Satoru Iwata was born in Sapporo, on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. Even at a young age, Iwata showed a keen interest in technology and electronics, laying the groundwork for his future career in the burgeoning field of video games.

During his teenage years, Iwata built his own electronic games using a programmable calculator. This hands-on experience fostered his love for programming and game design, and solidified his desire to pursue a career in the field. It was during this time that he honed the problem-solving skills that would serve him well throughout his career.