This Is Nintendo Legend Shigeru Miyamoto's Favorite Mario Game

Nintendo game director Shigeru Miyamoto is undoubtedly an icon in gaming culture, though not much is known about his favorite "Mario" games. Known for being the creator and driving force of the "Legend of Zelda" and "Mario" series, as well as the "Star Fox" and "Donkey Kong" series, Miyamoto's contributions to gaming are revolutionary. He's a shaker and a mover, responsible for one of the most well-known characters in the world, and it's natural to wonder what the mind behind the "Mario" series considers his favorite entry. 

The Nintendo director has changed his mind over time, having listed several Mario games as his favorite in the past. Miyamoto has, of course, seen many "Mario" games come and go over the decades, having been a developer or director for countless new entries. It should be no surprise that an old-school developer like Miyamoto looks to the classics for his favorite "Mario" games.

According to KoopaTV, at the 2021 81st Nintendo Shareholder meeting, Shigeru Miyamoto said he has been playing a lot of "Pokemon GO," which might indicate an affinity for new "Mario" games over older ones. However, in the same interview, perhaps as an old-school icon himself, Miyamoto also said he still loves "Pac-Man" for being his inspiration and "Tetris" for being "wonderful." His love of games spans from its inception to its current offerings, but despite his apparent obsession with "Pokemon GO," his favorite "Mario" games are far from recent.

Shigeru Miyamoto has rarely ranked or commented on his favorite "Mario" games, though there are some notable exceptions. At the 25th Super Mario Anniversary celebration and during the 2012 E3, Miyamoto claimed three "Mario" games to be his favorite: "Super Mario World," "Super Mario," and "Super Mario USA" (also known as "Super Mario 2"). Miyamoto had a direct hand in the creation of all three of these games, and depending on his perspective as either a developer or player, two stand out above the rest.

According to a 2010 interview with Game Hunters at USA Today, "Super Mario World" was Miyamoto's favorite Mario game. The Nintendo director brought up how it improved over the original, like map features that made players carefully think about their movements. However, this opinion would change two years later.

In a 2012 interview with IGN during E3, Miyamoto didn't mention "Super Mario World" at all. Instead, he brought up two games from two different perspectives. As a developer, Miyamoto said the original "Super Mario" was his favorite because of his memories of the game. As a player, though, Miyamoto said he loves "Super Mario 2" thanks to its loose approach that let them come "up with something very interesting."

Going by his most recently shared thoughts, Shigeru Miyamoto's favorite game in the "Mario" series is either the original or the "Super Mario 2." Miyamoto enjoys playing "Super Mario 2" the most, but his experience developing the original game is something that has stayed with him after all this time.