Takashi Tezuka

Japanese video game designer (born 1960)

Takashi Tezuka

手塚 卓志

Tezuka in 2024

Born|  (1960-11-17) November 17, 1960 (age 64)

Osaka, Japan

Alma mater| Osaka University of Arts
Occupations|

* Game designer
* director
* producer

Employer| Nintendo (1984–present)
Notable work|

* Super Mario
* The Legend of Zelda
* Yoshi
* Pikmin

Title| Executive Officer

Takashi Tezuka (手塚 卓志, Tezuka Takashi; born November 17, 1960; also known as "TENTEN" (てんてん)[1]) is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He is a senior officer in Nintendo's Entertainment Planning & Development division and is an Executive Officer at Nintendo itself.[2][3] Tezuka was the right-hand man to Shigeru Miyamoto and co-director of the early Mario and Zelda games. [4]

## Career

[edit]

Upon graduating from the Design Department of Osaka University of Arts, he joined Nintendo in April 1984[5] and became a co-designer of some of the most critically acclaimed Nintendo series, including Mario and The Legend of Zelda.[2][6] Tezuka is fond of fantasy novels such as J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and wrote the story and script for The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.[7] Tezuka co-designed Yoshi, who debuted in Super Mario World after Shigeru Miyamoto had originally wanted Mario to ride a dinosaur since Super Mario Bros. 3.[8]

> 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.

## Works

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role

|
|

1984  | Devil World | Game designer
1985  | Super Mario Bros. | Assistant director, game designer
1986  | Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels | Director, game designer
The Legend of Zelda | Director, game designer, writer
1987  | Zelda II: The Adventure of Link | Writer
1988  | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Director, game designer
1990  | Super Mario World | Director
1991  | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
1993  | The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Super Mario All-Stars
1995  | Yoshi's Island
1996  | Super Mario 64 | Assistant director
1997  | BS The Legend of Zelda: Inishie no Sekiban | Supervisor
Star Fox 64
Yoshi's Story | Producer
1998  | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Supervisor
1999  | Mario Golf
2000  | The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Mario Tennis
Paper Mario
2001  | The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages
Luigi's Mansion | Producer
Pikmin | Progress manager
Animal Crossing | Producer
2002  | Super Mario Sunshine
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
2003  | Mario Kart: Double Dash
2004  | The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap | Supervisor
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
Pikmin 2 | Producer
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door | Supervisor
2005  | Yoshi Touch & Go | Producer
Big Brain Academy | General producer
Animal Crossing: Wild World
2006  | New Super Mario Bros.
Yoshi's Island DS | Senior producer
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | Supervisor
2007
Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree | General producer
Mario Party 8 | Supervisor
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
Mario Party DS
Link's Crossbow Training | Producer
2008  | Wii Music
Animal Crossing: City Folk | General producer
2009  | Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story | Senior producer
New Super Mario Bros. Wii | Producer
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks | Supervisor
2010  | Super Mario Galaxy 2 | Producer
2011  | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D | Senior producer
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition
Super Mario 3D Land | General producer
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword | Supervisor
Fortune Street
2012  | New Super Mario Bros. 2 | Producer
New Super Mario Bros. U
Animal Crossing: New Leaf | General producer
2013  | Mario & Luigi: Dream Team | Supervisor
Super Mario 3D World | General producer
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds | Supervisor
2014  | Yoshi's New Island | Producer
2015  | Yoshi's Woolly World
Super Mario Maker
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes | Supervisor
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
2016  | Tank Troopers
Paper Mario: Color Splash
Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS | Producer
Super Mario Run
2017  | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Supervisor
Arms | Production manager
Hey! Pikmin | Producer
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions | Supervisor
2018  | Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
2019  | New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe | Producer
Yoshi's Crafted World
Super Mario Maker 2
2020  | Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
Pikmin 3 Deluxe
2023  | The Super Mario Bros. Movie | Creative executive
Pikmin 4 | Producer
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario RPG | Supervisor
2024  | Princess Peach: Showtime! | Senior supervisor
Mario & Luigi: Brothership

## References

[edit]

1. ^ GlitterBerri (May 4, 2011). "Staff List Interview". GlitterBerri's Game Translations. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
2. ^ a b "E3 2006 Online Press Kit – Biographical Information: Takashi Tezuka" (PDF). Nintendo of America, Inc. May 5, 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 24, 2013.
3. ^ 「ゼルダの伝説 夢をみる島」開発スタッフ名鑑. Nintendo Official Guide Book – The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (in Japanese). Shogakukan Inc. July 1993. p. 121\. ISBN 4-09-102448-3.
4. ^ Courcier, Nicolas; Kanafi, Mehdi El (February 19, 2019). Zelda: The history of a legendary saga. Third Editions. ISBN 978-2-37784-003-8.
5. ^ "10 Game Designers Who Have Been In The Industry For More Than Three Decades". TheGamer. August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
6. ^ "In Conversation: Takashi Tezuka". Businessweek. Bloomberg L.P. June 29, 2007. Archived from the original on February 27, 2008. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
7. ^ "Classic: Zelda und Link". Club Nintendo (in German). Nintendo of Europe. April 1996. p. 72.
8. ^ "Super Mario World and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island".

## External links

[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Takashi Tezuka.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Takashi Tezuka.

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People|

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Tingle|

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|

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