Rejected applicant reveals Nintendo’s “extremely difficult” hiring exam

An applicant who was rejected by Nintendo revealed how “extremely difficult” the hiring exam for the company was.

For many fans who grew up playing Nintendo games, the idea of working at the company might feel like a dream come true. And with Nintendo ranked as the third most sought-after company in Japan based on a report last year, the appeal is stronger than ever.

That said, getting accepted is no easy feat. This is something that Murahashi Kuriki, now a science PhD and professor of Information Engineering, knows firsthand after being rejected when he applied back in 2015 after completing his master’s studies.

In a post on X, Kuriki shared his experience with Nintendo’s rigorous hiring process and explained how he ultimately didn’t make it through.

Nintendo reportedly doesn’t even need an academic filter when hiring employees

According to Automaton, many large Japanese companies rely on a practice where applicants are filtered by the university they attended before anything else. This has led to some companies being known for favoring graduates of certain schools.

Nintendo, however, appears to be an exception. Instead of relying on such filters, they are known to employ people from a wide range of academic backgrounds and levels regardless of where they graduated. 

After taking Nintendo’s hiring exam, Kuriki realized why this is the case: the screening tests are already difficult enough that the company doesn’t need an academic filter in the first place.

He wrote: “I’d heard that Nintendo doesn’t use any kind of academic background filter when hiring new graduates. But when I actually took Nintendo’s recruitment exam, the very first web test was extremely difficult, and I remember thinking: “Makes sense, no need for a filter when this alone sifts out the candidates.”

So, what did the exam look like? After clearing the aptitude test, which assessed general subjects including Math and English, Kuriki said the next stage was a “technical interview,” which included a “practical programming exam.”

Describing the test as a challenge where “you really have to think through the program (algorithm) properly,” Kuriki admitted this part was also “really difficult” and exactly where he failed. 

The programming exam included five challenges, ranging from basic loops to more advanced algorithmic problems, all to be completed in just 30 minutes.

Kuriki’s post went viral, it was noticed by Motoi Okamoto, who worked at Nintendo for 10 years. The former EAD planner and programmer stepped in and commented on the discussion.

He explained that back in the late 1990s, when third-party support for the Nintendo 64 was thin, the company focused on bolstering its in-house development.

This shift led to more graduates from prestigious universities, particularly those with strong science and engineering backgrounds, being recruited.

“Of course, it’s not just about superficial academic credentials. I get the impression that Nintendo is increasing the number of people who are innately intelligent and have a strong passion for making games entertaining, which is also a result of their brand image,” he wrote, as translated by Automaton.