Asking Miyamoto Questions:
The Actual Interview

Carl: Are your current projects moving along faster than your first N64 projects did?

Miyamoto: The Nintendo 64 was the first true 3-D machine, in other words we have been experimenting with the new technology for a long time, and also the development tools are much more convenient and readily available to make the various software for the next generation videogame machine. So compared to the days of the launch of N64 software we are in a much better condition to make games for our new system.

Carl: Can you tell us about your current development process, some of the work and procedures that are involved?

Miyamoto: I've been playing the role of a producer these days and making more real Nintendo titles available, producing quality and quantity, and that's why I've been letting so many other people take the director's responsibility. So in Majora's Mask I was not taking any director's role at all and I was letting many other people do the job. Of course on the Dolphin we are working on several different titles because people are expecting us to make the Mario, Starfox or Mario Kart game, but other than that we want to make something really unique and new for the Dolphin. I really want to make at least one unique thing to appear on the Dolphin by launch time.

Carl: Can you tell us what project you've been most involved with lately?

Miyamoto: There are a number of the N64 games to be introduced this year and every month some kind of milestone has been reached for N64 software. My responsibility for overseeing the progress of these N64 games is rather high, and at the same time I've been devoting so much time making up the basics of the Dolphin system, but of course I just cannot tell you what specific title I've been most involved with. [laughs]

Michael: The way games have been going in the last several years, what do you see as the next frontier of videogaming? We've gone from 2-D to 3-D, what do you think is next?

Miyamoto: In terms of the hardware we are in a period of transition from cartridge and CD to DVD, and CPUs are shifting from 300 MHz to 500 MHz, so it's easier to say that the hardware is in a state of evolution. On the other hand we just cannot produce the same terms for the software. If we are able to show something quite unique, even beyond the current titles available (if we are able to show them) at Nintendo Spaceworld in August, that is going to fix the future course of the videogame industry. Or, if that's something so unique and so different from the current way of understanding what videogames should be, then, who knows? We may be saying ‘oh, we don't need videogames anymore [laughs] we should go this direction.’ We just cannot tell what it will be like because it's a software world, and it's one of the reasons it's very interesting to have a job in this business. But right at this moment I just cannot tell you what's going to be the next frontier in the game industry.

Carl: Do you believe that Dolphin will revolutionize gaming the way that the Nintendo 64 did with Mario 64?

Miyamoto: In the case of Mario 64 it was the very first trial to make the very first true three-dimensional gaming experience. But when we are shifting from N64 to Dolphin it's a kind of evolution in technology rather than a revolution. What can bring the revolutionized gaming experience with Dolphin shall be new and unique idea for the gameplay. And if that unique idea requires Mario to be the star player, then yes we are going to incorporate that. But if it's not necessary then some other characters will take his place.

Carl: Do you ever have days when it's difficult to come up with news ideas?

Miyamoto: At the very beginning it's always harder to find a new idea but I'm always confident that with each game I can come up with some new ideas. And right before the deadline I always come up with ideas [laughs] so I've never been so frustrated about coming up with new ideas -- so just believe me my son. [Laughs]

Carl: You've done so much that revolutionized gaming, do you find that some of the new projects you're working on have similar parallels to things you've done in the past?

Miyamoto: Yes, even though we are always trying to work on the new theme, when we have trouble in putting things in order, we often depend on the old methods to make that happen. In the case of Zelda for example, we have shifted from the original Zelda into a three-dimensional world with Ocarina of Time, and even though it's making use of the old system of Zelda, it's a good usage of the original good ideas to make a far better videogame.

Carl: Can we expect any big surprises from you in the next year or so?

Miyamoto: Yes, of course it's my job to surprise people. [laughs]