Nintendo Software Planning & Development

Nintendo Software Planning & Development (or SPD) is a research, planning, and development division inside of Nintendo Co., Ltd main central headquarters. The division was created during a corporate restructuring in late 2003 with the abolishment of the old Nintendo R&D1 and Nintendo R&D2 teams. While several of the remaining Nintendo R&D1 designers reside in the division along with a staggered group of former Nintendo R&D2 and Nintendo EAD staff, the programmers and artists consist of a lot of new talent. The group has the task of independently developing small innovative games, assisting other development teams on projects, and managing overseas production of first-party franchises. It is currently split into three separate departments who work concurrently on different projects.

Nintendo SPD Group No.1
Manager/producer: Yoshio Sakamoto

Responsible for developing titles like the WarioWare series and the Metroid titles on handhelds.


 * $1$ Co-production with Intelligent Systems
 * $1$ Co-production with Team Ninja

Nintendo SPD Group No.2
Manager/producer: Hitoshi Yamagami

Responsible primarily for first party puzzle games on Nintendo handhelds.


 * $1$ Co-produced with TOSE.

Nintendo SPD Group No.3
Manager/producer: Kensuke Tanabe

Responsible for overseeing the development of titles by overseas and outhouse teams. Currently overseeing an unknown number of internal and external projects.


 * $1$ Co-produced with Retro Studios.
 * $1$ Co-produced with Kuju Entertainment.
 * $1$ Co-produced with Next Level Games.
 * $2$ Co-produced with n-Space.
 * $1$ Co-produced with Nintendo Software Technology.
 * $2$ Co-produced with Monster Games.