"We need to eat in order to live. That's our first priority," Miyamoto conceded in an interview with England's Channel 4, "but entertainment and the enrichment of our souls must come in second."

Miyamoto remained unphased by the recent economic downturn and kept his faith in Nintendo, saying the company's mission is to create "reasonable and affordable entertainment." Miyamoto, who has been with the company since the mid-1980s, has seen Nintendo through thick and thin.

The creative mind behind Mario and Zelda is an oft-cited inspiration to famed game designers worldwide, but he laments that many of them resort to violence too quickly. "I don't want to curb freedom of expression, but I am concerned that many developers focus just on excessive violence in order to stimulate people's minds," he said.

"I believe that there are more ways to grab players' attention than violence alone," he continued. "I also hope that parents take advantage of the age ratings when letting their children play," he added.