Miyamoto on why Nintendo has been reluctant to make movie adaptations for its games

Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto has discussed why Nintendo has been hesitant to have its games adapted into movies.

To say this is a field that Nintendo hasn’t explored much would be an understatement. After taking Mario to the big screen with a live action film in 1993, the company hasn’t done much with other adaptations. That finally changed this week with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which was created in partnership with Illumination.

Miyamoto shared the following in an interview with Variety:

“The reason we were so resistant and careful to adapt our games into movies is because in video games there is always a player, who overcomes challenges and fights their way through. Their struggle – redoing the levels over and over – is all part of it.

“Just following the plot points of the video games will never work as a movie. Without the involvement of the player, it won’t meet expectations.”

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is in theaters right now.