Kojima to Wired: 'I Skipped Class for Super Mario Bros.' - Players For Life | Gaming News, Reviews & Creative Media Hub

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Hideo Kojima, renowned video game creator, credits Super Mario Bros. as a key inspiration for his career in the gaming industry, as it was the first game to make him believe that stories in games could be as compelling as those in movies.
Kojima acknowledges the differences between the straightforward design of Super Mario Bros. and the complex narratives of his own games like Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, noting the simplicity of Marios movements compared to the intricate mechanics in his own creations.
Kojima discussed desired film adaptations for video games, mentioning Predator: Badlands and Last Samurai Standing due to their inherent suitability for video game plots.
In a recent interview on YouTube, Kojima discussed various aspects of his work, including his creative process, the qualities of a successful game designer, and his vision for the future of gaming.

Kojima Credits Super Mario Bros. as Game-Changing Inspiration for Career

In a recent Wired interview, Hideo Kojima stated that Super Mario Bros. was the primary inspiration for his career. According to his Genki profile on Twitter, which tracks press coverage, Kojima said he played Super Mario Bros. almost daily for a year while in college, even skipping classes. “Without Super Mario Bros., I probably wouldn’t be in this industry,” he said, adding, “I skipped classes to play at home.” Kojima noted that Super Mario Bros. was the first game that made him believe games could eventually tell stories as compelling as those in movies. He explained, “It hardly had a story, but it gave the feeling of being on an adventure. When I saw that, even though it was pixel art without a story, I felt that one day this would surpass cinema. That conviction brought me into the video game industry.” Kojima has often drawn inspiration from cinema, citing filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, and John Carpenter as influences, and considers 2001: A Space Odyssey his all-time favorite movie.

Kojima Discusses Differences Between Super Mario Bros. and His Own Games, Lists Desired Film Adaptations for Video Games

Despite the game’s influence, Kojima acknowledges the differences between the straightforward design of Super Mario Bros. and the complex narratives of games he developed, such as Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding. “Yes, but I can’t play it now,” he said of Super Mario Bros. “It’s a side-scrolling action game. Mario only moves left to right. Essentially, he just jumps.” He also pointed out that using the sprint button alters Mario’s jump arc for attacking or dodging. When asked by Wired which films he would like to adapt into video games, Kojima chose Predator: Badlands and Last Samurai Standing, citing their inherent suitability for video game plots. The full interview is available on YouTube, where Kojima answers frequent internet questions about his work, including his creative process, the qualities of a successful game designer, and his vision for the future of gaming.

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