Shigeru Miyamoto Finds Super Mario Bros. 3 Embarrassing

[John Funk]

Shigeru Miyamoto Finds Super Mario Bros. 3 Embarrassing

Many gamers recognize Super Mario Bros. 3 as a seminal classic and an old-school icon. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto just thinks it's embarrassing.

If you ask a Mario fan for a list of his or her favorite games of all time, it's probably a safe bet that the beloved 1988 Super Mario Bros. 3 will be somewhere on there. In an interview looking back on 25 years of Mario [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103418-Nintendo-Celebrates-25th-Anniversary-of-Super-Mario-Bros], however, Nintendo mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto admitted it's hard for him to see things the same way.

"I look back and play some of these games and there are a lot of places where, to be honest, I'm a little embarrassed," Miyamoto told Techland [http://techland.com/2010/11/08/shigeru-miyamoto-legendary-nintendo-designer-speaks-on-the-mythology-of-mario/3/]. "I look at Super Mario 3, and was like, '"This was it?! This is what we thought was good enough?'"

It's often said that we are our own harshest critics, and this seems to be no exception. Over 25 years with the character, Shigeru Miyamoto (and those who have followed in his footsteps) has taken the portly plumber into the third dimension and even into space - it's no wonder that he looks back on the relatively simplistic SMB3 and sees flaws where others see streamlined old-school perfection.

That said, Miyamoto does recognize that for the time, the game was pretty ace. "I do have new understandings of that work. The balance in that game is what it needed to be at that time. It really was. And so, even seeing all the limitations, I'm very happy with what we created and I wouldn't change it."

I wouldn't change Super Mario Bros. 3 either, Mr. Miyamoto. You may see flaws in it, but millions of gamers grew up with Mario and Luigi, the Koopa Kids, and the Tanooki Suit, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

As always, an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto is a fascinating look at the design philosophy of one of the most legendary videogame creators of all time, and this one is well worth a read. You can catch the full thing over at Techland [http://techland.com/2010/11/08/shigeru-miyamoto-legendary-nintendo-designer-speaks-on-the-mythology-of-mario/].

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[Aura Guardian]

Super Mario World was the better Mario game. SMB3 was good. Not World good...but good.

 

[Fraught]

Who can argue with that smile?

 

[viranimus]

Yeah... Personally I see this as representative of just how out of touch this is. Perhaps im wrong, just seems that way to me.

 

[Wintermoot]

atleast he left it alone unlike some other master at something that keeps recuting his work *ahem* *looks at Spielberg* spielberg flaming aside. Well he IS the father of the current gaming era and I,m glad he is critical about his work and isnt some kind of corporate asshole

 

[Icehearted]

Loved SMB3, certainly more than just about any other game of that type from that console. It was sort of the Swiss army knife of platforming games, and was a huge leap forward in terms of pioneering new ideas. If I had just one gripe it would be that it was just too easy for the most part.

I have a hard time with this guy's opinions. On one hand, he's an accomplished game designer recognized the world over for his masterful skill in electronics entertainment and design. On the other hand he's the guy that thought we were too dumb for SMB2 (the real one), that western gamers will buy anything that looks nice, regardless of how well it's made or plays (talking about DK Country), and that we're (paraphrasing) too dysfunctional/lazy for Wii fit to have ever been a success in America.

I've been playing his games since I was a child, and I've got nothing but love for his work. Everything else he does, or more to the point says, beyond the realm of gaming either infuriates or depresses me.

 

[The Bandit]

Super Mario Bros. 3 isn't good enough, but Super Mario Bros. Wii is?

 

[RoBi3.0]

If he wants to be embarrassed about something he can go ahead a apologize for the shitastic American version of Mario 2. That he has a right to be embarrassed about.

 

[WilliamRLBaker]

....Yeah in amongst Miyamoto's only talent being able to rehash the same stuff over and over and over again...how can he even make that statement?

NES+SMB3=not many NES games surpass it...how can you be embarrassed by SMB3 on the NES? what other plat-formers existed that surpassed it on the nes? *shakes head*

 

[j0frenzy]

atleast he left it alone unlike some other master at something that keeps recuting his work *ahem* *looks at Spielberg* spielberg flaming aside. Well he IS the father of the current gaming era and I,m glad he is critical about his work and isnt some kind of corporate asshole

I think you mean Lucas.

Anyway, it is still a fun game. I occasionally go back and replay it. It was a vast improvement over Mario 1.

 

[robinkom]

Super Mario Bros. 3 is a product of it's time. People have to understand that he's a game designer. Game designers do not look at a game the same way the player does. You need only go watch the new episode of Extra Credits to see why.

Even from an artistic point of view, it's normal to criticize your past work, I do all the time. Your audience love everything (almost) that you throw at them because they do not share your perspective of your own skills. Like every creative mind, he seeks to always outdo himself regardless of the notoriety of his portfolio up to now.

Personally, I like Mario 3 the most amongst the first one through "World." The sheer size of the game, all those worlds with all those stages was epic in scale if you chose to actually play them all without warping. Not to discount Mario World though, it's the reason I got a SNES, Mario 3 just always seemed more special to me.

 

[khaimera]

He should be embarrassed about his comments in this current story.

 

[Dragon Zero]

So someone thinks he could have done better but he did pretty well regardless. Sounds like an everyday occurrence for people who create, certainly nothing to cause people to go nuts that they've lost it. Can we all honestly look back and see nowhere to improve?

Who can argue with that smile?

I'm sure someone tried, but their head popped like a balloon. The man just has that kinda power.

 

[8-Bit Grin]

I have a Super Nintendo hooked up to a flat screen television in my bedroom with a single dusty Super Mario All Stars locked in.

Most played game on the cartridge? Super Mario Bros. 3.

I play it every night before I go to bed.

 

[8-Bit Grin]

(EDIT)
Accidental double post.

Apologies.

 

[robinkom]

If he wants to be embarrassed about something he can go ahead a apologize for the shitastic American version of Mario 2. That he has a right to be embarrassed about.

I like that Mario 2. If anything, it's fun in it's own right without comparing it to the more typical Mario games. Sure it was really a Japanese game called "Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic" but elements of it eventually became canon nonetheless for the Mario universe. Also, Miyamoto wasn't involved in the conversion of it to American Mario 2 but he was part of the team that made the source game (Doki Doki Panic).

The real Super Mario 2... was effin' HARD and I speak from experience. Never in my life, until then, that I suspect to be purposely conspiring against me and my sanity.

Besides... American Mario 2 is still better than "Mario is Missing" and "Mario's Time Machine."

 

[PureChaos]

SMB3 is still my favourite game in the series, though i haven't played Galaxy

 

[Diligent]

The real Super Mario 2... was effin' HARD and I speak from experience. Never in my life, until then, that I suspect to be purposely conspiring against me and my sanity.

I hear that. Back in the day a group of us played it, and nick-named it "Acid Mario" because it was like Mario Bros. on acid.
When we finally beat the last level only to have it carry on with world A-1, a litany of swearing and cries of pain burst forth, and I'm sure it sounded like an insane asylum.

Super Mario Bros. 3 isn't good enough, but Super Mario Bros. Wii is?

You beat me to that one.

 

[SimuLord]

Easily a top-ten all time console game...and Miyamoto-san thinks it wasn't good enough?

I guess it's true what they say about the greatest creative minds being their own worst critics. Be wary of those who say they've created a masterpiece.