Nintendo

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....

 is one of the world's biggest video game developing companies, having created multiple successful franchises. Because of its storied history, the developer employs a methodical system of software and hardware development that is mainly centralized within its offices in Kyoto

Kyoto

is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...

 and Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

, in cooperation with Redmond

Redmond, Washington

Redmond is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located east of Seattle. The population was 54,144 at the 2010 census,up from 45,256 in 2000....

 and Seattle. The company also owns several worldwide subsidiaries and funds partner affiliates that contribute technology and software for the Nintendo brand.

Main Offices

Nintendo Co., Ltd (NCL) has a central office located in Minami-ku, Kyoto

Minami-ku, Kyoto

is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Its name means "South Ward." It was established in 1955 when it was separated from Shimogyo-ku. As of April, 2008 the ward has an estimated population of 98,320 people. The Kamo River and the Katsura River flow through...

, Kyoto Prefecture

Kyoto Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Kyoto prefecture was known as Yamashiro....

, Japan (34°58′11.89"N 135°45′22.33"E) and a nearby building, its pre-2000 headquarters, now serving as a research and development building, located in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto

Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto

' is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was created in 1929 when it was split off from Shimogyō-ku. During the years 1931 to 1976 it also covered the area of present-day Yamashina-ku, which was an independent town until its merger into the city in 1931...

, Kyoto Prefecture

Kyoto Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Kyoto prefecture was known as Yamashiro....

, Japan (34°58′29.00"N 135°46′10.48"E). Its original Kyoto headquarters can still be found at (34°59′30.03"N 135°45′58.66"E). Additionally, Nintendo has a third operation in Tokyo, Japan, where research and development, manufacturing, and clerical work are conducted. All three offices are interconnected and have video conferences often for communication and presentation purposes.

In 2009, it was revealed that Nintendo was expanding both its Redmond and Kyoto offices. The new office building complex of Nintendo of America in Redmond is 275250 square feet (25,571.6 m²) and would expand its localization, development, debugging, production, and clerical teams. Nintendo Co., Ltd. announced the purchase of 40,000 square-meter lot that would house an all new research and development (R&D) office that would make it easier for the company's two other Kyoto R&D offices to collaborate easier as well as expand the total work force on new upcoming console development and new software for current and future hardware.

Nintendo

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....

 owns several buildings throughout Kyoto and Tokyo housing subsidiary and affiliated development studios. One of the more famous buildings is the Nihonbashi

Nihonbashi

, or Nihombashi, is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603, and the current bridge made of stone dates from 1911...

, Chuo-ku, Tokyo building – previously known as the Nintendo Tokyo Prefecture Building – now jokingly called The Pokémon Building, accommodates the complete Pokémon family which includes The Pokémon Company

The Pokémon Company

is a corporation responsible for marketing and licensing the Pokémon franchise and is affiliated and owned by Nintendo. It began operating in 1998 and adopted the moniker "Pokémon Ltd." in 2000. The company is headquartered in the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in Roppongi Rokuchome, Minato, Tokyo...

, Creatures Inc.

Creatures Inc.

is a subsidiary of the Japanese game development company Nintendo. It was founded by Tsunekazu Ishihara in November 1995, as a successor to Shigesato Itoi's company Ape Inc. Its current president is Hirokazu Tanaka. The company has its headquarters on the second floor of the in Chiyoda, Tokyo, in...

, and Genius Sonority

Genius Sonority

is a video game development studio, whose staff consists of programmers who have previously contributed their talents to the Dragon Quest and Pokémon series of video games.-History:...

.

Main Offices

• Nintendo Central Office – Kyoto
  Kyoto
  is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
  
  , Japan
  Japan
  Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
  
   – Nintendo main R&D divisions, SRD
• Nintendo Kyoto Research Center – Kyoto
  Kyoto
  is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
  
  , Japan
  Japan
  Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
  
   – Super Mario Club, Intelligent Systems
  Intelligent Systems
  is a Japanese first-party video game developer and internal team of Nintendo Co., Ltd. It has its headquarters in the Nintendo Kyoto Research Center in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture....
  
  
• Nintendo Tokyo Office – Tokyo
  Tokyo
  , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
  
  , Japan
  Japan
  Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
  
   – Nintendo EAD Tokyo Group
• Nintendo Osaka Office – Osaka
  Osaka
  is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
  
  , Japan
  Japan
  Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
  
   –
• Nintendo Sapporo Office – Sapporo, Japan
  Japan
  Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
  
   –
• Nintendo Australia Pty Ltd - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  Australia
  Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
  
  
• Nintendo of Europe GmbH - Großostheim
  Großostheim
  Großostheim is a market community in the Aschaffenburg district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany...
  
  , Germany
  Germany
  Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
  
  
• Nintendo Tokyo Prefecture Building - Tokyo, Japan – The Pokémon Company
  The Pokémon Company
  is a corporation responsible for marketing and licensing the Pokémon franchise and is affiliated and owned by Nintendo. It began operating in 1998 and adopted the moniker "Pokémon Ltd." in 2000. The company is headquartered in the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in Roppongi Rokuchome, Minato, Tokyo...
  
  , Creatures Inc.
  Creatures Inc.
  is a subsidiary of the Japanese game development company Nintendo. It was founded by Tsunekazu Ishihara in November 1995, as a successor to Shigesato Itoi's company Ape Inc. Its current president is Hirokazu Tanaka. The company has its headquarters on the second floor of the in Chiyoda, Tokyo, in...
  
  , Genius Sonority
  Genius Sonority
  is a video game development studio, whose staff consists of programmers who have previously contributed their talents to the Dragon Quest and Pokémon series of video games.-History:...
  
  .
• Nintendo of America inc. Headquarters – Redmond
  Redmond, Washington
  Redmond is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located east of Seattle. The population was 54,144 at the 2010 census,up from 45,256 in 2000....
  
  , United States
  United States
  The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
  
   – NOA Treehouse
  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....
  
  , Nintendo Software Technology
  Nintendo Software Technology
  Nintendo Software Technology Corporation is an American-based first-party developer for the Japanese video game corporation Nintendo. NST was created to specifically create games for Nintendo consoles for the North American market. Although Claude Comair was co-founder of NST, he retired from his...
  
  

Nintendo Worldwide R&D Divisions

Nintendo Software Planning & Development (Nintendo SPD)

• The development group includes several of the original development officers from the old software and hardware development sectors. While the group leaders are decade old veterans, the bulk of the development teams working alongside are mainly newer employees. The development teams are minuscule compared to the average larger staffed Nintendo EAD project teams. The division is divided into three groups, one that develops in-house software, while the other two mainly co-develop and produce Nintendo Co. software with outhouse or external development teams.

Nintendo 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...

 (Nintendo EAD)

• The premier development team at Nintendo. The group is the largest concentration of R&D, housing more than 500 engineers and designers. The division is rather large and currently broken into six different subdivisions, each led by a designated producer. The overseeing managers are Shigeru Miyamoto
  Shigeru Miyamoto
  is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
  
   and Takashi Tezuka
  Takashi Tezuka
  , sometimes credited under his nickname Ten Ten, is a video game designer working for Nintendo. A graduate of the Design Department of Osaka University of Arts, he joined the company in April 1984 and was involved with some of the most critically acclaimed Nintendo series, including Mario and The...
  
  . Currently, five divisions are located in the central Kyoto R&D building, while the sixth division resides in the Tokyo offices.

Nintendo Software Design & Development

Nintendo Software Design & Development

Nintendo Software Design & Development is an experimental software development team assembled by Nintendo Co., Ltd. President Satoru Iwata. The team was originally assembled as a System Service Task Force that would develop all the unique internal system software for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo...

 (Nintendo SDD)

• The experimental team that created the Touch Generations line of software. The team is responsible for creating several Nintendo DS
  Nintendo DS
  The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
  
   retail software and downloadable applications. Most of the Wii Channels
  Wii Channels
  The is the top-level menu interface of the Wii game console. It has four pages, each with a 4:3 grid, and each displaying the current time and date. Available applications, known as "channels", are displayed and can be navigated using the pointer capability of the Wii Remote...
  
   are also developed by this R&D group.

Nintendo Network Service Development

Nintendo Network Service Development

Nintendo Network Service Development was formerly known as Nintendo Special Planning & Development. The development team originates from Nintendo R&D2 and was mainly responsible for ports and inhouse development for low profile hardware like the Pokémon Mini and the Super Famicom Satellaview...

 (Nintendo NSD)

• Originally operated under Nintendo Special-Planning & Development. The division is described as an interesting mix of a hardware team coupled with a design team. The team creates both hardware peripherals, gadgets, toys, and software.

Nintendo Integrated Research & Development (Nintendo IRD)

• Nintendo's hardware group specializing in all engineering and technological aspects of Nintendo's console development. The division also houses industrial designers who design peripherals such as the WaveBird
  WaveBird
  The WaveBird Wireless Controller is a radio frequency based wireless controller manufactured for the Nintendo GameCube video game console. Its name is a reference to Dolphin, the GameCube's codename during development...
  
  , Wii Zapper
  Wii Zapper
  The Wii Zapper is a gun shell peripheral for the Wii Remote. The name is a reference to the NES Zapper light gun for the Nintendo Entertainment System...
  
  , and Wii steering wheel. The group was originally known as Research and Development Department 3 (R&D3), with the same primary functions, with the exception that manager Genyo Takeda
  Genyo Takeda
  is the general manager of Nintendo's integrated research division, and has been working there since it was founded in 1981. He mostly works on improving hardware for home consoles and handhelds, but sometimes develops video games...
  
   enjoyed moonlighting by developing console and arcade games.

Nintendo RED

Nintendo RED

Nintendo Research Engineering & Development is the hardware development team responsible for all of Nintendo's portable and hand held systems. The manager Satoru Okada and most of the chief engineers originate from the old Nintendo R&D1 hardware division that created all the Game & Watch and hand...

• Nintendo's hardware group specializing in all engineering and technological aspects of Nintendo's handheld development.

Nintendo Business Technology Development

• The group in charge of producing and overseeing Nintendo Co.
  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....
  
   published software developed by other developers that need little development assistance other than funding and marketing. Examples of the software are games like Ogre Battle 64 and Kuru Kuru Kururin
  Kuru Kuru Kururin
  is a puzzle video game developed by Eighting and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan on March 21, 2001 and in Europe and Australia on June 22, 2001 as a launch title...
  
  .

NSTC

• American-based software development arm with a direct connection to the Nintendo-funded DigiPen University. The development team also features several employees who were transplanted from Nintendo Co., Ltd
  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....
  
  , Rockstar Games
  Rockstar Games
  Rockstar Games is a major video game developer and publisher based in New York City, owned by Take-Two Interactive following its purchase of UK video game publisher BMG Interactive. The brand is mostly known for Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, L.A...
  
  , and Electronic Arts
  Electronic Arts
  Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
  
   among others.

NTD

Nintendo Technology Development

Nintendo Technology Development is a Washington-based hardware focused R&D group for Nintendo. The group primarily concentrates on creating future hardware technology and researching North American based technologies....

• American-based technology development arm.

Nintendo 1st Party Developers (Worldwide)

Retro Studios inc.

Retro Studios

Retro Studios is an American video game developer based in Austin, Texas. The company was founded in October 1998 by the video game veteran Jeff Spangenberg after leaving Acclaim Entertainment, as an independent studio making games exclusively for Nintendo Company, Ltd.On May 2, 2002, Nintendo...

• Software development studio located in Austin, Texas, United States. Former Nintendo of America employee Michael Kelbaugh was appointed president of the branch. It is 100% owned and directed by Nintendo of Japan.

Nd Cube inc.

• Software development studio located in Tokyo, Japan. Nintendo and Nintendo advertising firm Dentsu co-ventured this software studio which is 98% Nintendo owned, and 2% 3rd Parties

Project Sora inc.

Project Sora

is a Japanese video game developer founded by Nintendo Co., Ltd. president Satoru Iwata and former HAL Laboratory employee Masahiro Sakurai. It was formed in the year 2009 after the successful launch of Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii console. On formation of the new company, Nintendo is...

• Software development studio located in Tokyo, Japan. Nintendo and former Nintendo/HAL Laboratory employee Masahiro Sakurai
  Masahiro Sakurai
  is a Japanese video game designer, the creative force behind both the Kirby and the Super Smash Bros. series on Nintendo platforms. He is currently Director of Software Development for the video game developer's Sora Ltd. and Project Sora. He is also the author of a weekly column for Famitsu...
  
   founded this group to develop unique software possibly aimed at the core market.

Brownie Brown

Brownie Brown

is a Japanese Nintendo-funded and owned video game development studio opened on June 30, 2000 and based in Tokyo, Japan.- History :The company consists of many ex-Square Co., Ltd. 2D artists. At least two of its founders had previously worked on the award-winning Mana series on the Game Boy and...

• Nintendo-funded and owned software development studio located in Tokyo, Japan.

Monolith Soft

Monolith Soft

is a Japanese entertainment company that has created video games for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Wii, Nintendo DS, and cell phones. The company was founded in 1999 by producer Hirohide Sugiura after he left Square Co. and accepted an investment from Namco...

• Software development studio located in Tokyo, Japan. This studio was previously owned by Namco Bandai
  Namco Bandai
  , also known as the Bandai Namco Group, is a Japanese holding company formed from the merger of Namco and Bandai. It has interests in toys, video games and arcades, anime, and amusement parks. The new entity was founded on September 29, 2005...
  
  , until 2007 when Namco-Bandai transferred 80% of its 96% stake to Nintendo. The company is currently 80% Nintendo owned, 16% Namco-Bandai, and 4% 3rd Parties

Intelligent Systems

Intelligent Systems

is a Japanese first-party video game developer and internal team of Nintendo Co., Ltd. It has its headquarters in the Nintendo Kyoto Research Center in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture....

• Software Development Studio located in Kyoto, Japan. This studio primarily focuses on the Fire Emblem series, and has worked with Nintendo since the launch of the NES
  Nintendo Entertainment System
  The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
  
  . It is 100% owned and directed by Nintendo of Japan.

HAL Laboratory

HAL Laboratory

is a Japanese video game developer that was founded on February 21, 1980. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Its name comes from the HAL 9000 computer in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The company is most famous for its character Kirby, the protagonist of the eponymous game series, as well as...

• Software Development Studio located in Tokyo, Japan. This studio is 100% owned by Nintendo.

Partnered Developers and Affiliates

• AlphaDream
  AlphaDream
  is a Japanese video game development company founded in 2000 by Tetsuo Mizuno in: Tokyo, Japan. It was formerly known as Alpha Star. In partnership with Nintendo, it has produced software for the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS...
  
  
• Camelot Software Planning
  Camelot Software Planning
  is a Japanese video game developer established in 1990 under the name Sonic! Software Planning and to date is best known for partnering with Nintendo on many of Nintendo's spin-off franchise games such as Mario Tennis and Mario Golf, as well as the role-playing game series Golden Sun...
  
  
• Jupiter Corp.
  Jupiter (company)
  Jupiter Corporation is a Japanese video game and hardware development studio that focuses on handheld consoles. It is based in Kyoto, though they have a secondary branch in Tokyo...
  
  
• Monster Games
  Monster Games
  Monster Games, Inc. is an independent video game development studio in Northfield, Minnesota, USA that specializes in racing games. The company was founded in 1996.-Games developed:*1998 - Viper Racing *2000 - NASCAR Heat...
  
  
• Next Level Games
  Next Level Games
  Next Level Games Inc. is an independent video game developer based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in October 2002, Next Level Games specializes in creating console video games. Its first project was NHL Hitz Pro, which was published by Midway Games. Since then, it has worked with...
  
  
• Paon
  Paon
  is a video game development company based in Japan. Through a partnership with Nintendo, the company has developed DK: King of Swing, DK: Jungle Climber and Donkey Kong Barrel Blast...
  
  
• Skip Ltd.
  Skip Ltd.
  Skip is a Japanese video game developer that has a close relationship with Nintendo of Japan. Nintendo has published all of their Japanese releases; with the only notable exception being LOL , which Skip Ltd. published independently. The company's staff includes prominent developers from Square...
  
  
• Noise
  Noise (company)
  is a video game development company that works in partnership with Nintendo, developing games for the Custom Robo series.-History:Noise was founded with a staff of 10 people on September 2, 1996 for the original purpose of developing games for PCs...
  
  
• Game Freak
  Game Freak
  is a Japanese video game developer that currently creates games exclusively for Nintendo. It has developed the Pokémon series of role-playing games and several other games.-History:...
  
  
• Ambrella
  Ambrella
  Ambrella is a Japanese video game development company that works under a publishing agreement with Nintendo best known for making spin-off games for the Pokémon video game franchise...
  
  
• Kuju Entertainment
  Kuju Entertainment
  Kuju Entertainment is an English computer and video game corporation consisting of three studios, two of which are located in the UK: Zoë Mode , Headstrong Games , and one in the Czech Republic: Vatra games...
  
  
• Creatures Inc.
  Creatures Inc.
  is a subsidiary of the Japanese game development company Nintendo. It was founded by Tsunekazu Ishihara in November 1995, as a successor to Shigesato Itoi's company Ape Inc. Its current president is Hirokazu Tanaka. The company has its headquarters on the second floor of the in Chiyoda, Tokyo, in...
  
  
• The Pokémon Company
  The Pokémon Company
  is a corporation responsible for marketing and licensing the Pokémon franchise and is affiliated and owned by Nintendo. It began operating in 1998 and adopted the moniker "Pokémon Ltd." in 2000. The company is headquartered in the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in Roppongi Rokuchome, Minato, Tokyo...
  
  
• Genius Sonority
  Genius Sonority
  is a video game development studio, whose staff consists of programmers who have previously contributed their talents to the Dragon Quest and Pokémon series of video games.-History:...
  
  

Original development teams

Nintendo R&D1

Nintendo Research & Development 1

was Nintendo's oldest development team. Its creation coincided with Nintendo's entry into the video games industry, and the original R&D1 was headed by Gunpei Yokoi...

 (1970–2002)

• The original game development team at Nintendo. Originally created in the 1970s by Hiroshi Imanishi as the "games division" of Nintendo
  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....
  
   Co., Ltd. Gunpei Yokoi was the original engineer and inventor designated to create electronic toys and arcade coin-up software. With the conception of the Famicom
  Nintendo Entertainment System
  The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
  
   (called the Nintendo Entertainment System in the West), and Game Boy
  Game Boy
  The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
  
  , the group was reassigned to concentrate on developing the premier software for console and portable gaming straying away from its original toys, Game & Watch
  Game & Watch
  is a line of handheld electronic games produced by Nintendo from to . Created by game designer Gunpei Yokoi, each Game & Watch features a single game to be played on an LCD screen in addition to a clock and an alarm ....
  
  , and arcade roots.

Nintendo R&D2

Nintendo Research & Development 2

was a team within Nintendo that developed software and peripherals. R&D2 ported several of the Nintendo R&D1 and Nintendo R&D3 games over to the Famicom in the early 1980s...

 (1972–2002)

• This group mainly concentrated on hardware technology and system operating tools. Masayuki Uemura
  Masayuki Uemura
  is a Japanese game hardware designer. Due to the bombing of Japan during World War II, his family was forced to move to Kyoto. Having little money, he was forced to make his own toys. His toys became more and more complex and he wanted to learn more, so he went to industrial college...
  
   was hired away from Sharp Corporation
  Sharp Corporation
  is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products. Headquartered in Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan, Sharp employs more than 55,580 people worldwide as of June 2011. The company was founded in September 1912 and takes its name from one of its founder's first...
  
   where he specialized in solar cell technology. The solar technology fueled the original bean gun games which Nintendo introduced to huge success. The team would go on to develop several peripherals and eventually even some video game software. The team generally assisted Nintendo R&D1
  Nintendo Research & Development 1
  was Nintendo's oldest development team. Its creation coincided with Nintendo's entry into the video games industry, and the original R&D1 was headed by Gunpei Yokoi...
  
   and Nintendo R&D3 with their arcade games, but it also became the first team to specialize in software ports at Nintendo with the task of porting all the original arcade titles like Donkey Kong
  Donkey Kong (video game)
  is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. It is an early example of the platform game genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. In the game, Jumpman must rescue a damsel in distress, Lady, from a...
  
  , Mario Bros.
  Mario Bros.
  is an arcade game published and developed by Nintendo in 1983. It was developed by Shigeru Miyamoto. It has been commonly featured as a minigame in the Super Mario Advance series and other games...
  
  , and Popeye
  Popeye (arcade game)
  is a 1982 arcade game developed and released by Nintendo based on the Popeye cartoon characters licensed from King Features Syndicate. Some sources claim that Ikegami Tsushinki also did design work on Popeye....
  
  to the Famicom.

Nintendo R&D3 (1974–1996)

• Originally created as a hardware engineering division, Genyo Takeda
  Genyo Takeda
  is the general manager of Nintendo's integrated research division, and has been working there since it was founded in 1981. He mostly works on improving hardware for home consoles and handhelds, but sometimes develops video games...
  
   managed to diversify his group and create software on the same arcade boards being designed for Gunpei Yokoi's R&D1 team. After developing the arcade hits like Sheriff
  Sheriff (arcade game)
  is an arcade game developed by Nintendo R&D1 in 1979, designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Genyo Takeda. Some sources claim that Ikegami Tsushinki also did design work on Sheriff. It is one of the earliest Western-style video games developed . The player controls a county sheriff who must defend the...
  
  , Punch-Out!!
  Punch-Out!!
  is a 1983–1984 boxing arcade game by Nintendo. It was the first in a series of successful Punch-Out!! games that produced an arcade sequel known as Super Punch-Out!!, a spin-off of the series titled Arm Wrestling, a highly popular version for the NES originally known as Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!,...
  
  and Arm Wrestling, the team was involved in developing a variety of unique software for the NES
  Nintendo Entertainment System
  The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
  
   that was mainly aimed at the Western market, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out and StarTropics
  StarTropics
  StarTropics is an action-adventure video game released by Nintendo in 1990 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Unlike most of Nintendo's games, it was never released or intended to be released in Japan. It was released only in North America and Europe, although designed by Japanese designers...
  
  to name a few. The team also helped create bank switching and the MMC chips in the NES cartridges.

Nintendo Tokyo R&D Products (1987–1989)

• In the early 1980s, Nintendo
  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....
  
   planned to expand software R&D into the Tokyo manufacturing branch building to operate alongside its overcrowded Kyoto headquarters. The initial plans became delayed and shortly after the development of the original Mother
  Mother (video game)
  , planned to be released in English as Earth Bound , is a role-playing video game developed by Nintendo Tokyo Research and Development Products in...
  
  , the group ceased development.

NOA Special-Projects (1990–1994)

• The first development branch at Nintendo of America. Nintendo
  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....
  
   wanted to deliver more software based at the U.S. market following the trails of the Sega Genesis marketing blitz. Nintendo of America appointed product analysts Jeff Hutt and Don James
  Don James (video games)
  Don James is an American video game executive and currently serves as the executive vice president of operations for Nintendo of America.As a key member of the team led by Howard Lincoln and Minoru Arakawa, James played a critical role in the reintroduction of home video game consoles in North...
  
   to head the division. The group initially concentrated on sports games, which lead to the NES Play Action and Ken Griffey, Jr. Presents Major League Baseball franchises.

Iwata Asks

is a series of internal and external development staff interviews conducted by Satoru Iwata

Satoru Iwata

is the fourth president of Nintendo, succeeding the long-standing previous president of the company, Hiroshi Yamauchi in 2002. He was responsible in great part for defining Nintendo's strategy both before and during the release of its Nintendo GameCube video game console in 2001, a vision which...

, the current president of Nintendo Co., Ltd

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....

. The interviews become available after the completion and release of the selected product, and reveal insider details about the staff and game development.

See also

List of all Nintendo published and developed products

External links

• Nintendo Company History
• Iwata Asks Links
• Iwata Asks Links