The Innovative Toy That Caught Nintendo’s Attention: A Look Back at Shigeru Miyamoto’s Interview

In its second decade, Shigeru Miyamoto’s creations are deeply intertwined with Nintendo itself, yet there was a period when even Miyamoto was merely a college student interviewing for a position just like anyone else. He presented a portfolio of his work to Nintendo during that interview – and it appears the company attempted to secure a patent for some of the items he showcased even before officially hiring him.

Miyamoto graduated from an industrial design university with aspirations of creating household appliances, toys, and playground equipment for young children. This was during the 1970s, when Nintendo was still primarily recognized as a toy and retro game company – long before it fully embraced video games.

“Nintendo wasn’t seeking designers at that time,” Miyamoto explained in a 2000 interview with the Japanese publication Game Maestro, recently translated by Shmuplations. “A friend of my father spoke to President Hiroshi Yamauchi, which led to my interview invitation. Back then, Nintendo was involved not just in amusement machines but also in manufacturing baby strollers and batting cages, and I thought it was a fascinating company. I had the impression that they were generating significant revenue from playing cards and hanafuda, so I believed they would be receptive to me pursuing my interests.”

Miyamoto admitted he showcased his “student projects” as a type of portfolio during the interview. “One project was a hanger designed for preschoolers. It featured animal faces and a handle, allowing even shorter children to use it with ease. I also created a see-saw with an attached swing.”

When Miyamoto met Yamauchi, “he was extremely considerate and said, ‘I want you to understand that we are not hiring you based on the reference, but because we genuinely want you to be a part of our team.’ However, it was amusing – after I joined, I discovered they had applied for a design patent for the hanger I created. (laughs) In essence, I was able to obtain the patent rights without incurring the filing fee myself, so it all worked out well. (laughs) I remember…