Friends, there have been a few people in my life of late that have expressed concern on both my work schedules as well as how much time is spent on writing and podcasting. I only bring this up as it is the only explanation as to how I missed it back in 2015 when Nintendo released this video on YouTube of the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto (Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda) paying a visit to the Jim Henson Studios. As someone who works in an arcade and has a podcast about classic gaming – I would have thought that one of my fellow co-workers would have tipped me off that Nintendo joined forces with the Jim Henson Studios to create puppets for the E3 Nintendo Direct . The Jim Henson Studios created puppets of Reggie Fils-Aime – then president and CEO of Nintendo America, the late and great Satoru Iwata (EarthBound, Kirby) who was the then President and CEO of Nintendo, and Shigeru Miyamoto… in addition to Fox McCloud, Peppy Hare, as well as Falco Lombardi!
Changing subject for just a second – I was and still am a HUGE fan of the Star Fox series – so much so that I am lucky enough to have the 1993 poster that was included in a issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly still on my bedroom wall – a mere 27 years later. I am not sure of how many hundreds of hours I spent before work and after – plopped down in front of my TV set – playing both Star Fox and Star Fox 64, helping Fox deliver a stunning defeat to Andross… over and over again.
It is Shigeru Miyamoto we have to thank for the design of Fox McCloud and his fellow pilots of Star Fox or Team Star Fox depending on what game you might be playing. Which is why it is plain to see he is excited to see three members of the team made into puppets by the Jim Henson Studios. In fact you can see that joy for yourself thanks to this interview with Miyamoto and Brian Henson – the video game designer explaining how much it meant to see characters he helped to create become Henson puppets.
That looked like a really fun day for all parties involved… who knows… maybe Netflix can somehow get Nintendo and the Jim Henson Studios to bring a Star Fox series to life? If they did I would dare say that news would be worthy of performing a barrel roll, right?
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