We don’t typically celebrate birthdays here on the website, but there are exceptions to the rule, as with all things. In this case, we’re not just talking about any birthday, but we’re talking about the birthday of an icon! The one and only Shigeru Miyamoto. It’s safe to say that without Miyamoto, Nintendo wouldn’t be close to what it is right now, and we have history on our side to back that up. He’s been at Nintendo for 45 years and is considered one of the “fathers of gaming” due to his accomplishments and roles. So let’s highlight this man’s career and all he’s contributed to it, shall we?
Shigeru Miyamoto started working for Nintendo in the late 1970s. This was before Nintendo was officially a video game company. Once they started getting into the arcade market, Miyamoto was there to help them create some of their first arcade titles.
However, when attempts to get into the American market failed, they turned to Miyamoto to make something special that wasn’t like any arcade game that came out previously. Miyamoto was a storyteller, so he crafted a familiar but fun story that would lead to the creation of the Donkey Kong arcade title, which remains one of the most important games in video game history.
The title was a huge success, leading to Miyamoto working on many more arcade titles and gaining lots of favor with Nintendo.
Then, as Nintendo shifted into the console market, Miyamoto was there again to help create some of the system’s best titles. One of them was Super Mario Bros, which is, yet again, one of the most important games ever developed and a title that helped save the video game market in North America! He also developed The Legend of Zelda series, which further enhanced gamers’ love of Nintendo.
With those successes, Miyamoto gained more and more fame within Nintendo and the gaming community. He became one of the “rockstars” of the company and was used for promotions, game reveals at shows like E3, and more!
Even now, 45 years later, he’s still helping make games, like Pikmin 4, another series he helped create, and he worked on the Super Mario Bros Movie with Illumination to ensure that it met his expectations and the expectations of Nintendo!
While it’s true that Shigeru Miyamoto has made mistakes in the past, his role in giving Nintendo its best franchises more than makes up for his flaws. So thanks for everything, Mr. Miyamoto, and happy birthday!
