Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a rather odd pairing, but the team behind the game are pureblood Nintendo fans, and what we've seen of the game so far gives us much reason to be optimistic.
For Ubisoft Milan creative director and a lifelong Nintendo fanboy Davide Soliani, getting to work with Shigeru Miyamoto - perhaps the most famous game designer in the world - is a dream come true. He tells Gameindustry.biz about the first time he met the legend himself:
My first project was Rayman for Game Boy. My second game was Jungle Book: Mowgli's Wild Adventure, also on Game Boy. I was super proud of it. I remember a review saying that it seemed like a Nintendo game. So the first time I went to E3, I brought my Jungle Book game and I met Miyamoto. But I was so shy, like a little kid, that I just gave him the game and asked him to sign it, without even saying hello, presenting myself and explaining that this was my game. So, Miyamoto-san looked at the box like: 'Hmmm, this isn't my game.' But he signed it anyway because he is such a gentle guy. When he gave me the signed game, which of course I still have, I went out of E3 and cried like a baby.
The next time he met Miyamoto, Soliani went to extreme lengths to track him down:
I called up every four or five-star hotel in Milan, pretending to be part of the team, to find out where he was staying. It was a Saturday, it was raining, I had a fever, but I didn't care. I waited there for eight or ten hours. I had brought with me all the games from Ubisoft Milan and I gave them to him. He said goodnight to us in Italian. It was a magical moment. I'm clearly quite crazy. I am a fan. I recognise that it's not super rational.
Amazingly, former Rare composer and Yooka-Laylee tunesmith Grant Kirkhope's first encounter was perhaps even more embrassing:
Yeah... my Miyamoto story is a bit worse. It was when E3 had moved to Atlanta [1997]. Nintendo had a party in a museum, and we all got hideously drunk. I saw [Rare founder] Tim Stamper talking to Miyamoto, and I introduced myself as the composer of Banjo-Kazooie, totally drunk. He just looked at me with the blankest expression, he couldn't tell what I was saying. A while later, I was in the bathroom - and this is embarrassing - I was trying to pull down [Donkey Kong 64 designer] George Andreas' trousers for a joke. I was on my knees and I looked up to see Miyamoto staring down at me. That was the last time I spoke to him.
Despite the awkward first encounters, both Soliani and Kirkhope admit that joining forces with Miyamoto and Nintendo on the game has been a blast, and that working together has also given them unexpected moments of joy.
Kirkhope explains:
Davide said that it would be great if we could use the castle theme from Mario 64. That's my favourite piece. I started at Rare in 1995 and that was one of the first games I got when I started. For me to get to play with that tune was just breathtaking. I did this thing where I cut it into little bits and used it with my own tune. I sent it to Davide and he was in tears. He's always in tears.
The full interview is well worth a read, and we don't know about you, but we're super excited about this collaboration now. Let us know your thoughts by posting a comment.
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 40
Huh
" I was trying to pull down [Donkey Kong 64 designer] George Andreas' trousers for a joke."
Drunk or not, that's not fun.
Just when you thought Kirkhope couldn't be more endearing.
I would probably act like a babbling idiot too if I met miyamito. He's my hero. I don't think I'd be able to put together a coherent sentence.
Miyamato is a legend to passionate gamers and game creators. I have no idea how I would act. His influence is titanic, and I've spent so many hours of my life playing his creations.
If I met him I just might wet myself........so, change of clothing is in order!
😲
@Eddyson Get a load of Buzz Killington over here 🙄
Okay, the first one was sweet. The third one cracked me up. Seriously, who does stuff like that?
Usually these sorts of "recall memories" are safe and boring - but these are pretty cray - I'll be thinking about yanking Mario's trousers while I play this!
Trying to pull down someones trousers?
Is that really funny to anyone past the age of 16?
@Dezzy well there are still people young in their mind no matter what age they are. Now with that being said just enjoy it or move lol
@Dezzy a great many things are funny after 15+ shots of rum.
@Alucard83
Well those people should laugh at something more sophisticated. Like old people farting.
That's... Something.
Yawn.
"I sent it to Davide and he was in tears. He's always in tears."
This. I don't what it is, maybe the way it's worded...it just made me laugh so hard lol
Also, it's nice to see an Italian studio being handed such an iconic IP (no, I'm not referring to Rabbids). I mean, our country is famous for a lot of stuff, but certainly not video games.
@MegaTen
He was on his knees trying to play a drunk prank on someone else when Miyamoto walked in and caught him at it. That's miles away from dropping on your knees and saying I'm not worthy! Lol
@Dezzy Well, that heavily depends on what the victim is wearing underneath those trousers...
@ThanosReXXX
That's correct. eg. Someone going commando. Pants down. Dong out. Instantly funny. 😂
@Tempestryke
I would worry more about what he thought I was doing on my knees, in a bathroom, trying to forcefully remove another's pantaloons.😱
Lol funny as.
And also all the knee jerk reactions in the comments are awesome "oh why would you act like that" ... Because they have fun and let loose something some on here could do with every now and then obviously. It's Friday soon how about get together with some mates (assuming you have some) lots of warming drinks (wink wink) and stop being so uptight.
@OneArmedGiant Or a grown man wearing Spongebob Squarepants boxers, or Hello Kitty, because his girlfriend likes it...
Instant hall of shame...
I wish I could be as happy as Miyamoto in that photo haha
@OneArmedGiant
Lmao right?
"I was in the bathroom - and this is embarrassing - I was trying to pull down [Donkey Kong 64 designer] George Andreas' trousers for a joke. I was on my knees and I looked up to see Miyamoto staring down at me."
Sure. A joke. Right...
@ThanosReXXX Imagine it being one of those pants that's secured with a belt and straps around the shoulders "I've got a gut feeling that your stamina won't last that long, buddy"
We've all been there, right?
@Grudgebearer Oh, the horror...
And now you've got me thinking about man-kinis...
Sort of related: The first time I met [saw] Peter Molyneux in real life, at E3 some year, I just went up to him and told him that one of his games wasn't displaying properly on the demo unit (which was true) and walked away. What a wuss. lol
@ThanosReXXX I'd say mission accomplished, but that's not a mission I wanted to accomplish
@Grudgebearer Can't do anything other than completely agree with you...
They sound a bit pathetic.
I keep hearing that they're massive Nintendo fanboys, but, thanks to them, Rabbids are now in a Mario game, so, are they really...?
@Markiemania95 Thanks for making me laugh, that was a good joke. no physical contact even needed, let alone the pants area.
@Eddyson I try 😉
Lol, Grant Kirkhope's story is the best! He also composed for Conker, right?
@Dezzy I played football (some call it soccer) with a guy (adult) that was much older than me and he tried to pull my pants down during the match so I would lose focus and play badly. I wasn't angry with him because we joke verbally a lot and I know he didn't mean any harm.
Oh my GOD Grant! D:
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