Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Predecessor | Nintendo Research & Development No.4 Department (Nintendo R&D4) |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Hiroshi Imanishi |
| Defunct | September 16, 2015 |
| Fate | Merged with Nintendo Software Planning & Development to form Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development |
| Headquarters | Kyoto and Tokyo , Japan |
Key people | Shigeru Miyamoto (chief producer), Takashi Tezuka (general manager), Katsuya Eguchi (deputy general manager, Kyoto), Yoshiaki Koizumi (deputy general manager, Tokyo) |
| Products | Video games including Donkey Kong, Mario, The Legend of Zelda, F-Zero, Star Fox, Animal Crossing, Pikmin, Wii series |
commonly referred to as Nintendo EAD and previously identified as Nintendo Research & Development No.4 Department (known as Nintendo R&D4), represented Nintendo's most extensive software development branch. It originated from the Creative Department, a collective of designers with artistic expertise including Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, who subsequently took leadership roles within the EAD studios and received credits across its projects. Nintendo EAD gained recognition for creating major franchises such as Donkey Kong, Mario, The Legend of Zelda, F-Zero, Star Fox, Animal Crossing, Pikmin, and the Wii collection.
Following the passing of company president Satoru Iwata, Nintendo underwent reorganization, combining EAD with its Software Planning & Development division in September 2015 to establish Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development.
Background
During the 1970s, Nintendo, primarily known as a toy manufacturer, ventured into interactive entertainment and the video game industry. Designers such as Makoto Kano and Shigeru Miyamoto joined the Creative Department, which at that time was Nintendo’s only game development team. In 1972, this group was renamed the Research & Development Department, comprising roughly 20 staff members before splitting into three separate divisions: Nintendo R&D1, R&D2, and R&D3.
1980–1989: Formation as Research & Development 4
Around 1983, Hiroshi Imanishi founded Research & Development No. 4 Department (Nintendo R&D4), concentrating on home console video games to complement the existing teams. Hiroshi Ikeda, previously affiliated with Toei Animation, was appointed general manager, while Miyamoto took on the role of chief producer.[1] Key team members included graphic designers Takashi Tezuka and Kenji Miki, designer Minoru Maeda, along with sound designers Koji Kondo, Akito Nakatsuka, and Hirokazu Tanaka.
Despite Ikeda's group having innovative concepts, they initially lacked programming skills. Early projects such as Mario Bros. required assistance from Gunpei Yokoi and R&D1. Toshihiko Nakago, who had expertise with the Family Computer chipset gained through his work with Masayuki Uemura's R&D2 and Systems Research and Development (SRD), was recruited to support R&D4’s development of Excitebike.
Following the success of Excitebike, R&D4 created a Famicom adaptation of the beat 'em up arcade title Kung-Fu Master, released in Japan as Spartan X and internationally as Kung Fu. This game introduced enhanced features building upon those seen in Donkey Kong, representing an important milestone in platform gaming history.[2]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Their subsequent major release was Super Mario Bros., an internally developed sequel that set new standards for platform games and achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success. Developed simultaneously but launched a year later was The Legend of Zelda, an action-adventure title. The phenomenal sales performance of these series boosted Miyamoto’s reputation,[1] allowing for departmental growth with new hires such as Hideki Konno, Katsuya Eguchi, Kensuke Tanabe, and Takao Shimizu, each of whom would later become producers themselves.
1989–2003: Transition to Entertainment Analysis & Development
In 1989, just before the Super Famicom debuted in Japan, the R&D4 division was separated and renamed Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (Nintendo EAD). This division was organized into two distinct departments: the Software Development Department, headed by Miyamoto, which concentrated on game creation, and the Technology Development Department, led by Takao Sawano, responsible for programming and developing tools. The technology group worked closely with engineers from R&D2 who supported SRD in managing software libraries. Following the release of F-Zero, EAD’s inaugural fully programmed title, they collaborated with Argonaut Software to develop the Super FX chip, which allowed 3D graphics to be rendered on Super Famicom cartridges. As 3D gaming gained momentum, EAD increasingly took charge of programming 3D games alongside SRD.
By 1997, Miyamoto revealed that the development of each EAD title involved a team of 20 to 30 employees, while SRD—formerly the software division of Nintendo R&D2—employed approximately 200 programmers.
In June 2000, Nintendo’s board appointed Miyamoto as a director to utilize his software development expertise; he then oversaw all Nintendo software production while continuing to create games within EAD.
To attract talent based in Tokyo who were hesitant to relocate to Kyoto, Nintendo established an EAD branch in Tokyo in 2002 under Takao Shimizu’s leadership. Their initial project was Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, a GameCube game featuring the DK Bongos introduced previously in Donkey Konga.
2004–2015: Organizational Changes, New Leadership, and SPD Merger
In 2004, Nintendo underwent a reorganization that merged R&D1 and R&D2 into the EAD division and appointed new managers and producers. Takashi Tezuka assumed the role of deputy general manager, while producers such as Eiji Aonuma, Konno, Shimizu, Tadashi Sugiyama, and Katsuya Eguchi led their own teams. The Technology Development Department was overseen by Keizo Ota and Yasunari Nishida.
By 2013, Katsuya Eguchi had been promoted to Department Manager responsible for software development divisions in both Kyoto and Tokyo; Hisashi Nogami succeeded him as Group Manager of Software Development Group No. 2. On June 18, 2014, EAD Kyoto relocated to the Nintendo Development Center in Kyoto alongside over 1,100 developers from other internal divisions including SPD, IRD, and SDD.
Following the passing of President Satoru Iwata, on September 16, 2015, EAD merged with Nintendo Software Planning & Development (SPD), creating Entertainment Planning & Development (EPD) to streamline Nintendo’s game development structure.
Structure
The Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development division was managed by veteran Takashi Tezuka serving as general manager. The division consisted of two primary development branches: Kyoto, with Katsuya Eguchi acting as deputy general manager; and Tokyo, led by Yoshiaki Koizumi as deputy general manager.
Kyoto Software Development Department
The Kyoto Software Development Department represented Nintendo’s largest research and development unit with a workforce exceeding 700 developers. Initially located at the Nintendo Central Office, it moved on June 28, 2014 to the Nintendo Development Center together with other internal R&D divisions.
Prominent producers included Hideki Konno (Nintendogs, Mario Kart), Katsuya Eguchi (Wii, Animal Crossing), Eiji Aonuma (The Legend of Zelda), Hiroyuki Kimura (Big Brain Academy, Super Mario Bros., Pikmin), and Tadashi Sugiyama (Wii Fit, Steel Diver, Star Fox). Eguchi led the department until Hisashi Nogami took over; Nogami later produced titles in the Animal Crossing series and created the Splatoon franchise.
| Year | Title | Genre(s) | Platform(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Excitebike | Racing | NES | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| 1985 | Super Mario Bros. | Platform | NES | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| 1986 | The Legend of Zelda | Action-adventure | Famicom Disk System / NES | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| 1990 | Super Mario World | Platform | SNES | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| 1991 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Action-adventure | SNES | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| 1992 | Super Mario Kart | Kart racing | SNES | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| 1993 | Star Fox | Rail shooter / Shoot 'em up | SNES | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| 1996 | Super Mario 64 | Platform | Nintendo 64 | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| 1998 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Action-adventure | Nintendo 64 | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| 2001 | Animal Crossing (Dōbutsu no Mori) | Life simulation | GameCube / N64 | Takashi Tezuka |
| 2002 | Super Mario Sunshine | Platform / Action-adventure | GameCube | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| 2003 | Mario Kart: Double Dash!! | Kart racing | GameCube | Shigeru Miyamoto, Tadashi Sugiyama |
| 2006 | Wii Sports | Sports | Wii | Katsuya Eguchi |
| 2008 | Wii Fit | Exergaming | Wii | Tadashi Sugiyama |
| 2011 | Mario Kart 7 | Racing | Nintendo 3DS | Hideki Konno |
| 2015 | Splatoon | Third-person shooter | Wii U | Hisashi Nogami |
Technology Development Department
| Year | Title | Genre(s) | Platform(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Mario Artist: Paint Studio[codeveloped 1] | Graphics software | 64DD |
| 2000 | Mario Artist: Talent Studio | Graphics software | 64DD |
| Mario Artist: Polygon Studio | Graphics software | 64DD | |
| Mario Artist: Communication Kit | Graphics software | 64DD |
Tokyo Software Development Department
Formed in 2002 to attract developers unwilling to move to Kyoto, the Tokyo Software Development Department broadened Nintendo's development scope. In 2003, twenty volunteers from Kyoto's EAD, primarily from the Super Mario Sunshine team, transferred to Tokyo. Founders Takao Shimizu (manager/producer) and Yoshiaki Koizumi (director) assembled a team including seasoned professionals from SEGA, Koei, and Square-Enix. Their initial title was Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, followed by the highly praised Super Mario Galaxy (2007). Afterward, Koizumi assumed the roles of manager and producer, initiating Tokyo Software Development Group No. 2. Experienced developer Katsuya Eguchi took on general manager duties for both Tokyo and Kyoto branches.
| Year | Title | Genre(s) | Platform(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Donkey Kong Jungle Beat | Platformer | GameCube |
| 2007 | Super Mario Galaxy | Platformer | Wii |
| 2009 | Nintendo DS Guide: Ikspiari[3] | Tour guide | Nintendo DS |
| Nintendo DS Guide: Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art[4] | Tour guide | Nintendo DS | |
| Nintendo DS Guide: Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan[5] | Tour guide | Nintendo DS | |
| 2010 | Nintendo DS Guide: Make It Yourself![6] | Tour guide | Nintendo DSi (DSiWare) |
| 2011 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D[7] | Action-adventure | Nintendo 3DS |
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary EditionCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
|
Action-adventure | Nintendo DSi (DSiWare) | |
| 2013 | Photos with Mario | Augmented reality | Nintendo 3DS |
| Wii U Panorama View | Panorama viewer | Wii U | |
| Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre[8] | Tour guide | Nintendo 3DS | |
| 2015 | The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D[9] | Action-adventure | Nintendo 3DS |
| Year | Title | Genre(s) | Platform(s) | Producer(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | New Play Control: Donkey Kong Jungle Beat | (Platformer) | (Wii) | (Yoshiaki Koizumi) | |
| "Flipnote Studio" | (Animation) | (Nintendo DSi) (DSiWare) |
(Yoshiaki Koizumi) | ||
| 2010 | "Super Mario Galaxy 2" | (Platformer) | (Wii) | (Yoshiaki Koizumi, Takashi Tezuka) | |
| 2011 | "Super Mario 3D Land" | (Platformer) | (Nintendo 3DS) | (Yoshiaki Koizumi) | |
| 2013 | "Flipnote Studio 3D" | (Animation) | (Nintendo 3DS) | (Yoshiaki Koizumi) | |
| "Super Mario 3D World" | (Platformer) | (Wii U) | (Yoshiaki Koizumi) | ||
| "NES Remix"[10] | (Compilation) | (Wii U) | (Yoshiaki Koizumi, Masanobu Suzui (Indieszero)) | ||
| 2014 | "NES Remix 2"Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
|
(Compilation) | (Wii U) | (Yoshiaki Koizumi, Masanobu Suzui (Indieszero)) | |
| "Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker" | (Platform, puzzle) | (Wii U) | (Koichi Hayashida) |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ Co-developed with Grezzo
- ↑ Co-developed with indieszero, Technology Development Department
- ↑ Co-developed with Grezzo
- ↑ Co-developed with indieszero
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