Miyamoto on Revolution

By Ellie Gibson Published 16 June, 2005

Mario 128, DS and big gun.

As rumours surrounding the Nintendo Revolution controller continue to fly around the net with increasing ridiculousness, Shigeru Miyamoto has declared that it really is going to be a really big deal.

In an interview with Wired News, Miyamoto accuses his rivals of nicking all Nintendo's best ideas, again, saying: "Nintendo is always trying to be on the forefront of control innovations, like the analog stick, rumble or wireless. As soon as these are available, our competitors snatch them up.

"Because the user interface is going to drive the Revolution software design, that's what's going to make our software stand out. Nobody else is going to be able to do what we do with next-generation game software.

"So, I can't reveal anything. It's under wraps because it's the big gun." (Cue new wave of headlines: Revolution Controller to be Giant G-Con?, Nintendo Hints at Next-Gen Duck Hunt etc.)

Miyamoto went on to confirm that Mario's next 3D adventure is going to appear on Nintendo's next-gen console rather than the GameCube: "The Mario team can't create too many games at the same time, so they're still concentrating on the Revolution."

And they've yet to finish work on the initial game concept, apparently. "It's still floating around," says Miyamoto. "We're searching for that fundamental idea that's going to drive the next 3D Mario game, but we're not sure when that's going to jump out at us. We're doing lots of tests with small groups."

But before Mario 128 arrives there's always New Super Mario Bros DS to look forward to. Miyamoto says that the team working on it is led by Takashi Tezuka and Toshihiko Nakago, who've long worked on the Mario and Zelda series respectively.

"I jump in from time to time, so it's really close to the original Mario team members," he says, which might explain why the game will see Mario going back to his 2D roots.

"When Mario went 3D, there were a lot of new things that Mario could do and that the player could experience. But moving from the side-scrolling game that everybody is used to into a full 3D environment, the game design process became more difficult.

"With the DS we wanted a game that uses cutting-edge technology - you're using wireless gameplay for two-player simultaneous Mario - but also has gone back to the roots of the series to be a game that anybody can pick up because it's very familiar.

"We wanted a Mario game that everybody can be excited to play," Miyamoto adds.

Miyamoto goes on to criticise critics who have criticised him for criticising unoriginal games (full story here), saying: "Nintendo's always been about challenging itself to come up with interesting things.

"People from outside might say that we make many different games with Mario every year, or a lot of Zelda games. But within those titles are always new and interesting challenges. We have the luxury of being both profitable and creative."

To read the full interview, and learn about Miyamoto's views on Nintendogs, hardcore vs casual gamers and the state of the Japanese games industry, click here.

Rumours that the Nintendo Revolution controller will feature eleven analog sticks, a 32" touch screen and be covered with human skin are probably untrue.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (44) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • DB2k #1 7 years ago

    Finally,.. this news item has been on the RSS for like 18 hours..
    ok maybe an hour or so.. no idea why it wasn't added to the site.

    Maybe someone read the email I sent whinging?

    cheers!

  • Universal_Hamster #2 7 years ago

    Gah, quit whining about old news. It got old real fast.

  • Destria #3 7 years ago

    "Miyamoto goes on to criticise critics who have criticised him for criticising unoriginal games "

    That'll attract some criticism...

    /coat
    Edited by 1 at 16/06/05 @ 15:16

  • Blerk #4 7 years ago

    Yeah, well... I think I'll wait and see. I get the idea this 'revolutionary idea' is either going to be totally underwhelming or utterly pointless. Prove me wrong, Nintendo!

  • Teeth #5 7 years ago

    "Gah, quit whining about old news. It got old real fast."

    He means that EG's RSS feed had the news item up but the main site didn't :)

  • Machiavel #6 7 years ago

    So Mario 128 is far, far away from reality. Thought they had an innovative idea for it when first announced, before the Gamecube launch!

  • #7 7 years ago

    Have faith Blerky boy, Nintendo usually get the hardware/design/games/controllers just right.

    It's the marketing they tend to screw up at :)

  • Blerk #8 7 years ago

    Have faith Blerky boy, Nintendo usually get the hardware/design/games/controllers just right.

    /points at crappy Cube pad shoulder buttons
    /points at awful Cube pad Z button
    /points at terrible Cube pad d-pad
    /points at irritating Cube pad second analogue stick
    /shrugs shoulders at DS 'magic touch pad'

  • #9 7 years ago

    And they've yet to finish work on the initial game concept, apparently. "It's still floating around," says Miyamoto. "We're searching for that fundamental idea that's going to drive the next 3D Mario game, but we're not sure when that's going to jump out at us. We're doing lots of tests with small groups."

    still looking for that gimmick then. :(

  • Tonka #10 7 years ago

    The fact that MS and SONY release their consonles before Nintendo won't stop them from copying the Revolution controller(if it's worth copying). Just look at the PS1 controller that turned into DualShock or that behemoth that turned into a ControllerS(ony rippoff)

  • Sko #11 7 years ago

    I'm just hoping that whatever controller they cook up, it doesn't exclude the Rev from having 'normal' games - or convince people that any game not fully utilising them/it is a failure (DS syndrome?).

  • #12 7 years ago

    omg blerk you don't like the cube pad?

    /me hugs wavebird

  • Blerk #13 7 years ago

    omg blerk you don't like the cube pad?

    I like the shape and weight, and the main stick and buttons are excellent. Just a shame they got fed up of trying before they'd finished work on the fine details.

  • DB2k #14 7 years ago

    He means that EG's RSS feed had the news item up but the main site didn't :)

    Thanks Teeth. Hamster - learn to read ;)

    plus
    /me hugs wavebird too. And laughs at the pretzel shaped Ps3 pads..

  • octo #15 7 years ago

    I've got it!

    The new controller will be an exact model of Joseph Stalin. You'll have to twist his ears and poke your fingers in his eye sockets but the gameplay revelations will be "sextastic".

  • Huntcjna #16 7 years ago

    mmmmmmmmmm skin

  • smelly #17 7 years ago

    "Thought they had an innovative idea for it when first announced, before the Gamecube launch! "

    Me too.. and he's said constantly it's been in works for yonks now but they didnt want to show it for fear of people stealing it.

    Was he fibbing?

  • smelly #18 7 years ago

    "points at crappy Cube pad..."

    Points at controller S which is near exact copy :-P

  • octo #19 7 years ago

    The controller S and gamecube pad are almost completely different.

    Really. They are.

  • Feanor #20 7 years ago

    "/points at crappy Cube pad shoulder buttons
    /points at awful Cube pad Z button
    /points at terrible Cube pad d-pad
    /points at irritating Cube pad second analogue stick"

    The Cube pad is nice in many respects - I personally found the shoulder buttons to work perfectly for REmake and RE 4 which are my only two Cube games. But I agree that the D-pad is a joke, there should be another Z button on the left so the controller has 4 shoulder buttons, and the C-stick seems to have been made a funny shape just for the sake for it.

  • captain-future #21 7 years ago

    Blerk: /points at crappy Cube pad shoulder buttons
    nothing wrong with them.

    /points at awful Cube pad Z button
    oh so true.

    /points at terrible Cube pad d-pad
    the reason why you can't play "Street Fighter" games on Cube.

    /points at irritating Cube pad second analogue stick
    nothing wrong with that but L-Stick is problematic because of the octaeder design (no true analog feeling).

    /shrugs shoulders at DS 'magic touch pad'
    me too, but the "puff" from WarioWare is ingenious.

  • Grunk #22 7 years ago

    You know I could design a revolutionary controller, if only nintendo would ask......

  • ProfessorLesser #23 7 years ago

    Someone read my monkey idea, at least... *looks at octo*

    Blerk, I reckon half of that list is a matter of opinion/implementations. There is nothing wrong with the shoulder buttons or the c-stick in and of themselves, really.

    The Z-button isn't THAT bad once you've been using it a while... but it's a step backwards for Nintendo, who win Best Button Ever Award for the legendary Z-trigger.

    However, the D-pad was made by Satan. Mini-Satan at that.

    /Agrees with Sko.

    /Sandra Dickinson ~ "We have normality"

  • #24 7 years ago

    I think the original prototype cube controller was the best thing ever. There was no need to change it.

    It had no d-pad (superfluous, not required) or Z button (put there at the request of 3rd parties) and the shoulder buttons were SNES style. The B-button was like the X and Y buttons (but a bit larger) and the Start/Pause button was where the D-pad is now.

  • #25 7 years ago

    Here's a link of the prototype in question.

    http://www.axess.com/twilight/console/detail/gcnprot1.j pg

    The cube controller today feels like a controller designed by committee / focus groups. ie it tries to do too much / please everyone.

  • terminalterror #26 7 years ago

    "/points at irritating Cube pad second analogue stick
    nothing wrong with that but L-Stick is problematic because of the octaeder design (no true analog feeling)."

    I take it you haven't played Super Monkey Ball then? I haven't tried playing the PS2 port, but I shudder to think how you play the hard levels with a totally round stick. Even for other games, I personally prefer the ridged design around the edge as it feels a lot more accurate.

  • pelolep #27 7 years ago

    Ya know, I think the Revolution isn't going to have any controllers at all. The game developers have to also develop a controller that suits the game perfectly.

  • smelly #28 7 years ago

    well bear in mind they said they wouldnt show anyone mario 128 as it was revolutionary and people would copy it.

    Now it appears they havent even decided what to put in 128 yet!?!?

    Could the same be true for the pad? Im surpsised none of the sony/microsoft fanboys have picked up on this!

  • kflarsen #29 7 years ago

    But YOU had to point it out, didn't you?

  • onyxbox #30 7 years ago

    perhaps the reovution will be some kind of brain plug like the one used in the Matrix

    or something a bit like the holodeck

  • Xerx3s #31 7 years ago

    "In an interview with Wired News, Miyamoto accuses his rivals of nicking all Nintendo's best ideas, again, saying: "Nintendo is always trying to be on the forefront of control innovations, like the analog stick, rumble or wireless. As soon as these are available, our competitors snatch them up." Yeh, well, duh. Its called copieing the good ideas from the competition mate. And its not like nintendo is a complete stranger to those kind of things. *COUGH* cardridge to optical disc *COUGH*

    "Nobody else is going to be able to do what we do with next-generation game software." - In other news, console developer claims that his system is the best and will do things that none other can do. This shocking news was quickly followed by his claim that he also had the longest dick. Competitors quickly recoverd and critisised the impossibility of the claimed lenght and demanded proof.

    Anyway, the n64 controller rocked (yes, there wasnt anything like it in those days) but the gc controller was kinda poor compared to the general design of the competition (atleast thats my oppinion).

    Actually, i think that the dreamcast & xbox normal controllers are the best :) I have big hands/paws/claws so those small ctrl-s and ps crap are far to small for my comfort :(

  • ChocNut #32 7 years ago

    onyxbox:
    "perhaps the reovution will be some kind of brain plug like the one used in the Matrix

    or something a bit like the holodeck"

    Sweet - put me back in Nintendo's bed so. Or VR - Now is the time for VR - we finally have the tech to do it really really well.

    /Prays for Metroid 'Immersion' or whatever...
    Edited by 1 at 16/06/05 @ 20:28

  • ProfessorLesser #33 7 years ago

    ChocNut - exactly what technology is that?

    Xerx3s - How is using an optical storage medium a control innovation? How is it any innovation? And in any case, would you rather Ninty stuck to their cartridges, lost all support, and went broke? Slightly different issue I think... mate.

    Everyone knows that, by and large, if Nintendo say they're going to do something different, and that nobody else will be able to, they're telling the truth. That's what Nintendo are for. The real argument is whether or not this is a good thing...

    If there is a console war, then Nintendo fight the good fight. Sony and M$ own the handbags.

  • TheAlbaniac #34 7 years ago

    I remember back when they first announced the nintendo ds, everyone screamed 'gimmick' at the mention of the two screens and most people couldn't imagine it truly being innovative. This was cleared up when it turned out that the second screen was a touch screen....and yet many screamed 'gimmick' and never expected the touchscreen to be used in anything but a gimmicky way.

    I think it's fair to say that the ds IS a fairly innovative device, and that the touchscreen is already now being used in sufficiently innovative ways. I can't wait to see what they'll do with it in the future.

    Now, you might disagree as to the amount of 'innovation' the ds brought, but I think it isn't an exaggeration to say that the ds turned out fine. It sells well, is worth it's money (to me, anyways), really DOES do some new things and it actually gets non-gamers to play games (one of nintendo's goals, isn't it?)

    I trust we'll understand what's 'revolutionary' about the revolution when nintendo decides to release more information. They might have messed up, or gotten lazy with the cube (although it's been worth every penny to me), they seem to be on the right track now and so far have delivered on their promises.

    Now if only they could do somehting about their image, at least in europe...
    Edited by 1 at 17/06/05 @ 00:06

  • Carrybagma #35 7 years ago

    My index finger is rather sore from playing Metroid Prime.

    We'll probably find that the new controller looks no more advanced than what we've got now and many people will mock Nintendo, but the games will provide the proof. I recall a lot of mocking and "so what?"-type comments about the N64 analogue controller from people who obviously hadn't played Mario64.

    Edit: The D-pad has got to go. It's time is up.
    Edited by 1 at 17/06/05 @ 02:37

  • dk_rare #36 7 years ago

    Blerk dosn't have faith in anything, he would rather sleep in bed with other industry giants whispering in his ear the way they want the industry to go LOL.

  • TILT #37 7 years ago

    "Edit: The D-pad has got to go. It's time is up."
    You're kidding, right? How will we be able to play Virtua Fighta et al. without a pad? Not everyone wants to have a rather bulky Fighting Stick in their homes. And I don't believe that Fight Night's analogue stick control scheme works for every fighting game out there. I want a double d-pad to be able to pull of even more insanely long combos. ;-)

  • AFX #38 7 years ago

    My money is on a controller with gyro sensors like in Warioware Twisted but able to tilt more than one dimension. Imagine a new Monkeyball with a controller like that!

  • crashVoodoo #39 7 years ago

    " ... My money is on a controller with gyro sensors like in Warioware Twisted but able to tilt more than one dimension. Imagine a new Monkeyball with a controller like that! ..."

    hardly revolutionary tho is it ? MS had one of these out for the pc soooooooooo many moons ago

  • Nikanoru #40 7 years ago

    I take it you haven't played Super Monkey Ball then? I haven't tried playing the PS2 port, but I shudder to think how you play the hard levels with a totally round stick. Even for other games, I personally prefer the ridged design around the edge as it feels a lot more accurate.

    Signed. The round edges on the Dual Shock are bloody awful for anything like that.

  • TheAlbaniac #41 7 years ago

    crashVoodoo: that's true, but then again, a touchscreen isn't revolutionary either. Making it a 'mandatory', integral part of a console design is, though.

  • #42 7 years ago

    hardly revolutionary tho is it ? MS had one of these out for the pc soooooooooo many moons ago

    It completely alters the control system and how games are controlled/played (even more so than the analogue control stick did on N64). Surely, that is revolutionary. That's assuming that's what Nintendo has brewing.

    Nintendo's gyroscopic tech is based on Gyration - I doubt anyone has even heard of the MS offering (I certainly hadn't). Why haven't MS followed up and released that on XBOX/360? You know, "Zen of gaming" and the controller being an "extension of your body" and all that...

  • Blerk #43 7 years ago

    Blerk dosn't have faith in anything, he would rather sleep in bed with other industry giants whispering in his ear the way they want the industry to go LOL.

    Too damn right I don't have any faith in anything. I've been playing games for too long and been disappointed far too many times to believe that anything is going to be any good until I've seen it for myself.

    Seeing is believing. Hoping something will be good before it's even announced is just setting yourself up for a disappointment.

  • Rob #44 7 years ago

    The d-pad won't go - it has to be there for the NES/SNES games for a start.

    It really is an interesting question though - exactly what kind of pad is going to make playing NES/SNES/N64/GC and Rev games possible all in one go?

  • TheAlbaniac #45 7 years ago

    Isn't that why they kept the old gamecube controller ports? I can't imagine it's 'just' for gamecube games. Technically, the old gamecube controller can play games for all the nintendo platforms (sans revolution). I do hope they release a new (cheaper?) 'conventional' controller though, one that actually has a decent d-pad.

    If this is what they had in mind, I expect them to make the revolution controller REALLY weird, because they don't have to make it compatible with anything.

  • Kengro #46 7 years ago

    I have to agree with you Blerk...
    There are far too many who are buying the hype that's surrounding the next gen consoles. I got all the bragging from the super nintendo / Mega drive years and upwards in my ears yet... So i will sit around and wait...
    The only thing i know is that i'm getting xbox 360, live is the only reason so far

  • Bushidog #47 7 years ago

    If Nintendo and MS were smart, they'd copied Sony's DualShock.

    /waiting to be shot at ;-)