Intelligent Systems is a first party developer for Nintendo. They have created some of the most recognizable video games in history, such as the Metroid, Fire Emblem, Advance Wars, Paper Mario, and WarioWare series.
History
Hiroshi Yamauchi and Hiroshi Imanishi in the 70's decided to create a video game division when the industry gained popularity. The studio wasn't then known as Intelligent Systems, but rather Nintendo R&D1. Eventually there would be four Research & Development teams in all, with Gunpei Yokoi heading the first team. The second and third R&D teams would primarily work on hardware designs while R&D1 would capitalize on the creations they made by making the software that would first make use of it. They worked together, and occasionally the other teams would also make games for their own hardware as well. Nevertheless, it was indisputable that the R&D1 team was the most important of the bunch when it game to game design.
R&D1's first order of business was to create various arcade video games for Nintendo. The first batch of games were rather uninspiring, but that would change after the release of Radar Scope, which failed to sell in the American market. After Nintendo of America demanded a game that would replace the unsold Radar Scope units, Hiroshi Yamauchi turned to an unknown within the company named Shigeru Miyamoto since all of the other R&D people were working on other projects. Gunpei Yokoi was tasked with teaching him and the end result was Donkey Kong, which after being released turned into the second best selling arcade game of all time, directly behind Pac-Man (which also included Mrs. Pac-Man). After Donkey Kong was release, Gunpei Yokoi and Shigeru Miyamoto, a dream team, were separated when Miyamoto was sent to Nintendo R&D4 to head his own game development studio.
Factions
Throughout its history, Intelligent Systems has divided itself into many smaller groups in order to work on specific projects. Each group has or had its own head, with the now deceased Gunpei Yokoi overseeing all of the groups. When Gunpei Yokoi left Nintendo, he was replaced with the director of Team Shikamaru, Takehiro Izushi.
GameBoy R&D
Responsible for many titles on GameBoy, including Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land and Metroid II: Return of Samus. GameBoy R&D often collaborated with Team Shikamaru, which resulted in games such as Wario Land II and Wario Land III.
Team Emblem
Team Emblem is the creator of the Fire Emblem series and began development on Famicom even when the rest of Nintendo was beginning Super Famicom development. The Fire Emblem series was not released outside of Japan until Fire Emblem : Rekka no Ken (ファイアーエムブレム 烈火の剣) on Nintendo Game Boy Advance. Team Emblem is also responsible for the development of Paper Mario on Nintendo 64.
Team Shikamaru
Team Shikamaru is known for Mario Paint, Sim City, Tetris & Dr. Mario, and Super Play Action Football on Super Famicom, Tetris 2 on Famicom and GameBoy, and Mario's Excitebike and Wrecking Crew '98 on Satellaview.
The team also assisted in the creation of Wario Land II and Wario Land III on GameBoy, and also assisted Nintendo EAD in the creation of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening on GameBoy. Team Shikamaru also assisted in Virtual Boy development, working on 3D Tetris, Mario Clash, Galactic Pinball, Mario's Tennis, and most significantly, Virtual Boy Wario Land.
Perhaps most significantly, however, Team Shikamaru is the creator of GameBoy Camera.
Team Battle Clash
Team Battle Clash is responsible for the creation of the Super Scope 6 peripheral for Super Famicom, as well as the games Battle Clash, Metal Combat 2: Falcon's Revenge, and Panel de Pon (known outside of Japan as Tetris Attack) for Super Famicom. The team began creating a sequel to Panel de Pon on Nintendo 64 before Nintendo scrapped it, only to give the engine to Nintendo Software Technology Corporation, where it was turned into Pokemon Puzzle League.
Team Deer Force
Composed of members from Team Shikamaru and GameBoy R&D, Team Deer Force created one of the most revered games of all time. The team is responsible for Super Metroid on Super Famicom. The team began creating a 3rd-person version of Metroid on the Nintendo 64 before it was ultimately scrapped, only to collaborate years later on Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission on GameBoy Advance.
Games developed
- Main article: List of Intelligent Systems games.