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Article I: Miyamoto is…

“Awesome.” I said with true awe after being dazzled by the Ocarina of Time intro. It wasn’t the first time I’d expressed my extreme satisfaction for a Miyamoto title aloud. However, it was the most I had ever anticipated a videogame, and everything about it- from the glowing Nintendo logo to the first glimpse of Hyrule Field and the illuminated moon gave me feelings of immense pleasure. I had covered my windows with blankets so the sunlight couldn’t intrude upon the experience. I notified every friend and family member that I was not to be disturbed for at least three days. I remember how removing the gold cartridge from the gold box was almost a religious experience.

Nintendo moments are some of the best moments of my life, and the very best of these moments are all thanks to Shigeru Miyamoto.

As a young Mario fan, I had not the slightest clue of just who Miyamoto was. Maybe I read his name in an old copy of GamePro, but if I did it only served to confuse a chubby 10-year-old who still didn’t understand what the Zelda craze was all about. The name would have sounded odd to me then- foreign and bizarre. I was at the age when Pee Wee was being replaced by Arnold Schwarzenegger as the icon of my beloved afternoon entertainment. Back then, celebrities where the faces on the television, and never the visionaries behind what I was watching. Those guys, the guys that made that stuff… were boring.

Miyamoto introduced me to the character that, in later years, would bring me to appreciate the work that goes into creating a profound gaming experience, and show me what was capable if the imagination was allowed to flourish. It was the 8-Bit Mario Bros. masterpiece that would later introduce me to the world of creative thought, and teach me that, despite the opinion of cynical figures of power in my life at that time, it *was* accepted in the world. And sometimes, just sometimes, creative thought could be used for a better good, and honored by the masses. In my early teen years, Miyamoto became my favorite teacher.

There are always those things that become common ground for everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from. Things that make fine conversation pieces, because everyone is aware of the subject matter at hand, no one is offended or challenged by the subject, and everyone has a unique perspective on the matter. Back then, that subject matter was Mario, something I could discuss (in depth) with all my 4th grade friends then go home and chat about with the parents. Usually, their enthusiasm would be fueled by a news piece they watched or an article they read. Those were the days when Super Mario World was just starting to appear for demonstration in nearby stores, and we were all lining up. 16-bit gaming was so damn amazing. Then my friend bought one. I was so jealous. Everyone began talking about how “advanced” videogames were becoming. Most of those people were completely unaware that a 16-bit bundle of eye-candy by the name of “Sonic” had existed for some time prior. But this was special, because this was Mario… the game mascot that everyone identified with, and he had gone 16-bit. Nintendo, with the help of Miyamoto, had entered into a golden era of gaming.

Miyamoto grew up in a small community outside of Kyoto, Japan. In and around this small community Miyamoto would often explore the natural surroundings. Canyons, creeks, grassy hills… it was the ideal location for an adventurous young man. Then, one fateful day, Miyamoto made a discovery that would forever change the course of his young life, and the lives of so many millions of others. He discovered a hole in the ground. A large hole. Upon closer inspection it became obvious that this hole was actually something more. It was in fact, the opening to a cave. Young Miyamoto returned several times before building up enough courage to enter. Armed with only a lantern, he ventured deep inside until he came to another hole that led to another section of the cave. This was breathtaking. Miyamoto was inspired.

“What if, on a crowded street, you look up and see something appear that should not, given what we know, be there. You either shake your head and dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than we think. Perhaps it really is a doorway to another place. If you choose to go inside you may find many unexpected things.” -Shigeru Miyamoto

He's the perfect role model, the ideal creative superstar, and perhaps one of the more publicly modest men of our time. He’s made mistakes, who hasn’t? But sometimes, Miyamoto-san gets a bad rap for someone else’s misdoing. For example, it’s a common misconception that Shigeru Miyamoto was responsible for the promising but ultimately lacking Yoshi’s Story, the follow-up to Miyamoto’s brilliant Super NES classic, Yoshi’s Island. But the fact remains that Mr. Miyamoto found himself overwhelmingly involved in the Ocarina project, and as a result turned the game over to his good friend and creative comrade. There was an obvious difference in quality between Island and Story, and Miyamoto refers to this difference as the game director’s "style". Keep in mind that Shigeru is usually involved in overseeing at least a dozen projects across multiple platforms at any given time. With that kind of responsibility he only gets to take a few of those projects under his wing, and devote a large amount of time to their conception and development. Something to ponder.

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