Miyamoto Muses on Life, Death, and Super Mario

[Marshall Honorof]

Miyamoto Muses on Life, Death, and Super Mario

Nintendo's foremost game designer is not ready to retire just yet, but he believes that his games will live on long after he steps down.

A few weeks ago, the internet let out a collective gasp when Shigeru Miyamoto, the renowned creator of franchises like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, would be clarified his statement [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114612-Miyamoto-is-Stepping-Down]. Miyamoto may not be ready to quit the big N just yet, but according to a new interview, his retirement may not be that far off. When he leaves, though, he is confident that the series he pioneered will go on just as before.

"[To] be clear, I have no intention to retire at all. I'm not old enough to think about retirement right now," says Miyamoto. "But everybody has to retire at some point. I wanted to make clear we are preparing for that." As of right now, Miyamoto seems too busy to step down, even if he wanted to. 2011 saw the releases of Mario Kart 7, Super Mario 3D Land, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, and Pikmin 3, Luigi's Mansion 2, and a mysterious "original" title are on their way for 2012. Coupled with the prospective late 2012 WiiU launch, Miyamoto's schedule doesn't seem to allow for retirement until at least 2013. "[People's expectations make] me feel some pressure," he admits. "But ... I'm enjoying myself."

Miyamoto suggests that he would like to retire someday, though, and that's where the new development teams come in. "The team behind Super Mario 3D Land, were once kids who loved the original. Now they're paying kind of homage to create the latest iteration for today's customers. The cycle is going to remain so that good characters and franchises can just go on forever." Given the praise [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/9223-Super-Mario-3D-Land-Review] that the title garnered, Miyamoto is probably right that Nintendo's existing franchises can go on just fine without him at the helm. Whether his company will develop any new ones, though, is a question worth asking.

"I become rather jealous," Miyamoto remarks, "because we have to pass away and [the videogame characters] can just go on." Philosophizing aside, Nintendo's most famous creative director seems to have at least a few more titles in him before he retires, presumably to his own private Mushroom Kingdom. Now that fans, investors, and developers know that Miyamoto's departure is an inevitability, what will become of Nintendo and its franchises?

Source: ZoominGames [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHA9FS3D9vw&feature=player_embedded]

Permalink

 

[saxxon.de]

At this point, Nintendo pretty much IS Miyamoto in terms of games. When this guy retires, Nintendo's days might be over.

 

[War Penguin]

There is no doubt that those franchises will continue once Miyamoto retires. However, there is a doubt that said franchises will still be good.

 

[robert022614]

I think that Nintendo will do fine once he is gone. I mean Mario is pretty much making a game around saving the princess (not too hard story wise).Sort of the same can be said for Zelda. Do not get me wrong I love all of his works and I am a huge Zelda and mario fan, but it wont be too hard to make a new game with the foundation and structure of the game already there.

The worst thing that can happen really is if they start to try too many new (read as gimmicky) mechanics and story changes. I do believe that it will be a challenge down the road as franchises even tried and true do need to add new experiences to keep players coming, but as these are some of Nintendo's flagship franchises I am sure they will take their time once he is gone. That or they will suffer as Nintendo's first party titles are pretty much the only reason a lot of people have their consoles and handhelds.

 

[esperandote]

Of the whole article i'm more interested in the original title bit.

 

[RA92]

It's really saddening when the 'Da Vinci' of video games (as MovieBob puts it) talks about sequels of safe franchises going on forever...

I'm rather curious about his new IP though.

 

[kyoodle]

Well most of Nintendo's first party titles are re-releases with minor tweaks, so I don't see how him retiring would affect anything.

 

[I forgot]

At this point, Nintendo pretty much IS Miyamoto in terms of games. When this guy retires, Nintendo's days might be over.

Not at all. Miyamoto hasn't directed a game since Ocarina of Time. Since he became a producer, there've been many skilled directors that could easily make games in his place.

Well most of Nintendo's first party titles are re-releases with minor tweaks, so I don't see how him retiring would affect anything.

The sheer ignorance of this is ... actually, not surprising. When you get into game design and programming, you'll realize how different their first party titles are. Nintendo has more of a problem of not making sequels than they do alterations.
How long did it take for them to make another 2d mario game; over 15 years. Pikmin 3, already 8 years and still nothing. Donkey Kong, only a decade since DK64 (which was nothing like the SNES ones). Star Fox, almost 6 years after the one on the DS and it's a remake. F-Zero, 8 years and nothing. 2d Metroid, also nothing in 8 years. Kid Icarus, asleep for 20 years and the new one is a 3d shooter. Yoshi's Island, a sequel after a decade since the first one but that sequel is already 6 years old.

 

[I forgot]

It's really saddening when the 'Da Vinci' of video games (as MovieBob puts it) talks about sequels of safe franchises going on forever...

I'm rather curious about his new IP though.

How is this saddening? When people like a game, they naturally want more of it. There's no excuse why I should have to wait 17 fucking years for a new 2d Mario platformer so talking about sequels of these franchises going on forever is uplifting.

 

[him over there]

Hopefully nintendo can seriously pull their third party shit together, work on some better localization. (mother 3 would surely sell more copies than any mario spinoff) and miyamoto is fondly remembered. The games will probably continue to be as the way he said in the article "The team behind Super Mario 3D Land, were once kids who loved the original. Now they're paying kind of homage to create the latest iteration for today's customers. The cycle is going to remain so that good characters and franchises can just go on forever." So long as there are people this should be all good. Shigeru Miyamoto is the creative director so things might take a few turns but that just makes me more excited, because just because something changes doesn't mean everything before was just suddenly taken away. This is what I always liked about nintendo this generation. They were catering to the next generation. The rest of the industry seemed to have grown up with the original gaming generation. What I'm most looking forward to though is the new Ip, 'bout damn time guys.

 

[Electrogecko]

I think that Nintendo will do fine once he is gone. I mean Mario is pretty much making a game around saving the princess (not too hard story wise).Sort of the same can be said for Zelda. Do not get me wrong I love all of his works and I am a huge Zelda and mario fan, but it wont be too hard to make a new game with the foundation and structure of the game already there.

You're looking at both Mario and Zelda in the most shallow possible way.

If you're a fan of these series, than you know that they are not games about saving the princess. They are games about level design, puzzles, and exploration. A Mario game doesn't need to include a princess or even a Mario in order to satisfy the Mario fans, just like Zelda fans would be fine with a Zelda game that didn't have a Zelda or a Link.

This is something that anti-Nintendo vocalists don't seem to understand and something that I'm sick of pointing out. I've heard Mario reduced to a "game about saving a princess," a "game about getting to the end of the level," and a "game about a fat Italian plumber," but two of these points are trivial in the eyes of all but the critics who want to shout out "REHASH!" and one of them can be applied to every video game ever made.

Mario is about challenging, well constructed, and creative platforming and Zelda is about exploring an open world with a sword and solving puzzles. Call me crazy, but I see these as concepts that provide a great deal of freedom and variety and are in no way simple.

At this point, Nintendo pretty much IS Miyamoto in terms of games. When this guy retires, Nintendo's days might be over.

Not at all. Miyamoto hasn't directed a game since Ocarina of Time. Since he became a producer, there've been many skilled directors that could easily make games in his place.

Well most of Nintendo's first party titles are re-releases with minor tweaks, so I don't see how him retiring would affect anything.

The sheer ignorance of this is ... actually, not surprising. When you get into game design and programming, you'll realize how different their first party titles are. Nintendo has more of a problem of not making sequels than they do alterations.
How long did it take for them to make another 2d mario game; over 15 years. Pikmin 3, already 8 years and still nothing. Donkey Kong, only a decade since DK64 (which was nothing like the SNES ones). Star Fox, almost 6 years after the one on the DS and it's a remake. F-Zero, 8 years and nothing. 2d Metroid, also nothing in 8 years. Kid Icarus, asleep for 20 years and the new one is a 3d shooter. Yoshi's Island, a sequel after a decade since the first one but that sequel is already 6 years old.

Thaaank you.

 

[Irridium]

Well, at least he- wait, Pikman 3?

Spoiler: ...

At least we'll get one more Pikman before he retires. Which is all I've ever wanted.

 

[wooty]

Well I'd say that this is definately a man who will have one of those legacies that will be remembered, even when he does pass away his name will still be on the future games as he designed the characters in the first place.

If theres anyone who deserves a good retirement, its this bloke...........but not yet, one massive awesome final Zelda game needs to be grown in Miyamotos brain before he has to meet the goddess.

 

[robert022614]

I think that Nintendo will do fine once he is gone. I mean Mario is pretty much making a game around saving the princess (not too hard story wise).Sort of the same can be said for Zelda. Do not get me wrong I love all of his works and I am a huge Zelda and mario fan, but it wont be too hard to make a new game with the foundation and structure of the game already there.

You're looking at both Mario and Zelda in the most shallow possible way.

If you're a fan of these series, than you know that they are not games about saving the princess. They are games about level design, puzzles, and exploration. A Mario game doesn't need to include a princess or even a Mario in order to satisfy the Mario fans, just like Zelda fans would be fine with a Zelda game that didn't have a Zelda or a Link.

This is something that anti-Nintendo vocalists don't seem to understand and something that I'm sick of pointing out. I've heard Mario reduced to a "game about saving a princess," a "game about getting to the end of the level," and a "game about a fat Italian plumber," but two of these points are trivial in the eyes of all but the critics who want to shout out "REHASH!" and one of them can be applied to every video game ever made.

Mario is about challenging, well constructed, and creative platforming and Zelda is about exploring an open world with a sword and solving puzzles. Call me crazy, but I see these as concepts that provide a great deal of freedom and variety and are in no way simple.

At this point, Nintendo pretty much IS Miyamoto in terms of games. When this guy retires, Nintendo's days might be over.

Not at all. Miyamoto hasn't directed a game since Ocarina of Time. Since he became a producer, there've been many skilled directors that could easily make games in his place.

Well most of Nintendo's first party titles are re-releases with minor tweaks, so I don't see how him retiring would affect anything.

The sheer ignorance of this is ... actually, not surprising. When you get into game design and programming, you'll realize how different their first party titles are. Nintendo has more of a problem of not making sequels than they do alterations.
How long did it take for them to make another 2d mario game; over 15 years. Pikmin 3, already 8 years and still nothing. Donkey Kong, only a decade since DK64 (which was nothing like the SNES ones). Star Fox, almost 6 years after the one on the DS and it's a remake. F-Zero, 8 years and nothing. 2d Metroid, also nothing in 8 years. Kid Icarus, asleep for 20 years and the new one is a 3d shooter. Yoshi's Island, a sequel after a decade since the first one but that sequel is already 6 years old.

Thaaank you.

I get what your saying and I agree,but you know what kind of game you are making like a platformer and an open world adventure game and you have examples of what to do and what not to do. So you have concepts down and work around a known story. Im not saying its easy,but easier than building a new ip from scratch.

 

[targren]

There is no doubt that those franchises will continue once Miyamoto retires. However, there is a doubt that said franchises will still be good.

This. Imagine what kind of damage someone like Sakamoto (of Metroid Fusion and Other M infamy) could do to the already foundering Zelda franchise...