Former Nintendo Developers Laud Exceptional Colleagues in Game Creation

Takaya Imamura, renowned for his contributions to F-Zero, Star Fox, and The Legend of Zelda, expressed that despite his notable achievements, he felt overshadowed by the "exceptional talent" at Nintendo, leading to a sense of relief upon leaving the company.

"Nintendo was filled with extraordinarily talented individuals," Imamura wrote on X, as noted and translated by Automaton. "I constantly questioned how to prove my value in such a competitive environment, always carrying a sense of inadequacy."

"Leaving Nintendo brought a sense of liberation, as if I’d shed a long-held inferiority complex," Imamura added. "Yet, it was bittersweet, knowing I’d no longer collaborate with such remarkable colleagues. With retirement nearing and game development spanning years, I wanted to pursue creative projects at my own pace."

This sentiment resonates with other former Nintendo staff. Shinji Watanabe, now leading Epsilon Software, likened his former colleagues to "otherworldly talents." Ken Watanabe, a 10-year Nintendo veteran turned indie developer, concurred, stating, "Nintendo is full of extraordinary people. Standing out among them was both exhausting and rewarding."

Speaking of Nintendo, Super Mario Strikers—known as Mario Smash Football in Europe—is set to join the Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Online GameCube library next week, marking the first addition since the console’s launch earlier this month. Plus, a nostalgic GameCube controller replica is available for fans.

The Nintendo Switch 2 has sold 3.5 million units, but analysis of its launch week sales suggests mixed performance for third-party games.