Yoshio Sakamoto

Yoshio Sakamoto (Japanese: 坂本 賀勇, Hepburn: Sakamoto Yoshio) (born July 23, 1959) is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer, where he has worked since 1982. He has directed several games in the Metroid series.

Yoshio Sakamoto
坂本 賀勇
Yoshio Sakamoto at the Game Developers Conference 2010
Born (1959-07-23) July 23, 1959
NationalityJapanese
OccupationVideo game designer, director, producer
Years active1982–present
EmployerNintendo
Notable work
Metroid
Famicom Tantei Club
Famicom Tantei Club Part II
Super Metroid
Metroid Fusion
Metroid: Zero Mission
WarioWare: Touched!
Rhythm Tengoku
TitleExecutive Officer at Nintendo EPD

Career

Sakamoto is a key member in the development of the Metroid series. Sakamoto grew up with Nintendo toys, which he felt were inventive.[1] The company hired him in 1982, when he graduated from art college. His first projects at Nintendo were the design of pixel art for the Game & Watch handheld Donkey Kong, and the arcade game Donkey Kong Jr.[2] He turned to the Nintendo Entertainment System afterward, for which he designed the games Wrecking Crew, Balloon Fight and Gumshoe.[2]

Sakamoto created characters for Metroid (under the alias 'Shikamoto'), and was a game designer on Kid Icarus.[3][4][5] He also directed and wrote Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, Metroid: Zero Mission, Metroid: Other M, and was the producer for Metroid: Samus Returns.[6][7] Sakamoto's design work is also found in Nintendo games including Balloon Kid (1990), Game & Watch Gallery (1997), Wario Land 4 (2001), Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001) and WarioWare. He is one of the most prominent members of Nintendo's former Research and Development 1 division.

Philosophy

Sakamoto has stated that he wants to live up to public expectations of Nintendo to deliver products similarly unique to those of his youth, describing WarioWare, Inc. as an example. Regarding his professional relationship with Nintendo producer Shigeru Miyamoto, he believes his mission is not to compete with but to "always come up with something very different from what Mr. Miyamoto is likely to do".[1]

Gameography

References
  1. "Exclusive: Metroid designer Yoshio Sakamoto speaks!". ComputerAndVideoGames.com. Future Publishing Limited. September 1, 2003. Archived from the original on June 21, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  2. Kohler, Chris (April 7, 2010). "Q&A: Metroid Creator's Early 8-Bit Days at Nintendo". Wired: GameLife. Condé Nast Digital. Archived from the original on April 25, 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  3. "GDC 2010 Online Press Kit – Yoshio Sakamoto Bio". Nintendo of America Inc. March 2010. Archived from the original on August 6, 2010. Retrieved August 6, 2010.
  4. "Metroid (1986) NES credits". MobyGames. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
  5. やればやるほどディスクシステムインタビュー(前編). Nintendo Dream (in Japanese). Mainichi Communications Inc. (118): 96–103. August 6, 2004.
  6. "Iwata Asks – Metroid: Other M – Nintendo". Nintendo of Europe GmbH. August 26, 2010. Archived from the original on January 14, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  7. "Team Ninja's Yosuke Hayashi Talks Ninja Gaiden 3". G4 Media, Inc. September 21, 2011. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
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