In 1988, Nintendo of America test guru Howard Phillips received a package of new games for his review, including a copy of the Famicom Disk System. This was just one of the many perks of working at Nintendo, where Phillips went on to become one of the most recognizable figures in the company's history.
While this is true in 2021, there was a time when another face - a real, live human being - was the most recognizable thing about Nintendo. Phillips was known as the "Gamemaster" and "Howard Nintendude" to fans of the company's hotline, where he would offer tips and tricks to gamers seeking help.
Phillips joined Nintendo in the early 1980s with the intention of helping transport a few new-fangled arcade cabinets, but he ended up becoming a key player in the company's success. He served as the Director of Marketing and the Producer of various games, including the cult classic "StarTropics."
One of Phillips' most significant contributions to Nintendo was his work on the company's hotline. He was one of the initiators of the hotline and was responsible for playing and testing games, as well as answering calls from gamers seeking help. The hotline became a massive success and helped solidify Nintendo's position as a major player in the gaming industry.
Phillips was also responsible for the creation of the Nintendo Fun Club, a newsletter sent to subscribers that offered tips and tricks for Nintendo games, as well as news and information about upcoming releases. The Fun Club was later replaced by Nintendo Power, a magazine that Phillips also played a key role in creating.
Despite his many contributions to Nintendo, Phillips left the company in 1991 to pursue other opportunities. He went on to work for other gaming companies, including LucasArts and THQ, before eventually founding his own game development studio, called "The Bohemian Company."
In recent years, Phillips has made occasional appearances at gaming conventions and events, where he is always greeted with enthusiasm by fans of Nintendo and his work in the gaming industry. He has also been the subject of various interviews and documentaries, where he shares his insights and experiences from his time at Nintendo.
In 2020, Phillips was involved in an exhibition at The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, where he helped curate a selection of video games that were displayed alongside the museum's collection of art. The exhibition, called "The Art of Video Games," featured 65 games chosen from the Phillips Collection's permanent collection and was a celebration of the intersection of art and gaming.
Howard Phillips may not be as well-known as some of the other figures in Nintendo's history, but his contributions to the company and the gaming industry as a whole are undeniable. His work on the hotline and the Nintendo Fun Club helped to create a sense of community among gamers and played a significant role in the success of Nintendo during the 1980s and 1990s.
