The Top 10 First and Second Party Studios: Nintendo
DS, Editorials, Wii | Tyler C. | July 27, 2009 at 12:49 am
Love them or hate them, you can’t deny that Nintendo has brought the some of the most loved and greatest franchises to our comfortable living rooms. With stars like Mario, Zelda, and Metroid all in their roster you can’t help but applaud them for these games. But what about the developers that actually made these games? Today we will be listing Nintendo’s top ten first and second party developers.( Note: some developers on this list may be defunct now. )
10 – Camelot Software Planning
Camelot Software Planning are the masterminds behind the Golden Sun franchise as well as the creators of the popular Mario Golf and Mario Tennis. At E3 2009 Nintendo reveled that the developers are working on a new Golden Sun game for the DS and is set to release next year, 2010. These developers put so much polish, detail, and fun into their games that it earns them the number 10 spot on this list.
9 – Nintendo Integrated Research and Development
This development house is king of the ring…. that is when it comes to Punch-Out!! These developers work closely with Shigeru Miyamoto to make new hardware and accessories, like the Wii itself and the Motion Plus. Although this development house for Nintendo mainly focuses on hardware and accessories for the Wii and DS, they don’t mind making a Knock-Out Punch-Out!! game every now and then.
8 – Paon
Paon are not very well known but are the makers of a very important Nintendo franchise. Of course I’m talking about Donkey Kong. Also the fact that they helped develop Super Smash Bros Brawl for the Wii doesn’t hurt their reputation either. They have made such titles like: DK: King of Swing, DK: Jungle Climber, Donkey Kong Barrel Blast, and many other smaller games.
7 – Genius Sonority
Now while I’m not a fan of Pokemon sales numbers speak for themselves. The console versions of the Pokemon games are made by Genius Sonority, and we can all tell from the polish in every Pokemon game how serious these developers take the game. They also helped with the development of Dragon Quest Swords for the Wii. That is why Genius has earned itself the number 7 spot on the list.
6 - Retro Studios
Responsible for the Metroid Prime series, this studio has catapulted itself to becoming a vital Nintendo first party studio. The developer is located in Austin, Texas and the studio is fully owned by Nintendo. While many of the studio’s early titles were canned ( including an adventure game, a racing game, and a football game.) it seems the studio has found its place in developing the Metroid Prime series. Being a personal fan of Metroid Prime this developer has earned its place as the 6th best studio from Nintendo.
5 - Nintendo Research & Development 1
The now defunct Nintendo Research & Development team 1 ( they merged into Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development ) are responsible for the popular Metroid franchise. They also developed Kid Icarus and Super Mario Land. This development team more then earned the number 5 spot on this list.
4 – Intelligent Systems
Known for such franchises as Fire Emblem and Paper Mario, the former employees of Nintendo Research & Development Team 1 have become a power house developer for the Nintendo systems. Rumor has it that they are working on a new Fire Emblem. Whatever the game is we can’t wait to see what these developers have in store for us.
3 – HAL Laboratory
This is quite possibly one of Nintendo’s best development house, creators of the Kirby franchise and Super Smash Bros. Games in this development house hosts some of Nintendo’s biggest money makers. Also the fact that the current President of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, used to be the CEO and President of this developer helps this developer’s name amongst the gaming community. Crossing our fingers for a new Kirby DS game.
2 – Game Freak
If there’s any handheld franchise that beats Pokemon in sales please tell me. Until that happens the handheld Pokemon games are the biggest grossing handheld video games of all time, and that’s not an exaggeration. The developer has made Pokemon Blue, Red, Yellow, Silver, and Gold. Basically any color you can think of there is a Pokemon game for it. The developer is also very popular for creating Mario & Wario. This developer probably makes more money for Nintendo then they know what to do with. That is why it is number 2 on the list.
1 – Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
You knew it was coming. The development house where Shigeru Miyamoto creates all of his masterpieces. From Mario to Wii Fit, Zelda to Animal Crossing, this is the development house where it all goes down. Not only is this the house that makes so much money that it can feed 3 third world countries, but it is also the house where many of Nintendo’s best franchises started out, or are still made. That is why it is Nintendo’s number 1 first/second party studio.
Want to read – The Top Ten First and Second Party Studios: Microsoft. Click here.
Also tune in this Friday to see who makes it in: The Top Ten First and Second Party Studios: Sony
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Nice list, however you made a slight mistake. The video you posted for REtro studios is Metroid: Other M which is not theirs. It’s a collaboration between Team Ninja and Nintendo R&D 1, the the guys right above Retro on the list.
Hehe, guessed one and two before I opened the article! Good list.
@d3v
Nintendo R&D 1 are now defunct. They were closed down. The remenants of the people who worked there are Intelligent Systems & Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development. So I assumed that Retro Studios was working with Team Ninja on the game since they have been making the Metroid games since 2002.
Yeah, Pokemon is definately a great game. I’m playing through it now, and while no game will ever feel as good as Red/Blue/Gold/Silver, it comes darn close and offers excellent gameplay.
All these studios are superb and have given us great games. It is easy to see why Nintendo is always popular and innovative which is rare in today’s gaming world.
Ian W.
inb4 super mario rpg fans raging at not having square
I disagree with your spelling of the word Wednesday!
Like d3v said, Other M is from Project M, an association with Team Ninja and Nintendo. Retro Studios is not involved with this game.
Square is a 3rd party studio.
I think this list is pretty accurate. The Metroid team is pretty underrated IMO. I had an NES, SNES, N64 but skipped the Gamecube so I’m not really familiar with some of those Metroid Prime and Super Smash Bros. games. But I just got a free Wii from this site:
http://www.gamesncs.com/rd_p?p=186122&t=9528&gift=3679&a=3679-kokugamer
It’s awesome. I picked up Wii Fit and I was unaware that it was designed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis. Was Nintendo Integrated Research also responsible for the original Punch-Out as well?
Bleh, they forgot a major game that just came out on the wii
http://gametopiaplanitia.blogspot.com/2009/07/wiiware-my-life-as-darklord.html
Thanks for the article. I always was interested in knowing what were the first and second parties for the consoles after becoming more conscious of third parties.
I’m looking forward to the other consoles but I was wondering if you could also list a top 3 for Sega?
Punch Out!! was actually developed by Next Level Games, the same dudes behind the Mario Strikers series:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch-Out!!_%28Wii%29
Team Ninja is NOT responsible for the Metroid Prime series. Retro Studios is.
Yeah, Retro Studios did the Metroid Prime Trilogy.
Team Ninja is responsible for Other M as well as the Dead or Alive and Ninja gaiden series on the XBox and 360.
Decent list overall. Just one thing. Team Ninja is not a first- or second-party studio. They’re a subsidy of Tecmo. That means they’re a third-party, which means they shouldn’t even be on this list. If you can justify it, then Capcom’s subsidy Flagship should be on this list too for developing some games using Nintendo’s IP.
@Chris
I didnt put Team Ninja on here. There was a mistake with Metroid: the other M, I thought that Team Ninja and Retro studios were working together on the project since Retro have been working on the Metroid games since 2002. It was a simple mistake. I hope you all enjoyed the trailer of the Other M though.
Wow. Whoever compiled this list has not done their research at all. Team Ninja? That’s a third-party company.
There are so many errors in this ‘article’ it’s not even funny.
:\
Where is skip?
If it was bottom ten I know what the worst would be. Kind of obvious, but this might be third party. I never really know.
Philips. Enough said.
Nintendo IRD did not make Punch-Out. It was made by SPD Production Group #3 headed by Kensuke Tanabe. This team typically works with 3rd parties on Nintendo IPs (i.e. Retro with Metroid Prime, Excite Truck with Monster Games, Battalion Wars with Kuju, and Next Level Games on Punch-out).
Also, R&D 1 has not been absorbed into EAD. This team, headed by Yoshio Sakamoto, is now SPD Production Team #1. They typically collaborate with Intelligent systems on games like Wario Ware, Card Hero, and 2D Metroid titles.