Super Smash Bros creator Masahiro Sakurai confirms an old theory that those iconic food JPEGs heal more based on how many calories they contain, so don't skimp on the shortcake

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The same goes for Kirby Air Riders

photoreal burger and orange drink in kirby air riders
(Image credit: Nintendo)

Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai has confirmed that the recovery you get from food found in Smash and Kirby Air Riders is actually calculated based on the real-life calories of said foods.

One of the easiest ways to figure out if you're playing a Masahiro Sakurai game – aside from great UI, a checklist mode, and generally being a banger – is the inclusion of random food JPEGs as healing items. Instead of modelling foods for the Smash Bros. fighters to eat, random photographs will appear on the stage instead. This was carried over into Kirby Air Riders and is such an iconic part of the game that Nintendo made some of these foods available as Switch player icons. But it turns out the food is deeper than we thought.

Scott McCrae
Scott McCrae
Contributor

Scott has been freelancing for over three years across a number of different gaming publications, first appearing on GamesRadar+ in 2024. He has also written for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, VG247, Play, TechRadar, and others. He's typically rambling about Metal Gear Solid, God Hand, or any other PS2-era titles that rarely (if ever) get sequels.

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