Japanese creator Shigeru Miyamoto ensures that the key to the saga continues to be “running and jumping”, without forgetting fun.
Words from one of the creators
The comment is part of the Official Nintendo Museum booka commemorative edition that reunites the game’s original team: Miyamotothe designer Takashi Tezukathe composer Koji Kondo and the programmer Toshihiko Nakago. The four reflect on how the saga has survived four decades by reinventing itself again and again without losing its essence.
Miyamoto explained on which the character’s survival depends do not betray your original spirit adapting to new technologies. “Super Mario will always evolve by incorporating the latest digital technology,” he noted. “Even as it has expanded into films and other media, I want to make sure it remains interactive and digital. As long as we don’t forget that Mario’s core feature is running and jumping, he will be with us for a long time.”
Opinions divided on the future of the character
The legendary designer, who has already guided Mario through the worlds of 2D, 3D, virtual reality and cinema, compared the process to grow a snowman: “If a new technology is interesting, I think by incorporating it we can increase the fun, like rolling a snowball.”
For his part, Takashi Tezuka was more cautious, admitting that “it would be a miracle if Mario was still here in 100 years,” although he clarified that he did not “always thinking about how to keep the series fresh”. Tezuka emphasized that times change and that, with them, the way players have fun also changes: “What Mario can do now is completely different from what he could do when we started. I want to continue creating things that people can have fun with, changing little by little.”
The eternal melody of Koji Kondo
The composer Koji Kondoresponsible for the unforgettable music of the former Super Mario Bros.he assured him He would like to continue composing for the character in 40 years. His iconic tune from the worlds of the Mushroom Kingdom is as recognizable today as the plumber’s red cap, and his work remains an emotional pillar of the saga.
Kondo managed to ensure that each new installment has its own sound without losing the cheerful tone that characterizes Mario. “Kondo’s notes are, in a way, the beating heart of the game,” Miyamoto recalled in a previous interview. It is no exaggeration to say that, without his music, Mario wouldn’t look the same.
Beyond the leap
Mario’s future seems more open than ever. With the arrival of Super Mario Bros. Wonder and the expansion of the cinematic universe after Super Mario Bros. The MovieNintendo proves that the character still has a lot to offer. Miyamoto knows: “Every generation of gamers finds their own form of entertainment in Mario”.
The challenge, according to the creator, is to maintain the balance between innovate and preserve the essence. In a world where franchises are reinvented to the point of saturation, Mario has managed to stay true to his identity: a hero who runs, jumps and makes millions of people smile.
Perhaps when the year 2085 arrives there will no longer be consoles as we know them today, but if one thing is clear to Miyamoto and his team it is that, as long as there is curiosity to play, Mario will continue to jump between platforms, dodging Goombas and winning new hearts.
