MY DAD WAS THE GAME MASTER
BY ALEX PHILLIPS
While most kids’ parents limit their children’s time playing video games, my Dad did the opposite. That is because my dad is Howard Phillips, Nintendo’s former spokesperson and creative director, known better to first-generation Nintendo players as the Game Master. Idol to thousands of young Mario Bros fans, Dad knew every trick in the gaming book before he left the company in 1991. I reached him at our old home in Seattle through Skype to talk about his career at the forefront of mass-consumer gaming and as a cultural icon—a position that helped leveraged playground status for me and my sister Katherine.
Vice: Hey Dad, can you hear me?
Howard Phillips/Dad: Yeah, the connection is all right. Let’s get going so your Mom and I can—
OK, OK. For the benefit of our readers, can you tell me what your job as the Game Master entailed?
I was asked to play all the games, develop the ideas, and to send them to Mr. Arakawa, the former head of Nintendo America, and Mr. Niromoto, who was in charge in Japan.
Sounds important!
Video games were just getting going again in the US after Atari had come and gone. It was still a toy, not a format, so not a lot of people were familiar with them. People saw ads for Nintendo, but we wanted to personalize it and let people know why gaming was cool and fun. That was my job.
You were also the President of the fan club.
When it came to tips for games, reviews, or high scores that kids were sending in, I knew all of that stuff. That’s the reason I became president. Do you remember your sweatshirt?
Am I in trouble if I say no?
It was white and the logo was pink and blue? Katherine wore it a lot. That might have been when you were a little piece of mush, like six months old.
Mush?
Yeah, eyes, mouth, toes. Smiling, but not a lot going on.
See all articles by this contributor Anonymous, on Aug 19, 2009 wrote:
I always had great memories of Howard, he made an excellent spokesmen for Nintendo. It is nice to see he is still involved in the industry! | | Anonymous, on May 7, 2009 wrote:
"You’re a good person, Dad".
That’s really sweet.. | | Anonymous, on May 7, 2009 wrote:
man, i can recall receiving my first nintendo game system a long time ago. the joys of duck hunt and super mario *sigh | | Anonymous, on May 4, 2009 wrote:
ooh Im liking the vest and turtle neck action going on in that first picture. classic little kid outfit. | |
| road_kill, on May 4, 2009 wrote:
I remember my neighbor always had Nintendo Power magazines and I would always read them when i went over there..ahh, nostalgia | | Anonymous, on May 4, 2009 wrote:
oh my god! now I know what I wanna be when i grow up. he is my hero! | | Anonymous, on May 2, 2009 wrote:
There’s a bit of historical revisionism here.
Only the first issue of Nintendo Power was free, and only for those who had previously been in the Nintendo Fun Club (whose newsletters WERE given out free for several years, but the final issue predated the first issue of Nintendo Power.) | | Anonymous, on May 1, 2009 wrote:
Put Howard Phillips up on Mt. Rushmore instead of those dead guys that no one has ever heard of. | | Anonymous, on May 1, 2009 wrote:
amazing how someone who saw the dawn of gaming is able to still stay ahead of the trends in gaming. i guess thats the bonus of working with the japanese. | | Anonymous, on May 1, 2009 wrote:
Ahhhh holy shit! Captain N: The Game Master I used to watch that on basic cable in, what, 1990? | | Anonymous, on May 1, 2009 wrote:
The "Game Masters" today shadow this guy. Plus they’re all 12. | | Anonymous, on May 1, 2009 wrote:
Fun article! | | Anonymous, on Apr 30, 2009 wrote:
skype is pretty rad except when i’m hungover and stoned. then it might as well be called "make your parents even more disappointed in you". | |
| jiminy, on Apr 30, 2009 wrote:
italians always have the best mustaches. | | Anonymous, on Apr 29, 2009 wrote:
"nice try, but we all know that parents dont have sex"
That’s what I thought. That’s what I thought... | | Anonymous, on Apr 29, 2009 wrote:
i think I have found my halloween costume for next year... | | Anonymous, on Apr 29, 2009 wrote:
when I used to play mortal kombat with my brothers when I was little they used to always tell me that my character was their and theirs was mine so that when they beat me I always thought I won. it was surprisingly kind for seven year old boys | | Anonymous, on Apr 29, 2009 wrote:
there is no way the dad was about to say "so your mom and I can go fuck"... i bet if they let him finish it would have been something like "so your and I can start dinner" or something lame like that. nice try, but we all know that parents dont have sex | | Anonymous, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
yo sam i am, if it’s a famicon twin, those things are sweeeet. the cables are easy to find too. get it and tetris+dr. mario(nes)+family feud (snes) and your parties will never be the same again | | Anonymous, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
I’d pay a lot of money for that mario suit. | | Anonymous, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
i always heard that if u beat mario on nes in a certain way, u can see the princesses tits. this is the guy who would know how to do it, but this question mysteriously remains unasked | |
| jesse, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
2 | | Anonymous, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
that giant mario looks frightening. beware his magic mushrooms and lonely plunger | | Anonymous, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
again | | Anonymous, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
test | | Anonymous, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
I remember this guy! I doubt he’s in a "home" he was only 30 or so in the mid-80s. | | Anonymous, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
That’s really pretty cool. Never knew someone used to know every game. That’s some serious old school quality control for sure. | | Anonymous, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
i remember going to toys r us to the nintendo aisle. all the games would be up on the wall and you had to pick what you wanted and take the slip of paper to the front desk where they would give you the game. that was the most exciting time of a young boy’s life. | | Anonymous, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
i bet all the old folks at his home wii bowl like crazy | | Anonymous, on Apr 28, 2009 wrote:
what a cool dad. i bet his memorribilia is fucking priceless. | | | Next 30 comments > |
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