Hideo Kojima credits Super Mario Bros. for getting him to the industry, felt games "would one day surpass movies" because of it - Nintendo Everything

Hideo Kojima says Super Mario Bros. put him on the path to game development—and convinced him games could surpass movies

In a new Wired feature, Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima revealed the one game he’s played more than any other: Super Mario Bros. He recalls spending a year with it in college—often skipping classes—drawn in by how a simple side-scroller could feel like a true adventure.

Kojima pointed to the game’s elegant mechanics—especially how holding the dash button subtly changes jump trajectories for attacks and dodges—as proof that interactivity can create depth and emotion without heavy storytelling. That realization led him to believe video games would one day surpass films, a conviction he says pulled him into the industry. While he admits he doesn’t really play it now, he still credits Super Mario Bros. with shaping his career and creative philosophy.

Why Super Mario Bros. resonated with Kojima:

• Played it obsessively for a year in college, even skipping classes
• Dash + jump mechanics added surprising depth to simple left-to-right action
• Minimal narrative, maximum adventure and imagination
• Sparked his belief that interactive media could outpace cinema

Context and related notes:

• Kojima still calls Super Mario Bros. the game he’s played the most
• He has praised it as one of humanity’s great inventions in past comments
• He wants Snake to return to Super Smash Bros., though it seems unlikely
• He has previously explained why he pushed for Snake in Smash

Which game have you personally played the most? Share your pick.

Source: https://nintendoeverything.com/super-mario-bros-hideo-kojima/