Nintendo doesn't even rely on the "academic background filter" common among Japanese companies.
User X, Murahashi, now a Ph.D. and professor in information engineering, shared his unsuccessful experience of trying to get a job at Nintendo in 2015 after graduating with a master's degree.
In Japan, the so-called "academic background filter" is a common practice, where large companies screen out candidates based on the universities they graduated from. However, Nintendo is considered an exception, as the company employs specialists with different levels of education and from different educational institutions.
Nevertheless, according to Murahashi, Nintendo does not need such a filter due to its strict selection process.
I heard that Nintendo doesn't use an academic background filter. But when I took their entrance test, the very first web test was incredibly difficult. Then I thought: I see why they don't need a filter if this test itself screens out candidates.
This refers to a general aptitude test that includes math and English language tasks. According to Murahashi, the Nintendo test stood out for its complexity and strict time constraints. However, the real surprise awaited him in the next stage — a technical interview with a practical programming exam.
After the web test, there is a technical interview, including a practical programming exam. Superficial knowledge is not enough here — you really need to think through the algorithm. It was very difficult… and that's where I failed.
