Hideo Kojima: Super Mario Bros. as the Unexpected Influence
Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind classics like Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, credits a surprising source for his entry into the gaming realm: Super Mario Bros. Though it might seem an unlikely muse given the ambitious narratives and cinematic experiences Kojima crafts, this iconic platformer played a pivotal role in shaping his career.
In a conversation with Wired Japan, Kojima reminisced about his college days, admitting, “I played it for a year. I was a college student. I skipped school to play at home. Without Super Mario, I probably wouldn’t have been in this industry. Yeah, I can’t really play it now, though. It’s a side-scrolling action game. Mario just goes left to right. Basically just jumping.”
Even though Kojima has created landmark titles, he mused, “Sometimes I imagine a life where I make the best-selling thing, but that’d be boring: I’d be at home with nothing to do.” This reflection reveals his ongoing quest for innovation over mere commercial success.
He also touched on the simplicity of the original Super Mario, which “had almost no story” beyond the classic trope of rescuing a princess from a villain. Yet, for Kojima, the magic lay in the experience itself. “It felt like you were on an adventure… I felt this medium would one day surpass movies. That conviction brought me to the game industry.”
Kojima’s cinematic ambitions are no secret, often citing renowned filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, and Akira Kurosawa as major influences. However, he expresses that John Carpenter stands out the most for his ability to “defy genre,” particularly praising classics like The Thing and Halloween.
As he continues to shape the narrative landscape of gaming, it’s fascinating to see how a seemingly simple game can have such profound ramifications on a creator’s journey.