Miyamoto Up For Time 100 Voting

by Mike Bendel April 11, 2008 @ 11:48 am


Shigeru Miyamoto, the famed game designer behind household names such as Mario and Zelda, has once again made it into TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list.

Miyamoto’s pros and cons are listed as:

PRO: As if creating Mario, Donkey Kong, and The Legend of Zelda weren’t enough, the “father of modern video gaming” is still designing franchises for Nintendo and its best-selling Wii console. His latest, Super Mario Galaxy, redefines VG physics once again with its springy re-imagining of that old chestnut, gravity.

CON: Can he reverse gravity for all the obese, video game–playing kids out there? Miyamoto himself has said that the purpose of his Wii Fit game, with its balance board and full-body focus, isn’t to make you fit, but “aware of your body.” Aware enough to go outside before atherosclerosis sets in?

Last year, readers voted him into the top 10 at no. 9. TIME’s official list, which was in no particular order of importance, placed him at no. 92 in the “Builders & Titans” category.

Miyamoto is currently sitting comfortably at rank 25 with an average rating of 59. Think he deserves top honors this year? You can cast votes for your favorite nominee now at TIME’s site.

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