Former Nintendo veterans have opened up about their time at the legendary gaming company, revealing a surprisingly vulnerable side of working alongside industry icons.
Takaya Imamura, best known for his design work on F-Zero, Star Fox, and The Legend of Zelda, recently shared heartfelt reflections on social media, describing his former colleagues as so talented they felt almost otherworldly.
“There were so many incredible people at Nintendo,” Imamura wrote on X, reflecting on the challenges of carving out his own identity among such titans of game development. “I remember constantly wondering how I could prove my worth in that environment.” He admitted to carrying a sense of inferiority for years, and while leaving the company brought relief, it also brought a certain loneliness.
“It’s true I felt a freedom after leaving – like I’d shed the weight of comparison. But I also thought, ‘I won’t get to work with these amazing people anymore…’” Now exploring his own creative path, Imamura says he values the chance to create at his own pace as retirement nears.
His words resonated deeply with other former Nintendo creators. Shinji Watanabe, now leading Epsilon Software, echoed the sentiment, describing the developers he once worked with as “celestial beings.” Fellow alum Ken Watanabe, an indie dev who spent a decade at Nintendo, agreed: “There really is nothing but amazing people there. Trying to stand out among them was exhausting – and inspiring.”
The tributes highlight a culture of excellence, collaboration, and humility that seems almost mythical. Even as Nintendo continues evolving – with Super Mario Strikers (aka Mario Smash Football) joining the Switch 2’s online GameCube library next week and a replica GameCube controller feeding fans’ nostalgia – it’s the human stories behind the magic that continue to inspire.
With the Nintendo Switch 2 already racking up 3.5 million units sold, it’s clear the legacy these “celestial” devs helped build is still going strong – even as some wonder how non-Nintendo titles will fare in this next-gen era.
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