Most gamers, even casual(the horror!), know titles such as Super Mario Brothers 3, Metal Gear Solid, and Final Fantasy 7. But do they know where they came from? who made them? why did they make them? These questions will run through your head the first time you turn into a blubbering mess witnessing Aerith’s death or when you find the first warp whistle through the secret door in the first castle. In honor of Rekuru, and to gain more insight into what goes on behind the scenes, I will present to you the top three Japanese game developers of our generation.

3. Hironobu Sakaguchi - Final Fantasy

Though he didn’t primarily develop Final Fantasy 7, this is the man who created and headed up the Final Fantasy franchise from the beginning. Chocobos, moogles, epic fantasy role playing ? Without him, we wouldn’t have any of that. Final Fantasy actually came to be when Square was a new and failing company. It was the last chance to get gaming right, hence the title. Obviously it wasn’t the final fantasy, and now after stepping down from a position as exectuive vice president of Square, Hironobu Sakaguchi founded Mistwalker with the financial backing of Microsoft. Notable contemporary games include Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon.

2. Hideo Kojima - Metal Gear Solid
The man who took video games and pretended they were interactive movies. Anyone who plays the Metal Gear Solid series can’t deny how cinematic and introspective these games are. Kojima is directly responsible for providing us gamers with the ability to participate in an intense political narrative all wrapped inside of a beautifully produced spectacle. Not to mention the mind behind the character of Solid Snake, who takes the prize for best bad ass in gaming. Action stealth games want to be everything that Kojima made Metal Gear Solid into, and the best part is, he hasn’t stopped. A PSP exclusive sequel to Metal Gear Solid 4 will be coming out soon, and there is no doubt that it will be anything but awesome.

1. Shigeru Miyamoto - Super Mario
The master, anyone who even touches a videogame needs to know who this wonderful man is. He created childhood for me and millions of other kids. The mind behind Mario, Zelda, Pikmin, and most other gaming icons of the day, Miyamoto has been named for years as the mastermind behind our generation of gaming. Lately, Nintendo has been getting tons of flack for catering to casual gamers and are somewhat accused of forgetting their original fans. Still, no matter how angry us internet nerds are at Nintendo, we still secretly are playing Super Mario Brother Wii and can’t wait for the new Zelda. These memories and characters will carry with us through the rest of our lives, and the person to thank is Shigeru Miyamoto.

This is just a small list of influential developers. There are many more brilliant Japanese minds creating games that challenge conventional gaming as well as build upon everything the industry created. I bow to you Japan, for filling my life with enjoyment and expanding upon my knowledge. Whether its engrossing character development, epic narrative, or memorable moments, Japan never fails to consistently deliver.