Nintendo President Satoru Iwata was a man who constantly proved he was a cut above the rest, as far as corporate executives go. Throughout his tenure helming the Japanese gaming giant, Iwata gave fans an affable, warm personality to associate with the company they love. Iwata embraced his public image, participating in various goofy videos that showed gamers what Nintendo is all about: making people smile. Here, we share just a few of our favorite moments in which Iwata shone the brightest.
His First Nintendo Direct
The very first Nintendo Direct hit Japan October 21, 2011. In it, Iwata established a personal approach to Nintendo's announcements that the company has embraced ever since.
Satoru Iwata presentation E3 2005
His "Heart of a Gamer" Keynote Speech at GDC 2005
Iwata's 2005 keynote address at the Game Developers Conference is perhaps the most inspirational speech ever given by a video gaming professional. The keynote spawned his oft quoted line, "On my business card, I am a corporate president. In my mind, I am a game developer. But in my heart, I am a gamer." -
His Appearance on Game Center CX
Surprising host "Chief" Shinya Arino, Iwata made a guest appearance on Japanese video game variety show Game Center CX. He and Arino discussed each other's work and played Balloon Fight, a NES game that Iwata worked on.
Puppet Iwata (and Miyamoto and Reggie)
While Nintendo's gaming announcements at this year's E3 disappointed most fans, one thing sure didn't: the level of charm and fun that the company put into their presentation. Their Digital Event included the goofy antics of The Jim Henson Company's puppet versions of Iwata, gaming legend Shigeru Miyamoto, and Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé.
His Wii U Chat Call with Reggie Fils-Aimé
Leading up to the launch of Wii U, Iwata demonstrated one of the consoles functions—Wii U chat—by making a call to Reggie. This clip showed not just Iwata's enthusiasm for the feature, but also his excitement with Nintendo's hardware.
Finally... Bananas!
At E3 2012, Nintendo shared a brief clip featuring Iwata silently and intently staring at a bunch of bananas he was holding. While this turned out to be a teaser for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, the at first seemingly random image of Iwata and his bananas quickly rose to Internet meme status, even being parodied by a LEGO Iwata in a Japanese Nintendo Direct segment on Lego City Undercover.
So much nostalgia and feel in this one ....
