How a Simple Mario Game Changed Everything
When you think of Hideo Kojima, you probably picture cinematic storytelling, complex characters and wild futuristic plots. So it might surprise you to learn that the game he says he has played the most is one of the simplest classics of all time. Super Mario Bros.
In a recent quickfire interview with Wired Tokyo, Kojima answered public questions about his inspirations, tastes and views on technology. Among talk of films and futurism, one answer stood out. When asked which game he has played the most, he replied instantly. Super Mario Bros., definitely.
For a creator known for long cutscenes and layered narratives, the 1985 platformer may not seem like the obvious influence. But Kojima explained that this old school side scroller did more than entertain him. It helped convince him that video games could one day surpass movies.
Why Super Mario Bros Hooked Kojima
Kojima describes his first encounter with Super Mario Bros as a college student. He admits he was so hooked that he skipped school to stay home and play it for a year. That might sound familiar to anyone who has lost a weekend to a new release, but for Kojima it went deeper than simple addiction.
He breaks down what made the game feel special at the time. On the surface it is basic. Mario just goes from left to right, and you mostly just jump. Yet there is a crucial mechanic that makes the game feel so good. The dash button.
With that one extra input, the way Mario moves changes completely. When you hold dash, your speed and momentum increase and your jump arc subtly shifts. This allows you to fine tune how you land, when you attack enemies and how you dodge obstacles. It is simple to understand but surprisingly deep to master.
Kojima highlights how much design Nintendo squeezes out of these two core actions. Run and jump. The game constantly plays with that relationship through level layouts, enemy placement and item positioning. Even decades later, Super Mario Bros still feels responsive and satisfying because of this careful tuning of physics and controls.
He also notes that the game barely has a story in the usual sense. There are no long dialogues, no lore documents and no cutscenes spelled out in text. Yet it still feels like a true adventure.
Through its pixel art, distinct worlds and escalating challenge, the game suggests a journey. You move from the bright grasslands into underground areas, underwater stages and castle fortresses. Each step feels like progress through a coherent world even without explicit narrative.
Nintendo also layered in visual and thematic touches, such as the mushroom power ups and the fantastical Mushroom Kingdom, that pull from folklore and fairy tales. Kojima points to this as part of why the game stuck with him. It is light on text but rich in imagination.
Seeing how much emotional impact could come from simple mechanics and pixels helped Kojima realise the potential of the medium. He recalls thinking that games might one day surpass movies and that Super Mario Bros was the catalyst that pushed him toward the game industry.
From Mario’s Adventure to Digital Society Nightmares
The interview also touches on another side of Kojima’s work. His fascination with technology and the future. While Super Mario Bros inspired him to enter the industry, his own games often explore darker and more complex themes than a colorful platformer.
In particular, he revisits Metal Gear Solid 2 and how people interpret its story today. Many fans and critics describe the game as being about artificial intelligence. It features powerful computer systems, sophisticated simulations and digital control of information.
Kojima argues that this is slightly off the mark. He says the real topic of Metal Gear Solid 2 is not AI itself but digital society. In his words, it is about digital data gaining a kind of will of its own as information is selected, filtered and shaped.
At the time of release, this felt speculative and strangely abstract. Two decades later, it looks eerily close to reality. Social media feeds, algorithm driven content, fake news and viral narratives all resemble the world of Metal Gear Solid 2 more than most of us expected.
Kojima notes that he did not set out to predict the future so much as to warn about a direction he did not want society to go in. Unfortunately, from his perspective, the world has moved closer to that scenario.
There is an interesting contrast here. The same creator who fell in love with a bright, mostly wordless adventure about a plumber jumping through a fantasy kingdom went on to build intricate stories about surveillance, control and digital manipulation. The common thread is his belief in games as a powerful medium for ideas and emotions.
On one side, Super Mario Bros shows how movement, art and level design alone can create a sense of wonder and discovery. On the other side, Metal Gear Solid 2 demonstrates how interactive stories can explore deep questions about technology and society.
Together they trace part of the path that modern gaming has taken. From simple mechanics that just feel right under your fingers, to huge cinematic experiences that wrestle with the impact of the internet and digital life. Kojima’s reflections remind us that both ends of that spectrum matter. The industry would not have its giant narrative games without the razor sharp design of its early platformers.
So the next time you load up a visually stunning modern title or a massive open world, it is worth remembering that for at least one legendary developer, it all started with a small Italian plumber and a perfectly tuned jump.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/hideo-kojima-says-super-mario-bros-was-the-catalyst-that-brought-me-to-the-game-industry-and-made-him-realise-this-medium-would-one-day-surpass-movies/
