘That is my focus. I promise you, we’ll get it,’ and we did. So, that feels actually good.
Is there anything you would like so as to add about Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered, Pipeworks, Godzilla generally, or something like that?
Strange: I might say I actually like working in Pipeworks. I feel Pipeworks is a superb place. I have been actually fortunate to have the ability to work right here for thus lengthy. It is a variety of enjoyable. They have this nice Godzilla room that they made for us, and we had been doing screenings of Godzilla movies on the theater down the road with the group. That is nice to have that type of assist. I am actually happy that Toho and Atari wish to hold going with this. I do know whenever you’re a fan, you are similar to, ‘Make the factor that I would like,’ however there’s lots that goes into it. There are a variety of choices, a variety of issues that must line as much as make this stuff occur, and it is nice after they line up, and we should always all the time be grateful when tasks work out and line up.
I did wish to say one different change we made to the sport. Right here we go. Your unique announcement: We’ve got minimize Hedorah from the sport.
Oh, wow.
Strange: As a result of I all the time hated it. I hated it. It was within the plan. Like, ‘Hedorah typically reveals up as a stage hazard.’ Within the unique recreation – lots of people might solely vaguely bear in mind – Hedorah, the Smog Monster, typically, 25% of the time, would simply randomly be in a degree. He was simply flying round in his little flying blob kind – could not even see it – besides that it will minimize your vitality regeneration down to twenty% of regular. Within the unique recreation, one quarter of the time, your vitality regeneration simply does not work, and you do not know why. Why is that? It is like, ‘Hedorah is there.’ I used to be like, ‘Is he? I can not see.’ Typically, if the digital camera’s good, it would be like, ‘What was that blob?’ I did not know that. We did not let you know that. We did not point out it.
It was tremendous arduous to see. Have you learnt who Hedorah is? Why is it there? Then, for those who might shoot your beam and hit Hedorah – which you’ll’t as a result of you possibly can’t even see it – it was horrible. It was a horrible system. It was, like, 1 / 4 of the time the sport is lots much less enjoyable. That was on the listing. That was the primary factor on the listing after we had been remaking the sport. It was like, ‘Yeah, we’re reducing that as a result of that was silly.’ Simply make the sport much less enjoyable typically. No, no. So, there we go. We’ve got minimize Hedorah from the sport.
I positively keep in mind having that very same expertise once I was youthful, being like, ‘The place’s my energy? I do not know what is going on on,’ after which finally studying. That is hilarious that Hedorah bought minimize.
Strange: Yeah. Yep. Kill it with fireplace. No enjoyable. No enjoyable in any respect.
Michael Cripe is a contract author with IGN. He is finest recognized for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. You’ll want to give him a comply with on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).