Takashi Tezuka
| Takashi Tezuka 手塚 卓志 | |
|---|---|
 Photo of Takashi Tezuka circa 2023 | |
| Born | November 17, 1960 (age 65)[1] |
| Super Mario–related roles | Video game producer, director, and designer |
| Years active | 1984–present[2] |
| Employer | Nintendo |
- “I have never consciously separated casual users and hardcore gamers when I design a game. For the past 20 years, I have always been trying to make games so that anyone -- as many people as possible -- can enjoy them... I cannot help but say that I love my job of making games from the bottom of my heart.”
- —Takashi Tezuka
Takashi Tezuka (in Japanese: 手塚 卓志), sometimes credited under the name Ten Ten, is a veteran video game designer currently working for Nintendo. As a graduate of the Design Department of Osaka University of Arts, he joined Nintendo in 1984 and set to work alongside Shigeru Miyamoto, creating some of the company's most iconic characters and games, such as Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda.
Tezuka previously held the position of General Manager of Nintendo EAD alongside Miyamoto, until its restructure into Nintendo EPD. Tezuka then served as Executive Officer of Nintendo EPD, until he retired from the role on June 26, 2026.[3] Tezuka currently still works as a production producer in the company.[4]
Some of Tezuka's better known works including the writing of the script and story for The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, being the senior designer for Super Mario Bros. 3 and the main director for Super Mario World.
[edit]
Games[edit]
- Super Mario Bros. - Assistant Director
- Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels - Director, Game Design
- Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic - Meddler
- Super Mario Bros. 2 - Motion Design
- Super Mario Bros. 3 - Director, Game Design
- Super Mario World - Main Director
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - Director
- Super Mario 64 - Assistant Director
- Tetris Attack - Advisor
- Game & Watch Gallery - Design Advisor
- Game & Watch Gallery 2 - Design Advisor
- Yoshi's Story - Producer
- Game & Watch Gallery 3 - Design Advisor
- Super Mario Bros. Deluxe - Supervisor, Original Game Design
- Luigi's Mansion - Producer
- Super Mario Sunshine - Producer
- Mario Kart: Double Dash!! - Producer
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga - Production Supervisor
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - Character Supervisor
- Donkey Kong Jungle Beat - General Producer
- Yoshi Touch & Go - Producer
- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time - Production Supervisor
- New Super Mario Bros. - General Producer
- Yoshi's Island DS - Senior Producer
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story - Senior Producer
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii - Producer
- Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Producer
- Mario Sports Mix - Supervisor
- Super Mario 3D Land - General Producer
- Mario Party 9 - Supervisor
- New Super Mario Bros. 2 - Producer
- Paper Mario: Sticker Star - Supervisor
- New Super Mario Bros. U - Producer
- Mario & Luigi: Dream Team - Supervisor
- Mario Party: Island Tour - Supervisor
- Super Mario 3D World - General Producer
- Yoshi's New Island - Producer
- Yoshi's Woolly World - Producer
- Mario Party 10 - Supervisor
- Super Mario Maker - Producer
- Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam - Supervisor
- Paper Mario: Color Splash - Supervisor
- Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS - Producer
- Super Mario Run - Director[5]
- Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World - Producer
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions - Supervisor
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - Producer
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey - Supervisor
- Yoshi's Crafted World - Producer
- Super Mario Maker 2 - Producer
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Producer
- Princess Peach: Showtime! - Senior Supervisor
- Mario & Luigi: Brothership - Senior Supervisor
- Yoshi and the Mysterious Book - Producer
Films[edit]
- Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen! - Characters[6]
- Super Mario Bros. - Based on the concepts and characters created by
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie - Nintendo Creative Executive
- The Super Mario Galaxy Movie - Nintendo Team
Gallery[edit]
Tezuka in his early days at Nintendo
Drawing of a Lakitu by Tezuka for the 84 membership restaurant in Tokyo
Tezuka circa 2012
Thumbnail of the video "ILS TESTENT NOTRE NIVEAU DE FOURBE !" from the YouTube channel Bigorneaux & Coquillages (at the time CyprienGaming)
Group photo at the Super Mario 30 Festival event
Tezuka, alongside Tsubasa Sakaguchi and Shigeru Miyamoto
Tezuka's Mii, distributed to Nintendo 3DS owners via StreetPass at select retail stores as part of a promotional campaign for Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
Notes[edit]
- Tezuka's favorite Super Mario character is Lakitu.[7]
- Tezuka's wife was the inspiration for the Boo enemy. This is because she is often very shy, but then she became angry at him one day for spending too much time at work.[8]
References[edit]
- ^ GlitterBerri (May 4, 2011). Staff List Interview. GlitterBerri's Game Translations. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
- ^ Iwata Asks - New Super Mario Bros: Volume 2. Nintendo. Page 1. It All Began In 1984. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ^ Nintendo (May 7, 2026). Announcement of Personnel Changes of Company Officers. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
- ^ Brian (June 25, 2026). Mario dev Takashi Tezuka not retiring from Nintendo, contrary to previous reports. Nintendo Everything. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- ^ Jose Otero (September 9, 2016). 11 Things We Learned About Super Mario Run. IGN. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
- ^ Booklet provided in the Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen! Original Soundtrack
- ^ Shogakukan. 2015. Super Mario Bros. Hyakka: Nintendo Kōshiki Guidebook, page 5.
- ^ Keith Stuart (September 13, 2010, accessdate=June 26, 2026). Super Mario Bros: 25 Mario facts for the 25th anniversary. The Guardian.
