Miyamoto's quality control: Ninten-do what Sega doesn't
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Jun 24th 2008 at 7:01PM }
Tucked inside Wired's 15th Anniversary retrospective, a quick interview with the renowned developer reveals his secret to maintaining "quality control" in a company as large as Nintendo. "I'm always instructing my game designers on the history of the characters and worlds we've created," says Miyamoto. "Often we're in development and I'll say, 'Oh, this looks like a Sega game. We need to make it look more like Mario.'"
Oh my. Not to worry, Sega, at least Mr. Miyamoto knows about your games. He's never even heard of Ratchet & Whatshisface.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Gun Barrier (Gamer Tag) @ Jun 24th 2008 7:06PM
lol burn
Kuro @ Jun 24th 2008 7:35PM
of all people to talk about quality control.. isn't the wii just like... shitfest2008 when it comes to games? maybe not the ones nintendo makes, but a VAST majority of the games on the wii are pure shit. Nintendo should nazi out and make it so they control quality of all games on wii for all of our sakes.
Fernando Rocker @ Jun 24th 2008 7:49PM
kuro
Generally, all the shitty games follow the most succesful console in terms of sales.
Have you seen all the shovelware and licensed games available on the PS1 and PS2?
tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 24th 2008 8:08PM
Fernando have you seen the massive pile of great games the ps2 has that the wii will likely never even come close to catching up to?
Noshino @ Jun 24th 2008 8:09PM
"Generally, all the shitty games follow the most succesful console in terms of sales."
They come along with the good games, thing is, the good/shitty games balance is off on the Wii....to the point in which the Wii is more known for its crappy games than for the good ones...
Gun Barrier (Gamer Tag) @ Jun 24th 2008 8:20PM
well the ps2 has been out for years. The wii will probably have more or less the same amount the ps2 has in time.
Besides, Nintendo is already known for not having third party support. What would it look like if they suddenly prevented them from making certain games; even crap shovelware?
tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 24th 2008 8:26PM
"The wii will probably have more or less the same amount the ps2 has in time."
Umm...less. Less by a LOT. Not even Nintendo can chug out sequels fast enough to match the number of quality ps2 games, since they have 0 third party support.
Gun Barrier (Gamer Tag) @ Jun 24th 2008 8:31PM
by 0 third party support you mean no AAA games from anyone other than Nintendo. In that case... true, but if The Conduit becomes a success, then other third parties will start getting serious about the wii.
AoE @ Jun 24th 2008 8:31PM
@Kuro,
Ludwig's just trying to kick up dust. If you read the interview it's very clear that he's talking about maintaining the Nintendo style/look & feel to the art. Which, especially if you grew up in the 8/16 bit eras you have to admit that Nintendo and Sega's styles are unique. He wasn't insulting anything, just talking about maintaining what makes Nintendo who they are.
Shadow El @ Jun 24th 2008 9:06PM
"of all people to talk about quality control.. isn't the wii just like... shitfest2008 when it comes to games?"
Yes, but Miyamoto has no control over those. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super Mario Galaxy were both wonderful games, and Wii Fit is very well made, though not exactly the typical gamer experience.
Ludwig Kietzmann @ Jun 25th 2008 9:17AM
AoE, unfortunately the line of questioning is very direct. "How do you maintain quality control?" And that's the answer. There is no mention of art styles, certainly not any that could encompass all Sega games.
It's a funny little story. You don't have to bend over backward apologizing for Miyamoto.
Boffo the Sock @ Jun 25th 2008 9:29AM
@Shadow El
"Yes, but Miyamoto has no control over those. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super Mario Galaxy were both wonderful games, and Wii Fit is very well made, though not exactly the typical gamer experience."
LoZ:TP was originally going to be a Gamecube game that they ported to the Wii if I'm not mistaken. I never played it on the Wii, but I did play it on the Gamecube, and I must say that it is the first Zelda game I have not finished. I just lost interest in it about 3/4 of the way through.
Super Mario Galaxy just wasn't very fun to me from the get-go. I really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't get into it. I much preferred New Super Mario Bros. on DS to SMG.
I can't say much for Wii fit because I have not and will not try it. When I think exercise, I do not think of my gaming consoles.
pow-pow-pow @ Jun 24th 2008 7:09PM
Quality control is the lost Nintendo art. They don't even have the 'Seal of Quality' anymore.
Back in the N64 days, with the 'Dream Team' they got too tight with quality control, and they lost a lot of 3rd parties. However, now I feel they've abandoned nearly all their quality control, and they're succeeding because of that tactic.
Fatass of Rebuttalness @ Jun 24th 2008 7:15PM
"Quality control is the lost Nintendo art. They don't even have the 'Seal of Quality' anymore."
The Seal of Quality was simply a confirmation that the game you were buying would work on the system. It didn't mean the game would be good... fuck, the NES has a treasure trove of fucking awful games.
"Back in the N64 days, with the 'Dream Team' they got too tight with quality control, and they lost a lot of 3rd parties. However, now I feel they've abandoned nearly all their quality control, and they're succeeding because of that tactic."
That's not the reason they lost developer support - they had plenty of other stupid moves do that for them (cartridges, strange development systemm, etc.). When it comes to Quality Control within their own games (or the games Miyamoto has control over, which this article is about... I suggest you actually read it next time), how can you tell me that they don't do a damn good job?
pow-pow-pow @ Jun 24th 2008 7:20PM
The original intention of the 'Seal of Quality' was actually to notify the customer of the fact that the game was an officially licensed product. Back then they had problems with companies like Tengen. NES did have a lot of bad games, and they were very open back then as well (but of course they charged 3rd parties money, just as all the console makers do today, which is why companies like Tengen did what they did).
The 'Dream Team', and a lot of Nintendo's policies with dealing with 3rd party game makers WERE the main reasons Nintendo lost a lot of support. Why should a developer care if they make a game for carts of CD? It's just like today, why should a developer care if they make a game for Wii hardware or 360/PS3/PC hardware?
As far as Nintendo's 1st party games? Nintendo has really gone downhill in that way too. Mario Kart Wii is easily the worst in the series, and they're milking their own franchises more than ever.
Fernando Rocker @ Jun 24th 2008 7:27PM
What? Mario Kart Wii is easily the best on consoles. It has the most karts and courses, online, etc.
Fatass of Rebuttalness @ Jun 24th 2008 7:31PM
"Mario Kart Wii is easily the worst in the series, and they're milking their own franchises more than ever."
I don't understand what everyone has against Mario Kart Wii. I thought it was damn fun, my favorite in the series behind Super Circuit. I'll go along with you and say it's shitty, though - does Mario Kart Wii, a title that nobody really expected to be AAA or even A anyway offset titles like Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3, which are easily the best in their respective series?
Titanium_Orchid @ Jun 24th 2008 7:33PM
Didn't we already have this conversation?
pow-pow-pow @ Jun 24th 2008 7:35PM
I didn't say MKW was 'shitty', just the worst in the series, but DD might be worse, it's close. I'd rate Super Mario Kart (the first) the best, followed by DS then 64, then the GBA one.
Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3 the best in their series? Holy crap! How long have you been playing games? Super Mario Bros 3? Super Mario World? Super Metroid? Galaxy didn't even have the nice structure of 64's big open levels.
Yourself @ Jun 24th 2008 7:37PM
Wait, so, Mario Kart is the worst in the series = Nintendo is going downhill as a developer? That warrants a few questions.
First - have you played Super Mario Kart recently? Not did you play it, have you played it in the last few years? That was one of my favorite games as a kid, but it completely fails the test of time.
Second - even for Nintendo, Mario Kart is a B franchise. No one expects it to be incredibly critically acclaimed or a huge hit with the serious crowd. It is what it is.
Third - Mario Kart is really not the point here. Nintendo's franchises have for the most part reached a point of near perfection - you're going to tell me that MP3, Twilight Princess, Brawl, and Galaxy were significantly worse than their forbears, let alone anything but better? As for 'milking the franchises even more'... well, I'm sure 18 other posters will get you on that one. But it certainly couldn't be farther from the truth.
Fernando Rocker @ Jun 24th 2008 7:38PM
Dude... Super Mario Galaxy is a masterpiece. Way better than Mario 64.
And Double Dash: Sorry dude... this was my favorite for a long time, until the Wii version. People complain about the weapons in the Wii version, but if you are good enough, weapons are not a problem. Not even the blue shell.
pow-pow-pow @ Jun 24th 2008 7:40PM
Nintendo is nowhere near their peak in development now, and IMO they're at their lowest point with their own IPs. That's not to say it's bad, but it's certainly not great by any means. I thought Brawl was pretty great, but that's made by HAL.
CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 24th 2008 7:44PM
Powpowpow you are so horribly wrong it's not even funny. Developers stopped making games for the 64 because of the size limits on the carts and because they were a lot more expensive to manufactor compared to CD's for the PS1.
The reason I don't like Mario Kart Wii compared to the others is because of the Nintendo Fairness. No matter how skilled you are at that game it doesn't matter, the game will bomb you with like 5 blue shells then a guy with a star will hit you, then a red shell, and then you are in last place at the last corner.
Fatass of Rebuttalness @ Jun 24th 2008 7:45PM
"Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3 the best in their series? Holy crap! How long have you been playing games? Super Mario Bros 3? Super Mario World? Super Metroid? Galaxy didn't even have the nice structure of 64's big open levels."
Super Mario Bros. 3 is one of my favorite games, but Galaxy is better in my opinion. Galaxy has plenty going for it (what pushed it into being my favorite Mario game was its amazing soundtrack).
Metroid Prime 3 is part of the Prime series. That's what I meant - Super Metroid is one of my favorite games of all time... third, behind Chrono Cross and Vagrant Story.
And Double Dash is far from being the worst Mario Kart game. It's wonky, sure, but sit down with a couple of friends and you're bound to have a blast.
Fernando Rocker @ Jun 24th 2008 7:47PM
CTC
Dude, learn to have a strategy... save the bananas and shells and use them as shields.
Really, I dont like people complaining about weapons. Im a 2 star racer (you need to beat every course in every class with at least 2 star rating)... and weapons were not a problem to me.
Mr Khan @ Jun 24th 2008 7:49PM
See, that whole "cheap-o items to balance" thing will screw you on individual races, but once again, if you look online, the more skilled players will win out more often.
I mean, if you're in first place, and with such an insurmountable lead as to take a Blue shell and not be affected, it's not going to help you
RobLink (Return of the McElroy Defence Force) @ Jun 24th 2008 7:51PM
Fernando, I think the weapons weren't really a problem to you BECAUSE you're a two star racer. Some of us still find blue shells a pain in the arse. Not that I don't love the game, because I do, but it can be controller-bitingly frustrating at times.
Fatass of Rebuttalness @ Jun 24th 2008 7:53PM
Fernando, I usually agree with you, but even with skill a player will still lose far too fucking often to the people in the back simply because they have better items. I finally achieved 9999 VR a week ago. I have 7500 now, because...
#1 - one can race three perfect laps and still lose online in Mario Kart Wii thanks to the item unbalance
#2 - once you reach around 7000 VR the Nintendo Wifi Connection mysteriously craps out on you WAY more often, which wouldn't be so bad if, each time it did it, it didn't take with it 200-700 points for no fucking reason.
CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 24th 2008 7:54PM
I wish the items were actually random. It's stupid that you can go into last place until the last lap, then get 3 bullet bills in a row and be in first.
Fernando Rocker @ Jun 24th 2008 7:56PM
"I wish the items were actually random"
But you guys are acting like this is something new! Every Mario Kart, since the SNES version, gave the first place racer just bananas and red shells. And every version gives the last players the best weapons.
CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 24th 2008 8:00PM
Fernando stop acting like your some kind of Mario Kart expert. The items are balanced horribly wrong. I've bought all the Mario Karts on release date since the SNES version, so I would think I would have enough skill to beat my girlfriend who just started playing video games about a year ago. Guess what, she wins constantly because she crashes into walls, then gets in the back and gets a good item towards the end while all the sudden i'm at the front getting a super item combo performed on me.
Noshino @ Jun 24th 2008 8:26PM
pow-pow-pow,
There were many reasons behind Nintendo's loss of 3rd party support
I don't know about "Developers stopped making games for the 64 because of the size limits on the carts" that CTC claims, but for example, they lost a lot of support from the Japanese developers because of Nintendo leaving Sony behind on the Playstation project.
Also, there were developing costs, CDs becoming much more affordable than cartridges
And there was the third and by many considered the worst, their Quality Control, which not only overlooked the design of the game, but the theme/content of the game in general, if Nintendo didn't like it, they would simply not allow the game on their console, it was as simple as that....that was something that the other 2, Sony and Sega (Sega more than Sony), were MUCH MORE liberal about, that caught the attention of many developers and many ended up moving development to the other consoles.
Nando,
"But you guys are acting like this is something new! Every Mario Kart, since the SNES version, gave the first place racer just bananas and red shells. And every version gives the last players the best weapons.
2 hearts"
Everyone has complained about it since the first installment...you act as if these complaints are something new!
BPM [MKWii: 2578 3585 8392] @ Jun 24th 2008 8:27PM
Fernando, there's no skill involved in avoiding a Blue Shell. Just luck. 100% pure luck. You need a Mushroom or a speed boost at exactly the right time to dodge.
You know how many times I've dodged a Winged Blue Spiny Shell? ZERO.
You ever been hit by multiple Blue Shells IN THE SAME LAP? I have. Surprisingly, I still won the race (as it was only 100cc, and I had a huge lead in that race), but it was damn infuriating.
The Winged Blue Spiny Shell is the WORST item in the game. It doesn't really help who's in last or whatever, it just screws who's in front (and anyone close enough to be caught by the blast radius). At least the original Blue Spiny Shell could knock off others as it travelled to first place.
I won't say Mario Kart Wii is the worst in the series, but it isn't the best, either. It's impossible for it to be the best, due to not having an untimed or free-for-all Battle Mode.
Oh, and no R.O.B. He was my favorite character in Mario Kart DS. :(
4MyFriends @ Jun 24th 2008 10:09PM
"Galaxy didn't even have the nice structure of 64's big open levels."
I hate it when people say this. The linear paths in Galaxy worked very well, probably even better than an open world would had with its gravity based puzzles.
Also remember the original 2D mario games were on fixed linear paths as well. Linearity is part of Mario's history.
4MyFriends @ Jun 24th 2008 10:13PM
also, one last thing...
"The items are balanced horribly wrong."
They weren't meant to be well balanced, they were meant to increase mayhem and randomness. Just like Super Smash Brothers, Mario Kart series is a "Party Game", it's suppose to be wackiness and insanity. If you want a serious racer go play Grant Turismo.
BPM [MKWii: 2578 3585 8392] @ Jun 25th 2008 3:05PM
Christopher Grant Turismo? Awesome.
tifosiotaku @ Jun 24th 2008 7:08PM
"Often we're in development and I'll say, 'Oh, this looks like a Sega game. We need to make it look more like Mario.'"
And I look at Mario Kart and think, "Nintendo should make it look more like Daytona USA"...
RobLink (Return of the McElroy Defence Force) @ Jun 24th 2008 7:20PM
And I look at Mario Kart and think, "Nintendo should make it look more like Daytona USA"...
Really? REALLY? C'mon now.....
Obie @ Jun 24th 2008 7:23PM
DAYTONAAAAAAA!
tifosiotaku @ Jun 24th 2008 9:18PM
RobLink-
If I lose a race, it should be because of skill, not because of a fucking blue shell...
RobLink (Return of the McElroy Defence Force) @ Jun 25th 2008 3:58AM
Undoubtedly, but it's still a great game and a great series. I'm just REALLY not a fan of Daytona is all.
finaldarklord @ Jun 24th 2008 7:08PM
Daaaamn, son.
The funny thing is, Miyamoto isn't even doing it to be a dick, he's just got this sense of almost childlike honesty about him.
Fucking awesome.
Burnt Meatloaf @ Jun 25th 2008 4:43AM
"Childlike honesty" is a carefully cultivated image when you're looking into billion dollar corporations.
Jhongerkong @ Jun 25th 2008 7:31PM
"Dude, learn to have a strategy... save the bananas and shells and use them as shields."
Stars and blue shells bypass bananas and shells. While I love MK, im just stating fact.
Bloo @ Jun 24th 2008 7:12PM
Hilarious
OTAM @ Jun 24th 2008 7:29PM
I love how the fanboys are.
If this was ANY other developer the shit that would be thrown at him,but since it's their golden child Miyamoto I get to hear about his "child innocence". No,he's being a douchebag. If Peter Jackson said comments like this about other directors he wouldn't get a free pass either because of LOTR,it's being a douchebag.
Quality control at Nintendo doesnt exist anymore now that they are going for grandma with the Wii. It's going to be like the PS2 in a few years.
samfish @ Jun 24th 2008 11:51PM
No, he's NOT being a douchebag.
ANYONE with an above 4th grade reading comprehension level can CLEARLY see he was referring to the visual style and over all way the game plays...NOT Sega's debatable quality issues.
Ludwig Kietzmann @ Jun 25th 2008 5:47AM
That's a laugh. The interview question is "CLEARLY" and directly about how he maintains quality control. And that's his answer, which appropriately relates to "quality." There's nothing about visual style. Don't be so defensive.
FOXHOUND @ Jun 25th 2008 7:23AM
Ludwig --
That's pretty much what I got out of it. Back in the days of 16bit(when most SEGA games got their start or were in their prime compared to now); it would've been odd to see Mario take the "mascot with attitude" style. It's just not his character, hence no GTA-Mario.
Even with the recent MARIO STRIKERS CHARGED, the intent was to make them edgy, but they still retain the "plucky appeal" in humor and comical mischief.
Nigeria @ Jun 24th 2008 7:33PM
Miyamoto is cool and everything, but Mario hasn't starred in a game that has topped Sonic Adventure 2. Seven years later it still is the benchmark in 3D platforming.
Hopefully Sega will soon return from their sabbatical back into the hardware arena.