8-bit to 64-bit (new threads)

Voice Actor Controversy

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 19:10:06 +0000

Do you think that Charles Martinet retired, or was he fired?

I think he was fired because he said in 2022 that he wanted to do it until he died.

E3 2021 Thread

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 16:45:40 +0000

So it's only 2 days before the Nintendo Direct. If I'm being honest though I don't really know what to expect. In that case, we'll just have to wait and see.

Happy Panechu

Wed, 21 Aug 2019 14:44:53 +0000

I notice your site distinguishes some Mobile21 staff who worked on this game.

I know Mobile21 was a joint Nintendo/Konami venture as confirmed by the archived website/Nintendo Online Magazine.

(The archived website is at mobile21.co.jp and the logo is still available with the Nintendo/Konami link underneath it clear, so if you don't have it (given your extensive knowledge though you probably do) it's great to grab it.)

A few people like us with programming/gaming history knowledge are working on a project both to analyse the Mobile System GB and bring it back up (this is particularly notable right now because it seems unofficially the first new online Pokémon Crystal has been made since nearly 18 years, based on reversing the Mobile Trainer, adaptor, Japanese Crystal).

Do you know more about the background story on how Mobile21 worked on the game? Were there once plans for it to support the Mobile System GB too? Thanks!
While speculating, I believe the sound engine (voice effects) might be similar to Stakomi: Star Communicator by the KCE subsidiary of Konami.

Shenyou Technology (China) Co., Ltd. / IQue Preparing for Game Development?

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 18:11:38 +0000

Shenyou Technology (China) Co., Ltd. (iQue) is a video game and technology company founded in 2002 under parent company Nintendo Co., Ltd. Initially the company worked on creating Ique branded Nintendo products for China. Since then, they've transitioned to a localization and testing group, and now it seems like they are adding game programming to their assist duties.

Job responsibilities / content

Development of game software projects for Nintendo-related platforms.

According to the specific conditions of the project, work with art and designers to complete the development of the project.

Engaged in the development of tool software related to the project.

Love the game and have a strong interest in game production.

Good English literacy, Japanese is preferred.

Have excellent C/C++ programming skills and be familiar with object-oriented program development.

SPECULATION: Next Star Fox game Nintendo x Ubisoft?

Tue, 25 Sep 2018 07:22:43 +0000

It's just a theory of mine, but I've got the guts to feel that Miyamoto et al. may just be using Starlink as a possible experiment for the possibility of the first outsourced western Star Fox game potentially in development.

The Starlink engine would be the base for the most extravagant and open-world Star Fox game ever conceived. It could very well be done as a quasi Star Fox 2 remake.

People are already claiming that Starlink is the closest Star Fox game fans could ever want.

Financially safer than the last outing too.

Thoughts?

SPECULATION: Next Star Fox game Nintendo x Ubisoft?

Tue, 25 Sep 2018 07:21:32 +0000

The Starlink engine would be the base for the most extravagant and open-world Star Fox game ever conceived. It could very well be done as a quasi Star Fox 2 remake.

Financially safer than the last outing too.

Thoughts?

EPD article needs an overhaul

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 04:48:37 +0000

First of all, how did you find out about these teams and their numbers? And what do the unknown ones so far make?

Granted, it hasn't been that long since EPD was formed, but will we have to wait a while until we find out more about what projects each team tackles? Until E3 2018 in a few months?

YAMAHEN = Yoichi Yamada?

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 23:17:01 +0000

Hello. I have a question about Zelda II.
Many sites credit Yoichi Yamada as a director of Zelda II, YAMAHEN.
But Yasuhisa Yamamura's nickname is Yamahemu（やまへむ） according to the interview in Link’s Awakening guide.
glitterberri. com/links-awakening/staff-list-interview/
And mu(む) can be pronounced as n(ん) in old Japanese.
So I supposed that YAMAHEN is Yasuhisa Yamamura.

Does anyone know the source that YAMAHEN is Yoichi Yamada?

Please forgive my poor English.

2016-2017 Nintendo R&D Team Overview

Fri, 21 Oct 2016 15:28:28 +0000

Nintendo Switch
Nintendo -> The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Q1 2017?)
Nintendo -> New IP (Q1 2017?) (Rumored by Emily Rogers and hinted by Miyamoto)
Nintendo -> Mario Kart 8SE (2017)
Nintendo -> Splatoon SE (2017?)
Nintendo -> New 3D Mario (Q4 2017?)

Nintendo / Namco-Bandai / Sora -> Super Smash Bros. SE (2017)
Nintendo / Retro -> New Project (2017?)

Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo -> Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome Amiibo (Q4 2016)
Nintendo / ? -> Swapdoodle (Q4 2016)
Nintendo / Nintendo Software Technology -> Super Mario Maker for 3DS (Q4 2016)
Nintendo -> Miitopia (Q4 2016)
Nintendo / ? -> Pikmin 3DS (Q2 2017)
Nintendo / Vitei -> Tank Troopers (Q1 2017)

Nintendo / Namco-Bandai / Camelot -> Mario Sports Superstar (Q1 2017)
Nintendo / Grezzo -> Ever Oasis (Q2 2017)
Nintendo / Goof-Feel -> Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World (Q2 2017)

Some prototypes and remakes of games I want to see

Sat, 01 Oct 2016 11:56:18 +0000

A 3DS, NX and Wii U prototype of Balloon Fight which would be produced by Insomniac Games (a game studio that created Ratchet & Clank and other games), with a Wii port by Bluepoint Games. The prototype will be titled Balloon Fight: Remastered.

A 3DS remake of Bob's Game which would be produced by BioWare (a Canadian game studio that created Dragon Age and other games) with additional development by United Front Games. It will be one of the few developed games that Electronic Arts themselves have not published.

3DS prototypes of Duck Hunt and Hogan's Alley which would be produced by CI Games (a Polish game studio that created Sniper: Ghost Warrior series). All four studios (i.e. Warsaw, Rzeszów, Bydgoszcz and Bucharest) will be working on the prototype.

A 3DS prototype of Eador which would be produced by Saber Interactive (a game studio that created Halo), with additional development by Snowball Game Studios including Russian as additional in-game language option

A 3DS prototype of Ice Climber which would be produced by Torus Games (an Australian game studio that created several games, such as Madagascar)

A 3DS prototype of The Legend of Kage which would be produced by Insomniac Games (a game studio that created Ratchet & Clank and other games)

A 3DS prototype of Wild Gunman which would be produced by Remedy Entertainment (a Finnish game studio that created Alan Wake series, Quantum Break and others)

Tetris DS - internally developed?

Sun, 05 Jun 2016 11:47:21 +0000

A few days ago, a prototype of THQ-funded Tetris DS was leaked. This version was developed by TOSE, a company which developed several other Tetris titles including Tetris 2.

Looking at the credits of the Nintendo-published Tetris DS, I realised that the team was relatively small and that staff members mostly worked with external developers before and after that particular title. In particular, I was a bit baffled when Picross DS had a team size twice as large as Tetris DS, despite the latter having quite a few more features and even an online mode.

Is there any information on whether Tetris DS was really only an internal project at Nintendo?

MercurySteam once worked on a Metroid prototype

Fri, 19 Feb 2016 16:43:30 +0000

I was browsing the page for MercurySteam in Wikipedia and found this.
In 2015, Nintendo Life reported that MercurySteam has been working on a Metroid prototype for Wii U and 3DS.

Project NX kits shipping to third-party developers. Release 2016.

Fri, 16 Oct 2015 13:38:31 +0000

TOKYO— Nintendo Co. has begun distributing a software development kit for its new NX videogame platform, people familiar with the matter said, suggesting the company is on track to introduce the product as early as next year.

The kit is used by third-party software developers to modify existing games for the platform or create new ones. Videogame console makers such as Nintendo like to have popular game titles ready when they start selling new devices.

Nintendo’s current flagship products are the Wii U, a console typically used in the living room, and the portable 3DS device. Both have been out for several years, leading analysts to predict that the Kyoto-based entertainment powerhouse will move fairly swiftly to bring out the NX.

“We are increasingly of the idea that Nintendo might launch the NX in 2016 because of the softness of 3DS and Wii U,” said David Gibson, an analyst at Macquarie Capital Securities.

A Nintendo spokeswoman said the company plans to disclose details of NX next year.

Square Enix Co. said in July that it planned to make the latest version of its blockbuster role-playing game Dragon Quest for the NX. That version, called Dragon Quest XI, is also planned for the 3DS and Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 4.

The exact shape of the NX hardware isn’t yet clear. People familiar with the development plans said Nintendo would likely include both a console and at least one mobile unit that could either be used in conjunction with the console or taken on the road for separate use. They also said Nintendo would aim to put industry-leading chips in the NX devices, after criticism that the Wii U’s capabilities didn’t match those of competitors.

Nintendo’s former president, Satoru Iwata, said in March that NX “is a platform dedicated for videogames.” Mr. Iwata died in July, and his post was assumed in September by Tatsumi Kimishima, a former banker who served as one of Mr. Iwata’s top lieutenants at Nintendo.

Mr. Kimishima is expected to carry forward the strategy of Mr. Iwata, a legendary figure for many videogame fans. In the months before his death, Mr. Iwata laid out plans to put Nintendo characters in games for mobile devices under a partnership with DeNA Co. and made a deal with amusement park operator Universal Parks & Resorts, which is part of Comcast Corp.

“Nintendo is no longer just a traditional videogame company,” said industry veteran Hirokazu Hamamura, a director at Kadokawa Dwango Corp., which publishes magazines about videogames.

Addition Information from WSJ Twitter
- NX will see more than two hardware iterations.
- Will feature industry leading chips after power criticisms
- Release Date Summer to Fall 2016

Zelda: Triforce Heroes and Animal Crossing: Amiibo Party Co-Development Confirmation?

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:10:28 +0000

It seems this may become the official development process for most internal games now at Nintendo EPD (and across).

The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes (co-developed with Grezzo)
Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival (co-developed with NDCube)
Star Fox Zero (co-developed with Platinum Games)

There are definite Nintendo EPD core teams in the forefront and their engines and assets are also involved, but it seems that none were granted a full development staff. Obviously Nintendo is trying to internally commandeer a lot more games, so they have to be smart about filling out their production teams

NCL R&D Restructure - 9/16/15 (Official)

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 19:00:24 +0000

The company has issued a press release notifying outsiders that alongside naming a new president in Tatsumi Kimishima, the company is undergoing a "large scale revision of the organizational structure" that would take effect on September 16th, 2015.

Previously, at the commencement of 2014, Satoru Iwata began the initial wave of the second major restructuring during his reign, which created the "Business Development Division" and "Development Administration & Support Division". Iwata also officially unified the Integrated Research & Development Division (console designers) with the Research & Engineering Department (hand held designers). Additionally, there was an unofficial unification of the Entertainment Analysis & Development Division and Software Planning & Development Division, who for the first time ever began developing internal games together. Lastly, Iwata continued strengthening the System Development Division, with his protege Shinya Takahashi.

With Iwata unable to see the final reorganization through, here is the end result with Kimishima, Takeda, and Miyamoto finalizing the new internal structure.

President Iwata, Restructure, Phase 1, 2013-2015
System Development Division est. 2013 (OS development, app development, network development, casual game development)
Business Development Division est. 2014 (Development and coordination of QoL Products)
Integrated Research & Development Division and Research & Engineering Department merged in 2014. Console and hand held engineers working together for first time.
Kyoto Development Center constructed. Houses over 1500 personnel, third Kyoto building.
Nintendo Network Service Database Inc. est. Network services.
Nintendo European Research & Development est. Technology development.
Entertainment Analysis & Development Division and Software Planning & Development Division, separate entities, but sharing staff for several internal projects.
Development Administration & Support Division est. 2013. The parent of “General Support Group” which coordinates a network of small developers that provide assistance in specific departments of large scale production groups. (debugging, programming, art assets, animation, cg movies, etc.)

President Kimishima, Restructure, Phase 2, 2015President Iwata, Restructure, Phase 1 2013-2015
Entertainment Analysis & Development Division and Software Planning & Development Division merger under Entertainment Planning & Development Division
Integreated Research & Development Division and System Development Division merge under Platform Technology Development Division
Miyamoto vacating position as EAD manager, Takeda vacating position as IRD manager, taking bigger roles in the company direction. Also probably preparing for retirement.
Business Development Division is very much intact. Absorbed some staff from other hardware and non-gaming divisions.
More information to come

-- New Development Structure --—

Entertainment Planning & Development Division - Development of software for dedicated game machines and mobile.
General Manager: Shinya Takahashi
Deputy Manager: Katsuya Eguchi (Kyoto)
Deputy Manager: Yoshiaki Koizumi (Tokyo)

Platform Technology Development Division - Development of hardware, OS, network, and technology tools.
General Manager: Ko Shiota
Deputy Manager: Takeshi Shimeda

Development Administration & Support Division - Management of external contract employees? Management of external first-party games?
General Manager: Shinya Takahashi
Deputy Manager: Keizo Kato

Business Development Division - Development of QoL and non-gaming consumer products.
General Manager: Yusuke Beppu

-- Speculated Game Development Structure --—

EPD Production Group No. 1 - Hideki Konno
Mario Kart / Nintendogs series

EPD Production Group No. 2 - Hisashi Nogami
Splatoon / Wii Sports / Animal Crossing

EPD Production Group No. 3 - Eiji Aonuma
The Legend of Zelda

EPD Production Group No. 4 - Hiroyuki Kimura
Super Mario Maker / New Super Mario Bros. / Big Brain Academy / Pikmin

EPD Production Group No. 5 - Tadashi Sugiyama
Wii Fit / Star Fox / Steel Diver

EPD Production Group No. 6 - Ryutaro Takahashi
Tomodachi Collection / 2D Metroid / Rhythm Heaven

EPD Production Group No. 7 - Goro Abe
WarioWare

EPD Production Group No. 8 / 1 (Tokyo) - Takao Shimizu
Super Mario 3D? Flipnote Studio?

EPD Production Group No. 9 / 2 (Tokyo) - Koichi Hayashida
Super Mario 3D? NES Remix 3?

Lastly I would guess the other SPD Producers like Yamagami and Tanabe maybe have a more External Group as a denomination? Also probably Tezuka and Sakamoto are new executive officers that oversee all general things like the Deputy Managers.

Entertainment Planning & Development Division?

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 14:21:03 +0000

So, Nintendo has a new president. (can't provide a link as a guest, but the PDF is on the Nintendo IR website)

Outside of this news, here are the interesting things:

Takeda became "Technology Fellow", lost the mention of his title as General Manager of Integrated Research & Development Division.
Miyamoto became "Creative Fellow", lost the mention of his title as General Manager of Entertainment Analysis & Development Division.
Shinya Takahashi, General Manager of Software Planning & Development Division, lost this title and became General Manager of Entertainment Planning & Development Division.

Given the name, "EPD" could be the mix of SPD and EAD, which mean that Nintendo has now integrated the two software divisions into one, EPD.
If this theory is right, Takahashi is the new big boss of the software in Nintendo, following not only Iwata as the GM of SPD but also Miyamoto as the GM of EAD.

The big question here is what happened to IRD? (the hardware) Who succeeds Takeda?

Yamagami & Yokota now SPD 1 instead of SPD 2? (old news?)

Sat, 04 Jul 2015 21:34:59 +0000

So I just finally got around to looking at Nintendo's E3 press site (nintendo dot e3press dot com Username: Nintendo / Password: SuperMario2015) and peeked at the employee bios.

Hitoshi Yamagami
Manager, Software Group No. 1
Software Planning & Development Department
Software Planning & Development Division
Nintendo Co., Ltd.
Kyoto, Japan

and

Genki Yokota
Software Group No.1
Software Planning & Development Department
Nintendo Co., Ltd.

As long as I can remember, Yamagami had been associated with SPD Group 2.

Could this be the first officially sighted consequence of the supposed restructuring that had Sakamoto split-off with a new team (I saw our Ninja mention that on NeoGAF a few times)?
Could this mean they cut down the SPD groups and Sakamoto's SPD 1 is now something else and SPD 2 "became" the new SPD 2?

Am I just discovering something you all have known for a while? :)

Nikki's Travel Quiz - Developed by Jupiter

Fri, 12 Jun 2015 18:18:31 +0000

It is listed on the official website:
www(dot)jupiter(dot)co(dot)jp/product/game/ds/cn_nikki(dot)html

Media Create Japanese Sales Archive

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 15:54:32 +0000

Latest Post: Media Create Sales: Week 23, 2015 (Jun 01 - Jun 07)

01./01. [WIU] Splatoon (Nintendo) {2015.05.28} (¥6.156) - 68.913 / 213.731 (-52%)
02./00. [PSV] Shiren the Wanderer 5 Plus: Fortune Tower and the Dice of Fate (Spike Chunsoft) {2015.06.04} (¥5.184) - 16.224 / NEW
03./00. [PS4] Natsuiro High School: Seishun Hakusho (D3 Publisher) {2015.06.04} (¥8.078) - 13.868 / NEW
04./00. [3DS] Stella Glow (Sega) {2015.06.04} (¥6.469) - 13.332 / NEW
05./03. [PS4] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Spike Chunsoft) {2015.05.21} (¥8.856) - 13.272 / 103.111 (-41%)
06./05. [WIU] Mario Kart 8 # (Nintendo) {2014.05.29} (¥6.156) - 12.884 / 1.019.603 (+11%)
07./04. [PSV] Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition (Sony Computer Entertainment) {2015.03.19} (¥2.592) - 10.708 / 190.332 (-14%)
08./00. [3DS] Atelier Rorona Plus: The Alchemist of Arland # (Koei Tecmo) {2015.06.04} (¥6.264) - 8.352 / NEW
09./02. [3DS] Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai Deluxe (Sega) {2015.05.28} (¥5.378) - 6.867 / 48.309 (-83%)
10./00. [PS3] Natsuiro High School: Seishun Hakusho (D3 Publisher) {2015.06.04} (¥7.538) - 6.772 / NEW
11./08. [3DS] Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition (GungHo Online Entertainment) {2015.04.29} (¥4.320) - 5.950 / 258.429 (-33%)
12./11. [3DS] Style Savvy 3: Kira Kira Code (Nintendo) {2015.04.16} (¥5.076) - 5.495 / 146.303 (-13%)
13./09. [3DS] Ansatsu Kyoushitsu: Korosensei Daihouimou!! (Bandai Namco Games) {2015.03.12} (¥6.145) - 5.255 / 80.497 (-21%)
14./13. [3DS] Pokemon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire (Pokemon Co.) {2014.11.21} (¥4.937) - 4.119 / 2.635.190 (-8%)
15./71. [3DS] Pokemon X / Y # (Pokemon Co.) {2013.10.12} (¥4.800) - 3.200 / 4.193.081
16./15. [3DS] Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (Nintendo) {2014.09.13} (¥5.616) - 3.089 / 2.240.533 (-12%)
17./00. [PS4] Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (Bethesda Softworks) {2015.06.04} (¥3.218) - 2.727 / NEW
18./10. [PSV] Nobunaga's Ambition: Creation with Power-Up Kit (Koei Tecmo) {2015.05.28} (¥9.504) - 2.623 / 8.982 (-59%)
19./20. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf # (Nintendo) {2012.11.08} (¥4.800) - 2.519 / 3.980.295 (+0%)
20./18. [WIU] Mario Party 10 # (Nintendo) {2015.03.12} (¥5.616) - 2.437 / 148.727 (-7%)

21./06. [PSV] Cross Ange: Tenshi to Ryuu no Rondo tr. (Bandai Namco Games) {2015.05.28} (¥7.171)
22./19. [PS4] Earth Defense Force 2025.1: The Shadow of New Despair (D3 Publisher) {2015.04.02} (¥7.538)
23./22. [3DS] Yo-kai Watch 2: Shin Uchi (Level 5) {2014.12.13} (¥4.968)
24./07. [3DS] Downtown Nekketsu Jidaigeki (Arc System Works) {2015.05.28} (¥4.860)
25./17. [3DS] Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Mission 2 (Bandai Namco Games) {2014.08.07} (¥6.145)
26./23. [WIU] Super Smash Bros. for Wii U # (Nintendo) {2014.12.06} (¥7.776)
27./24. [PS4] Dying Light (Warner Entertainment Japan) {2015.04.16} (¥8.208)
28./16. [PS4] Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (Square Enix) {2015.05.14} (¥7.344)
29./27. [3DS] Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate # (Capcom) {2014.10.11} (¥6.264)
30./26. [3DS] Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo) {2011.12.01} (¥4.800)

Dr. Mario 3DS - not made by Arika?

Sun, 31 May 2015 17:21:41 +0000

So the new Dr. Mario game that just came out today in Japan. It doesn't have the Arika name show up anywhere. Did they really not make this one? Did NCL develop this themselves for once?

Anybody have any idea?