Super Mario Odyssey Producer Explains How to Get Into Game Design, How to Pour the Perfect Cup of Coffee

Super Mario Odyssey's Yoshiaki Koizumi recently took the time to sit down with Reddit for a casual AMA. Super Mario Odyssey was discussed at length, though we didn't learn anything new that we hadn't already seen in all of the E3 footage. What we did learn, however, is that Mr. Koizumi is a really down to earth person, and he was willing to share some valuable life advice with a lucky few Redditors.

"Kyle6477" was interested in Mr. Koizumi's coffee preparation techniques, since he had learned that that Koizumi-san was intensely interested in learning how to make proper pour-over coffee. When asked which method ended up being his favorite, he responded like a caffeinated sage:

"I'm very particular about my coffee. I buy my beans, I grind them. I weigh the grounds and measure the volume of water. The water cannot be too hot unless the coffee will become bitter, so I like to pour over using a long stemmed pouring kettle. It has to have a long, narrow pouring spout or too much water will come out at once. The whole thing has become a ritual for me, I really enjoy the good smell of the coffee as I make it."

He also gives some very practical advice for anyone hoping to one day get into game design. When asked how to make that happen, Mr. Koizumi stated simply: "I think one of the best things that you can do would be to expose yourself to other kinds of play, not just video games. It will give you a well rounded sense of the ideas that go around the concept of play." On that same note, Koizumi revealed how he himself eventually got into game design:

"I wasn't always a game developer, I actually stated out as an artist, and did images that are in manuals. One day I had a manual that didn't have instructions for what should be in it so I went to check with the development team and next think I knew I was working on a Zelda game. "

So there you have it. One of the most talented and renowned producers in the industry has given you the secrets of pour-over coffee and breaking into the gaming industry. They say it's a bad idea to meet your heroes, but I'm glad we took the time to learn more about Koizumi-san.