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Today is the 40th anniversary of Zelda 1!
Of all the Zelda titles, this is the one we know the MOST about; they've discussed it in interviews for years. Let's go down memory lane with some fun quotes
#Zelda
#TheLegendOfZeldaQuote
#MiyamotoQuote, #TezukaQuote, #NakagoQuote, #KondoQuote
The most important people during development of Zelda 1:
Shigeru Miyamoto: Producer, Co-Director
Takashi Tezuka: Co-Director
Toshihiko Nakago: Programming lead
Koji Kondo: Music and sound
Miyamoto, Tezuka, and Nakago have been described as the "golden triangle" by Satoru Iwata
Shigeru Miyamoto is of course commonly touted as the creator of the Zelda series, but I think Takashi Tezuka deserves neaerly as much credit; I've labelled him the co-creator of the series in my posts before.
This same group also made Super Mario Bros together at the same time
So let's look at the very beginnings of Zelda!
For instance: it started off as a game for the Nintendo Vs System, NOT the Famicom Disk System.
The details of how this would have worked are pretty unclear!
![PEOPLE:
- Takashi Tezuka, age 48. Assistant Director of Super Mario Bros., co-director of The Legend of Zelda.
- Toshihiko Nakago, age 52. Programmer for Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda.
- Shigeru Miyamoto, age 56. Director & Producer of of Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda.
QUOTE:
Iwata: Now the two of you have lunch with Miyamoto-san on a more or less daily basis. I sometimes join you, which means that we've spent a lot of time together. But this is the first time we've ever spoken in this kind of formal setting.
… You know, I always got the sense that you were suspicious that there was some kind of ulterior motive behind these interviews. [laughs]
Tezuka: Well, I always thought it would be better to stay out of them. [laughs]
Iwata: [laughs] Well, I asked you to join me for this interview because I felt that it was impossible to discuss the history of Mario without reference to the triangle formed by Miyamoto-san, Tezuka-san and Nakago-san.](https://cdn.masto.host/mastodongamedevplace/media_attachments/files/116/111/178/601/702/641/original/65b07600b8275959.png)
![PEOPLE:
- Toshihiko Nakago, age 52. Programmer on Excitebike, Super Mario Bros., and The Legend of Zelda.
- Satoru Iwata, age 49. President of Nintendo.
QUOTE:
Nakago: As Excitebike was being developed in Tokyo, I went on a lot of business trips there together with Miyamoto-san and we'd often stay over in a hotel. … There were times when it would be really hard to secure a hotel room. There were even times when we slept in the same bed.
Iwata: …What!? [laughs]
Nakago: That's how we made Excitebike. Then after that, we began to work on Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda at the same time.
Iwata: … It's surprising how many game fans aren't aware of this, but the first Super Mario and Zelda titles were made simultaneously, with the same staff. It's something that seems completely unthinkable now! [laughs]](https://cdn.masto.host/mastodongamedevplace/media_attachments/files/116/111/179/944/293/500/original/ec5e5cdf4001e074.png)
![PEOPLE:
- Takashi Tezuka, age 48. Co-Director of The Legend of Zelda.
- Toshihiko Nakago, age 52. Programmer for The Legend of Zelda.
- Satoru Iwata, age 49. President of Nintendo.
QUOTE:
Tezuka: I don't really remember when we first began Zelda. [laughs] But I know it started with the dungeons.
Nakago: At the very start, we were developing the game using the arcade system. You mentioned it a little earlier, Iwata-san...
Iwata: We're talking about the Nintendo Vs. System, right?
Nakago: I remember that we started out using the Vs. System.
Iwata: So it wasn't originally made for the Famicom Disk System.](https://cdn.masto.host/mastodongamedevplace/media_attachments/files/116/111/181/261/887/267/original/b9dd8cefd8f109af.png)