Shigeru Miyamoto
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Nintendo's Miyamoto says smartphones won't ever be Mario's primary platform
On the eve of the launch of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Mario's days on smartphones may be numbered.
Shigeru Miyamoto gives a tour of the Super Nintendo World theme park
The promise of Super Nintendo World is especially tantalizing in a world where the pandemic is cutting into travel options, but now we’ve had a chance to experience the Universal Studios park without going to Japan or waiting for its doors to open in the spring.
30 years of Super Mario in pop culture
Mario may have cut his teeth hopping barrels as "Jumpman" in Donkey Kong back in 1981, but his true claim to fame came with Super Mario Bros. Created by acclaimed video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, that game launched in September 1985, landing on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)/Famicom consoles. This year, the highly influential Mario series celebrates its 30th birthday, having entertained generations of arcade and console fans throughout several iterations over three decades. The impact of Nintendo's iconic Mario and his player-two bro Luigi on pop culture has gone far beyond just gaming itself; they've appeared in cartoons, movies, comics and even art. To join in celebrating 30 years of Super Mario Bros., we've put together a photo album of all things Mario over the years.
'Star Fox Zero' swoops onto Wii U on November 20
Nintendo Wii U owners, mark your calendars. The Japanese console maker will be launching Star Fox Zero, the next space adventure from Shigeru Miyamoto, on November 20th in the US and Europe. It's one of the biggest titles headed to Nintendo's home console this fall, alongside Super Mario Maker, JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles X and the adorable Yoshi's Woolly World. Of the three, Star Fox Zero is arguably the most anticipated. It's been over a decade since Star Fox: Assault graced the Gamecube, but with the 3DS port of Star Fox 64, as well as the crew's appearances in Super Smash Bros., the series has stayed fresh in people's minds. Can Miyamoto and PlatinumGames deliver with the anthropomorphic space animals again? We'll be able to find out in just a few months.
Nintendo currently plotting next console, Miyamoto confirms
In an interview with the Associated Press, Super Mario Bros. creator and leading Nintendo visionary Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned that the Japanese console giant is already working on a successor to the now two-year-old Wii U. "For the time being, our focus is on the Wii U hardware, but Nintendo as a whole has groups working on ideas for new hardware systems," Miyamoto said. "While we're busy working on software for the Wii U, we have production lines that are working on ideas for what the next system might be." Keep in mind, this sort of far-future planning is routine for console manufacturers. It would be surprising if the "production lines" Miyamoto mentioned have moved beyond the early planning stages. Don't worry, it's going to be at least a few more years before you have to work another Nintendo console into your budget. [Image: Nintendo]
Miyamoto says players can share levels in Mario Maker
Players of Mario Maker, the upcoming Wii U game that lets players build their own 2D worlds in the style of the Super Mario Bros. series, will be able to share their creations online, according to Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto. In a recent interview with YouTube personality iJustine (translated by Nintendo Senior Product Marketing Manager Bill Trinen) Miyamoto said, "You'll be able to see what happens when other people play your course or when you play other people's courses. There will be some popularity rankings for the most popular courses and things like that. So there's a lot on the community side." Miyamoto hopes you won't forsake those in your own home though, elaborating that he still pictures couch-based play, with a creator handing off their level to a friend or family member who is in the room. "But of course we will have the internet ability to exchange courses as well." We can't wait to see all the age-appropriate and completely family-friendly designs that the internet will come up with. [Image: Nintendo]
Tour the open world of The Legend of Zelda on Wii U
Remember that Legend of Zelda game announced back at E3? You know, the one where Link is definitely not a girl? Well, Nintendo revealed a good chunk of gameplay during The Game Awards this weekend, showcasing a massive, open world as well as the new combat tricks such as slow-mo arrow firing after leaping from Epona's back. Your tour guides through this very, very green world are designer of the original The Legend of Zelda, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Legend of Zelda series producer, Eiji Aonuma. And while this Legend of Zelda game for Wii U is at the forefront of their discussion, the duo also discuss the upcoming Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3DS and a Wii U entry in the Star Fox franchise. The Legend of Zelda: Subtitle TBA, as well as the Wii U Star Fox game and Majora's Mask 3DS are all due in 2015. [Image: Nintendo]
Captain Toad's base diorama concept initially starred Link
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is an upcoming expansion of a minigame concept that debuted in Super Mario 3D Land, but the play style's conception involved a different, Toad-less kingdom of the Nintendo universe. According to a report from Game Informer, Treasure Tracker director Shinya Hiratake wanted to build a game several years ago that was focused on small worlds. Hiratake reasoned that if the ability to jump was absent from, say, a platformer, it would drastically reduce the size of the game's levels. With that in mind, his idea incorporated The Legend of Zelda series' Link, a character that has largely conquered quests without a dedicated jump button (without the Roc's Feather, anyway). When Hiratake and a small team presented a comparable tech demo to several members of Nintendo's upper management, he joked that they must have done a good job, because Shigeru Miyamoto asked how they were planning on bringing the stages into production. "He thought we were pitching him an actual physical product design," Hiratake explained. Though a diorama-sized adventure starring Link was dismissed, Miyamoto told Hiratake the idea had potential. After recalling Captain Toad, the Super Mario Galaxy series' backpacking explorer, Hiratake reasoned that he would be too weighed down by his pack to be able to jump. Captain Toad's performance in 3D Land impressed Miyamoto enough for him to encourage a comparable standalone game, and Wii U owners will be able to play the results of that decision next month. [Image: Nintendo]
Nintendo discusses cheaper Amiibo figures, trading cards
Future iterations of Nintendo's Amiibo figure line will include cards, the company revealed during last week's investor Q&A. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata and longtime designer and producer Shigeru Miyamoto discussed the company's near-field communications initiatives, Miyamoto stressing that Amiibo "can take forms other than figures." Miyamoto offered Amiibo-style cards as an example, hypothesizing a game that would require players to pass "several cards over the NFC reader/writer" in the Wii U Game Pad. "I cannot discuss any of the details today, but Amiibo has the potential to propose new ways to play card games," Miyamoto said. The designer also brought up Animal Crossing as an example of a brand that could receive Amiibo compatibility in the future. Miyamoto noted that Nintendo plans on launching "smaller and even more affordable Amiibo figures in the future." The first set of Amiibo figures, available for pre-order now, will launch on November 21 alongside Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. All of the initial Amiibo figures will be compatible with Hyrule Warriors, and Nintendo just confirmed that Amiibo support will arrive in Mario Kart 8 soon. [Image: Nintendo]
Pikmin shorts to debut at Tokyo International Film Festival
Variety reports that Pikmin Short Movies, a collection of animated shorts produced by Pikmin series creator Shigeru Miyamoto, will debut at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Sometime during the festival's run from October 25 - 31, Miyamoto will hold a presentation with Dwango head Nobuo Kawakami, which is the parent company of livestreaming service Nico Nico Douga. Pikmin Short Movies is comprised of three animated shorts; "The Night Juicer," a scene that plays with the idea of Captain Olimar blending up Pikmin, "Treasures in a Bottle," which involves an odd treasure, and "Occupational Hazards," which plays out at a construction site. We first learned that Miyamoto was working on Pikmin cartoons a year ago, when they were still planned to be released before Pikmin 3. At the time, Miyamoto mused that they may end up on the 3DS' Nintendo Video service or be sold on the eShop. [Image: Nintendo]
Miyamoto stopped Hyrule Warriors from being more Zelda than Dynasty Warriors
Crossovers must be tricky to develop – which fanbase do you cater specific mechanics to, and how much of each series' flavor do you implement while still making a coherent experience that can stand without its fanfare? Early talks concerning Hyrule Warriors certainly covered these questions, but more interestingly, Nintendo Life's interview with Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma and Metroid: Other M producer Yosuke Hayashi revealed that Hyrule Warriors was initially meant to be more Zelda than Dynasty Warriors. When Hayashi approached Aonuma with hopes of collaborating on a Zelda project, he suggested the pair rethink what's possible for a Zelda game. He still intended to create something that resembled the mainline Zelda series more than the Dynasty Warrior games, however. When Zelda series creator Shigeru Miyamoto heard, he stepped in: Rather than adding Dynasty Warrior mechanics to a traditional Zelda game, Miyamoto insisted that Hyrule Warriors should focus on "grafting Zelda onto the Dynasty Warriors experience," the opposite of what Hayashi originally envisioned. We'll see how the unexpected blend turns out later this month. If you're curious enough to unwaveringly brave the adventure regardless of reviews, there's still time to pick from Hyrule Warriors' pre-order costumes. [Image: Nintendo]
Splatoon could have been a Mario game
When we got our hands on Nintendo's new IP, Splatoon, during E3 this year, we compared its charm to Super Mario 3D World or Mario Kart 8 – and according to Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, that was more on the nose than even we knew. Splatoon was nearly a Mario game, Miyamoto told Edge (via MCV). "There were heated debates over who the main character should be," Miyamoto said. "Whether it should be Mario, or the squid. When we talked about the possibility of it being Mario, of course we could think of the advantages: Anybody would be willing to touch it as soon as we announced that we had a new Mario game. But at the same time, we had some worries. If it were Mario, we wouldn't be able to create a new IP." Splatoon stars a series of squid kids with ink guns, battling in contained areas to not only hit other players, but to paint the map in their team's color. The kids turn into squids to swim through their team's paint and fill up their ink supply, or to out-maneuver rival players.
Splatoon to offer two-squid local multiplayer
Nintendo's colorful third-cephalo-person shooter Splatoon will include a local multiplayer mode for two players, the developer recently clarified. The game's producer, Hisashi Nogami explained to GameRant at E3 that Splatoon will include both a single-player mode and also a "one-on-one multiplayer mode that can be played without connecting to the Internet." Our time with the game at E3 centered on its eight-person online multiplayer action (divided into teams of four), in which players morph into squids and swim around any surface that's splattered with paint. The game was first announced during Nintendo's special E3 2014 livestream earlier this month. Nogami clarified that Splatoon will launch as a full retail game for Wii U, and is expected to swim ashore in the "first half" of 2015. To fit in with the transformative nature of Splatoon, we will morph into squids for the remainder of this article. Splat. Splash Splatoon E3 selection SPLAT. Swoooosh. Tentacle noise! Swoosh. [Image: Nintendo]
Miyamoto on Wii U: Dual GamePads possible, not likely soon
Nintendo game designer and producer Shigeru Miyamoto discussed the possibility of allowing players to use a second GamePad controller for Wii U games in a recent interview with IGN, reinforcing the platform's previously announced two-GamePad capabilities. He notes, however, that the added functionality is "not within our objectives in the short-term."
Project Giant Robot: A rock 'em, sock 'em Wii U experiment from Miyamoto
One of three Wii U experiments Shigeru Miyamoto debuted at an intimate pre-E3 event, Project Giant Robot has the simplistic, goofy appeal of Nintendo's earliest games. Customize a big, brawling automaton, from its head to its toes, then try to knock down another bot in a crowded city block. Inspired by sumo wrestling, Robot is awkward and silly when you try it out, especially if you make a top heavy automaton prone to falling over. While it has some of that immediate charm that's characteristic of Miyamoto's best work, not to mention a vital sense of humor, it doesn't feel like anything representative of a full game. In fact, it scarcely feels on par with the amusements in Nintendoland or Wii Play.
Splatoon is an ink-filled shooter from Miyamoto's junior team
Nintendo has announced Splatoon, an 8-player third-person shooter with weaponized ink is coming to Wii U. The title is in development by the young developers at EAD, working directly under Shigeru Miyamoto. As players compete in 4-on-4 battles, the environment is coated in colorful ink. Players can also transform into squids, allowing them to swim through the rivers of ink left behind by combatants. Splatoon is coming to the Wii U in 2015.
The Year of Luigi officially ends March 18
Luigi's time in the spotlight will conclude on March 18, when The Year of Luigi officially comes to a close. The clock's ticking on your "in this, The Year of Luigi" jokes! The Year of Luigi is Nintendo's marketing campaign celebrating the 30th anniversary of Mario's slender and squeamish brother. The promotion began in early 2013 and heralded the release of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Super Luigi U, a custom 3DS bundle and other Luigi-centric goods. In the announcement post on Miiverse, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto says The Year of Luigi Community and its Developers' Room will shut down next month, and no new posts will be accepted on Miiverse. "Thanks to everyone's kind support, we were able to release many Luigi games over the course of the year," Miyamoto writes. "I hope everyone continues to cheer for the green brother!" Regardless of your feelings toward gaming's under-appreciated bro, we can all agree The Year of Luigi was a success and has enriched all of our lives – if only for that time we watched Miyamoto try to vacuum up Iwata. [Image: Nintendo]
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How Super Mario 3D World masks co-op in chaos
For the meticulous player who takes pride in the unblinking, unfaltering dash through a gauntlet of precipitous drops and spinning spikes, multiplayer is probably the worst thing to happen to Mario. As with New Super Mario Bros. Wii, you're often foiled by those you would call friends in Super Mario 3D World. That jump would have been perfect, but Peach bopped me on the head and sent me to a molten death in the lava below. I would have gotten that hidden power-up and used it properly, had Toad not run off with it first. Who are these other three people and why do they torment me so?
Miyamoto: Pikmin 3's hidden memos lead to a secret code
Scattered across Pikmin 3 are ten hidden memos which, when they're all discovered, will reveal a secret code to players. Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto revealed as much in a Miiverse post, promising more information on how to use the code in a future post. Pikmin 3 launches August 4 on Wii U in North America. In our review, we wrote "its cute exterior belies some inner sophistication, even if it is sometimes let down by little troubles."
Pikmin 'didn't seem like Pikmin' on the 3DS
The cross between Wii U and 3DS seems like a good business idea for just about any Nintendo game, but it also seems like a natural gameplay fit for the garden-based strategy of Pikmin 3, which has you tossing wee Pikmin hither, thither, and yon. As Shigeru MIyamoto laid it down for 4Gamer, using the stylus worked well enough as a control method, but the resulting game just plain didn't feel like Pikmin. "The truth is we were doing prototype tests of Pikmin for the DS and 3DS but it turned into unit management with only the touch pen and no matter what it just didn't seem like Pikmin. We concluded that Pikmin is a game that revolves around action based on its controls and the strategy sits on top that. Although there are elements that are built on the strategy, there are other overall things that have to be well considered. This complete experience is an important elements of Pikmin." All of which is more than a little vague, but it seems like while Pikmin 3 could've technically worked with the hardware and touch controls, the end result was too far from Miyamoto's vision for the game. Perhaps a portable Pikmin 3 would've required a bit more skill than Miyamoto really wanted for Pikmin 3, which he wants to be considered "a carefree, easy action game." While other, luckier parts of the world already have Pikmin 3, it won't be released to North America until August 4.
