STREET FIGHTER 6 Director Says Shigeru Miyamoto Is a “North Star” for Game Creators
When you think about the creative forces behind Street Fighter 6, you probably picture slick combat systems, stylish visuals, and a fighting game that feels like it’s firing on all cylinders.
What you might not expect is that part of that magic traces back to a tiny, charming Zelda adventure and one of gaming’s most legendary creators.
Takayuki Nakayama, the director of Street Fighter 6, recently looked back on a defining moment in his career that had nothing to do with fighting games at all. Instead, it came from working alongside Shigeru Miyamoto during the development of The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, and it clearly left a mark that still shapes his work today.
Nakayama has been part of Capcom for over two decades, going all the way back to 2002 with Jojo no Kimyo na Boken: Ogon no Kaze. Long before he was leading one of the most celebrated fighters in recent memory, he was learning the ropes during a collaboration with Nintendo on one of Zelda’s more underrated entries.
Reflecting on that time in an interview with Game Informer for Zelda’s 40th anniversary, Nakayama didn’t hold back about how impactful the experience was. “I gained invaluable experience while working on The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap.”
He goes even further when talking about Miyamoto’s influence: “The advice I received from Shigeru Miyamoto-san left a lasting impression on me, which has greatly shaped the way I approach game development even today. He is, and will always be, a North Star guiding all game creators.”
That’s high praise, but it also says a lot about Miyamoto’s reach. The creator of Mario and Zelda has never made a fighting game, yet his design philosophy still managed to influence the director of Street Fighter 6, a title many players consider one of the best fighters in years.
It’s a reminder that great game design isn’t locked into a single genre. Whether it’s exploring dungeons or throwing down in a one-on-one match, the core ideas still carry across. Clean mechanics, player-focused design, and that intangible sense of fun all connect these experiences.
Nakayama also took a moment to celebrate Zelda’s legacy, congratulating Nintendo on the series’ “incredible milestone” as it hits 40 years. It’s cool to see The Minish Cap getting some love in the process. It often flies under the radar compared to bigger Zelda titles, but it remains one of the most charming and creative 2D entries in the franchise.
If anything, this story highlights how interconnected the gaming world really is. A developer working on a handheld Zelda game decades ago carries those lessons forward, eventually helping shape a modern fighting game that defines its generation.