Shigeru Miyamoto x Shigesato Itoi (1989) on Shmuplations

"This lengthy interview, originally published in Gamer Handbook, captures a high-level meeting of the minds between Shigesato Itoi, Shigeru Miyamoto, and author Seikou Itou. Conducted a few months after the release of the original MOTHER, the conversation quickly turns to philosophical (and comical) musings about realism, creative exhaustion, the moral panic over kids and gaming, and Miyamoto's visionary notions of how gameplay will evolve in the future."

A lovely interview; the kind I see myself and others referring back to for the ages. It felt poignant to me given a (seemingly never-ending) discourse about realistic graphics, industry trends, technology's influence, and design.

"Miyamoto: As we become able to use more colors, it's boring if every image looks the same—if it's just "realistic" art. That's why we're seeing things finished with an illustrative touch, where the whole game has a specific "feel." Whether it's music or art, a game with a distinct worldview is just more fun. When you go that route, the individual creator's touch becomes everything."

This is exactly why a game like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is timeless in its appearance.

"Miyamoto: Well… I'm not really sure, to be honest. If I say too much, I might get in trouble! (laughs) But if I were to take a more cynical view, I'd say that what's "selling" has mostly been driven by fashion. There's a more timeless side to gaming where the players and the way they play doesn't really change all that much. But people tend to look at whatever is at the absolute peak of hype and say, "Look, this is what's selling!" To me, that's just fashion, so I really can't say where the industry is going.

Itou: Ah, I see. So in reality, every genre has its own dedicated following, and there's this steady, grounded work going on behind the scenes.

Miyamoto: Right now, all else being equal in terms of fun, the games that sell are usually the grand, large-scale RPGs with sprawling stories and worlds... games that take a long time to play through. But personally, I prefer games you can finish quickly. I think they have a much better chance of reaching a wider audience. Everyone is so focused on "long-play" games because they think that's what sells, but then something like Tetris comes along and just blows everyone away."

I mean, is there a more apt quote to describe PlayStation's pursuit of live-service titles this generation? Or the sea of open-world RPG action adventure titles that has inundated the market since the PS3 and 360 generations?

"Miyamoto: Focusing on things like "trends" or "best-sellers" might make it look like we've hit a wall, but in reality, I think the possibilities are as open as they've ever been."

I hope this applies today. I think it does, especially at Nintnedo.

Itou: Are developers really out of ideas? I can't stop wondering.

Miyamoto: I think there are still plenty of possibilities in game design. For instance, imagine a game where you input something, and when you check back a month later, it's transformed into something totally unexpected. We don't have anything like that, do we?

Or, take how people living in apartments today can't keep pets. If someone who was obsessed with the joy of having a pet made a game that captured that feeling, I think it would become a huge craze. And since it's a simulation, you could even include the "unfortunate" parts, like the pet eventually passing away, as part of the experience.

Shmuplations: It's incredible that Miyamoto's comments here in 1989 predict the coming of games like Animal Crossing, Nintendogs, or Bandai's Tamagotchi device."

Shmuplations took the words right out my mouth. It's amazing to see Miyamoto describe Nintendogs and Animal Crossing decades before their release and domination.

"Itou: You're so kind, Miyamoto.

Itoi: That's why he loves playing with kids.

Itou: I bet he does. He probably likes making funny faces and stuff like that.

Itoi: In that sense, he's a very strict person.

Miyamoto: Strict? You think so?

Itoi: Yeah. You're strict about creating a space that is truly fun to play in."

Play has always been Miyamoto's strongest tool. Being strict abut play is a, I think, wonderful way to describe it.

"Miyamoto: There's this new software on the Macintosh called HyperCard. It's a system that lets you create things that are almost like interactive picture books. It's designed so that if a creator just throws their scenario in, the system builds the world for them...

...With HyperCard, for example, you can wander through an art museum. You receive a program at the entrance, walk down the hallways, and then you can just look around. You can stand back and view five or six paintings at once, or you can step closer, close enough to examine the actual texture of the art. That kind of experience is possible now."

You know I had to include a mention about the Mac. Funny to think that 27 years later that Miyamoto would be on Apple's stage to announce Super Mario Run for iOS. I wonder if he uses a Mac...

I encourage you to read the full translated interview for many more gems.