RipTen Videogame Blog » Shigeru-Miyamoto

Shigeru Miyamoto’s Position At Nintendo Is Changing UPDATE: Not Changing

Justin Berube — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 03:47:14 +0000

UPDATE:

Apparently Shigeru Miyamoto’s role isn’t changing. Here is what Nintendo had to say about this:

“Video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto’s role at Nintendo is not changing. He will continue to be a driving force in Nintendo’s development efforts. In discussing his priorities at Nintendo in a media interview, Mr. Miyamoto explained how he is encouraging the younger developers at the company to take more initiative and responsibility for developing software. He attempted to convey his priorities moving forward, inclusive of overseeing all video game development and ensuring the quality of all products. Mr. Miyamoto also discussed his desire to pursue fresh ideas and experiences of the kind that sparked his initial interest in video games.”

So nothing is really changing after all. Go back to playing your Zelda: Skyward Sword, Super Mario 3D Land, and Mario Kart 7. There is nothing to see here.

Original Story:

Shigeru Miyamoto, the man behind Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Pikmin, and more is taking a lesser position at Nintendo. Miyamoto has apparently been joking about retiring at the office, but only from his current role as the Senior Managing Director and General Manager of Nintendo’s Entertainment Analysis and Development Division.

Shigeru Miyamoto is hoping to get away from working on larger game projects, such as Zelda: Skyward Sword, that have a development cycle of around five years. Miyamoto now hopes to start working on smaller projects by himself or with younger developers and hopes to start one of these new smaller projects in 2012.

The legendary game designer is comfortable stepping down a bit now since he has been training others and the results have been fantastic. Both Zelda: Skyward Sword and Super Mario 3D Land have become hit games and the teams he has been training have been largely responsible for these massive successes.

Miyamoto mentioned in an interview with Wired, “The reason why I’m stressing that is that unless I say that I’m retiring, I cannot nurture the young developers. After all, if I’m there in my position as it is, then there’s always kind of a relationship. And the young guys are always kind of in a situation where they have to listen to my ideas. But I need some people who are growing up much more than today.”

Want to stay up to date on the latest Nintendo news, information, editorials, and more? Follow me on Twitter @KingNintendoFan or Like Me on Facebook. Be sure to let me know what you think about this Shigeru Miyamoto news!

Source

Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary Party at Nintendo World Recap

Justin Berube — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 03:37:47 +0000

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary Celebration at the Nintendo World Store in New York City. I came to the event expecting a mid sized celebration, similar to the one hosted at the store to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Nintendo Power a few years back. Instead when I arrived,I was stuck in a huge line that formed to get into the store. I guess fans crave Mario more than Nintendo Power!

When I first entered the store I was in shock to see Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime standing there. It wasn’t mentioned anywhere that the popular Nintendo figurehead would be attending the event and I made sure to give him a hearty hello. He says he recognized me from past events. I guess this is a step in the right direction as I’ve wanted to work for the company since I’ve been five years old. I did what I could do about that and now it’s time to leave luck to heaven…for now.

There were several things to do once inside. On the ground floor Mario fans could wait in line in order to tell their fondest Mario memories in front of a camera. Some of these will, apparently, be featured on Nintendo.com in the future. Sadly the line was too long for me to chime in, but I still got a shot of inside the booth for those who were curious.

Another line let fans get their picture taken in front of the iconic start of World 1-1 from Super Mario Bros. Nintendo also let fans hold up various Mario related props. Props included a Paragoomba, Bullet Bill, Coin, Star, Fire Flower, Question Mark Block, and more. Above is the picture I got with my girlfriend who is too embarrassed to be seen with me. I chose to hold the Star and the Coin for power and money, two things I don’t have.

Fans who got their photo taken were also given this sweet Mario t-shirt. The back of this shirt has the Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary logo on it. (Too see that pic check out the gallery at the end of this update.)

Nintendo had a nice Super Mario Bros. cake on display. I was checking out the cake, and then all of the sudden Reggie came out for the cake cutting ceremony. It wasn’t long before he announced that Shigeru Miyamoto would be the one cutting the cake. Needless to say the overcrowded store went crazy and only 10 people could see anything. I still managed to grab some photos.

Nintendo handed out cake and cupcakes to fans. I didn’t get any choosing to take this momentary distraction to check out the rest of the store. A choice I don’t regret. Miyamoto also watched as a top Super Mario Bros. speed runner tried his best to set a record. (and failed) You can read more about that here.

This was also the first time many Nintendo fans got to check out some of the new displays at Nintendo World. The showcase/museum on the 2nd floor of the store is much larger now and is on top of where a hole in the floor used to allow people on the upper floor to look down below. The space is utilized in a much better way now and it’s a welcome change.

Before leaving I was also given a free Mario Moustache. This is cool but I did miss out on another piece of Mario 25th Anniversary swag. Nintendo ran out of Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary Pullstring Backpacks. If anyone out there doesn’t want theirs, or if Nintendo wants to hook me up with one, please contact me.

Overall the event was a ton of fun but I felt like the store was overcrowded. It was nearly impossible for me to move around and I’m sure about a billion fire codes were broken. There are more pictures in the gallery and I apologize in advance for the poor quality of some of them. It was extremely hard to take pictures in such a crowded area.

Want to keep up with my coverage of Nintendo and Nintendo events? Follow me on Twitter @KingNintendoFan or Like Me on Facebook. Let’s talk Nintendo sometime!

Super Mario Bros. Speed Runner Fails In Front Of Miyamoto

Justin Berube — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:17:02 +0000

Nintendo held a grand event at the Nintendo World Store in NYC yesterday to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Super Mario Bros. The games creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, happened to be present at the event along with Andrew Gardikis. Gardikis has completed Super Mario Bros. in a record 5 minutes and was going to try to do it again in front of the game’s creator.

Unfortunately for Andrew he choked under the pressure and died several times on World 8-3. Those Hammer Bros. are no joke. I still give credit to Andrew for being able to play as well as he did under extreme pressure. You can’t expect a great run every time you play, but even in failure, Andrew proved his skill.

Source

The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword’s Control Problem

Justin Berube — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:07:56 +0000

It should be no surprise that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is one of my most highly desired Wii titles. Upon it being unveiled at Nintendo’s E3 2010 Press Conference I immediately fell in love with the new art style. The new sword controls looked fantastic and the new items seemed very fun.

I then waited on line for over an hour at E3 just to get a chance to play the game. I did enjoy the new sword mechanics. As reported previously, Link is now right handed, as he was in Twilight Princess for the Nintendo Wii, so all the sword controls took advantage of the player swinging the Wii Remote with the Motion Plus accessory. Having to kill enemies by attacking the correct way with the sword was great and added a new combat element that just hasn’t been in the series before. This still has me very excited since I’m sure there are a number of things players have yet to see regarding how this sword element works.

It was then that I decided to try out how the Bow works in Skyward Sword. This is where I came across a major control issue. Upon switching to the Bow or Slingshot item I then learned that Link is not right handed at all. Link is actually ambidextrous. You see when using the Bow Link holds it as if he were left handed.

This wouldn’t be much of an issue if Link just appeared to be using the bow left handed, but it was then for the first time ever that I felt the pain of every left handed person in the world. That is the player must use the bow and arrow controls as though they are a lefty no matter what. I found the controls to be completely awkward and clumsy to use in this manner.

If anyone wants to know exactly how it feels then all they would have to do is boot up Wii Sports Resort and to play Archery left handed. You see the when playing Archery in Wii Sports Resort the player has to hold the Wii Remote in their offhand. The Nunchuck controller goes in the players dominate hand.

In the Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword the player has to be holding the Wii Remote in their right hand forcing a left handed Bow control scheme. I know Shigeru Miyamoto is ambidextrous but myself and others are not. Skyward Sword is still one of my most wanted Wii titles, but I really hope there is another option to these left-handed controls because I found them unbearable.

Miyamoto – People Still Havin’ a Good Ol’ Time with the Wii

Dylan Duarte — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 22:01:58 +0000

When asked about a successor to the Wii (among other things), Miyamoto replied that although they’re always thinking about the next step, people still enjoy the Nintendo Wii.

“Many people still have fun with the Wii, there are still many good games out for it. But we think ever since the launch of the console for about a successor. We monitor the market closely. When the time comes, we will announce a successor. But that will not be very soon.”

I love Miyamoto. I love that he’s so completely detached from the console race and the financial side of gaming. If people are still enjoying the Wii, there’s no reason to drop a new console on them and charge them a few hundred bucks all over again, and Miyamoto knows that.

When asked if the Wii is going the 3D route, he responded:

“I do not think the next step will be ours. Wii is indeed one reason so successful, because many people do not have HDTV equipment and to appreciate what the Wii offers. The Nintendo 3DS is possible because it is a portable console and 3D glasses to work without it. For the living room would need a 3-D TV and it will take some time before enough households have 3-D TVs that the theme for the Gaming significant falls.”

This is definitely a different response than Ubisoft saying that everyone will own a 3DTV in three years, but I agree with Miyamoto. The fact that there are gamers out there still playing on SDTVs makes it hard to believe that 3D will become standard any time remotely soon.

Keep speakin’ the truth, Shiggy.

Miyamoto Has a Seat, Hangs Out, and Offers Advice to Aspiring Developers

David Oxford — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:39:28 +0000

The L.A. Times recently ran an article– a profile, if you will– of Nintendo’s Senior Managing Director, Shigeru Miyamoto. Among the topics discussed within the profile are how Miyamoto came to work for the company, as well as some words for those who aspire to become video game designers themselves.

Following are some of Miyamoto’s quotes from the article, as translated by Bill Trinen of Nintendo.

On defying his instructors’ expectations as a student:

“I made a lot of strange things in school. We were given an assignment to create a chair. Most of the other students would examine chairs from a historical perspective and create a chair that was an evolution of that. When I got the assignment, I thought about what it would be like to sit on a rope. So I tied some ropes together and made a chair. I don’t think it was very comfortable.”

Wii Sit confirmed?

Miyamoto goes on to discuss how he applied for his job at Nintendo, which of course came before the company had stepped into the world of video games. Rather than bringing a résumé with a portfolio of drawings or photos, he instead brought an invention: a clothes hanger designed for children who were too small to reach the bar of a closet, as well as too young to be handling hooked wire hangers:

“I made a wooden hanger that had a little cross shape which would fit into a notch on the wall. I painted pictures of elephants on them.”

“Nintendo really liked them and decided to hire me.”

Look for Wii Hang next holiday season.

Finally, Miyamoto offers some of his own advice for those who aspire to enter the wide world of video game development:

“It’s really important to find things that are fun and interesting to you personally, and then apply those fun aspects to a game.

When we first got our puppy, I took him to a training class. I found out that it wasn’t a place to train your dog. It was a place to teach people how dogs behave. I thought that was interesting. As a result, I made a lot of friends who were passionate about dogs. I also started going to the pet shop to buy things for my dog. Then I thought it would be nice to make a game people can buy while they’re at the pet store.”

Expect to see Nintendogs– oh, wait. Right.

Incidentally, has anyone ever seen a copy of Nintendogs while at the pet store? This reporter hasn’t, but that would actually be pretty cool.

For a little bit more about Miyamoto (which you may or may not already know), check out the link to The L.A. Times below.

Source: The L.A. Times (via GoNintendo)

Breaking News: Miyamoto Likes to Swim

David Oxford — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 23:42:40 +0000

Nintendo Senior Managing Director Shigeru Miyamoto is in a unique position, in that his company would really rather he did not discuss his hobbies. Given that his pet dog and the simple act of weighing himself led to the best-selling titles Nintendogs and Wii Fit, it’s little wonder that Nintendo would rather he keep quiet, lest competing developers get wind of what could be the next big thing.

But during a recent shareholder question-and-answer session (referenced earlier), Miyamoto wound up going against the grain and revealing to shareholders (and, by way of transcription, to us) what he has been doing when not printing money for the Kyoto-based company:

“Also, I’m still full of energy. Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of things — continuing to work hard at swimming, for instance, and also having exchanges with school kids, doing such things a serving on a neighborhood youth guidance committee. I think that next year I can probably deliver something new.”

Recently, Miyamoto had even let it be known that he now has a pet cat. Lo and behold, what is revealed at E3? A sequel to Nintendogs… which also features cats. So naturally, you can expect a correlation between what Miyamoto is doing in his private life and Nintendo’s future release calendar.

As Miyamoto has been doing a lot of swimming, experts (who we shall not name, because we made them up) predict that Wii Swim could be next year’s big reveal at E3, if not at this year’s Tokyo Game Show.

In addition, said experts have also noticed that Miyamoto has developed a habit of eating approximately three times a day, and expect Wii Eat to be another successful social gaming experiment. Furthermore, it has not escaped their attention that Miyamoto spends several hours sleeping each night. The consensus is split between a possible Wii Sleep title with Wii SleepPlus accessory, which would allow gamers to keep playing after drifting off, while others expect a more “core” offering in a contemporary take or sequel to Super Mario Bros. 2 (known as Super Mario USA in Japan, perhaps as a light-hearted jab at the “lazy American” stereotype).

Finally, the experts have also noticed that no matter what else Miyamoto is doing, he always appears to be… breathing. This has led to predictions of Wii Breathe, which would come with a Wii BreathSensor that would allow players to engage in different rhythm-based breathing mini-games.

———

In all seriousness, it’s simply amusing (if understandable) the way Miyamoto isn’t supposed to speak about his hobbies. Of course, even if he does, I don’t think it would do other developers much good, simply because other developers aren’t Miyamoto. Even when he shows them what to do, the quality usually tends to be miles apart.

Source: (for the Q&A transcript, at any rate) Andriasang

Miyamoto Hints at New Character For Next Year

Rangebar Merani — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 03:43:04 +0000

Nintendo held a shareholders meeting on July 29th at the company’s Kyoto headquarters, in which Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned something about a “new game character” coming next year.

According to the Andriasang, Shigeru Miyamoto said at the event, “It’s about time for a new game character. Perhaps this can be delivered next year.”

Miyamoto went on to say that he’s busy with developing 3DS software now, explaining, “I’ll suddenly have ideas, so being busy now is a good condition.”

A shareholder also asked a question about Apple’s Ipad and if Nintendo had any plans to create software for the device. “We have absolutely no plans to offer software,” said CEO Satoru Iwata, explaining that Nintendo provides hardware and software as one and other companies do not make devices that match Nintendo’s values.

A new game character from Nintendo coming out next year is a big deal, and a great news for gamers. I wonder what kind of new game and new character it’ll be though. Leave a comment and let us know what you think Miyamoto has up his sleeve for us next year.

Mega64′s TruthPhones™ Reveal What E3′s Big Three Presenters Were Really Thinking

David Oxford — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 02:53:11 +0000

As anyone who saw the presentations of Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony at E3 can attest, not everything went right, or well, for that matter. As malfunctions occurred and new titles were rolled out that also managed to roll eyes, one was left to wonder just what the people on stage were thinking. Alas, we may never know…

…that is, we would never know, were it not for the latest and greatest invention of our time (until the next one, that is), the TruthPhones™ from Mega64! Behold, as all such questions are no answered in crystal-clear clarity:

They definitely saved the best for last. Also, serious props for the VR Troopers reference. Hopefully, we’ll see an extended cut featuring the Konami and Ubisoft conferences at some point.

Now, we just need to pick up a few of these for next year.

Source: Mega64 (via Destructoid)

Miyamoto Answers Fan Questions, Hints at 3DS Super Mario World

David Oxford — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:14:47 +0000

While at E3 a few weeks ago, IGN had the opportunity to talk to Nintendo’s Senior Managing Director, Shigeru Miyamoto. And in that opportunity, they allowed some of their readers to ask the man credited with the creation of some of gaming’s most beloved icons some of their own questions.

The interview is conducted in a video format (subtitled, at that), which you can see here:

More Shigeru Miyamoto Info

For those unable to view the video, herein lies the gist of it:

Does he ever read blogs or websites to see what his fans want, or are all his ideas original?

They go online, not so much to see what people want and how to compete with other games, but rather to see how they are reacting to what they have released. They use their own ideas to come up with something unique.
How does he feel about story and emotion in games? Does he feel they are connected, or that one is more important than the other?
He thinks that the connection between the developer and player is more important than the story, and that it is also very important that the player feel naturally accepting of the world brought before them by the game. And if that acceptance is there, then they can understand that world and the many ways they can play within it.

They can then use their own imagination and creativity to come up with and tell parts of the story.

Developers have to predict the different ways a player will interact with that world, and be prepared to give reactions, rewards, or responses to the player for using their creativity to find new ways to interact with the environment.

That is the element most important to him, the connection between creator and player.
…seriously? Okay, here goes:
“Have you ever thought of making an add-on for the Wii that simulates taste? I’d sure love to know what a 1-Up Mushroom tastes like.”

Laughing, he says that it’s a unique idea, but it would be a challenge to try to introduce something like that which could be sold in stores at a reasonable cost.
Xbox LIVE is better than Nintendo’s online service. Any plans to improve Nintendo’s online service?
Can’t talk about anything specific, but they want to have every Wii connected online, so we can look forward to what services and functionality they come up with to reach that goal.
Miyamoto once said that he felt the development of Super Mario World had been rushed and the game was incomplete; what would he have changed or added if given more time?
As it turns out, a lot of the ideas that were left behind were eventually picked up in later Mario titles. But the question now has him thinking about what fun it would be to create a 3DS version of Super Mario World, “and how we could use the depth and sense of distance offered by 3D visuals on the world map and maps in that game, so that you have Bullet Bills flying at you from a distance and popping up off the screen.”

Naturally, IGN follows up by asking if that was a small hint, to which Miyamoto laughed and responded “I don’t know… Maybe!”

Miyamoto has previously alluded to a Mario title for the upcoming handheld, while Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime addressed the prospect of NES and Super NES games remade for 3DS, but as “potentially getting more than just ported over.”

While a new Mario title for the 3DS seems like a more exciting prospect, at least initially, seeing a remake of Super Mario World has its merits, too. Especially if there are any ideas left that Miyamoto had for the original that didn’t make it into other games.

Source: IGN (via GoNintendo)

Don’t Worry, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto Is Wealthier Than We Thought

Chad Lakkis — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 08:46:19 +0000

We reported on some information yesterday that lead us all to believe that Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of some of the most iconic characters in gaming history, was an average at best paid employee within the Nintendo Corporation. Well, the information we sourced couldn’t have been further from the truth.

As it turns out, Miyamoto’s 2009 salary was $1.4 million (¥126 million), with a base of $678,000 (¥60 million). These figures place his base salary at Nintendo as second only to Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata, who pulled in a cool $2.09 million (¥187 million) with a base of $760,000 (¥68 million).

No wonder he’s always so darn chipper.

[Source: Kotaku]

Miyamoto Is Just Like Us: Average Pay, Bicycle Commute, Legendary Game Designer (…Wait, What?)

David Oxford — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:50:49 +0000

Though some would worship Nintendo Senior Managing Director Shigeru Miyamoto as a god, given his role in the creation of the company’s (to say nothing of gaming as a whole) top properties, he would rather have you– and his coworkers– think otherwise. And that may particularly include where his paycheck is concerned.

Giant Bomb notes that “instead of receiving a larger salary, he insists on having a normal payroll, in order to prove an equal to his fellow designers,” while Kotaku cites a 1999 Daily Telegraph interview as having Miyamoto state “Nintendo only pays me a salary,” adding “so why don’t you in your article ask everyone who has enjoyed my games to send me 10p to my account!”

But today, Asahi posted a report regarding shareholder meetings which notes a new regulation which states that Japanese companies are now required to disclose which board members receive pay of over ¥100 million (about $1.1 million USD).

“Companies owe their existence to society,” says Shizuka Kamei, the Japanese politician who spearheaded the regulation. “People who are paid a lot should be proud of themselves and the job they do.”

Nintendo was one of 1,087 companies to hold a meeting of its shareholders today, where Asahi reports that it was revealed that Nintendo Co. Ltd. shareholder Satoru Iwata receives ¥187 million (about $2.09 million), which includes a base salary of ¥68 million ($760,000), with the difference awarded based on his performance.

Six other members of the Nintendo board, among which is Shigeru Miyamoto, earned ¥100 million (about $1.87 million USD)… combined. Divided equally between the six, that would be $166,000, which Kotaku notes “is not the typical Nintendo company salary Miyamoto spoke of in 1999.” On the other hand, it is not disclosed how the sum is divided among the six, leaving the possibility of truth in Miyamoto’s statement.

Kotaku reports that the Yoimiuri Shimbum states that the average salary of most executives who work at listed Japanese companies is ¥25 million ($280,000), which places Iwata’s paycheck quite a bit higher than the norm.

For those curious, ZakZak has composed a general list of the salaries made by the top executives of companies spanning several fields, from banks to automobile manufacturers to– you guessed it– video game companies.

While the check Iwata cashes may seem quite significant, it pales in comparison to Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada’s. He takes home ¥240 million (which Andriasang notes is “about ¥10 per Tweet filed over the fiscal year”). And for all the flack SEGA tends to catch, SEGA Sammy Holdings CEO Osamu Satomi sits comfortably above both with ¥435 million.

Others cited for comparison are:

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn: ¥890 million
Sony CEO Howard Stringer: ¥816.5 million
Sony CFO Nobuyuki Oneda: ¥164.39 million
Honda CEO Takanobu Ito: ¥115 million
Namco Bandai Holdings President Kazunori Ueno: ¥137 million

Given his role, Kotaku notes that Miyamoto should probably be paid ten times whatever it is he is earning, especially given the fact that the company’s former president, Hiroshi Yamauchi, is one of Japan’s wealthiest citizens.

On the other hand, Miyamoto seems to enjoy a simple lifestyle with his wife, kids, and those opportunities where he gets to play a little bluegrass music. Perhaps he’s happier without all that extravagance?

Update: It turns out that the information we sourced was not accurate. In other words, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto is wealthier than we thought. Read about it here.

Sources: Andriasang, Kotaku

Image: F@NBOY$ Online

Tonight’s X-Play Interviews Miyamoto and Debuts the US Killzone 2 Trailer

Chad Lakkis — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:47:33 +0000

Want a reason to dip into your trick-or-treater stash before the little buggers start taking it all? The scarily good X-Play line up tonight is the perfect excuse. Adam and company will be interviewing gaming icon, Shigeru Miyamoto, as well as debuting the US trailer for Killzone 2 on the PlayStation 3.

Airing tonight will be the first part of a two part interview with Miyamoto, where the legendary creator shares his thoughts on Wii Music and his love of music in general.

The Prince, Fallout 3, and Pacific Rift factor in too, so make sure to check out the rest of the show highlights in the press release after the jump.

X-Play’s Big Show Delivers TONIGHT, Wednesday, October 29, only on G4

Part 1 of a 2 Part Exclusive new Shigeru Miyamoto Interview

Exclusive new US trailer for Killzone 2 on the PS3

Fallout 3 Review

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift Review

All Access Preview of Prince of Persia

Don’t miss X-Play five nights a week, at 8pm ET/PT, only on G4

Miyamoto Joins Three of His Video Game Creations in a Legendary Animated Short

Chad Lakkis — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 23:39:30 +0000

Shigeru Miyamoto teams up with a trio of video game characters he created in an impressive short illustrated and animated by Newgrounds user, Awkward-Squid.

The concept behind the flash animation, titled “Legend of Miyamoto”, involves Mario, Link, and Donkey Kong helping their video game father make his way through their world. Squid says that the work was rushed a bit due to the fact it was being done as a university assignment, but I think it turned out great.

Check it out after the jump.

Make sure to head on over to Awkward-Squid’s user page and show him some love for this awesome piece of work.

Source: GoNintendo.com

Wii Body Awareness Mechanism – Also Known As Wii Fit – Not About Fitness

Dylan Duarte — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:01:15 +0000

Wii Fit Helps Cartman Understand His Body Image

In a recent interview with Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, Shigeru Miyamoto admitted that Wii Fit isn’t designed to make you fit at all.

The project came about through Miyamoto’s own obsession with his health and weight and he admits to actually enjoying tracking his weight through the use of charts. He thinks that maintaining your health can be fun for the entire family.

So it was decided early on that Miyamoto and his team would focus on fitness, but just how they would go about it was still up in the air. Then one day, a staff member brought two scales into the office and was trying to stand on both at once while trying to keep them even. This led to the idea of using balance as a central theme.

It was at that point that Miyamoto made it his personal mission to see this game through. Scale manufacturers that they discussed the project with didn’t show much enthusiasm, so they decided it would best if they just made the accessory themselves. The testing began and they eventually settled on the idea of having four balance points: front, back, left, and right. By the end of the process, the balance board became more than a scale and grew into its own.

Finally, Miyamoto expressed what he felt was the game’s true purpose.

“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.”

In keeping with the personal image theme, perhaps Nintendo can come out with a Wii Bulemia game, where you stick the Wii Remote down your throat and hop on the balance board. I think that would go over well with certain crowds.

Via GameDaily

Top Ten Developers – #1 Nintendo

James Fleming — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 23:10:44 +0000

Well, you knew it was coming. Nintendo has set the bar for gameplay and innovation since 1985, when it released its groundbreaking platformer Super Mario Brothers for the NES.

The gray, rectangular-shaped cartridge would revolutionize the way games were played and raise the videogame industry out of the ashes of the great crash that occurred earlier in the decade.

Shigeru Miyamoto, a man who needs no introduction, is the maniacal genius that manages Nintendo EAD (Entertainment Analysis and Development). He's possibly the most influential person in this modern video game empire, a kingdom that he helped create. Miyamoto would shine as Nintendo's lead idea man and obtain messianic status over the two decades for his contributions to videogames the world over.

His baby, Super Mario Brothers, was a bona-fide console seller. If you wanted to play it at home, you had to buy an NES, and everyone wanted to play. The game was like an adrenaline shot to the heart of an industry that crashed on poorly crafted software for graphically unimpressive consoles only a few years earlier.

With spot-on controls, challenging and intuitive level design, unforgettable characters and a high replay value, Mario showed us a glimpse of the future that was Nintendo.

But as this list shows, making one good game does not make you the world's greatest developer. While many promising companies are sprouting up in newly rented business parks, with high-budget, genre defying juggernauts in tow, time needs to be spent building a library before judgment can be passed down. For those of you who need things put in perspective, here you are: Super Mario Bros. sold more than 40 million copies!

Miyamoto received inspiration for his next opus by recalling his childhood. A young Shigeru once discovered a cave while trekking through the forests of Kyoto, Japan, an adventure that would linger until the boy became the man.

It was this memory of magic and wonder that would lead to the creation of one of his most vivid worlds-- Hyrule. The Legend of Zelda was a game that would, in many ways, show the possibility of becoming truly immersed in a videogame.

Before Zelda, games were closed track sprint sessions from point A to point B, all about gaining high scores and moving through portals. Zelda was more like a hike up an uncharted mountain. You were simply given a sword and an objective: save the world.

How you were to do this was in many ways up to you. Would you explore the wilds or brave the underground? Puzzle solving, boss battles, item collecting, secrets and exploration put Zelda in the spotlight, where it remains to this day.

Every few years brings a new adventure to the homes of gamers everywhere. The Zelda series has delivered unrivaled quality, time and time again. In 1998 Nintendo released what many consider to be the best game of all time: Ocarina of Time. Receiving perfect 10s from critics everywhere, the game would envelop a whole new crop of fans and keep the series popular almost a decade later.

And let it not be said that Zelda and Mario are the only mascots that would pave the way for the gaming giant that is Nintendo. Titles like Metroid, Star Fox, Donkey Kong, and Pokemon are interwoven into a gamer language, and they would further drive nails into the coffins of the competition. Lesser known carts such as Pilotwings, Balloon Fight, Ice Climber, and Kid Icarus may not have the worldwide acclaim of their bigger brothers, but they also have quite a big space in a lot of gamers' hearts.

For many, looking upon Nintendo's list of games triggers heartfelt nostalgia. Remembering a particular Nintendo game is to remember that point in time-- where you were, what you were doing, and what kind of person you were.

What makes Nintendo such a remarkable developer is the fact that many people can plot an entire lifetime by the release of one of their games. The first all-nighter you pulled trying to defeat Mother Brain in Metroid. That time you gave your brother a black eye for repeatedly bumping you into the wall in F-Zero. And who could forget the time you gave up a chance to get laid at your buddy's house party that weekend in 1998, because you were determined to beat the Water Temple in Ocarina of Time? We sure haven't forgotten.

Whatever your story, Nintendo has touched millions of people's lives on every continent, and for that they will always be number one.

Must Haves:
Super Mario 64 (N64),
Super Metroid (SNES),
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)

Have Nots:
Luigi's Mansion (GC)

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