Miyamoto: Mario is only good because it wasn’t done alone

While Shigeru Miyamoto is rightly celebrated as the patron saint of the Mario franchise, he knows that the magic behind the beloved platformer isn’t solely the product of one visionary. The true genius of Super Mario Bros. lies in the countless developers and designers who collaborated to bring this iconic world to life, proving that some of the greatest creations are born not in isolation, but in shared discussion.

Miyamoto reflects that the original 1985 game would have suffered immensely if it had fallen solely on his shoulders. He points to specific gameplay elements as perfect examples of this collaborative spirit. Take, for instance, the famous “B-dash” mechanic—the ability to quickly slip across terrain gaps by pressing B while running. Miyamoto reveals that this feature was born from an unintentional bug caused by flawed collision detection with the ground.

“When the programmer noticed it,” Miyamoto explained, “he said, ‘Huh? He didn’t fall!’ and tried to fix it. But I said, ‘No, no! It’s fun if he can dash across – let’s leave it as is!’ So we kept it.” This decision to embrace the glitch turned into one of the game’s most beloved, iconic abilities.

Beyond mechanics, the creative process involved introducing unexpected and fun elements. Miyamoto notes that many other memorable features were born from brainstorming sessions rather than strict division of labor. The infamous Cheep Cheep enemies are a prime example. Designer Takashi Tezuka, who recently announced his retirement from Nintendo, initially suggested the bite-y pufferfish concept. While he lacked strong technical skills at the time, his idea for a fish that could fly and swim offered an interesting appeal.

Miyamoto took this concept and worked with the team to adapt it. To make Mario‘s journey more dynamic while keeping the charming, pesky enemies, they adjusted the level design. By raising the floor height in Super Mario Bros., Miyamoto ensured that when players navigated higher platforms—like World 2-3 where the Cheep Cheeps appeared—the gameplay felt fresh and exciting.

This collaborative philosophy extended to their working environment itself. To ensure ideas could flow freely, Miyamoto even implemented a rule banning headphones in the office. He believed that information needed to move back and forth effortlessly, encouraging constant discussion and argument as a unified team.

The success of Mario is ultimately a testament to this collective effort. The game was shaped by the input of numerous brilliant minds, including graphic artist Mr. Tezuka, programmer Toshihiko Nakago, and composer Koji Kondo. Miyamoto views working with this team as the most amazing part of the entire experience, emphasizing that true fun was found in the shared creation.