In a recent interview with the Japanese design and architecture magazine Casa Brutus, Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary creator of Nintendo’s iconic Super Mario franchise, has revealed that he continues to personally review each new Mario game to ensure it possesses the authentic “Mario feeling.” This insight offers a rare glimpse into the ongoing stewardship of one of the gaming industry’s most beloved and enduring intellectual properties, even as Miyamoto has largely stepped back from day-to-day development.
Miyamoto explained that while he has delegated much of the creative and production workload to the trusted teams now responsible for maintaining the Mario universe, his personal oversight remains a crucial final step. “Now, I have team members who are in charge of maintaining the Mario world, so I delegate a lot of the work to them,” he stated. “Even so, I still personally play the first 30 minutes or so of the game and meticulously check the interface to ensure it really has the feeling of Mario.”
This hands-on approach, focusing on the crucial opening segment of a game, underscores Miyamoto’s role as the ultimate guardian of the franchise’s core identity. He defined this essential “Mario” quality as a combination of being easy for anyone to pick up and play, while simultaneously offering a uniquely distinctive experience. This philosophy has been the cornerstone of the franchise’s success since its inception, making its preservation under new leadership a matter of paramount importance for Nintendo.
The timing of this revelation, as Super Mario graced the cover of Casa Brutus, highlights the character’s status not merely as a gaming icon but as a significant figure in global popular culture and design. Miyamoto’s continued curation ensures that this status is backed by a consistent and quality-controlled experience for players worldwide. His methodical check of the user interface and initial gameplay suggests a focus on the new player’s first impression, ensuring that the intuitive and joyful essence of a Mario game is communicated from the very first moments.
This news comes amidst a period of heightened scrutiny regarding intellectual property in the gaming industry. While unrelated to Miyamoto’s creative process, recent legal discussions involving Nintendo and the game “Palworld” have put a spotlight on how companies protect their flagship franchises. Intellectual property experts, such as lawyer Andrew H. Velzen, have suggested that the outcomes of such cases could influence the behavior of competitors. In this context, Miyamoto’s personal involvement can be seen as a proactive measure to maintain an uncompromising and clearly defined standard for what constitutes an authentic Mario game, thereby fortifying the brand’s identity from a creative, rather than purely legal, standpoint.
Miyamoto’s enduring commitment illustrates a unique model of succession planning in a creative industry. Rather than a complete departure, he has transitioned into a role akin to an executive editor or a master craftsman reviewing the work of his apprentices. This ensures that the accumulated wisdom and design principles he established continue to inform the franchise’s evolution, even as fresh talent takes the reins on development. For the teams working on these projects, passing the “Miyamoto test” in the first 30 minutes of gameplay likely serves as a significant milestone and a badge of honor.
For millions of fans, the knowledge that Miyamoto himself is still the final arbiter of the “Mario feeling” provides a profound sense of reassurance. It signals that despite technological advancements and new creative voices, the soul of the franchise—its accessibility, its charm, and its distinctive playfulness—remains in trusted hands. As the Mario series continues to expand and innovate, this meticulous, personal review process by its creator ensures that its fundamental magic remains authentically intact.
