The rap on Nintendo: Polished games, innovative hardware, internet hater. In a recent interview with Shigeru Miyamoto (guy's everywhere these days!), the Mario creator says not so! Nintendo is interested in providing a high quality online, networked experience. But, it's just not the way we want have come to expect. It's different. Miyamoto explains:

A lot of people have the misunderstanding that Nintendo is not interested in network gaming. What we are interested in isn't so much the idea of creating a game that is online and networked in a way that we have seen online up until now. We are really more interested in this idea of having the household television connected to the Internet constantly via the Wii. I think you are going to see a lot of new possibilities for new types of entertainment, such as new channels for the Wii in that type of network environment.

I think that will give rise to more social-based communities including those created by users, which is going to be a very interesting and exciting area for us to explore.

So we get more Wii Channels? Swell. Confession: My Wii is not even connected to the internet. That's what my computer is for. And for network play, that's what my Xbox 360 and PS3 are for. The Wii is for playing games with a buncha people at home. Am I alone on this? I can't be... Brian Ashcraft

Not Online Like Your Used To [GamePro, Thanks Yannis!]

And if you're still pissy about having to refer to your new Nintendo console as the Wii, maybe this dull the pain of not owning a "Revolution."

Japanese people have a funny habit of abbreviating names. For instance if you have a "Family Computer," people call it "Famicom". We at Nintendo had thought of giving it a name that can not be abbreviated. It is a very short official name, and we wanted to add other words to create a new additional name. Such as "Wii Sports" "Wii Play" and so on. We debated how the Wii might be thought of in the English speaking countries. And we came to a conclusion that there is no other choice but to use this short, appealing name.

Feel better? I'm guessing "no." Michael McWhertor

Shigeru Miyamoto Talk Asia Interview [CNN]

Today, Mario/Zelda/Donkey Kong, hell, pretty much everything Nintendo, creator Shigeru Miyamoto turns 54. Yep, he's a little old for the sword and shield bit, but whatever. Happy Birthday! Brian Ashcraft

The dig against the Wii is that it's pretty much a GameCube. With a new controller. But, so what? In a recent interview, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto confirms that:

The hardware is basically a GC. We've upgraded our development tools to new versions but, you can still use GC programs as they are. With that in mind, I thought we could remake GC titles for the Wii and modify them to work with the Wii remote so that they're more fun to play.

Not only that, Miyamoto thinks Wii-makes won't command full price as its easy to find the original GameCube titles second hand. Though, fret not, Miyamoto notes that the Wii does have better graphic capabilities than the GameCube, and there will be eye candy games for the Wii. So, it's the GameCube, but better. What's wrong with that? Brian Ashcraft

Miyamoto Talks [GameBrink]

Shigeru Miyamoto talks Wii and Nintendo at the Shigureden in Kyoto. The legendary game creator talks about how moving outside of the isolated game industry has helped the company understand what players want that much more. He states:

The games industry is like a 'big village.' The centre of the village is the most active and healthy part of the games industry and by staying there, it means you can no longer see the outside world. There you'll be pampered and be surrounded by enthusiasts. But a few years ago, I heard in society that Nintendo was losing its place from the centre... It gave us the chance to slip away and understand the game market more... We've been calmly surveying the market and it's not that we're no good in the games industry anymore; it's just that we've surpassed being a 'village company' and in the centre of the spinning world, we've had a chance to think about how Nintendo should continue in its existence. It was a good opportunity and that's when we came up with the catch phrase, 'something that people aged 5 to 95 can enjoy.'

Gaming is insular, and by moving out of it, Nintendo is hoping to expand it. Though, Miyamoto says that he heard the company was losing its place in the industry's center. Can't help but wonder: If Nintendo's current generation had been as successful as previous ones, what direction would the company have taken? Brian Ashcraft

More Here [GameBrink]

Nothing says birthday fun like smashing papier-mache. So thought Kotaku reader JL who made this Pikmin pinata for his 8 year-old party. Says JL:

He loved it so much that he couldn't smash it, so now it hangs in his room.

And the candy inside? Spoiling and drawing ants, we guess. Brian Ashcraft

Yes, there might be Wii-makes. Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto gave a whooper of an interview to Japan's Nintendo Dream magazine. Miyamoto says:

I'm also thinking I can remake some of my GC games for Wii, making use of the Wiimote [translator's wording]... Of course you can wander into a second hand shop and buy a lot of these games still, so I don't think we can release these Wiimakes at full price. Since a lot of the development cost has already been accounted for, we'll be able to release these at a much more affordable price. And if others also take advantage of this and release Wiimakes, there's a high possibility of a lot of software from third parties also.

With the Wii's Virtual Console streaming non-stop virtual goodness, these "Wii-makes" seem wii-eally gimmicky. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Game|Life]

If and when Zelda marries Link, it's good to know this Japanese clothing store has given the princess her own bridal collection. Though, while probably inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald's batshit insane wife Zelda (whose name Miyamoto borrowed) and not the Nintendo game, these outfits don't exactly scream "marry me." Brian Ashcraft

Obligatory info about this clip: the "Mario & Zelda Big Band Live" concert took place back in 2003 at Tokyo's Nihon Seinenkan Hall. The DVD recording was included in Japanese game mag Nintendo Dream. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo composer extraordinaire Koji Kondo put in appearences.

I'll make a confession. I didn't watch this clip. It's an hour long, and time, like good liquor, is precious. This morning, I did listen to it from start to finish. Ashura Benimaru Itoh's guitar reworking of the Super Mario Bros. is sheer brilliance. Brian Ashcraft

Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto sat down with European game mag LEVEL and talked casual gaming. Nintendo's new M.O. has been let's make 'em for the masses. Here's a snippet:

Miyamoto: Everything is about choosing universal subjects; then a game can be appreciated by anyone. Take Nintendogs as an example. Everybody likes to pet dogs. Therefore anyone can appreciate that game. Can I ask you what you ate for dinner yesterday?

Q: I ate a steak.

Miyamoto: That phrase actually came from a Brain Training commercial. When we ask that question, people start to wonder. The question has nothing to do with games, so even though the people that are not gamers think this [it] must concern me! It's better to ask that question than how many weapons that will be in the next Zelda.

That dime store Freud is great and all, Shiggy. So really, how many weapons will be in the next Zelda? Brian Ashcraft

More Here [NeoGAF] via Go Nintendo

Nintendo of Japan put up an English translation of its Corporate Management Policy Briefing, which features a Q&A with company bigwigs. When asked what Miyamoto was currently interested in, company prez. Satoru Iwata replied, "Miyamoto, who made Pikmin when he was gardening and Nintendogs after owning a dog, will answer his hobby today." Ah, that Iwata. Quite the kidder.

Cutting through the standard Touch Generations/Wii rhetoric, the legendary game creator actually offered this surprisingly insightful response, capped off with a typical Nintendo "I can't say anymore right now" kicker. Regardless, Miyamoto answered:

What am I interested in now? I am interested in many things. Maybe you'd love to hear that I recently owned a cat or lizard (laugh). But these are not the decisive factors for me to think about next games. Talking about Pikmin, for example, we were doing a lot of experiments on GameCube by having some concepts which were eventually resulted as Pikmin. It was just that I was doing gardening at that time, so I thought, 'Maybe this might fit into the concepts that we are experimenting now'. It is not that we made the game system because I wanted to incorporate my gardening hobby.

Hit the jump for the rest.

I like dogs and since I owned my dog, I thought that dogs could be a game. However, fact of the matter is, we could not think about the concrete way to make it a fun game. We, then, encountered the DS hardware and realized that we can finally make an application on that dog concept. I was a typical Japanese husband who has been neglecting family lives, but I am spending more time with my family now. I am now interested in how a family enjoys in one house, and that interest pretty much suits well with the concept of Wii hardware. In that sense, Wii will become a hardware which will satisfy my interests of the past 20 years or so, so that I am enjoying making software right now. Finally, I am doing something lately, but I think I need to refrain from talking about it today. Hopefully, I can tell you what it is in 6 months or so.

Whaddaya think, The Sims meets Mario? Brian Ashcraft

Read the Rest Here [Nintendo] via SPOnG

Speaking with Japanese game mag Famitsu, Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto said, We're still debating on the area of how many buttons to use." Miyamoto was responding to a question about run-ins Nintendo had when creating the controller, when he made this remark.

Regardless, Nintendo has high hopes for the console, which was shown when he stated: "The DS is a portable machine, so it ends up being turned on casually while walking around. In the case of a console, this can't be done. We wanted to make something that could be used every day like a television."

Continuing he also pointed out, "We started making this hardware from three years back, and while working, the staff worried whether this was the correct direction to take." So far, so good, as a the Wii got 70 percent in a Famitsu poll for next-gen console of choice. Upon hearing this, Miyamoto asked, "Was there a selection for 'I don't want any of them'? I'd like to know this, because we're fighting this 'I don't want any of them' selection." Brian Ashcraft

More Here [IGN] Thanks, Regan!

All agree that the Revolution was a kick-ass name. Perhaps, a little too kick-ass says Mario maven Shigeru Miyamoto. The legendary game designer told CNN's Chris Morris:

When we first thought about it, myself and others felt that the name Revolution was very appropriate to what we were doing, but [Revolution] is a name that was almost threatening to non-gamers. It wasn't acceptable. So we thought this was more friendly and inviting.

Because, well, everyone is sick of loves pee jokes. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [CNN] Thanks, John!
Our Interview [Kotaku]

During E3, Nintendo resident genius Shigeru Miyamoto expressed his feelings towards Sony's motion-sensor PS3 controller. And his reaction?

The fact that they looked at what we were doing and decided it was a good path is kind of flattering, it kind of reinforces in our minds that we're doing the right thing. What they've done is just take your standard controller and add in this motion-sensing device that's similar to what we did back on the Game Boy Color many years ago. Maybe if they were to completely copy and go with a remote and a nunchuk and two motion sensors, I might be a little more concerned. But I don't think they're anywhere close to that.

Sony's not close now, but just as with the PSP's brain games and pet sims, expect PS3 titles rarin' to compete directly with the Wii. —Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Edmonton Sun] Thanks, Tom!

Three-thousand people crammed into the Highlands above Hollywood Boulevard for the Nintendo party. Gaming's royalty gathered to check out hip-hop act the Black Eyed Peas, down free booze and gobble up finger food. Doors opened at 6:00 pm and by 7:30, the event was in full-force. Mario-maker Shigeru Miyamoto, Metal Gear Solid's Hideo Kojima, Lumines luminary Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Super Monkey Ball trainer Toshiro Nagoshi and Killer 7 hitman Goichi Suda all were in attendance. The *literally* coolest thing? A large Ninty ice sculpture with a funnel through which the bartender poured stoop-inducing firewater. Guests received completely Nintendo noise-making keychains. Some guest received more of these keychains than other guests. Relatively sober slideshow after the jump.

The former designer-turned-executive Iwata said that the DS Brain Training brought him back to gaming. "I played it every day for three to five months since the game launched, and by the end of the day, I got my brain age to about 27," Iwata said. (Brain ages close to 20 years-old are most desirable.) The Kirby creator even confessed that he's "gained a little bit of interest in getting more involved in game development again." He quickly downplayed this interest reports MTV, saying he was too busy preparing speeches and whatnot. Bummer.

As with most businesses, it's readily apparent when those at the top have experience working in the industry. Rarer is when those people can lead and inspire others to create. With Iwata now at the helm, Nintendo seems headed in the right direction. Everything now depends on timing. Are the non-gamers ready to get their game on? In Japan, yes. But, America is another bag altogether. The upcoming Brain Age release should provide a good barometer for the Revolution reception in the US.

Full Story [MTV]

Obviously, the biggest news of the week was the first info to come out of the Sony camp in a long time. After rumors that the Spring launch wasn't going to happen, Ken Kutaragi and crew announced a delay for the PlayStation 3 launch until November of '06, but partnered that with a bit of good news — the next-gen beast will see release globally, with Sony promising a steady stream of consoles.

They also shoved in some PSP news bits, announcing a PlayStation 1 emulator, and GPS and Eyetoy functionality. No new games were announced, shown or hinted at.

And how did the industry react? It went into spin overdrive! From CNN/Money to Nintendo to Microsoft, it seems everyone had to put in their two cents.

On the other side of the world, Microsoft and Rare studios finally dropped details on Viva Pinata! Check out the first screens, obligatory kids cartoon and the official site for more on this hyper-cute Xbox 360 title.

The Bully hate machine started idling this past week, as Miami-Dade area citizens moved for boycotts and blacklisting retailers who carry the title. Expect one of these anti-Rockstar crusades per week until the game hits shelves in the fall.

Can the studio responsible for Catwoman really innovate? That's the question from Kotaku and Businessweek have to ask as EA looks to fresh gameplay and less reliance on licensed content. Will new IP like Spore drive the company, while Madden pays the rent?

The Napoleon of Nintendo, Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto, was honored by the French last week and granted the title "Knight in the National Order of the Legion of Honor". Insert xenophobic American joke about the French here!

The most amazing video game collection ever was revealed last week, with walls (and floor) packed solid with thousands upon thousands of titles. The truly astounding thing is that whomever is responsible for said collection also tricked some woman into having sex with him, resulting in real-life offspring! Quite a feat, and something we're looking for a FAQ on.

Wanna get your geek rock on? Check out Galbadia Hotel, who have a mega repository for video game soundtracks that's almost too good to be true (and definitely too good to last). We're downloading some Ossu! Tatakae! Ouendan tracks as you read this (and retaping our glasses).

Finally, just to get you up to speed with all the rumors, here are the question-marked headlines of the week! Yuji Naka quitting Sega? Katamari team disbanded? Silent Hill remake in the works?

"The high tech game isn't necessarily an interesting game. Above all, the most important thing for a fun game is the power of unique conception." So says Shigeru Miyamoto in a message to prospective applicants for the 2006 Nintendo Seminar. Started back in 2004, the seminar lasts 10 months and gives students a look at the various aspects of the industry. Attendees learn directing, programming, graphic design and sound.

The program isn't in Nintendo's Kyoto HQ, but out of their Tokyo office. Regardless, Miyamoto and company honcho Satoru Iwata are both expected to put in facetime. Send applications (in Japanese only) via the company's website, and note that there are written examination and interview. From this, forty students will be selected. Entry deadline is May 8th.

Apply Here [Nintendo]

Greg Howson over at the Guardian Gamesblog sat down with Nintendo's resident genius Shigeru Miyamoto and got game creator's impression of the poor sales plaguing the industry and the recent PS3 press conference. Miyamoto had this to say:

It's not necessarily that people are getting tired of videogames per se but the problem the industry faces is that it is creating titles that are similar to other ones. Platform holders usually say we have this great number of titles available but what really matters is variety of titles. Customers are more interested in variety and quality then straight quantity. Too many game creators listen to requests from existing gamers who simply want beefed-up versions of existing games. Also, shareholders may be worried about financing games that are different as they are seen as too risky. A lot of creators have lost the ability to create something new. But at Nintendo we are unique as we create new and innovative hardware. You don't always need big budgets. Look at Brain Training, which has been a great success and didn't cost much to create. One of my aims is to let game creators know that they shouldn't feel constricted by budget. If you have a good idea, we have the money.

Any announcement about PS3 will affect Nintendo. But we don't see it as a competition between the two consoles, although the customers always do. It depends on what expectations people have of the PS3 and Revolution. Sony has taken a long time to create their machine but it is obvious that the direction we (Nintendo) are taking is different to the PS3.

Does the Revolution even factor into this so-called, testosterone-driven "console war"? Thought that was more of a Sony/Microsoft kinda thing.

More Here [Guardian]

Eurogamer reports that the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto (Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda) will be doing an online chat this Friday on Webchats.tv at 7pm UK time. Submit your questions now and hear, read rather, what the man has to say.

Info Here [Eurogamer]