is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He is a Senior officer at Nintendo EPD.
He has worked at Nintendo since 1982. He has directed several games in the Metroid series and worked on series such as Rhythm Heaven, Tomodachi Life and WarioWare. He is one of the most prominent members of Nintendo's former Research and Development 1 division, along with Gunpei Yokoi and Toru Osawa.
Career Sakamoto is a key member in the development of the Metroid series. Sakamoto grew up with Nintendo toys, which he felt were inventive. The company hired him in 1982, when he graduated from art college. His first projects at Nintendo were the design of pixel art for the Game & Watch handheld Donkey Kong, and the arcade game Donkey Kong Jr. He turned to the Nintendo Entertainment System afterward, for which he designed the games Wrecking Crew, Balloon Fight and Gumshoe. Sakamoto also was the lead scenario writer and creator of Famicom Detective Club with its first two entries, some of the most influential visual novels in Japan in the 80s.
Sakamoto created characters for Metroid (under the alias 'Shikamoto'), and was a game designer on Kid Icarus. He also directed Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, Metroid: Zero Mission, Metroid: Other M, and was the producer for Metroid: Samus Returns and Metroid Dread. Sakamoto's design work is also found in Nintendo games including Balloon Kid (1990), Game & Watch Gallery (1997), Wario Land 4 (2001), and the WarioWare series.
Philosophy Sakamoto has stated that he wants to live up to public expectations of Nintendo to deliver products similarly unique to those of his youth, describing WarioWare, Inc. as an example. Regarding his professional relationship with Nintendo producer Shigeru Miyamoto, he believes his mission is not to compete with but to "always come up with something very different from what Mr. Miyamoto is likely to do".
Works Year Game title Role1982Donkey Kong (Game & Watch)Graphic artistDonkey Kong Jr.1983SnoopyMario's Bombs Away1984Donkey Kong CircusVs. Wrecking CrewGame designer, graphic artistVs. Balloon Fight1986GumshoeDirector, graphic artistMetroidGraphic artistKid IcarusGame designer1987Nakayama Miho no Tokimeki High SchoolDirector, game designer, scenario 1988Famicom Detective Club: The Missing HeirGame designer, scenario 1989Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind1990Balloon KidDirector1992XThe Frog For Whom the Bell TollsScenario 1994Super MetroidDirector1995Teleroboxer1997Game & Watch GalleryAdvisorBS Tantei Club: Yuki ni Kieta KakoProducer1998Game Boy CameraAdditional staff2000Trade & Battle: Card HeroDirector, game designer, scenario 2001Wario Land 4Supervisor2002Metroid FusionChief director, scenario, story2003Wario WorldAdvisorWarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!Supervisor2004Metroid: Zero MissionDirectorWarioWare: Twisted!Producer WarioWare: Touched!Producer, game designer2006Rhythm TengokuWarioWare: Smooth Moves2007Picross DSSupervisorKousoku Card Battle: Card HeroProducer2008Rhythm HeavenGeneral producer2009WarioWare D.I.Y.ProducerTomodachi Collection2010Metroid: Other MDirector, producer, story2011Rhythm Heaven FeverGeneral producer2012Kiki TrickSupervisor2013Game & WarioProducer, game designerTomodachi LifeProducer2015Rhythm Heaven MegamixGeneral producer2016MiitomoProducerMetroid Prime: Federation ForceSpecial advisor2017Metroid: Samus ReturnsProducer2021Famicom Detective Club: The Missing HeirProducer, scenario, supervisorFamicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands BehindMetroid DreadProducer2024Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective ClubProducer, game designer, scenario2026Tomodachi Life: Living the DreamProducer
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