Satoru Iwata might be a name that doesn’t ring a bell for many people. For me, he’s one of my personal heroes. Why? Because this man was responsible for so many things that affected and still affect my life on a daily basis. Since 2002 he was the president of Nintendo and responsible for bringing gaming to the main stream with the Wii, among other things. But his history with Nintendo goes way further than that.

This book is biographical in nature and is all about Satoru Iwata.  Stories told by himself, snippets taken from interviews and from his famous “Iwata Asks” sessions, in which he interviewed other game developers. This book is all about his history and how he became president of Nintendo, but it also covers his work ethics and what his life goal was: To grow the gaming population!

I think it’s safe to say that Iwata’s life mission has been accomplished. Similarly I also try to get people enthusiastic about gaming. For instance, Bren, my girlfriend isn’t a gamer at all, but she has her own Nintendo Switch (which I got her as a gift) and absolutely loves Animal Crossing: New Horizons. What makes Nintendo so unique is that they make games for everyone, which is why I often call them the Disney of gaming. They have a unique vision and will always try to surprise everyone with their new releases. Satoru Iwata is partly responsible for Nintendo and their unique take on gaming an innovation.

One of the best parts of this book, and also the most sad part, is the last part in which Shigeru Miyamoto (the creator of Super Mario, Zelda and many other IPs.) tells about the unique friendship he shared with Iwata San. Shigesato Itoi was another dear friend of Satoru Iwata and long served him as an example. In many ways Shigesato Itoi was like an older brother to him. Sadly, Satoru Iwata died way too young, at age 55, but his legacy is vast. In the animation below, which was made as a tribute to his work, you can see all the big projects he worked on in his life. We owe a great deal to this wonderful man. I won’t ever forget everything he has done for me and my fellow gamers and after reading this book my respect for Satoru Iwata has only grown larger. A must read for gamers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YG9INjO91Y