The Encounter

I had played Dinosaur Planet, Majora’s Mask, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Banjo-Tooie, the Gameboy Advance and countless German detective games (just so I could sit on the chair in front of it). I was just taking a walk around the Nintendo area soaking up the atmosphere and then 'it' happend.

Shigeru Miyamoto walked right passed me. If I wanted to I could have reached out and cuddled him. It’s probably the first time in my life I have stopped and froze in absolute awe. I grabbed Mo and pointed right at the great man who was now signing the note pad of a happy journalist who had literally chased him “oi, it’s Shigeru Miyamoto!” I said quietly “the guy who made Zelda?” he said with enthusiasm “exactly” I said.

We went through our big yellow bag of freebies frantically searching for anything for Mr. Miyamoto to sign, I wished I had listened to what Carl had said the day before and brought my copy of Mario 64 and a marker pen but ironically I thought “yeah right, as if I’ll meet him”. Shigeru Miyamoto went into the Nintendo reception after taking great care with the happy journalist’s autograph and I ran to the glass door which showed Shigeru Miyamoto and two other men going up stairs into what I now know was the interview room.

I waited for him to come out of the reception for about 10 minutes, he never appeared from the Nintendo reception so Mo and I gave up and went to play some Mario Tennis.