A few interesting words from Nintendo’s former handheld designer

Satoru Okada was a pretty important figure at Nintendo. He played a big role in the creation of the company’s earliest handheld systems, which continued until his retirement back in 2012.

Okada was recently interviewed by the Japanese publication “Shooting Gameside”. Here are a few of the more interesting excerpt that specifically pertains to Nintendo:

—Since you’ve participated in the creation of so many different handheld gaming consoles, I was thinking you’d be more particular and high-strung. But in fact you’re very open and relaxed.

Okada: The first thing I made using a computer was the Game and Watch series. After that handheld gaming consoles became the main focus of my work at Nintendo. Speaking of being particular, you know, I didn’t originally apply to Nintendo with any special ambitions or designs. Originally my friend was supposed to have taken the company’s entrance test, but due to circumstances he couldn’t make it out. In his place I was chosen to take the test. When I say “in his place”, though, I don’t mean that I was a mere susbtitute; I was given the chance as part of a job-search program at my school. I knew if I took it lightly that it would damage the reputation of my school, and I couldn’t allow that. Still, I didn’t really know what I was doing, so I ended up being late to that test, but thanks to the kindness of the test administrator, I was allowed to take it anyway.

Nintendo’s entrance exam had a section where you had to actually engineer something. You were given a design and had to make a model of it using small metal pieces. Since I had spent so much time in Junior High doing those electrical engineering projects, it was an easy task for me. As a result, rumour got around at Nintendo that “someone good at soldering has joined!” It seemed I was the first person to join Nintendo with any electrical engineering abilities, a fact which would turn out to be a huge investment in my future.

—In your career you’ve made many devices for children, but what has been your attitude as an engineer throughout this work?

Okada: When I made things for children, I didn’t try to make it from the perspective of a child. Instead, I made something that we adults at Nintendo would enjoy ourselves.

—In your case Okada, were you aware of a kind of self-management at work?

Okada: Especially after I took on a managerial role, I became very aware of the need to make profits each year. We have to earn our own wages. Developing games isn’t simply about making what you want to make; you also need to be sensible about what will be profitable for the company. And to make Nintendo run, at a minimum we’re talking about selling millions of units. If you can’t do that with something new, it’s better to release a follow-up to an existing product.

I also think that rather than making everyone work long hours and wringing the life out of your employees, results should be emphasized, and those who achieve should be rewarded with a higher salary.

The above translation comes from “shmuplations”. In addition to the Satoru Okada interview, the site translated a 1993 Star Fox interview with Shigeru Miyamoto, 1985 interview with Yukio Kaneoka (early Nintendo sound engineer), and a 1986 “Famicom Crisis” roundtable interview.