Miyamoto Lecture On Design, Career

Thanks to Video-fenky for translating a Tokyo University lecture transcript with Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto, as originally posted on the Japanese Nintendo Cafe website. This in-depth talk discusses a cornucopia of interesting subjects, including originality ("..project documents that start out with 'If you did this and that to this other game, I think it would be really fun' are absolutely no good. Don't tell me about that! Tell the person who made that other game about it!") and job titles ("in Nintendo there aren't any official positions called 'director' or 'producer'.. [but] people overseas don't get that system. So when I started dealing with overseas folks, I wanted to sell myself to them, so I just wrote 'producer' on my business card. Later I got yelled at from the head office about assigning myself titles, but... (laughs).")

Time

[Gr33nNight]

Man, where does this man find time to do all this stuff. From overseeing around a dozen games, to designing new ones, to lecturing at colleges, this man is a machine. No wonder his games are always excellent.

Re:Time

[Guppy06]

He's one of those mythical folks that actually loves what they do for a living.

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[lightspawn]

What are they on, Super Mario Bros 104 including all the GBA versions?

Huh?

The main series includes

Super Mario Bros (NES)
Super Mario Bros 2 (NES)
Doki Doki Panic (released as SMB* 2 in the USA) (NES)
Super Mario Bros 3 (NES)
Super Mario World (SNES)
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES)

The GBA games are just ports of the earlier games. Yes, the names are confusing.

Yes, there are many other games featuring Mario and co. [classicgaming.com], but that's mostly franchise leveraging.

* SMB in this context stands for Super Ma

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[NanoGator]

"Yes franchise leveraging is what I'm talking about in that example. Its exactly what he rails against American companies for doing. "

No it's not. He rails against taking the previous game and making a few subtle upgrades to it. "oo we have 10 guns instead of 6." The Mario Bros series is comprised of games that are very different elements. 'Sequal', in Nintendo speak, doesn't mean "upgrade what we got", it means "do something new".

Thing is, though, I'm pretty sure you haven't spent any time with these games. I think you're going to try to argue with me on this based on impressions you've been left with by looking at a few screenshots. Go ahead and try, doesn't bother me. But I'd encourage you to look at what happened to Sonic the Hedgehog. Now there was a trilogy of games you couldn't tell apart. Big surprise that Sonic to Sega was never what Mario was to Nintendo.

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[(trb001)]

Absolutely true. Using a Nintendon game as the antithesis to SMB, look at Mega Man. For the most part (other than some different weapons) each Mega Man is the same. The controls are the same, the enemies are, for the most part, the same. I could just as easily play MM1 as MM3 or 4. Don't get me wrong, I love the games, but they're copies of each other. If you own one, you have played them all (at least, through the first 5).

SMB had completely different controls. Yes, there was jumping, running fast, etc, but for instance...in 1 you couldn't manipulate yourself in the air, in 2 you had 4 different characters with 4 different jumping abilities, in 3 you could control your fall and slow descent with a tail. I can safely say that I enjoyed SMB3 more than the others, and can give clear distinctions why.

They also had completely different plots. The first and second were linear, with warps. The third was linear but gave you different paths to follow if you wanted. The play differed so much you would have hardly been able to tell they were sequels except the characters were the same.

That's what he's talking about. There's no sense in remaking a game with different graphics and new weapons, it's the rut we're currently stuck in with FPS's and MMORPGs. While sticking to a basic theme (fun, cartoony characters), innovation is what has kept Nintendo a favorite.

--trb

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[lightspawn]

Yes franchise leveraging is what I'm talking about in that example.

Sorry; it seems I didn't go into enough detail. By "franchise leveraging" I was referring to using the Mario brand to sell educational software and sports titles (Mario Tennis, Mario Golf), placing Mario in cameo roles in games where you wouldn't expect him, and the like. Except for the Mario-izing of Doki Doki Panic, I don't have anything against it, and even that's been done much worse (using the Final Fantasy brand to sell those horrib

You forgot

[Guppy06]

Super Mario Land (GB)
Super Mario Land 2 (GB)
Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land

And the Wario Land line is up to 4 now. Not to mention his forays into the Virtual Boy and now GameCube.

You also glossed over Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario 64. I'd say these are core games because they have the same game play elements of the SMB/SMW games. Heck, I'd say these are more "Mario" games than Yoshi's Island, personally.

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[paradesign]

Hmmm, I wonder what country you live in?

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[Painaxl]

If I'm the father of MODERN game design and one of the most successful game makers to boot, I think I would have the right to tell it like I see it on the gaming scene.

Fact is, Miyamoto's not only been around, but he's been quite successful and his opinion is well-respected in the industry (not just by Nintendo fanboys which I certainly am not). He didn't put anyone down. He just stated his opinion. Which, as much as you might not like to hear it, carries just a little bit of weight considering his hist

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[NanoGator]

" OMFG. And Wind Waker wasn't exactly the same as Ocarina of Time?"

Nope. Play it.

"What are they on, Super Mario Bros 104 including all the GBA versions? "

What are you on? What's the BFD? All the Mario games are very different from each other. We're not talking about new levels to Pacman here. Hint: Oversimplification never enlightens.

"For Nintendo to gain ground in America they need to drop the nationalistic Japan is #1 crap and step up to 2003."

He wasn't impressed with American games as of late. Do you blame him? We're "let's milk the formula for sequals!" happy right now. It's been proven time and time again that Americangame companies have difficulty taking risks and doing something *gasp* original. I can't even name a whole lot of American game companies because they don't leave much of an impression on me. (Go Rockstar, though!)

"But does he have to be so condesending about it?"

A.) He has a point. B.) Sugarcoating it would just take longer to read. He's being honest. He's certainly earned his right to judge. C.) condescending is not the word I'd use. He's disappointed. What's he supposed to say?

I guess this comment just bugs me because I'm sick of the "I need to be nice to everybody for fear of lawsuits" crap that figureheads like Miyamoto end up hiding behind. I much prefer to hear it like it is. One can take a comment like his and get upset over it, or they can take it as a criticism and learn from it. I think you've already picked the path you want to take. Pity, really. If I were working for a game company, I'd be thinking really hard about what he's saying instead of thinking of a rebuttal.

"I'd like to post that quote next to the Gamecube at Toys R Us. If people knew how Nintendo really felt about America they would sell zero consoles."

Doubtful. Shooting games are overrated and a lot of people are quite sick of going through it over and over again. It's refreshing to hear "we're not doing guns just because they're today's fad". I'm sure mothers would be glad to hear about it too.

The mistake you're making is that you think he's talking about America as a whole. He was talking about what the current formula over here is for a 'good game'. The comments he quoted were akin to people leaving a theater disappointed rattling off what would have made the movie better. "There should have been boobs and bigger explosions."

Sorry, but I found this dude enlightening, not offensive.

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[Telastyn]

The 'condecending' tone likely is part of the translation. Japanese language is pretty complex, and mixed in the the complex culture, he was likely using the form of words to not belittle the interviewer, which translated sounds condecending.

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[Anonvmous Coward]

I agree that's a possibility. I think it should also be considered that Mr. Miyamoto is a VERY polite person. I remember when the GameCube was unveiled, he demo'd the features of the system. He struck me as such a nice guy.

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[account_deleted]

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Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[NanoGator]

"Am I really the only one getting bored of Nintendo's games? Mario Sunshine was a dissapointment and so was Zelda - as was Mario Kart 64 and Yoshi's Story. "

You're jaded. I can understand that. I feel that way about shooting games. I would defend Nintendo, though, because their franchises are nearly always significantly different from their predecessors. While you're complaining about rupees and arrows and swords, I'm happy that the puzzles are more interesting, the are other things to get into (like

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[Guppy06]

"How many times can I play through a similar world collecting the SAME items?"

Like the grappling hook (very different from the hookshot), the telescope, the Tingle Tuner, various unique drops from monsters, the ability to use their own weapons against them...

(And then there's the incredible AI behind said monsters, but that's another story)

"Boomerang,"

It is infinitely more useful in WW than it ever was in OoT. It's barely even the same thing.

"three different swords"

No, two. Unless you count the

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[willr7]

Personally, i like going back to every incarnation of zelda and picking up the same items, but using it in different scenarios...but that's just me, anyway...

How many FPS shooters have you all played?

How many times can I play through a similar world collecting the SAME items?

How many times can I play through a similar world, and collect different versions of a sniper rifle, m-16, pistol, etc.? All FPS have variations on a theme, but they ALL have guns, and upgrades, and armor, etc...Same shit, differe

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[Rayonic]

He wasn't impressed with American games as of late. Do you blame him? We're "let's milk the formula for sequals!" happy right now. It's been proven time and time again that Americangame companies have difficulty taking risks and doing something *gasp* original.

I agree with you in general, but the problem isn't confined to one geographic location. Japanese and European developers are just as bad -- we're up to Mega Man what now? Street Fighter, King of Fighters, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid, plus the

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[NanoGator]

Well, to be fair, I wasn't talking in the sense of the 'best' games, but more in the tone of 'risk taking' games. The games people haven't done before. (like Dance Dance Revolution.)

Japan has it's share of me-too games as well, but one could easily make the argument that different stuff materializes there more frequently than here.

'Best' is a different unit of measure, not something I'd want to engage in. At that point, it's a matter of taste.

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[Rayonic]

Ah, I see. Well, risk-taking games appear once in a blue moon, and they're often cloned to death. The notion that Japanese developers as a whole are more innovative is an unproven illusion.

I play games from Japanese, American, European, Australian, and other companies, and it seems to me that the creativity factor is average across the globe. It is understandable that some people confuse cultural oddity (from their perspective) with innovation, and it is very easy to fall in love with one particular soc

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[Guppy06]

"If people knew how Nintendo really felt about America they would sell zero consoles."

So, do you drive Ford or GM? Because obviously driving anything else would be a cardinal sin in your book.

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[Guppy06]

No, but I'm sure they've made disparaging remarks about Ford and GM products and those that buy them, and he seems to equate that with attacking the US as a whole.

Re:Nationalistic Nonsense

[Ondo]

It's totally normal for them to put out things that are the same as last time.

OMFG. And Wind Waker wasn't exactly the same as Ocarina of Time?

Ocarina of Time wasn't the "last time", Majora's Mask was.

THE Class Act in the Video Game Industry

[Painaxl]

Man, the more I read what Mr. Miyamoto has to say, the more I want to pick up a 'Cube. If some other software companies took a cue from him, we'd have a lot more truly great games for next-gen systems. Even when he commented on the American gaming public, he made comments about taste that didn't make Americans out to be uneducated gamers like some other industry-types.

No wonder this guy's got so many games in the top 25 of IGN's recent list. I mean, how many game designers today would answer the question "What's the most important element in a video game today" with "Is it fun?"

BTW: What's the Super Mario Club that he referred to? Some kind of beta testers for Nintendo?

Re:THE Class Act in the Video Game Industry

[chrismcdirty]

Super Mario Club is a Japanese Beta Testing House, I believe. In the credits for Animal Crossing, it says thanks to them for beta testing. And I belive it thanks them for beta testing in most other Nintendo developed/published.

Re:THE Class Act in the Video Game Industry

[August_zero]

Super Mario Club is a Japanese Beta Testing House, I believe. In the credits for Animal Crossing

If you look in the credits of every Nintendo first party game, there is a thanks given to the Super Mario Club since 89 or so.

I do beleive that this is one of Nintendos strengths, and is one of the reasons that their first pary games are usually so pollished and well crafted. They take a vary serious intrest in what is going to bear their label. Say what you want about their console marketing, but you can'

Re:

[account_deleted]

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Re:THE Class Act in the Video Game Industry

[aweraw]

Well, apart from the fact that they get keep churning out the same games and characters that is.

Yeah but their games are good... Most other gaming companies do the same thing(Turok, Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, Lara Croft, etc...)with mixed results, Nintendo are VERY consitent with their quality...

Infact, the most innovative console games these days come from Nintnedo and their 2nd party developers, IMHO... Eteranl Darkness? Pikmin? new ideas executed marvelously...

Re:THE Class Act in the Video Game Industry

[PainKilleR-CE]

Also, it should be noted that Nintendo's definitely not afraid to make games in the same series using the same characters that are completely different from their predecessors. Anyone that says Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, and Mario Sunshine are the same basic games they saw on the NES haven't even looked at these games (of course, I've heard that Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time are similar, I wouldn't know).

Re:THE Class Act in the Video Game Industry

[Gr33nNight]

In the days of yore, every game that came out on a Nintendo system would have to go through rigorous testing at the Mario Club. Now it is just an option, one that alot of companies dont use because it does take time and money. But the end result is a better game overall

Pound the concrete...

[tprime]

With all of Miyamoto's great ideas, he should have no problem finding a job after Nintendo...

Re:Pound the concrete...

[NanoGator]

"With all of Miyamoto's great ideas, he should have no problem finding a job after Nintendo..."

If I were a bettin man, I'd say that 'after Nintendo', Miyamoto will retire. Nintendo takes very good care of him, and he feels very good about that place. He's a creative guy. Nintendo nurtures that creativity and lets him take risks. I can't imagine he'd get that treatment elsewhere.

Also, factor in that he loves his job. I don't think money is his big pull in life. I doubt he gets hired away from there

Re:Pound the concrete...

[dimator]

Not to mention, if he did leave the N, he wouldn't be able to make new Mario and Zelda titles.

Online Games

[wickedj]

I really like Miyamoto, I think he's one of the greatest names in the gaming industry. I just hope he has enough insight and power to convince Nintendo to throw their hat into the online game arena.

Gaming Industry

[DrWho520]

U.S. games from an era or two ago weren't so well put together, but they were interesting because there was so much variety in what they made.

I think this comment is one of the most telling in the transcript and about the video game industry as a whole. Games have become so expensive to make that development houses no longer wish to take risks on different kinds of games. I want to play games like Pikmin, games that I have never seen before. How much more can you do to make an FPS unique? Why is Animal Crossing fun? Because there is nothing else like it (well maybe the SIMs.)

Nintendo is not the only company producing these games. GTA and GTA:VC are excellent. I have never experienced something so open ended, reguardless of the violent nature. Unfortunately, the violent nature is probably what sold the game, not the play mechanics. I just hope Rockstar can follow up...and not with a sequel, but with something just as innovative. How many games out now would you consider GTA clones, or clones of other games for that matter? That's the problem Miyamoto has with the US gaiming industry, where is the variety?

I guess it comes down to your criteria for a great game. Does it sell, or is it fun? Mine is deffinately fun.

Re:Gaming Industry

[Dsal]

The GTAs would never have sold as well as they did without the great gameplay. The violence factor might have made it "cool" to Joe Gamer but the gameplay is the reason he bought it instead of just renting it or playing it at a friend's house.

Some of the previous posters should keep in mind Miyamoto is a Japanese guy talking to a Japanese audience. When they say US games are "not as good" they mean that from their own perspective in their own country. It's certainly valid for them to say that they don't

Re:Gaming Industry

[scot4875]

GTA isn't a US game. Rockstar North isn't based in the US.

--Jeremy

Re:Gaming Industry

[Dsal]

Yeah, I know. I was addressing two separate issues there: the success of GTA and whether Miyamoto's comments about US games were "nationalist" or not. One of the best things about GTA is its satire of US culture. I don't think its criticisms would have been so harsh (and funny) if it were made in the US.

Re:Gaming Industry

[AvitarX]

The Elder Scrolls:Arena was incredibly open ended.

And is ages old.

That is the first of three (Daggerfall, Morrowind)

I have not played the others though, but if Arena ran in Linux or Windows I would play it (DOS only, and I can't get enough free memmory (it needs 618k, ouch). I spent 3 nights trying to get it to work under WIN98 booted in DOS mode and failed to get the free memmory needed.

If anyone knows fun...

[Azadre]

If anyone knows fun, it is Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the creator Donkey Kong, the Legend of Zelda, and Mario Bros. This man practically invented the modern video game. He is the Spielburg of video games. If he wants to comment on American video games, the American game makers should listen out of respect.

Re:If anyone knows fun...

[Guppy06]

Personally, I think a better comparison would be with Mozart.

Miyamoto's Influence

[EGSonikku]

FYI, Games made by / Produced by /Supervised by Shigeru Miyamoto:

Arcade:

Mario Bros. 1983
Donkey Kong 1983

NES:

Donkey Kong 1983
Donkey Kong Jr. 1983
Donkey Kong 3 1984
Super Mario Bros. 1985
Metroid 1986
Super Mario Bros. 2 1989
Super Mario Bros. 2 (JP) 1986
Super Mario Bros. 3 1991
The Legend of Zelda 1986

Gameboy:

Donkey Kong '95 1994
Legend of Zelda: Oracle 2001
Zelda: Link's Awakening 2001
Mole Mania 1996
Waverace 1992

Super Nintendo:

Earthbound 1991
F-Zero 1991
Starfox/Starwing 1994
Super Mario All Stars 1995
Super Mario Kart 1992
Super Mario RPG 1996
Super Metroid 1992
Super Mario World 1991
SMW2: Yoshi's Island 1995
Yoshi's Safari 1993
Zelda: A Link to The Past 1991

Nintendo 64:

1080 Snowboarding 1998
Animal Forest 2001
F-Zero X 1998
F-Zero X Expansion (64DD) 1999
Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 2000
Zelda: Ocarina of Time 1998
Mario Artist (64DD) 1999
Mario Kart 64 1997
Star Fox 64 1997
Super Mario 64 1996
Super Smash Bros. 1999
Waverace 64 1996
Yoshi's Story 1998

Nintendo Gamecube:

1080: White Storm 2003
Animal Crossing 2002
Doshin The Giant 2002
F-Zero GX 2003
Geist TBA
Giftpia TBA
Kirby's Air Ride 2003
Legend of Zelda: Four Swords TBA
Zelda: Tetra's Trackers TBA
Legend Of Zelda:The Wind Waker 2003
Luigi's Mansion 2001
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour 2003
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! 2004
Mario Sunshine 2002
Mario Tennis TBA
Marionette TBA
Metroid Prime 2002
Pac Man TBA
Pikmin 2001
Pikmin 2 TBA
Roll 'O Rama 2002
Stage Debut 2002
Starfox GC TBA
Super Smash Bros. Melee 2001
Wario World 2003
Waverace: Blue Storm 2001

Nitendo GameBoy Advance:

Advance Wars 2001
Advance Wars 2: 2003
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity 2001
Mario Kart Super Circuit 2001
Mario & Luigi 2003
Metroid Fusion 2002
Super Mario Advance 2001
Super Mario World: SMA2 2002
SMW3: Yoshi's Island 2002
Super Mario Brothers 3: SMA4 2003
Wario Land 4 2001
Wario Ware 2003
Zelda: Four Swords 2002

With titles like those under his belt, it's easy to see why the game industry would not be the same without him.

Re:3D killed Mario

[Brother Grifter]

Miyamoto commented once that making Mario Sunshine was a real pain in the ass, because games like Mario Bros. are suppose to be very simply games with very simply gameplay.

Nintendo would pop out a half-assed 3D platformer

He said himself that Mario Sunshine was too complicated a game to be a *real* Mario game, and was a bit dissappointed too. In the same interview he also commented that making 3d games is a completely different world compared to 2d (seems obvious), and that 3d games actually make desi