Yes, Miyamoto DOES Dislike Story

Shigeru Miyamoto recently tried to put an end to the idea that he's against games having stories. He did not convince me.

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TWOOTER: @ArloStuff

This video was edited by the lovely Kane!

Additional footage credits:

@ScykohPlays

@SullyPwnz

@ZackScottGames

@packattack04082

@longplayarchive

@ModernXPGames

@BeardBear

"Reloaded Installer #11" by LHS.

[greatestcait]

Mario games are a prime example of a game that really *should* be gameplay first to a big degree, and yet everybody almost universally loved Rosalina's storybook. Just a little bit of story focus can go a long way towards helping players engage with a game emotionally beyond just thinking "hey jumping around is pretty fun."

[Random]

God bless Koizumi for Link’s Awakening, and wanting to give Link a backstory

[AndresLionheart]

I didn't know Koizumi was such an unsung hero.
Also, I love spiteful Arlo. He does the thing while still being completely polite.

[pleaseclap]

Story: “You despise me, don’t you?”
Miyamoto: “If I gave you any thought I probably would.”

[ftwinzeler]

I would literally kill to watch a rant video about Koizumi. That man is effectively the lifeblood of the company

[michaelmiodunski]

Koizumi really deserves more credit. He's brilliant!

[davidwaller]

I mean, look at Kirby. There's usually very little story, leaving it all crammed in at the end, or in pause menu stuff, but when it gets rolling HOO BOY!! I am never gonna forget Forgotten Land's climax, and Susie and Haltmann are some of my favorite characters in the series, starring in my favorite Kirby game.

A game doesn't need to be story heavy to be memorable, but just the right amount makes it magical.

[luigiosmbz]

Honestly, thank you for being petty because it makes me realize how incredible Koizumi's contributions to the company have been

[Vigilanteblade]

The problem with the Paper Mario Survey is that it only asked

"What's your most important feature?"

Of course, I said Gameplay, as terrible gameplay won't be saved by a good story. BUT, it failed to take into account that one might find gameplay most important, and story very high on the list.

[Nickk-vt]

Remember that 1 chapter from Paper Mario TTYD where Mario is on a train and uncovering mysteries for basically the whole thing, with no gameplay and mostly just storytelling? That was such a fun chapter!

[terraformthesun]

To any Miyamoto defenders watching this, it’s important to remember that two different things can be true. Miyamoto had a big hand in revolutionizing games, and we owe a ton to him. At the same time, he actively holds artistic growth back in Nintendo games with his story allergy.

[xBlackMambax]

Let me tell you, ever since Koizumi came on the scene as a main figure behind the Switch, I have wished we saw more of him! Mans reminds me of the skit days from Reggie and Iwata. Just seems to have a plan that resonates and seems to be down to do fun things for directs and such. Learning that he is a driving force behind the stories on many of my favorite games is a surprise, but a welcome one to be sure!

[WhatAboutZoidberg]

This made me really like Koizumi much more. He was the reason for some really interesting games that have really stood the test of time. Miyamoto does have a great legacy, but he also has a track record of being petty, spiteful and stubborn as a mule. Koizumi with more control would be an interesting twist.

[GFCOLCQuote]

Gameplay makes a game Enjoyable. Story makes a game Memorable. When a game has both, it becomes unforgettable.

[jakotens]

I LOVE the past two Arlo videos being especially petty. I'm all for positivity but a good reality check with a fuzzy blue monster is very cathartic somehow

[bungleprosy]

I find Miyamoto such an interesting figure. On the one hand, he is absolutely one of the smartest game designers in history. On the other hand, he has such odd and awkward ideas about what the player actually values, and that usually gets in the way of Nintendo creating a larger variety of games. F-Zero being shot down repeatedly is a great example. A new and expansive narrative would do a sequel wonders. New graphical fidelity, track complexity, online multiplayer, a fully functional track maker, immensely intense physics etc, would do WONDERS to make a new title in the series a knock out hit. But because Japanese sales of GX were lower than expected and he has no new ideas on how to add something radical to the game, the game doesn’t get made, even if another team pitches it to him.

[silverslayer]

Miyamoto: “It’s not that I hate stories, I just don’t care that much about…”
Basically this video: “CARE, DAMN IT!!!”

[Spinner]

Miyamoto makes it sound like story and gameplay are two different 'ways' of doing about making a game, instead of them both being two different pieces that work together to create a satisfying experience. The gameplay and the story should feed into each other in meaningful ways. One shouldn't just be a slave to the other.

[Nickk-vt]

I know this sounds lame, but as a kid, I was obsessed with Super Paper Mario's subversive story and was intrigued by its mysteries. I even watched several blind playthroughs to see different reactions to the story. Of course, now I am older and know that the story isn't as grand as other things I've seen by now for sure. It was my first Paper Mario game and one of my first games in general and it blew my mind away! I still think about the game's story to this day on occasion.

[herosshade]

Miyamoto is like your successful boomer dad/grandpa in the family who expects things to just work the same as when he did it, and is completely oblivious to all the cultural and technological changes over the years and is just super resistant to any change and everyone else just sort of sighs and lets him do his thing because they either respect him too much or are too afraid of getting an earful of "THIS IS HOW WE DID IT BACK IN MY DAY, AND IT WORKED"