Nintendo's Link to the Masonic Past

A glimpse into the esoteric symbology of the Zelda franchise

While Nintendo and its game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, have captivated the world of gaming for decades, there is a lesser-known fact about their origins that adds to their mysterious allure - their roots in the occult. It is said that Nintendo's original president, Hiroshi Yamauchi, had an interest in esoteric practices and employed a psychic consultant to help with business decisions. Additionally, the iconic character of Mario is said to have been inspired by a 16th-century Italian occultist named Mario de' Fiori.

From the very start of the company, Nintendo's Hanafuda style playing cards, made popular by Yakuza gambling, were originally brought to Japan by Portugese Jesuits and later became a localized version of Western playing cards. Miyamoto's creation of Devil World, a 1984 game only released in Japan for the Famicom, adds to the intrigue surrounding the video game creator. The game was rejected by Nintendo America due to its heavy use of religious and Satanic imagery.

Perhaps one of the earliest visible examples of Masonic symbolism in a Nintendo game can be seen in the 1988 game Super Mario Bros. 3, World 5-1 (Sky Land) which features a collection of coins that spell out the number 33 for no apparent reason other than a “hidden in plain sight” moment.

In the realm of MKUltra research, one prevalent theme is the use of Alice in Wonderland symbolism. Rabbits, mushrooms and checkerboards, for example, are symbols frequently used in Illuminati and MKUltra references. These same symbols can also be found in the Mario and Zelda games, both of which were created by Miyamoto. The Temple of Time in Ocarina of Time and the castle in Mario 64 both feature checkerboard floor designs, remarkably similar to those found in Masonic temples.