While Miyamoto has mentioned that he finds it difficult to say who his favorite Nintendo character is, he states that some of his more beloved favorites include Mario, Princess Peach, Luigi, Bowser, Princess Zelda, Toad, Link, and Donkey Kong. They would go on to make some of Nintendo's most memorable games, including Mario.
With Donkey Kong's success and the series it began, Miyamoto was given his own team: the Creative Department, later known as Nintendo EAD. Donkey Kong was born and made a huge hit. Miyamoto claimed to have loved video games in college. He questioned Miyamoto about his knowledge on this new concept. Yamauchi called Miyamoto into his office, as he was the only staff member available at the time. Nintendo needed a game that the machines could be converted into easily. They ordered a large number of units of an arcade game called Radar Scope, but by the time the machines arrived, the interest in the game had waned. Three years later, in 1980, Nintendo of America was looking for a hit to establish themselves in the arcade market. Miyamoto became Nintendo's first staff artist in 1977. Yamauchi requested to see some toy designs, to which Miyamoto responded by returning with a bag of goodies, and an amazing portfolio. Miyamoto was 24, when his father contacted an old toy company friend, named Hiroshi Yamauchi. Miyamoto only attended his classes half the time, and it took him five years to graduate. Miyamoto decided to study industrial design at Kanazawa College of Art in 1970.
He also learned how to play the guitar and banjo. In elementary school, he considered becoming a puppeteer, a painter, and later found interest in making toys. Miyamoto wanted to make things that would astonish the world. His home lacked a television, so he would spend a large amount of his time exploring the surrounding countryside. I can't wait for that day of discovery.In his early childhood, he was raised in the small, rural town of Sonobe, Japan, which is near his current home of Kyoto, about ten blocks from Nintendo headquarters. But one day he'll start to explore and find this huge world of games that he just has to reach out and pop in. Imagine a young child who finally has grown into the skills and imagination needed to be totally enraptured by the worlds that video games provide and then opening a door, finding hundreds of classic games from today and going all the way back 30 years! Right now he plays what I think he CAN play when I introduce it to him. It took me years to go through all of it and by then, I started adding to the collection. I felt like I stepped into this whole new world filled with new experiences that I just had to reach out and try. The thing I look forward to most is the day he truly discovers how many games are in the house (current gen and all systems and games back to the NES)! I remember when I was a kid discovering the treasure trove of comics and books my older brother had. So far he loves playing Turtles in Time and Street Fighter 2 with me. I also have a stand-up arcade machine with pretty much every arcade game on it. I just wish he'd let me play longer than 60 seconds at a time! LOL! And yes, when he asks, "Daddy can you help me on this level?" Of course I'm there to help him get unstuck or coach him.
I love every aspect of watching him discover new play mechanics, master those mechanics and see that huge smile on his face. He loves, "Scary Luigi" (Luigi's Mansion 3DS), Mario U, Epic Mickey, Donkey Kong on 3DS and Lego City Undercover. But the only ones he really plays on are the Wii U and the 3DS. I have all 4 consoles and the DS, 3DS and Vita. My son just turned 3 and is now able to start using the motor skills necessary to play and be drawn in by video games.