Shigeru Miyamoto continues a string of interviews related to the opening of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood, this time appearing on the bastion of public radio and background noise for suburbanites driving kids to school in the morning, NPR’s Morning Edition. Miyamoto discussed several items, the primary of which was Mario’s legacy and longevity.
Miyamoto first thought that Mario stuck around in the hearts and minds of people simply because the games were popular and people played them a lot, but his perspective has evolved – he now believes that Mario’s position as a video game character who acts as an avatar for the audience who can stand in for players across multiple generations. He notes that Mario simply wouldn’t have had the same presence if he was, say, a comic book character, and compared Mario to Mickey Mouse in the way the characters have evolved alongside their respective mediums (Mickey with animation, Mario with games).
Miyamoto also talked about the sensation of “feeling one with” games, whether too many video games are bad for you, and what Nintendo will be like one day without him. Check out the full audio interview for more.
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Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
