Shigeru Miyamoto
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Nintendo showing Wii U Mario game at E3
In an article about the Louvre's 3DS integration, Spanish newspaper El Mundo said that Miyamoto revealed plans to show a new Super Mario game for Wii U at E3. However, without a direct quote, it seemed likely that he had been talking about the Wii U and the (confirmed) 3DS Super Mario game, and the two had become conflated. The other, less likely option, is that Miyamoto had let slip the existence of an unannounced game, which is out of character for anyone at Nintendo.However, that's exactly what happened. Eurogamer received confirmation from Nintendo. "In a recent interview, Mr. Miyamoto confirmed that a new Super Mario Bros. game for the Wii U system will be shown at this year's E3 Expo," the Nintendo representative told the site. "We'll have more to announce about our plans for the E3 Expo at a later date."During the last E3, Nintendo showed a Wii U game (above) based on New Super Mario Bros. Wii. It's possible that demo may have evolved into this new game, or it could be something totally different. All we know at this point is that it's a "Super Mario Bros. game."
Miyamoto interested in revisiting A Link to the Past
If you had the power to do anything with The Legend of Zelda franchise, what would you do? Remake Oracle of Ages/Seasons? Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto wouldn't mind coming back to A Link to the Past.Miyamoto said he'd be "interested in creating something new maybe based on, or starting from, A Link To The Past" in an interview with Edge. "I think it's important to bring some really new software." It shouldn't come as a surprise, since he's already said he wants to see a remake on 3DS, but there's a big hurdle in his way. With his work on an original game ongoing the impending Wii U launch, time must be a very precious commodity at Nintendo nowadays."To be very honest and open, it really depends on the directors that have time at the moment as well," he said. "Some directors, I can give them the title and I know they will do something great with it. Other directors I'm not so 100 percent confident [in], so they're the ones I'd rather take a more remake approach to the title. It really depends on that as well."It seems if Miyamoto is confident in a director, he'll give them free reign to produce whatever their vision is. A remake, on the other hand, is considered more appropriate for less experienced directors – no offense to Grezzo, who did most of the work on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D.
Nintendo puts 3DS in the Louvre, France remains generally indifferent
Sharing a birthplace with Arséne Wenger, Jean-Paul Satre and Jules Verne, the Louvre is France's most prized national treasure. In partnership with Nintendo, the museum finally replaced those cumbersome handheld guides with 3DS units a fortnight after the anticipated March launch. The consoles will provide a variety of tours, offering detailed lectures around the entire museum, or the Cliff's Notes edition for the lazy connoisseur. Shigeru Miyamoto popped up to demonstrate that you can examine HD snaps and 3D images of the sculptures on show, just in case looking up and seeing it in the flesh stone would be too traumatic.
Shigeru Miyamoto admits he's a fan of Angry Birds, just like the rest of us
Mario and Zelda (amongst others) creator Shigeru Miyamoto was in Paris to promote the launch of the Nintendo 3DS as a guide in the Louvre. While company executives have previously dismissed and decried smartphone gaming, Miyamoto was asked about his favorite non-Nintendo game and for the first time, admitted that Angry Birds is his favorite. He said that he can tell Rovio is "having fun developing the game" and that it has a "very creative side," that was "inspiring us to try even harder, and create even more unexpected new things." Except for those moments when he steps into the hallway for a spot of pig-smashing, as you do.
Miyamoto enjoys Angry Birds, sees inspiration to create 'unexpected new things'
Shigeru Miyamoto loves Angry Birds, telling Edge that the 2009 mobile slingshot game is his favorite of the past year – which may come as a shock to those who consider smartphone games a dangerous threat to systems like Nintendo's 3DS."What I like about Angry Birds is that it has a traditional videogame [feel] to it, but also a very creative side," Miyamoto said. "And you can really feel that they're having fun developing the game. That's what I like about it." Miyamoto admitted that he doesn't typically talk in interviews about non-Nintendo games he's enjoying.Rather than express deep fear about the fact that phone games can be enjoyable, Miyamoto said he pays little attention to the medium. "I check up on them sometimes, but I don't have a lot of time," he said, before comparing the medium to his company's work. "I think we also have a history of having certain fun ideas and making a game out of it, and there's lots of other people also doing this [now]. This kind of environment inspires us to try even harder, and create even more unexpected new things."
Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft: three very different takes on portable gaming at GDC 2012
Tim Cook says the darnedest things. Why, just last week Apple's head honcho suggested that iPad users are ditching their home consoles in favor of Cupertino's favorite slate. Bold words, ones that can't be sitting well with the gaming industry's big three. Steady thy rifle, hardcore gamer, Cook has a point: the console wars have shifted irreversibly. Gone are the days of bickering over somewhat similar 16-bit consoles and their supposed lack of "blast-processing"; today's gaming armies wage war with wildly different artillery. In the pursuit of your mobile gaming dollar, Nintendo toed a traditional line with a new twist. Sony, on the other hand, seems to have bundled every input method it could get its mitts on into its next-generation portable. Microsoft, however, puts the "mobile" in mobile gaming, echoing Apple's own approach with an Xbox Live platform that eschews dedicated hardware to float across Windows Phone devices as a "feature."Take a step back, and suddenly it seems like the major players of consumer gaming aren't even driving on the same track. This war isn't about the "most powerful" console anymore; it's about creating the right experience for today's gamer. We ducked under the unspoken truce of last week's Game Developer Conference to get a bead on Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony's portable gaming strategies. Read on to see what they're doing to differentiate themselves from the competition.
Fake Miyamoto takes to Twitter and revitalizes Nintendo franchises in Flash
As if the saga of Fake Peter Molyneux weren't an exciting enough Twitter story, today we were introduced to Faux Shigeru Miyamoto, who creates amazing Flash games using classic Nintendo characters. Both Mario and Kirby are lampooned in Flash on the impersonator's Tumblr site, as well as the legendary creator himself of course. Presumably the totally-not-retiring slash potentially retiring developer isn't just pulling a fast one on us all, and we very much doubt these are prototypes for that original game he's making. Regardless, we suggest one thing before heading into any of the games on said site: turn your volume way, way down. Or up, if you're extremely hard of hearing, but otherwise, ya know, it's super loud. Deafeningly so.
Miyamoto working on an unannounced 'original' game
A recent Zoomin Games interview with Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned in passing that, in addition to Luigi's Mansion 2 for 3DS and Pikmin 3 to Wii U, he is also working on what ZoomIn called an "undisclosed original title." Speaking about that mysterious new project, Miyamoto said "If you ask me, 'Is it too much pressure to try to come out with something new?' I have to say no, I'm enjoying myself." By way of explaining his own style, he gave us some idea of what to expect. "Each creator has his or her own field for which he or she is particularly good at," Miyamoto said. "I'm not saying that I am particularly bad at making the very photo-realistic video games. But when it comes to the realistic games, you have to create something familiar. I personally want to make something really different." The rest of the interview is devoted to damage control from that time he didn't even actually say he was retiring from Nintendo.
Old Nintendo picture book highlights young Miyamoto, other Mario vets
When Chris Covell went to a "local library" recently -- local for him being "in Japan" -- he didn't grab just any book. Instead, he grabbed a picture book made for children named "The Stars of Famicom Games: How Video Games Are Made," wherein legendary Japanese developers like Shigeru Miyamoto, Koji Kondo, and Takashi Tezuka are caught in revealing images, behind the scenes of Super Mario Bros. 3's development. Beyond all the devs looking many, many years younger (the images were taken in summer 1989), the photos depict an all-star development team crafting one of the most beloved gaming experiences of all time. If your morning has been sadly devoid of EPROMs and late '80s Japanese haircuts, this conveniently translated feature is perfect for you. [Image credit: Chris Covell]
Miyamoto: Retro could handle a Zelda game, smartphones aren't competition
The full transcript of Wired's interview with Shigeru Miyamoto -- in which the industry legend triggered some panic over his future -- has been posted. Surprisingly, that pseudo-retirement news isn't even the juiciest angle; Miyamoto also discussed the company's troubled recent past, as well as its potentially Miyamoto-less future. He explained that Nintendo's goals this generation have focused on "the expanding of the gaming population," a task which would seemingly put them at odds with the ever-increasing smartphone market. Miyamoto posits that his company isn't "directly competing" with phones; rather, both might just have increased the size of the gaming market, and "expanded the definition of videogames" themselves. In the more recent past (last week, in fact), Nintendo launched the Retro-developed Mario Kart 7 for 3DS, a project which Miyamoto said succeeded due to its multicultural development approach. "We were able to join forces in order to realize a variety of different courses, a variety of different tastes," he explained. "I think that's one reason how it worked out well between a Japanese development team and a Western development team." It seems Retro has earned the games industry maven's trust, as Miyamoto added, "As you know, we have already collaborated with Retro for the Metroid Prime series in the past. And I think when we talk about any other franchise, Zelda might be a possible franchise for that collaboration." We think we speak for everyone when we shout in support of this idea while doing fist pumps into the air. Check out the full interview for more on the future of Zelda, the 3DS, the Wii U and the other pies Miyamoto's got his fingers in.
Caption Contest: Blue shells can't slow Miyamoto down
Monumentally important game designer and producer Shigeru Miyamoto made waves this week by saying he was / wasn't retiring from duties at Nintendo. There's been plenty of confusion regarding what his new duties at the company will entail, but this image makes it pretty clear. All hail Nintendo's new shopping mall test driver. Tim: "I'm developing a new power-up. It's called Golden Parachute." Richard Lai: "I once gave Kaz's ex a ride on this." Myriam: "I guess the shrink ray finally works." James: "The new Hotel Lobby level proved a success" Billy: "What? At least it's a hybrid." Mat: Miyamoto looks forward to exhibiting at next year's Tokyo Motor Show. Brian: "Miyamoto had an important message to impart on the youth of today: do enough magic mushrooms, and you're going to end up driving your car through a mall food court." Sean: A clean shave and a suit jacket revealed far more than Mario had ever intended. "Well," he thought, "at least I can still keep the 'M' logo." Jon: "In movie news: Photos from the 'lost camera' sequence in the upcoming The Hangover III started surfacing today..." Darren: "You should see what happens when I get Star Power."
Miyamoto definitely not retiring, but setting up for his eventual departure
Shigeru Miyamoto is definitely not retiring from Nintendo. But the question of whether he is "retiring" from his high-level executive position has been pointlessly contentious, with Nintendo PR countering his own claims. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the game design legend was more guarded in his words, saying that the company should be "structured" to continue operations without him, to transition toward his eventual departure. "I should also admit that it might be better without me," Miyamoto said. "I mean that a different approach and different talent might emerge, though I shouldn't dwell on this because then the article might indeed say 'Mr. Miyamoto is thinking about retiring,' because that is not the case." Of course he will have to leave Nintendo at some point, because he ages at the normal human rate. He reiterated his interest in spending time on smaller ideas, though the WSJ reports that he said those ideas could "blossom" into larger games.
Nintendo officially denies Miyamoto's plan to step down within Nintendo
In a Wired interview published last night, Shigeru Miyamoto discussed plans to step down from his position as senior managing director of Nintendo's EAD division, in the interest of making smaller projects on his own within Nintendo. Investors clearly didn't read his quotes closely enough, saw "I'm going to retire" and had mini-panic attacks, causing Nintendo shares to drop two percent overnight. And so, of course, Nintendo is denying reports that Miyamoto is leaving (even though he's not leaving). "This is absolutely not true," a Nintendo spokesperson told Reuters. "There seems to have been a misunderstanding. He has said all along that he wants to train the younger generation." Then, to further clarify the message, "He has no intention of stepping down. Please do not be concerned." At least, not concerned enough to affect the stock price. There definitely appears to be a "misunderstanding," with Nintendo issuing a denial of Miyamoto's own quotes. We suspect there's currently a "misunderstanding" between Miyamoto, who wants to transition away from supervising massive projects, and Nintendo, who wants to put his name on every game.
Shigeru Miyamoto 'retiring from current position' at Nintendo, working on smaller games [update: Nintendo denies]
Update: A Nintendo spokesperson tells Reuters that the report of Shigeru Miyamoto stepping down to a different position is "absolutely not true." The company asserts the story is a "misunderstanding," and that Miyamoto has "no intention" of stepping down. Original story: "I'm not saying that I'm going to retire from game development altogether. What I mean by retiring is, retiring from my current position," Nintendo head of development and long-time game industry figurehead Shigeru Miyamoto told Wired's Game|Life blog in an interview this week. It appears, after a lengthy career spent creating some of the game industry's most popular and important franchises, Miyamoto is altering his role at the company. "What I really want to do is be in the forefront of game development once again myself. Probably working on a smaller project with even younger developers. Or I might be interested in making something that I can make myself, by myself. Something really small," he explained further. Miyamoto isn't quitting development, though. Apparently he's looking to start a new project in 2012, and hopes to show it publicly by year's end. "In other words, I'm not intending to start from things that require a five-year development time," he added. While he won't be changing roles immediately, the idea behind announcing his retirement is to spur the less veteran devs at Nintendo to step up. "I'm interested in doing a variety of many other things," he teased.
Miyamoto interested in 3D remakes of 2D Zelda titles
It's probably too early to get excited, but it seems that older 2D Zelda games could be in line for giving them a 3D makeover. The news comes via Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma, who recently told GamesRadar that Shigeru Miyamoto has been "talking about" revisiting 2D Zelda games, specifically "the ones that were designed with multiple levels to the world like A Link to the Past, and taking those 2D graphics and recreating them in 3D." In context, it sounds as if Aonuma is referring to applying 3D effects to the existing titles – perhaps akin to the 3D Classics already available for 3DS – rather than a full-blown polygonal remake. As GamesRadar points out, A Link to the Past, with its multiple tiers, would certainly lend itself to 3D effects. What it wouldn't lend itself too: Helping us save money.
Yes, of course Shigeru Miyamoto is involved in Super Mario 3D Land
Like with previous Mario titles, the little plumber's creator is once again involved in Nintendo's next project, Super Mario 3D Land. In a recent Famitsu interview (translated by 1UP), Shigeru Miyamoto explains his role as "general producer" on the title, saying that he was uninvolved until about halfway through the project. "I kept my distance from the project at first, but became more deeply involved midway -- I don't think it'd be satisfying as a Mario game to everyone unless I made myself known on the little details," he says. Miyamoto further details his work on the project, specifically citing his work as helping to "fine-tune the numbers" behind things like Mario's iconic jump or run speed. He also points out that Mario's upcoming 3DS game draws from the world of Super Mario Bros. 3, while the "New" Super Mario Bros. titles drew from Super Mario World's foundation. Neat! "The New Mario series was an effort to get back to the core of it," he adds. "And this game is kind of an in-between -- it's 3D, but it's a Mario that lots of people can play." To that end, Super Mario 3D Land will feature a hint system akin to other recent Nintendo first-party titles, which Miyamoto teases briefly. But you wouldn't need such a thing, right?
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will last 50-100 hours, Nintendo claims
Hope you brought a change of tights. During the 3DS-centric press conference Nintendo is currently holding in Tokyo, Shigeru Miyamoto kicked things off with the decidedly unportable Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. While showing off the game's features, Shiggy apparently said that the game would last between 50 and 100 hours. Lest your tan pants, green boots and stupid hat get a little ... musty, you may want to bring spares. Update: Nintendo confirmed that number on the official twitter account. Also, we say "apparently" 50-100 hours because the presentation was entirely in Japanese and we can't technically speak the language. Technically speaking. But since Miyamoto added the game has been in development by a team of 100 for over five years, the exorbitant length would make a lot of sense.
Iwata Asks how Miyamoto learned English
Beyond founding Q-Games and helping to father the PixelJunk series, Dylan Cuthbert has done some other extraordinary things in his years working in the game industry. He recounts some of those adventures in a recent Iwata Asks column, woefully exclusive to Japanese readers for now, but thankfully summarized by Andriasang. But why is Cuthbert appearing in an Iwata Asks ... you ask? Because he helped create several of Nintendo's major Star Fox titles, of course (including the original), and he's heading up development of Star Fox 64 3D as director. Cuthbert actually didn't work on the Nintendo 64 title, as he had left Nintendo and was busy working on Blasto for Sony's PlayStation at the time. Also detailed in the piece is an interesting fact about how Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto learned how to speak English. When Cuthbert began working at Nintendo, he had only a rudimentary grasp on the Japanese language -- after initially impressing staff during a visit when he was 18 to show off a 3D Game Boy engine, he was hired on, regardless of language skills. Miyamoto had an equally unimpressive grasp on English at the time, and it seems that the two worked together to help each other out. Miyamoto is said to have had a particularly hard time in by of with prepositions. We feel your pain.
What you didn't know about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
After playing The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time in both two and three dimensions, you probably think you know everything there is to know about the watershed action-adventure, but how wrong you are! In a recent Iwata Asks, Shigeru Miyamoto and Iwata unearthed even more dirt on the game. For example, did you know Miyamoto and team didn't think cutting grass was particularly fun, but fans of Link to the Past demanded it? It's true! Did you know it was kind of inspired by Twin Peaks? It's true! Did you know that Navi is the real Keyser Söze? It's true! No, sorry. We misread. That last one's made up.
Wii U currently only supports one WiiPad
Investing in a new console is never cheap, but considering the main input method for the Wii U is a controller with a screen in it, we were understandably daunted by the idea of having to buy multiple WiiPads. According to Shigeru Miyamoto (probably known best as the senior producer on Chibi Robo) we needn't have worried. Miyamoto told GamePro that the Wii U will only support one WiiPad, explaining that if the company had wanted to do multiple touchscreens it would have found a way to let players use 3DS systems with the new console. Miyamoto didn't rule out the possibility of letting you take your WiiPad to a friends house and linking up play somehow, but it doesn't seem to be actively in the works at the moment.
