Japanese gaming bible Famitsu is 1000 issues old this week. To commemorate this milestone, Nintendo design guru Shigeru Miyamoto features in an interview to reflect on some of his gaming highlights during the publication’s existence. Away from the nostalgia, however, are hints at the Super Mario inventor’s future plans.

Talking of the Wii Balance Board - the weighing scale-alike, BMI measuring peripheral that comes packaged with Wii Fit, Miyamoto responded to Famitsu’s observation that it had sold very well in Japan so far (notching up a mighty 1 million sales during its first month on sale in the region, no less). He noted that should the concept be welcomed as warmly abroad as it has been in Japan, Nintendo may very well be interested in releasing standalone games to support the unique accessory. ” “If it continues to gain popularity overseas, that’s something I look forward to, since it means more Wii Balance Board titles might come out,” he said.

As far as other Nintendo Wii-related information goes, Miyamoto was familiarly tight-lipped. However, he did reveal that he is interested in developing a sequel to Super Mario Galaxy and that he is currently thinking about the next entry into The Legend of Zelda franchise. Given that Nintendo has opted to release just one Super Mario adventure in the lifetime of each of its last two generations of consoles, will it be that we’ll have to wait until the Wii’s successor to see it?

On the topic of the Nintendo DS, Miyamoto echoed earlier whispers on the idea that there are plans to utilise the machine to carry out numerous tasks in public spaces. What these are, he didn’t say:

“Once people can use it in a wide range of public places, we could probably set up servers and create a good environment that links together play at home and play on the go-then work game technology into that.” He later added, “When you take your DS out on the town, you’ll be able to do all kinds of fun things with it in public spaces. This year we plan to challenge ourselves with that kind of system.”

Other highlights of the interview included Miyamoto’s pick of software houses that are currently floating his boat. He explained how both Level 5’s Professor Layton series and Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer are both impressing him - and that he hopes gamers will warm to the new style of control offered by the latter.

[Sources: IGN, 1UP]

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