Nintendo Software Planning & Development

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Nintendo Software Planning & Development
Founded 2004[1]
Defunct September 16, 2015
First Super Mario game Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Latest Super Mario game Rhythm Heaven Megamix

Nintendo Software Planning & Development, often shortened to Nintendo SPD, was a division of Nintendo that focused on research, planning, and development. Shinya Takahashi was the deputy general manager of Nintendo SPD. The division itself was divided into four groups, labeled Group No.1, Group No.2, Group No.3, and Group No.4. Nintendo SPD was created shortly after Nintendo dissolved two of its other teams, Nintendo R&D1 and Nintendo R&D2. Several former staff members from R&D1, R&D2, and Nintendo EAD made up a large amount of the division's members, though there were many newcomers to the group. Nintendo SPD performed many tasks; it either worked independently on small, oftentimes unique, games, helped the development of a game alongside another team, or managed the production of first-party franchises. The division was primarily created to focus on co-productions and thus allow EAD's management to focus on internal projects.[1]

On September 14, 2015, Nintendo announced plans to merge the game development arm of SPD and Nintendo EAD into a new division known as Nintendo Entertainment Planning and Development, effective September 16, 2015.[2]

Super Mario games made by Nintendo SPD[edit]

Group No.1[edit]

Led by Yoshio Sakamoto and Katsuya Yamano, Group No.1 was responsible for developing most of the titles for the WarioWare series and all of the titles for the Rhythm Heaven series. Members of the team also created the Mii editor for the Wii.[3][4][5]

Game System Release year
WarioWare: Twisted![6] Game Boy Advance 2004
WarioWare: Touched![6] Nintendo DS 2004
WarioWare: Smooth Moves[6] Wii 2006
Bird & Beans DSiWare 2008
Paper Airplane Chase DSiWare 2008
WarioWare: Snapped![6] DSiWare 2008
WarioWare: D.I.Y.[6] Nintendo DS 2009
WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase[6] WiiWare 2009
Game & Wario[6] Wii U 2013
Rhythm Heaven Megamix[7] Nintendo 3DS 2015

Notable members[edit]

Group No.2[edit]

Managed by Hitoshi Yamagami, Group No.2 worked on some of the titles in the Brain Age series and Dr. Mario series, as well as other standalone titles, mostly for handheld systems.

Game System Release year
Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix[8] Nintendo GameCube 2005
Dr. Mario & Puzzle League[6] Game Boy Advance 2005
Super Princess Peach[9] Nintendo DS 2006
Tetris DS Nintendo DS 2006
Wario: Master of Disguise[10] Nintendo DS 2007
Dr. Mario Online Rx[11] Wii 2008
Dr. Luigi[11] Wii U 2013
Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure[11] Nintendo 3DS 2015

Notable members[edit]

Group No.3[edit]

Managed by Kensuke Tanabe, Group No.3 has developed quite a few of the Super Mario spinoff series, including the Mario Strikers, the Mario vs. Donkey Kong, and the Paper Mario series. Its main purpose is to assist the development of coproductions with western developers.

Game System Release year
Super Mario Strikers[12] Nintendo GameCube 2005
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis[13] Nintendo DS 2006
Super Paper Mario[6] Wii 2007
Mario Strikers Charged[12] Wii 2007
Captain Rainbow[14] Wii 2008
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again![13] Nintendo DS 2009
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem![13] Nintendo DS 2010
Donkey Kong Country Returns[15] Wii 2010
Paper Mario: Sticker Star[13] Nintendo 3DS 2012
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon[12] Nintendo 3DS 2013
Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move[13] Nintendo 3DS 2013
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D[15] Nintendo 3DS 2013
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze[15] Wii U 2014
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars[13] Nintendo 3DS / Wii U 2015

Notable members[edit]

Group No.4[edit]

Led by Hiroshi Sato, Group No.4 worked on some of the later games in certain Super Mario franchises, including Mario Party, DK, Mario & Luigi, and most Super Mario sports-themed games. The group has another development team, led by Toshiharu Izuno.

Team led by Hiroshi Sato and/or Toyokazu Nonaka
Game System Release year
Mario Party 6[16] Nintendo GameCube 2004
Mario Party Advance[16] Game Boy Advance 2005
Mario Superstar Baseball[17] Nintendo GameCube 2005
Mario Party 7[16] Nintendo GameCube 2005
Mario Hoops 3-on-3[18] Nintendo DS 2006
Mario Party 8[16] Wii 2007
Mario Party DS[16] Nintendo DS 2007
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games[19] Wii/Nintendo DS 2007/2008
Mario Super Sluggers[17] Wii 2008
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games[19] Wii/Nintendo DS 2009
Mario Sports Mix[18] Wii 2011
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games[19] Wii/Nintendo 3DS 2011/2012
Mario Party 9[20] Wii 2012
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games[19] Wii U 2013
Mario Party: Island Tour[20] Nintendo 3DS 2013
Mario Party 10[20] Wii U 2015
Team led by Toshiharu Izuno
Game System Release year
Mario Power Tennis[21] Nintendo GameCube 2004
DK: King of Swing[22] Game Boy Advance 2005
Mario Tennis: Power Tour[21] Game Boy Advance 2005
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time[23] Nintendo DS 2005
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast[22] Wii 2007
DK: Jungle Climber[22] Nintendo DS 2007
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story[23] Nintendo DS 2009
Mario Tennis Open[21] Nintendo 3DS 2012
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team[23] Nintendo 3DS 2013
Mario Golf: World Tour[21] Nintendo 3DS 2014

Notable members[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "In 2004, we established the Software Planning & Development Division to relieve Mr. Miyamoto from handling the games co-developed with second parties to enable him to concentrate on internal development." Iwata, Satoru (February 17, 2015). Third Quarter Financial Results Briefing for Fiscal Year Ending March 2015 Q&A. Nintendo. Retrieved February 24, 2015)
  2. ^ Rad, Chloi, and Otero, Jose. Nintendo Reveals Restructuring Plans (September 14, 2015), IGN. Retrieved September 14, 2015
  3. ^ Yoshio's Sakamoto GDC '10 Keynote
  4. ^ CVG: Tomodachi Life: Can Nintendo's maddest game make waves in the west?
  5. ^ Official Miitomo website (June 30, 2016), Miitomo's Potential. Nintendo
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Co-produced with Intelligent Systems
  7. ^ Co-produced with TNX Music Recordings
  8. ^ Co-produced with Konami
  9. ^ Co-produced with TOSE Software Co.
  10. ^ Co-produced with SUZAK
  11. ^ a b c Co-produced with Arika
  12. ^ a b c Co-produced with Next Level Games
  13. ^ a b c d e f Co-produced with Nintendo Software Technology Corporation
  14. ^ Co-produced with skip Ltd.
  15. ^ a b c Co-produced with Retro Studios
  16. ^ a b c d e Co-produced with Hudson Soft
  17. ^ a b Co-produced with Namco Bandai Games
  18. ^ a b Co-produced with Square Enix
  19. ^ a b c d Co-produced with Sega
  20. ^ a b c Co-produced with NDcube
  21. ^ a b c d Co-produced with Camelot Software Planning
  22. ^ a b c Co-produced with Paon
  23. ^ a b c Co-produced with AlphaDream