Kensuke Tanabe
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese video game designer and producer working for Nintendo
. After he had graduated from the Visual Concept Planning Department of Osaka University of Arts
, he decided to enter the video game industry, and joined Nintendo in April 1986. At first, Tanabe was part of the Entertainment Analysis and Development
division. He directed the platform games Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic and Super Mario Bros. 2
, and worked on the scripts for the action-adventures The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
. In 2003, Tanabe switched to the Software Planning and Development division, where he became the manager of Production Group No. 3. In recent years, he has become a producer, and has managed the development of second-party video games, such as the first-person adventure Metroid Prime
.
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
. After he had graduated from the Visual Concept Planning Department of Osaka University of Arts
Osaka University of Arts
is a private arts university located in Kanan, Minamikawachi District, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The university was founded in 1945 as , changing its name to in 1957, and then to in 1964...
, he decided to enter the video game industry, and joined Nintendo in April 1986. At first, Tanabe was part of the Entertainment Analysis and Development
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
, commonly abbreviated as EAD, is the largest division inside Nintendo. It was preceded by the , a team of designers with an art background responsible for many different tasks, which Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka originally belonged to...
division. He directed the platform games Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic and Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 2, often abbreviated SMB2, is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1985 game Super Mario Bros. The game was also remade as part of the Super Mario All-Stars collection for the Super Nintendo Entertainment...
, and worked on the scripts for the action-adventures The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, known as in Japan, is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console, and the third installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was first released in Japan in 1991, and was...
and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, known as in Japan, is a 1993 action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy...
. In 2003, Tanabe switched to the Software Planning and Development division, where he became the manager of Production Group No. 3. In recent years, he has become a producer, and has managed the development of second-party video games, such as the first-person adventure Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
.