Famed game designer Shigeru Miyamoto is never shy to give a game interview. On their website, Entertainment Weekly interviewed the Super Mario Bros. creator on a number of topics, ranging from social issues in video games, his age, development style and disappointments with projects. “In the past we’ve worked with some outside development houses on titles like F-Zero and Starfox – and let me just say that we were disappointed with the results. Consumers got very excited about the idea of those games, but the games themselves did not deliver,” Miyamoto said, possibly taking swipes at Namco for their handling of Star Fox Assault and Sega for F-Zero GX (which is puzzling, considering the reviews that it received).
When asked about the response that games like Halo have in America compared to Nintendo’s own franchises like Metroid, which have been overlooked by some consumers in favor of Bungie’s Master Chief, he replies: “I could make Halo. It’s not that I couldn’t design that game. It’s just that I choose not to. One thing about my game design is that I never try to look for what people want and then try to make that game design. I always try to create new experiences that are fun to play.” And how do you tell if you have a good product on your hands? “When I show a game to people I don’t ask their opinion or give them a survey. I just watch their eyes and their face while they play. Do they smile? Do they look frustrated? So I guess I do test my games – but it isn’t very scientific.”
