Shigeru Miyamoto: Better Coder Than Most Without Ever Writing Code
10 hours ago
- #innovation
- #game design
- #coding levels
- The text argues that Shigeru Miyamoto's contributions to game design (Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., Zelda) are forms of coding at Level 3, focusing on architectural decisions affecting how games feel and function, beyond just writing code.
- It introduces three levels of coding: Level 1 (syntax and basic programming), Level 2 (flow and practical decisions like data structures), and Level 3 (architecture and system-wide coherence), with most industry focus on Level 1.
- Miyamoto is highlighted as operating at Level 3, delegating Level 1 tasks, and innovating through design choices that the industry often mislabels as 'design' rather than coding, thus undervaluing such contributions.
- Gunpei Yokoi is presented as a harder case: a Nintendo maintenance technician who invented key technologies (D-pad, Game Boy) using 'withered technology' (mature, cheap tech) but is often overlooked or attributed to luck, unlike Miyamoto who gets legendary status.
- The text discusses how AI coding tools are automating Level 1 work, potentially unlocking Level 3 thinkers by reducing execution bottlenecks, while Level 2 (judgment and taste) remains a safe zone for coders to focus on.
- It concludes by urging coders to move beyond Level 1 signaling, embrace Level 2 for safety, and for Level 3 thinkers to learn Level 2 and leverage AI tools to build systems aligned with their architectural visions, citing Yokoi's philosophy as a guide.