Yoshio Sakamoto


Yoshio Sakamoto is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer, where he has worked since 1982. He has directed several games in the Metroid series. He is one of the most prominent members of Nintendo's former Research and Development 1 division along Gunpei Yokoi and Toru Osawa

Career

Sakamoto is a key member in the development of the Metroid series. Sakamoto grew up with Nintendo toys, which he felt were inventive. 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. He turned to the Nintendo Entertainment System afterward, for which he designed the games Wrecking Crew, Balloon Fight and Gumshoe.
Sakamoto created characters for Metroid, and was a game designer on Kid Icarus. He also directed and wrote Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, ', ', and was the producer for . Sakamoto's design work is also found in Nintendo games including Balloon Kid, Game & Watch Gallery, Wario Land 4, Super Smash Bros. Melee and WarioWare.

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".

Works