A name is most frequently associated with the brand most
Popular Games-Shigeru Miyamoto. You have created a
most of Nintendo’s hit titles, from Donkey Kong to
Zelda 64. As you turn your attention to the Dolphin (the
current codename for Nintendo’s next system), we had
the opportunity to ask the teacher some questions. here it is
what he had to say:
Q: What projects are you currently working on?
A: Actually, that’s not a very easy question. I want more
and more young people to work on games now. Am
Getting older now and although I say I’ve been
working as a producer, my involvement in each game
It goes beyond simply being a producer. I hope I can
be more of a producer caring and supervising
many different projects at the same time, with the
Nintendo’s point of view in five years, as
foundation, in a certain sense. That’s where I am now, but in
In the same vein, I want to make some games myself, at
minus one. I am focusing on the Dolphin project when
It comes to my own game.
Q: To what extent are you involved in Zelda Gaiden?
A: I can’t get as fully involved as I usually do. Of
From time to time I will be involved in certain points of the
development, but I have refrained from doing
specifications for the game.
Q: What types of games would you like to see remade or
Dolphin sequel?
A: I think the biggest difference between being the
producer and being a director is, if you are a director
You can check each phase of the game yourself to
confirm that it is your game so that you feel how it is
I like to play the game itself. that is the biggest
difference with being the producer of the game. For
For example, F-Zero and Yoshi, when you look at these
games, you realize that they have more of the touch of
other directors. I’m trying to monitor the whole
process, and then ask each of the directors to be in charge
of the game so that they can reflect on their own
tap. Although, as with a game like Legend of Zelda, I want
my own touch is clearly reflected. So I think from now on
and even in Dolphin there will be Nintendo games [and
sequels] and although I will not be deeply involved in your
development, you will feel the Nintendo touch in
many games.
In other words, although I will not be deeply involved in the
sequel development process, you may feel the same way
way when playing those games, which I once worked on
them.
Q: Personally, would you like to see a Wave Race game?
in the dolphin?
A: Yes, definitely (laughs). Even when we were working
In Wave Race, we realized that the N64 was not powerful
enough for that type of game. Specifically we wanted
make very detailed movements for the waves, at least as
detailed like what Wave Race was for N64. In the case of
Dolphin that should be done easily.
Q: What are we most passionate about about Dolphin technology?
you?
A: Although N64 was much more advanced, much more
than previous technologies (Super Famicom), still
We have to admit that we have to pay all our attention to
game development so that the game runs on the
system. When N64 was introduced, I think I said something similar.
thing, but now it’s easier for us to make a game in
Dolphin compared to when we were the first
starting on N64.
In other words, when we are going to try something new
hardware-based experiment… with the N64 we had
pay full attention to each point so that the system
can still run. But in the case of Dolphin, it is not necessary.
so that we can put our maximum attention on that type of
details. The system can be easily run so you can test
something quite new. I think that’s the most exciting thing.
What happens to me with Dolphin. Furthermore, with the N64, in the
At first we made games for the first time in 3D.
In the course of that we realized so many things,
especially we encounter the inefficiency of making
these types of games on the N64. I believe in those
The inefficiencies and problems have already been solved.
the Dolphin hardware, so it will become a very
profitable product.
For example, in the case of 3D fighting games. You will see
many 3D fighting games on other platforms because
It is one of the easiest ways to make use of hardware
function. More specifically, if it’s a fighting game, you have
only two characters to put into RAM, and that’s relatively
easy. That’s why there are so many fighting games.
what’s on those platforms. In the case of Smash
Brothers, you see up to four players on the screen.
simultaneously, but at the same time, the character
The models are much simpler than those involved.
with only two players. That’s the kind of limitation I am.
talking about.
But if you are a creator and they tell you: ‘if you want, we
We can reach five or ten players without any problem.
That’s the situation with Dolphin. the dolphin can do
That, N64 can’t do that. Then your energy can be
concentrated not on how to increase the number of games
characters, but how are you going to make use of these?
Five or ten more characters on the screen. Having said
That can put you as a creator in another problem,
because now you can use as many players as you want
and you have to arrange them in your own mind so that
you can manage to control that in the end.
Q: Nintendo and Rare are creating games based on the
Disney license. Are you involved in that or would you like to?
be involved?
A: I am not involved and if possible I try not to be involved
in the product. Please don’t get me wrong, I love you.
Disney characters. But Disney is a type of company that I am
will compete with.
Q: How is the development of Super Mario progressing during
the dolphin?
A: Perrin [from Nintendo of America] He told me not to say
nothing about that.
Q: So it’s confirmed?
A: At least I’m working on it…
I’m the kind of designer who starts with an experiment.
In the case of Wave Race, I started from the experiment.
to make waves. If Mario is surfing the wave, he will leave
For a Mario game, if it’s Link, then it’s a Zelda.
game. That’s how I decide which game to play.
Q: How does Dolphin’s use of DVDs affect the way you
Develop/create a game?
A: I still believe that the cartridge is the best medium for
software development, so I have to tell you that I feel
some drawbacks when making games on DVD like the new one
media for the new platform. But at the same time, it is
It is very important that the cost for the media is
stabilized and it is good for our own teams because
It should not be taken into account that the memory
The size will decide the cost of the software for retailers.
Now the only thing we have to take into account is how long and
energy that we are going to spend on creating new
software. That will be reflected in the final price.
retail.
Dolphin can follow the same concept of N64, which was
originally called Project Reality. will have much more
functionality with advanced technologies, such as AI. People
We talk about AI for gaming today. But now it is
actually pseudo AI, pretending to be incorporated
in the main characters. Now it’s becoming a lot
It is easier for us to install real AI in the game characters.
because we are going to have a much more powerful
CPU, which should be enough to realize this concept.
More than the calculation capacity, it is the ability to
simulate something real. That’s going to intensify.
or advanced. Until now, the freedom to create games
has expanded with the arrival of new technologies
on the playing field. But we haven’t come far enough to
Do something very free. Except I should say that
There are new games like music and dance games, and
Those are really appreciated. we should be able to do
more power available to free our ideas so that we can
Create much more unique and different games in Dolphin.
Q: The other competing systems have very ambitious goals.
Online game plans. Do you consider the Internet as the
The future also for Delfín?
A: There has to be something that Dolphin has going for him.
Internet, because from now on we cannot create
mindless entertainment online
communication. At the same time, we are a
entertainment company so we have to take into account
Consider the cost associated with network gaming,
and the ages of the users, who are really going to
make use of it. If we consider these two points right now,
I have to tell you that there is not a big market right now.
that Dolphin represents an important business on the Internet.
Nintendo, as an entertainment company, has a
responsibility towards parents and children so that parents
they can always feel confident in providing their children
Nintendo machines, hardware and software. then why
Of that, I don’t think that network capabilities are the core of
The Dolphin project.
Q: With game development now, especially FFVIII and
Rare’s Jet Force Gemini, approaching a movie feel,
Are you thinking about creating your most similar games?
movies with the dolphin?
A: In the case of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,
It made use of the technology used in movies. But we didn’t
Try making Zelda as a movie. In the case of Delfin,
Also, I have no intention of making games as movies. Yo
We believe that we will make continued use of the
visual or sound effects already established in films.
But in doing this, what we are trying to do is make
something unique and unprecedented. So in the case of
Dolphin, of course, I’m going to study what they’re doing.
in the film industry, but I will never make films like
games. I would like to do something that is very
special making use of something established.
In the case of Final Fantasy, what are they doing for it?
Pre-rendering is used to make the game look like a movie.
technology. In games like Jet Force Gemini and others,
We’re doing similar types of effects using real time.
motion. In reality, these are past technologies and
concepts. I think it’s not that we’re getting closer.
movies, but movie producers try to adapt this type
of a new approach, in other words, real-time movement, to
his film production.
Q: What is your impression of the popularity of Pokémon?
Especially in the United States?
A: I am also the producer of Pokémon. when we
I started this project in Japan, one of the first things I had
What I was told was that this kind of thing would never attract anyone.
American audiences. So from the beginning, I never
I thought there would be an English version. Now, it’s just
so popular in the United States [as in Japan]me too
We realized that we should not always believe the opinions of
conservative marketers. Before they said, ‘because
The characters are like Japanese animation, they cannot be sold.
give them to the Americans. But now, because it is very
Japanese in appearance, they can be sold in other parts of the country.
world too. But when I think about it more, the
The main reason why it has become so popular is Mr. Tajiri,
the main developer and creator of Pokémon, did not start
this project with business sense. In other words, he
I didn’t intend to do something that would become
very popular. He just wanted to do something that he
I wanted to play. No commercial sense was included;
only his love is involved in the creation. Somehow, what he
wanted to create for himself was appreciated by others in
this country and is shared by people from other countries.
And there are other works and personnel included to make a
A very big Pokémon world. And that’s the point: no.
make something to sell, something very popular, but to love
something, and make something that we, the creators, can
love. It is the central feeling that we should have when doing
games.
