A Visit To Nintendo Headquarters

It was a cold winter day when I finally realized my childhood dream”¦ Visiting Nintendo headquarters. It was almost exactly like I had always pictured it: cold, windy, grey skies, and the pristine flawless architecture of gaming Mecca. Behind those walls magic, true magic happens.

Like nearly every other 13 year old kid in 1988, I dreamed of working for Nintendo. I dreamed of building a career with the company that brought me so much joy. The creators of Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc”¦ you all know. Like many of you, I dreamed of calling the shots, I even had drawings of what my office would look like. Back then I had no idea who Shigeru Miyamoto was, and I had no clue that my favorite games were developed in Japan. I didn’t care, I wanted to work for Nintendo and that was that.

Well”¦ Life as you may or may not yet know tends to dissuade one’s childhood dreams and implement its own diversions. I left my aspirations of Nintendo greatness along with my old toybox in my parent’s attic”¦ All but forgotten”¦ until 2006.

I was on a business trip to Everett Washington. Everett is a small woody town about half-an-hour north-east of Seattle. From my home near Portland, I drove along the interstate 5 freeway as it wound it’s way up the state of Washington. Somewhere along the way I passed through a little town called Redmond. While scanning the highway I noticed a long, white, mostly unexceptional 2 story building. I continued to watch the building as I drove by it, and there in the top north-east corner of the building I beheld a most exciting thing! In bold, black letters and traditional oval outline, I saw the most recognizable logo in the universe.

Every Nintendophile muscle in my body was screaming at me to pull off the freeway and investigate, but I couldn’t. I was on schedule to be in Everett within the hour, and I could not detour. I continued on through Redmond and finally met with my colleagues in Everett. It was, of course, my intention to pass through Redmond. And it was, of course, my intention to visit Nintendo Headquarters while on this trip.

As I sat through lecture after lecture, I found myself totally distracted by the 13 year old kid that still resided in my mind. My Nintendo fantasies had been re-awakened and it took quite a bit of effort to keep focused on my duties and my obligations. Finally at 2pm, my scheduled 2 hour break was at hand. I grabbed all my belongings and tossed them into my satchel and made a break for the door. Jumping into my car, I sped down the freeway back toward Redmond, I was 13 years old again.

I exited the freeway and made my way onto a small road heading south. Instantly I found myself amidst the giant monoliths of my childhood memories. There on my right was a large, pure-white building with the immortal Nintendo logo contrasting in perfect black. On my left the same, but 2 buildings connected by a 2nd-story walkway.

I turned into the jammed parking lot, past the Nintendo of America entry sign and found a parking space marked “˜visitor’. As I stepped into the cold Washington air, the wind raced into my eyes and hair greeting me with a mighty gust. I walked around the building where I found a custom-modded pikachu-VWbug. I must have looked like such a dork taking photos of that little yellow car.

Around to the front side of the building I saw the main entrance and made my way inside. As the door closed behind me I found myself in a fairly large lobby with a low ceiling, silver walls lined the room and were adorned plainly, except for a large purple-outlined Nintendo logo up on the wall behind the receptionist’s desk. “Can I help you?” She asked. I was beyond help”¦ I was inside Nintendo Headquarters”¦ I was within the sacred heart of gaming; within the halls of past and future memories, the sanctuary of the Triforce and of Tom Nook.

“I’m just here looking around, always wanted to visit”¦” I said. I was then informed that visitors were not allowed in this part of the building, and that if I would like I could visit the visitor’s center on the other side of the complex. With nothing to lose, I jokingly asked, “Does the Regginator have a few minutes to spare for an interview?” It took her a few seconds to digest the term “Regginator” but she replied, “I’m sorry, Reggie is very busy.” I looked around for a moment longer, then said thanks to the polite receptionist and exited through the front door.

On the outside, I began to take photos of the Nintendo logo above the main entrance when I heard a voice from behind me say, “Are you with Microsoft?” I turned and saw a tall blonde-haired fellow with thick glasses looking at me. He was wearing a Nintendo badge and holding a paper cup. “Nope, but I have Paul Allen in my trunk.” I replied. He laughed and took a swig from his cup. “Hey can you take a photo of me with the Nintendo logo in the background?” I asked excitedly. Begrudgingly he obliged and I handed him my camera and whipped out my handmade 4CR sign. After a few quick shots, the tall guy and his cup disappeared through the front door, presumably off to play with revolution controllers. I took a few more pics of the buildings and parking lot and then proceeded onward to find the visitor’s center.

On the oblique, ivy-covered side of the “˜other’ building, I entered a door marked “customer service” and behold: the visitor’s center! It was more like the “visitor’s room” But oh what delights I found inside… The walls were covered with iconic Nintendo characters, Mario, Luigi, DK, Yoshi”¦ there were 2 sculptures: One of Mario and another of Pikachu. There were 2 Gamecube kiosks, a DS kiosk, and Nintendo doodads galore: plush animals, T-shirts, posters, hats, yoyos, pens, pencils, candy, clocks, watches, flashlights, and just about everything else you could imagine ““ all bearing the Nintendo logo or a respective mascot. There were games too, and accessories…

… But coolest of all was the awe-inspiring Nintendo cabinet-of-doom!

This Cabinet was filled with any and all items that would make Nintendo fans swoon with joy. For starters: Original Nintendo Hanafuda cards, complete in their nearly-ancient original packaging. Nintendo dominos and what looked like poker chips. These items were possibly 50 years old or older! Moving down the shelves I found nearly every hardware product Nintendo has ever released in America: The NES, the SNES, N64, Gamecube, a plethora of GameBoys, Game and Watch, R.O.B., and even some obscure Japanese consoles and peripherals I had never seen before, including an authentic looking “Six-shooter-revolver” Zapper! There were some old-school Nintendo Magazines and players guides, some fan art, and an original autographed photo of Miyamoto-san dated March 15, 1999.

At the far end of the visitor’s center was a sales counter, and behind the sales counter was a guy named Paul. I asked if it would be all right if I took some photos, Paul looked around behind him and nodded in approval. While I was snapping photo after photo I asked Paul a slew of questions ““ everything that popped into my information-hungry mind. “So, any word as to what the 2nd secret of the revolution is?” Paul didn’t know. “Do you hear any rumors or juicy bits of info about secret revolution functionality?” Paul had no idea. “Oh, the controller can be held in one hand and is motion sensitive!” he said to me”¦ I just smiled and prodded on, “Do you know when the Revolution will be coming out or what the real name will be?” and he replied, “Revolution! Wait, it’s not gonna be called Revolution?”

After taking several photos, I made my way to the counter and told Paul all about 4CR and how I really appreciate him answering my questions and letting me take some photos. I purchased a copy of Electroplankton, a Bob-omb figurine, and a Nintendo pen. As he wrapped up my purchase, Paul threw in a couple Nintendo pencils, a couple “touching is good” bottles of DS hand-cleanser, 2 more Nintendo pens, a gigantic “Gamecube” magnet, a Nintendo pad of paper, and some Nintendo stickers. “There you go!” he said. With wide eyes, I thanked Paul and forced myself to leave this wonderful, wonderful place.

As I left the parking lot I decided to drive around the premises and photograph the various buildings. I drove past the Nintendo Software Corporation building and the DigiPen building, where a bunch of students were all looking at me funny as I drove past them holding a camera.

One last time I drove past the “˜main’ buildings, the Nintendo of America sign, and finally a small outer building ““ all garnished with that ever-familiar oval logo. Finally, I made my way back to the real world, back onto the freeway, back to Everett. It was a unique feeling being in that place, the “real” world of Nintendo. It was beautiful, surreal, quiet, and clean ““ the impression I got from the grounds and what little I saw of the inside was extremely clean and pure”¦ Maybe that was due to the constant cleansing rain which is typical of the North West, or maybe it was something in me.