Nintendo Guru Wants More Happy Games

[Ian David]

By RACHEL KONRAD
AP Technology Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Video game developers should resist the temptation to produce only sequels of established hits and games based on horror and revenge, Nintendo Co.'s top designer said Thursday.

Video game guru Shigeru Miyamoto said his industry's reputation has suffered in the past decade. Designers have failed to deliver titles that bring joy to the widest possible spectrum of players, focusing too often on hard-core gamers and their lust for gore and realism, he said.

"I always want that first reaction to be emotion, to be positive - to give a sense of satisfaction, glee," Miyamoto told thousands of developers attending the annual Game Developer Conference here. "Certain obstacles may temporarily raise feelings of suspense, competition, even frustration. But we always want that final result, that final emotion, to be a positive one."

Miyamoto's emphasis on plucky, fantastic, upbeat games contrasts with the slew of violent but popular games today - titles such as "Grand Theft Auto," "Mortal Kombat" and "Resident Evil." A growing number of politicians, educators and psychiatric experts cite studies linking violent games and aggressive behavior.

Designers take Miyamoto's lectures seriously. Time Magazine called him "the Stephen Spielberg of video games."

Miyamoto created titles such as "Mario Brothers," "Donkey Kong" and "The Legend of Zelda." Together, those titles have sold about 288 million copies.

More:
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[Forkboy]

1. Unfortunately,he's one of the only people to make happy games that are fun too.

It's sad that 90% of the games out there are just the same themes rehashed over and over.There's great technical innovation in the industry,but little game innovation.It's just like the movie industry,once something works everyone spends the next two years aping it instead of creating something original themselves.

[htuttle]

3. Yup -- him and Will Wright are about it

Maybe Sid Meier and crew too. His games aren't always 'happy', but they don't involve too many splattering brains.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. Mortal Kombat is a popular game today?

Given Speilberg's down turn, I wouldn't want to be the "Steven Spielberg" of anything.

[0rganism]

4. the MK series is still going, like the others mentioned (GTA, RE)

Given Miyamoto's ascendency, I wouldn't mind being the "Shigeru Miyamoto" of something.

[Bjorn Against]

5. Ironically the latest game Miyamoto worked on was probably his darkest ever...

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is by far the darkest game in the Zelda series, and while Miyamoto was not director he did work on it. Sure it is not a blood bath, but some of the cut scenes are quite twisted.

That being said however, Miyamoto is certainly a master at making games that may look kiddie but are amazingly fun to play.

[mduffy31]

6. Many hours of my life have been spent

Playing his games, and I take what he has seriously