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Miyamoto explains why it's 'easy' to make a Mario game
As part of Nintendo's ongoing celebration of Mario's 25th anniversary, the latest edition of Iwata Asks is a lengthy conversation between Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto and guest host Shigesato Itoi, creator of Earthbound. In the interview, Miyamoto suggested that making Mario games has been "easy," thanks to ever-evolving technology. "What's been easy about making the Mario games is that they could naturally change along with the progress of technology," Miyamoto observed. "For example, when you make live action SFX movies and as special effects technology advances, then you have new methods at your disposal." Adapting to new technologies has been key to Mario's longevity, Miyamoto explained. "In the same way, as technology advances, the Mario games change, too [...] And as technology changes, so does what you want to do. If it weren't for that, I don't think I could have stuck with it this far." Because the Mario franchise is meant to change with technology, there hasn't ever been a "roadmap" for the series. Instead, the impromptu schedule of Mario games has fueled its creative stamina. "The games turn out more fun that way than if you planned everything out on paper," Miyamoto added. Although Miyamoto has been working with Nintendo and the Mario series for the past 25 years, it seems the famed designer isn't ready to quit any time soon. When quizzed about his position 25 years from now (when he's 85!), Miyamoto admitted that "I'll probably be working on something." Of course, there's a caveat: "If I'm still alive then."
Metroid: Other M team under the Iwata Asks microscope
In an Iwata Asks interview about Metroid: Other M, Team Ninja head and Other M director Yosuke Hayashi classifies the game as "a NES game with the latest technology," an ideal that went on to inform much of the design. "Yes, we thought that if we could make a game that could be controlled with just one Wii Remote controller," Hayashi told Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, "we'd enable players who were put off by complex controls to enjoy 3D action games as well." The automatic movement of perspective enabled the game to have 3D environments while maintaining simple controls, and clever Wiimote movements like pointing at the screen to explore in 3D allowed the team to avoid "resorting to the Nunchuk," as producer Yoshio Sakamoto called it. At the same time, Sakamoto wanted the story and action to blend seamlessly, so the team worked with video production company D-Rockets. Director Ryuzi Kitaura described creating detailed storyboards to impress Sakamoto: "I think I drew more than 300 storyboards in total. The image count was over 2,000. By this stage, I was also accounting for camera work and action, so they became really elaborate production storyboards. I think I took over six months to finish them."
This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Iwata Asks -- Dragon Quest IX
We know you had stuff planned today. Grocery shopping, volunteering at the soup kitchen and taking Fido for a walk may have just been a few of those planned activities, but you're going to want to clear your schedule. The Nintendo Channel update this week has nearly 40 minutes of conversation between Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata and Yuji Horii and Ryutaro Ichimura, the creator of the Dragon Quest series and Dragon Quest IX's producer, respectively. These are some conversations you won't want to miss. For the full list of this week's Nintendo Channel content, head past the break.
New Iwata Asks video focuses on Nintendo's E3 announcements
If you've got a few leftover questions about the 3DS, Zelda: Skyward Sword or any of the other new products announced during Nintendo's E3 keynote, we suggest you check out the new Iwata Asks video that's currently up on Nintendo's site. The company's president fires off queries at Shigeru Miyamoto, Reggis Fils-Aime and more on the new handheld, as well a handful of the new titles revealed during the event. If you're wondering about the origins of the 3DS, you can satisfy your curiosity by watching the video here.
Iwata Asks Treasure about Sin & Punishment: Star Successor
In case you missed Siliconera's translation of the Iwata Asks interview with Treasure about Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, Nintendo of America has posted its own translation. And if you have read it, you'll appreciate Nintendo's updated translation of Iwata's statement that the N64 "was a machine that was hard to create things for and didn't work at all." Now that semi-infamous line -- probably more accurately -- states that "If you didn't do it well, it wouldn't work at all." Later in the interview, Nintendo producer Hitoshi Yamigami described the difficulty of working with Treasure on the first Sin & Punishment, given, well, the difficulty of Treasure games. "When I said, 'It's too difficult. I can't do it," they responded, 'Then you're not good enough to be in charge of this project.'" It took about a year for the team to finally determine that Sin & Punishment was, in fact, too difficult. For Star Successor, Nintendo's Yurie Hattori joined the project and initially found it too difficult as well, pushing to make the game more accessible. While she did prevail upon Treasure to streamline the experience with a tutorial, she eventually discovered the Treasure fan within her and ended up recommending that the difficulty be increased.
Nintendo collaborated with Capcom on the Classic Controller Pro
In a new Iwata Asks feature with Capcom's Ryozo Tsujimoto and Kaname Fujioka, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed just how closely Nintendo worked with Capcom to ensure the success of Monster Hunter Tri. Not only did the hardware manufacturer create a new controller, the Classic Controller Pro, but it actually consulted Capcom about it. "I'm just gonna go ahead and say it," Iwata said, "but we even discussed where the best place for the analogue sticks would be." Fujioka expressed the team's relative shock at Nintendo's openness. "To be honest, when we were first asked that, I thought, 'Is it all right for us to decide?'," Fujioka said. We said what we thought would be a good spot for the analogue sticks, and when it turned out just like that, I was surprised." Of course, that spot is "exactly where they are on the PS2 controller," but that's due to Capcom's choice!
WarioWare DIY was in planning since the DS was called 'Iris'
In an Iwata Asks interview about the upcoming WarioWare DIY, Nintendo president and expert interviewer Satoru Iwata revealed a previously unknown codename for the system that would become the Nintendo DS: Iris. "Iris was the codename of a next-generation device we were exploring to succeed the Game Boy Advance-in other words, before development of the Nintendo DS," Iwata explained. "Eventually, it became a two-screen device with the codename Nitro, which went out into the world as the Nintendo DS. So, broadly speaking, Iris was the foundation for the Nintendo DS." And surprisingly, Software Planning Development's Gorou Abe had been thinking about a WarioWare microgame creator since the DS was called Iris. WarioWare DIY has been a long time coming. Elsewhere in the (fascinating) interview, it's revealed that some of the included microgames were made by debuggers during the QA process, who made microgames as part of testing. [Via Siliconera]
Iwata Asks: 25 years with Miyamoto's dev posse
In the most recent edition of Iwata Asks, Nintendo prez Satoru Iwata gathers up Takashi Tezuka and Toshihiko Nakago for a thorough discussion of their time with the company, the many projects they've worked on and their 25-year-long partnership with Shigeru Miyamoto. Let's break it down: Takashi Tezuka and Toshihiko Nakago both started at Nintendo around 1984, helping to shape everything from Balloon Fight to Super Mario Bros. These guys were part of the team that developed Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda -- at the same time. During the 10-page chat, a plethora of interesting tidbits are revealed about some of the game industry's most influential Nintendo titles. Did you know that Zelda was initially designed as a dungeon game without an overworld? Or, how about the revelation that World 1-1 was created last, after the rest of the levels in Super Mario Bros., and designed implicitly to teach the game to non-gamers? The chat even gets into the lurid sleeping arrangements of Miyamota-san and Nakago-san while on business trips for ExciteBike (spoiler: it's not that lurid).
Nintendo's Iwata muses about Kindle-like business model for future handheld
You may simply be able to chalk this one up to some freewheeling speculation and rumination, but Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata went pretty far out on a limb in talking about the future of the company during a recent sit-down with the Financial Times, and indicated that Nintendo may just be looking outside the gaming industry for a little inspiration. Apparently, Iwata is intrigued by the Kindle "because it's a new business model in which the user doesn't bear the communications cost," which he says wouldn't "fit Nintendo customers because we make amusement products." He did go on to note though, that "in reality, if we did this it would increase the cost of the hardware, and customers would complain about Nintendo putting prices up," but said that "it is one option for the future." At the same time, however, Iwata also seemingly downplayed the short-term potential for download-only games, saying that he thinks "it will take quite a long time" for the industry to shift to them -- although he did hedge his bets somewhat by pointing out how unpredictable the games business is. [Via Electronista]
Mario used in original Punch-Out without Miyamoto's permission
For fans of the NES' flagship pugilism sim Punch-Out!!!, the latest edition of Iwata Asks is chock-full of tidbits about the game that you probably didn't know. For instance, Nintendo Entertainment and Analysis Division's Makoto Wada reveals a long-hidden secret that makes fights against Bald Bull go much easier. Also, Glass Joe? He's got osteoporosis. Yeah, you should feel bad. Poor guy.However, the most entertaining unearthed secret is the fact that Shigeru Miyamoto never signed off on the use of Mario as the game's mustachioed referree. In Miyamoto's own words, "we didn't have an approval system when using Mario images back then and it went right past my check." The interview transcript adds that he laughed after saying this, but we imagine at least one stink-eye was shot across the table.[Via GameSetWatch]
Iwata Asks, Rhythm Heaven team charms
Nintendo's latest Iwata Asks interview puts the surprisingly small Rhythm Heaven team in the universally awkward position of being interviewed by their employer. The five-person team turns out to be every bit as quirky as the game. Project lead Kazuyoshi Osawa, for example, said he "agonized" over the DS control scheme for about six months. Apparently, he wasn't exaggerating -- other team members noticed. "Yeah, he was in grueling agony for quite some time," said Kou Takeuchi. Osawa said that Masami Yone helps him cheer up by sending him pictures of kittens (an unauthorized use of company e-mail for which the two were semi-jokingly admonished by Iwata).Oh, and there's also a lot of discussion of the Game Boy Advance, arcade, and DS games and their development, including details of producer Tsunku's involvement. But the adorable interaction between the team is the real draw here.%Gallery-27707%
Iwata asks Development Folk about Animal Crossing
"Iwata Asks" articles are almost as old as the Wii itself, coinciding as they do with any notable first-party release, and the latest round of questioning stars four of the Animal Crossing: City Folk team: Aya Kyougoku (who forgot to wear her regulation beige Nintendo jacket for this), Ryuji Kobayashi, Isao Moro and Kou Nogami (not pictured here).Most of the discussion focuses on fairly obscure minutiae. So Nogami discusses how WiiConnect24 allows for the exchange of village data without you knowing it, which means people can visit a friend's village while their Wii is off, as can NPCs from other villages, who may then spread rumors from their hometown. The team estimates the game's appeal becomes "two or three times" as great when played online, a statement we look forward to testing.We're also told that City Folk will let players create "trails" on the landscape. Apparently, the ground in your village consists of a top layer of grass which slowly wears thin the more you walk on it. A little grass grows back at the end of each day, but if you walk over a certain area enough (say, from your house to Tom Nook's), a trail will begin to form. Kobayashi says that it takes about a fortnight before a faint path becomes visible, and Moro adds that a clear trail will have appeared after two months, but that grass grows back more speedily if surrounded by grass and trees. Nifty![Via andriasang.com]
Iwata and staff discuss Nintendo DSi development, rumors of SDHC support abound
The latest entry in the "Iwata Asks" series has returned with an up-close look at the Nintendo DSi. For this exercise, Iwata carefully prepared a pot of green tea (possibly), sat down with three chaps from Nintendo's technology division (definitely), Yui Ehara, Kentaro Santa, and Masato Kawabara, and then talked some DSi.As usual, all sorts of interesting nuggets get dropped. Apparently, a new DS was discussed in late-2006 (just a few months after the DS Lite launched!), the chipset was basically completed by February 2007, and for quite some time the DSi was going to have one rotating camera, and two cartridge slots. As it happens, Iwata was concerned that a rotating device would break easily, and believed the extra cartridge slot made the DSi too big, so both got the chop.There was also some brief discussion of the DSi supporting SD cards. Supposedly, it was Shigeru Miyamoto himself who requested this feature, promising that he'd find a way to utilize it. In related news, a DSi spec sheet has appeared at NeoGAF with the SDHC logo on it, suggesting the new handheld supports the extended SD format. The DSi may only be two days away, but there's clearly plenty we're still not aware of!Source: Iwata asks!Source: Spec sheet hints! %Gallery-33263%[Via Tiny Cartridge]
Nintendo: Wii Music assists musical education
In what is now a time-honored tradition for Nintendo's first-party releases, Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto came together over a cup of tea and a Jammie Dodger* to have a chinwag about Wii Music. Neither man fell about laughing hysterically at any point in the interview, so we assume the game is actually going ahead.As usual, Shiggy came up with some corking soundbytes, in between reflecting on the ukelele he received as a youngster and other trivial details. These included the shocking revelation that he had never been so excited while making a game as when making Wii Music -- not even when he was crafting Super Mario Bros. In an even more controversial twist, the conversation then turned to how Wii Music could (in Iwata's words) "raise people's basic level of music education." Not surprisingly, Miyamoto agreed, adding, "I've even thought it would it would be great if kindergartens or elementary schools got Wii Music and began kid's music education with that ..."So there you go: according to Nintendo's top men, Wii Music could kickstart basic music skills in kids ... by making them play invisible instruments. Eh?* Awaiting confirmation on this.%Gallery-27713%[Via Kotaku]
Miyamoto: Link's Crossbow Training is FPS Training
Now that Link's Crossbow Training is coming out in the region that matters (Japan), Nintendo has begun promoting it with one of their "Iwata Asks" interview series. This time, Shigeru Miyamoto is back in the hot seat -- and at the beginning of the interview, he expresses surprise that producers Takashi Tezuka and Eiji Aonuma aren't there as well. Right away, the surprises begin. Describing his motivation for Link's Crossbow Training, which he sees as an introduction to the FPS genre, Miyamoto reveals himself to be an FPS fan: "I've always been into first person shooter (FPS) style games, 3D games in which you can walk around freely and see things from your own point of view. " He describes the perspective as "more comfortable, more natural," and then upturns the interview's tea table, saying that he originally wanted The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to be in first-person.Since this is an interview between Iwata and Miyamoto, you know that can't be the only awesome quote. There's a bit in there about explaining Link's gun use with a Terminator-esque story. You should really just go read the whole thing.
Iwata Asks: Mario Kart Wii
After Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii has become the latest title to appear in the excellent "Iwata Asks:" series of interviews. Featuring producer Hideki Konno, Wii Wheel project leader Kenichiro Ashida, and Shigeru Miyamoto (in fully relaxed, shirt-open mode) getting grilled by Satoru Iwata, it's a treasure trove of information for Mario Kart enthusiasts.Alongside an enjoyably lengthy dissection of the series' history, there's also discussion about Mario Kart Wii's online play. The online matchmaking in particular sounds a treat, in that it allows players to join a race once it's finished, thus avoiding races becoming one-on-one affairs (as so frequently happened in Mario Kart DS). Players can use the Mario Kart Channel to check which of their friends are currently playing online, and even join them instantly.Producer Konno and Miyamoto also explained the decision to include bikes in this game, with Konno admitting that his own hobbies influenced the choice, and Miyamoto stating that the bikes are there to "make the world of Mario a little more for boys [by] adding an extreme-like element to the game." (Apparently, the title was originally known as "Mario Kart X," with the "X" taken from "extreme") Finally, we hear more on the Wii Wheel, and the reasoning behind it. As expected, the peripheral is designed to make Mario Kart more approachable than ever before, and project leader Kenichiro Ashida reportedly created "about thirty" prototypes (many of which you can see in our gallery). Oh, and he even made gold and black versions -- just for the hell of it. Do want!%Gallery-4772%%Gallery-19823%
Iwata asks about Wii Fit, Volume 4
The fourth and final segment of Iwata Asks deals with an often overlooked part of gaming -- sound. The interview also focuses on the design and planning of Wii Fit.Three of the people Iwata questioned had previously worked on Zelda games, which (as you can imagine) are completely different than Wii Fit. Toru Minegishi talks about the challenges when making music for Wii Fit as opposed to Zelda, which was our favorite part of the interview.For some interesting anecdotes, and to know what some of the developers' favorite things about Wii Fit are, make sure to hit up the last Iwata Asks, Wii Fit edition.%Gallery-4745%
Iwata Asks Wii Fit: Volume 3
For those of you who just love the interviewing skills of one Nintendo pres Satoru Iwata, then you should know the next segment in the interviews revolving around Wii Fit has gone live. This time around, Iwata chats with Hiroshi Matsunaga and Tadashi Sugiyama, two folks who oversaw the software development of the game.As you might imagine, the interview not only focuses on the introduction of the title from a developer's standpoint, but also fleshing out Miyamoto's idea to something more than an application for weighing yourself every day. Oh, and did you know that Wii Fit was originally planned as a DS game?
Iwata Asks about the Balance Board
For the second installment of Iwata Asks (the Wii Fit version), Iwata gets the nitty gritty from the developers of the Balance Board. It's pretty interesting to see what the board could have ended up looking like. Take, for example, the crazy octogan-shaped thing about. Also, whenever reading about a development process, it's almost scary to know all the problems and obstacles that the makers run into.Of course, the developers prevailed and the Balance Board was born. From Sumo wrestlers to Miyamoto slamming a table, the interview has some nice insight on what it was like to make the unique peripheral. As per usual, click the picture or the "read" link to check it out for yourselves.
The skinny on Wii Fit is that it won't make you skinny
Once Iwata's Brawl interviews ended, we started having severe "Iwata Asks" withdrawals. Yet, we're glad we waited before turning to heroin, hash, or horse tranquilizers to fill the voids in our hearts.* Our patience was vindicated, and a few days ago Iwata once again started up his Q&A segments, this time questioning Miyamoto about Wii Fit. If you were hoping that Wii Fit would be the answer to your love handles or scrawny limbs, though, think again. Wii Fit isn't a get-thin-quick plan, it's a life lesson. As was clarified by Miyamoto in the interview, "I don't think Wii Fit's purpose is to make you fit; what it's actually aiming to do is make you aware of your body."Since body awareness is part of attaining a healthier lifestyle, don't be too deterred. It's possible that Wii Fit can still get you on the right track to becoming fit, if you let it. Still, at the end of the day it's just a video game, not Richard Simmons.*Seriously -- don't do drugs. [/Public Service Announcement][Via CVG]
