Shigeru Miyamoto’s point is pretty clear: games shouldn’t slavishly chase realism at the expense of fun. In his eyes, animation-heavy titles that prioritize smooth visuals over responsiveness—like the “karate games” of the late ’80s—looked beautiful but often failed as games because they didn’t feel right to the player.
He uses Mario as the prime example: jumping three or four times his own height isn’t realistic, but it feels right, and that’s what matters. Miyamoto frames it as creating “unrealistic everyday life”—a world that seems plausible enough to immerse players but still allows for wild, playful rules.
For inspiration, he turned to cartoons and comedy films like Tom and Jerry or Chaplin, where exaggerated motion and absurd physics convey character and humor. The takeaway: realism is optional; what matters is how the game feels in the player’s hands. Smooth animation alone won’t make a game engaging if it sacrifices responsiveness or fun.