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Satoru Iwata: The most fun games company boss ever
Forget the financial stuff, Nintendo’s chief will be remembered for his ability to make us smile.
The gaming world is in mourning today following the death of Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, aged 55. The news that the company's boss died of cancer on Saturday struck the gaming community particularly hard because, despite his corporate role, Iwata didn't seem like the typical business type, only interested in sales figures and how to get as much cash as possible from his customers. Instead, it feels like we've lost one of our own. And that's because he was.
Iwata's Nintendo Direct pose with Mario and Luigi
© [unknown]
Long before he became the fourth president of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata was a programmer and game designer. While studying computer science at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, a young Iwata was already making games for developer HAL Laboratory.
Eventually, Iwata became a full-time developer at HAL, working his way up to become president of the company, before joining Nintendo as head of the corporate planning division. Then, in 2002, he became president of Nintendo.
The reason for Iwata's swift climb up the ranks is clear: he had a passion for gaming, and as such knew what gamers liked to play.
Over the years Iwata had key development roles in a number of well-loved gaming series. He programmed classic NES game Balloon Fight, was instrumental in the making of the Kirby games and worked on the fantastic SNES RPG Earthbound.
Balloon Fight, programmed by Satoru Iwata
© Nintendo
In recent times, however, he's become better known as the face of Nintendo. Very few company presidents embody the company's principles, beliefs and values like Iwata did.
When he said he was a gamer at heart, and that Nintendo's main focus wasn't making money but making people smile, we all knew he meant it. Iwata loved making fun and having fun, regardless of how silly it made him look in the process.
This was best highlighted in his Nintendo Direct broadcasts. Originally designed simply as a way to bring news of the latest Nintendo games to the company's worldwide audience in an efficient and regular manner, they soon became as equally loved for the crazy things Iwata would do during them.
In one episode, to introduce a new Donkey Kong game, he simply held up a bunch of bananas and stared at them intently, before looking to the camera. In another he found himself surrounded by masses of Luigis all standing around him.
He also took on various 'forms' in special episodes, like the Lego Iwata who presented the Lego City Undercover episode of Nintendo Direct, or the show presented entirely by a Brain Training polygonal 'floaty head' Iwata.
Gallery: Iwata's memorable Nintendo Direct moments
Iwata stares at bananas for no reason at E3 2012
© [unknown]
Lego Iwata stares at a carrot. Then blows up.
© [unknown]
Iwata becomes a floating Brain Training head
© [unknown]
Miyamoto and Iwata have fun with Luigi's Mansion 2
© [unknown]
Iwata was the perfect embodiment of Nintendo's ethos: that fun comes first. Rather than focusing on making money, it always seemed like Nintendo's games were designed to be as entertaining as possible, with the belief that the money would come naturally as a result.
Iwata wasn't just the charismatic president, then: he was symbolic of Nintendo as a whole. As such, today's news isn't just the death of a much-loved company leader, but a rare dark day for a company that specialises in creating bright ones.
You may be very sad to hear the news of Iwata's death, but let's also celebrate his achievements. Today, pay your respects to Satoru Iwata by loading up your Wii U or 3DS, jumping on the eShop and downloading one of his classic games. Balloon Fight or Earthbound on Wii U, or either of the Kirby's Dream Land games on 3DS.
These games are his legacy, and all these years later they still perfectly sum up his incredible ability to make us smile.
Share your favourite Iwata memories with @Scully1888 on Twitter.
