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Shigeru Miyamoto: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto was born on the 16th of November 1952 in the quiet town of Sonobe, located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. His childhood was defined not by video games, which did not yet exist, but by the rugged, unexplored countryside surrounding his home. Miyamoto spent his early years wandering through the dense forests and rocky hills, driven by an insatiable curiosity that would later become the foundation of his most famous creations. One of the most pivotal moments of his youth occurred when he discovered a cave near his family home. After days of hesitation, he finally ventured inside, an act of exploration that would later be directly translated into the labyrinthine dungeons of The Legend of Zelda. He described the feeling of stumbling upon a lake in the countryside as a surprise that sparked a lifelong desire to create worlds where players could experience that same sense of wonder and discovery. This early immersion in nature provided the blueprint for his game design philosophy, which prioritizes exploration and the joy of the unknown over linear progression or high scores. His parents, who were of modest means, supported his artistic inclinations, with his father teaching English and his mother encouraging his creative pursuits. Miyamoto graduated from the Kanazawa Municipal College of Industrial Arts with a degree in industrial design, but his initial career goal was to become a professional manga artist. He was heavily influenced by the narrative structure of kishōtenketsu found in classic manga and Western television shows, yet he found himself drawn to the emerging world of video games after the release of Space Invaders in 1978. This shift in interest would lead him to a small company called Nintendo, which was then primarily known for selling playing cards and novelties, rather than the video game giant it would become.
The Carpenter Who Became a Plumber
In 1977, Miyamoto's life changed when his father arranged an interview with Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi. Miyamoto impressed the company's leader not with a portfolio of drawings, but with a collection of handmade toys he had crafted himself. This unique approach secured him a position as an apprentice in the planning department, marking the beginning of a career that would span decades. His first major task came in 1981 when Nintendo faced a financial crisis due to the failure of their arcade game Radar Scope in the North American market. The company was left with a large inventory of unsold units and needed a quick solution to avoid collapse. Yamauchi tasked Miyamoto with converting these units into a new game, a project he later described with self-deprecating humor by noting that no one else was available to do the work. Miyamoto conceived a love triangle involving a gorilla, a carpenter, and a woman, drawing inspiration from the rivalry between Bluto and Popeye, though Nintendo failed to secure the rights to the Popeye characters. The gorilla evolved into an ape, which Miyamoto claimed was not too evil or repulsive, and the carpenter became the playable character. The game, originally titled Donkey Kong, was a massive success, spawning sequels and establishing the platform genre. The character who would become Mario was initially named Jumpman, but the warehouse landlord Mario Segale inspired the name change. The character's design, featuring overalls and a hat, was originally meant to make him look like a carpenter, but the game's setting in New York City's sewer system led Miyamoto to change his profession to a plumber. This decision, along with the introduction of Luigi, a brother to Mario, set the stage for one of the most successful franchises in history. The game's success also led to the development of other arcade titles, including Baseball, Tennis, and Golf, which helped establish Nintendo's presence in the arcade market before the company's home console revolution.
Shigeru Miyamoto was born on the 16th of November 1952 in the quiet town of Sonobe, located in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.
What childhood experience inspired Shigeru Miyamoto to create The Legend of Zelda?
Shigeru Miyamoto discovered a cave near his family home and ventured inside, an act of exploration that directly translated into the labyrinthine dungeons of The Legend of Zelda.
How did Shigeru Miyamoto get hired by Nintendo in 1977?
Shigeru Miyamoto impressed Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi with a collection of handmade toys he had crafted himself during an interview arranged by his father.
What game did Shigeru Miyamoto create to save Nintendo from financial crisis in 1981?
Shigeru Miyamoto created Donkey Kong to convert unsold Radar Scope arcade units into a new game, which established the platform genre and introduced the character Mario.
Why are Mario and Link designed to be left-handed?
Shigeru Miyamoto is ambidextrous but usually favors his left hand, which is why his characters Mario and Link were designed to be left-handed.
What role did Shigeru Miyamoto take after Satoru Iwata died in 2015?
Shigeru Miyamoto was appointed as an acting Representative Director in July 2015 and later became Creative Fellow to provide expert advice to Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima.
The release of Super Mario Bros. in 1985 and The Legend of Zelda in 1986 marked a turning point in the history of video games. Super Mario Bros. was a linear platformer that allowed players to traverse expansive worlds, running, jumping, and dodging enemies, a culmination of Miyamoto's gameplay concepts and technical knowledge. The game was bundled with the Nintendo Entertainment System, helping to bring North America out of the slump of the 1983 video game crash. In contrast, The Legend of Zelda offered a nonlinear experience, forcing players to think their way through riddles and puzzles in an expansive, seemingly endless world. Miyamoto described the game as a miniature garden that players could put inside their drawer, a concept inspired by his childhood explorations of the Kyoto countryside. He wanted to recreate the feeling of becoming lost in the maze of sliding doors in his family home, a memory that translated into the labyrinthine dungeons of the game. The Legend of Zelda introduced elements such as battery backup saving, which allowed players to save their progress, a feature that became standard in later games. The game's success led to the development of sequels, including Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, which incorporated role-playing elements and a strategic combat system. Although the game was highly successful, it was also considered one of the most difficult games in the series, and many of its role-playing elements were never used again in the official series. The game's influence extended beyond its immediate success, laying the foundations for later action-adventure games and influencing the development of the genre. Miyamoto's ability to balance gameplay and storytelling, and his willingness to experiment with new concepts, set a standard for future game designers.
The Architect of Three Dimensions
The transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional gaming was a monumental challenge that Miyamoto faced with the release of Super Mario 64 in 1996. The game was a launch title for the Nintendo 64 and was the first to successfully implement a dynamic camera system and analog control, defining the field of 3D game design. Miyamoto and his team spent months selecting an appropriate camera view and layout, eventually settling on a free-roaming 3D design that allowed players to explore the world from any angle. The game's success led to the development of other 3D titles, including The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which introduced features such as a target lock system and context-sensitive buttons that have since become common elements in 3D adventure games. Miyamoto's approach to 3D game design was characterized by a focus on gameplay mechanics rather than hyper-realistic graphics, and he prioritized the player's experience over technical prowess. The game's engine was based on that of Super Mario 64 but was heavily modified to create a unique experience. The game's success led to the development of sequels, including The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, which reused the game engine and graphics from Ocarina of Time. Miyamoto's ability to balance gameplay and storytelling, and his willingness to experiment with new concepts, set a standard for future game designers. The game's influence extended beyond its immediate success, laying the foundations for later action-adventure games and influencing the development of the genre. Miyamoto's approach to 3D game design was characterized by a focus on gameplay mechanics rather than hyper-realistic graphics, and he prioritized the player's experience over technical prowess.
The Motion of the Wii
Miyamoto's influence on the video game industry extended beyond the games themselves to the hardware that powered them. He played a major role in the development of the Wii, a console that popularized motion control gaming. The Wii's launch game, Wii Sports, helped show the capability of the new control scheme, and Miyamoto went on to produce other titles in the Wii series, including Wii Fit, which was designed to encourage conversation and family bonding. The game's success led to the development of other titles, including The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which was among the Wii's launch games and the first in the Zelda series to implement motion controls. Miyamoto's approach to game design was characterized by a focus on gameplay mechanics rather than hyper-realistic graphics, and he prioritized the player's experience over technical prowess. The game's success led to the development of other titles, including The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, which featured more accurate motion controls. Miyamoto also produced two Zelda titles for the Nintendo DS, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, which were the first titles in the series to implement touch screen controls. The game's success led to the development of other titles, including The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, which featured more accurate motion controls. Miyamoto's approach to game design was characterized by a focus on gameplay mechanics rather than hyper-realistic graphics, and he prioritized the player's experience over technical prowess.
The Creative Fellow
Following the death of Nintendo president Satoru Iwata in July 2015, Miyamoto was appointed as an acting Representative Director, alongside Genyo Takeda. He was relieved of this position in September 2015 when Tatsumi Kimishima assumed the role of the company's president. Miyamoto was also appointed the position of Creative Fellow, providing expert advice to Kimishima as a support network alongside Takeda. In his capacity as Creative Fellow, he provides feedback and guidance to game directors during development. Miyamoto's activities in development were less pronounced in the 2010s, with Miyamoto only producing Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Star Fox Zero. Otherwise, he was credited as General Producer, Executive Producer, and Supervisor for most projects, which are positions with much less involvement in comparison to a producer. In 2018, it was announced that Miyamoto would be working as a producer on The Super Mario Bros. Movie based on the Mario franchise by Illumination. Miyamoto was heavily involved with the design and construction of Super Nintendo World, a themed area featured at Universal Studios Japan, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Epic Universe, and under construction at Universal Studios Singapore. Miyamoto oversaw the design and construction of the land and its attractions and acted as Nintendo's public representative on the land, hosting several promotional materials including a December 2020 Nintendo Direct in which he gave a tour of parts of the land. His influence on the video game industry extended beyond the games themselves to the hardware that powered them, and his ability to balance gameplay and storytelling, and his willingness to experiment with new concepts, set a standard for future game designers.
The Man Behind the Mask
Shigeru Miyamoto's personal life is as intriguing as his professional achievements. He is married to Yasuko, and they have two children. In 2010, his son was 25 and working at an advertising agency, while his daughter was 23 and studying zoology at the time. His children played video games in their youth, but he also made them partake in outside activities. Although Miyamoto can speak some English, he is not fluent and prefers to speak in Japanese for interviews. He does not generally sign autographs, out of concern that he would be inundated, and he does not appear on Japanese television, so as to minimize his chance of being recognized. More foreign tourists than Japanese people approach him. Miyamoto is ambidextrous but usually favors his left hand, which is why his characters Mario and Link were designed to be left-handed. He spends little time playing video games in his personal time, preferring to play the guitar, mandolin, and banjo. He avidly enjoys bluegrass music. He has been quoted as stating, Video games are bad for you? That's what they said about rock and roll. Miyamoto said in a 2016 interview that when he had his own family he took up gardening with his wife, which influenced other games that he was making at the time. He has a Shetland Sheepdog named Pikku that provided the inspiration for Nintendogs. He is also a semi-professional dog breeder. Miyamoto enjoys rearranging furniture in his house, even late at night. He also stated that he has a hobby of guessing the dimensions of objects, then checking to see if he was correct, and reportedly carries a measuring tape with him everywhere. In December 2016, Miyamoto showcased his hobby on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, while also performing the Super Mario Bros. theme on guitar with The Roots during the same show.