[GameSpot] - Mario Creator Shigeru Miyamoto Talks About Making 3D Mario Games More Approachable

[343iBot]

Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto has shared some high-level details for what Nintendo hopes to achieve with its next 3D Mario game to follow 2017's Super Mario Odyssey.

As part of Nintendo's latest earnings briefing, Miyamoto said Nintendo's goal after the release of Super Mario Galaxy in 2007 was to make 3D Super Mario games "more accessible." In the wake of this way of thinking, Nintendo released New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a side-scrolling game that was approachable to a wide range of users, Miyamoto said. Nintendo would later release Super Mario Run for mobile, which Miyamoto said was "even simpler" and more approachable for newcomers.

Looking to the next 3D Super Mario game, Miyamoto said the aim is to "expand" the series even further, though he did not elaborate.

"When we develop software, we strive to incorporate new elements, but at the same time we want to make it easy for even first time players to have fun. Recently, people of all generations have been enjoying the 3D Mario game Super Mario Odyssey, released in 2017, so for 3D Mario going forward, we want to try expanding further in new ways," Miyamoto said.

No new 3D Mario games have been announced, but whatever comes next has big shoes to fill. Super Mario Odyssey has sold nearly 22 million copies and ranks as one of the best-selling Switch games of all time.

Also during the briefing, Miyamoto spoke about how the upcoming Super Mario movie featuring Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario is another means to help Nintendo expand the appeal of its franchises beyond games alone. He teased that "other IP" at Nintendo will be used for non-game video projects going forward, which is intriguing to think about given the rumors of Seth Rogen appearing in a standalone Donkey Kong film.

"With visual content, people can experience Nintendo IP in a variety of places, so I think it's good to have a lot of content that is accessible for people who do not have a dedicated game device," Miyamoto said. "However, we want to continue to make each title with care, so I cannot talk about a specific number. We want to work diligently to build up a strong offering."

The earnings briefing also included commentary from Nintendo executives regarding the ongoing semiconductor shortage. Nintendo is now looking to "alternative" components and other engineering solutions to help improve the situation.

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