Intelligent Systems
{{Short description|Japanese video game developer}}
{{For|the divested computer company formerly known as Intelligent Systems|Intelligent Systems (American company)}}
{{Distinguish|Intelligent Games}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd.
| logo = Intelligent Systems logo.png
| logo_caption = Logotype
| image =
| image_caption =
| trading_name =
| native_name = 株式会社インテリジェントシステムズ
| native_name_lang = ja
| romanized_name = Kabushiki gaisha Interijento Shisutemuzu
| type = Kabushiki gaisha
| traded_as =
| industry = Video games
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1983}} {{nowrap|(As a division under Iwasaki Giken Kogyo.)}}
{{Start date and age|1986|12}} {{nowrap|(As a separate entity.)}}
| founder = Toru
| defunct =
| hq_location = Minami-ku
| hq_location_city = Kyoto
| hq_location_country = Japan
| num_locations = 2
| num_locations_year = 2020
| area_served =
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Ryouichi Kitanishi (chairman)|Toshiyuki Nakamura (president)}}
| products = {{Unbulleted list|Fire Emblem series|Paper Mario series|WarioWare series|Wars series}}
| production =
| services =
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| assets =
| equity =
| owner =
| num_employees = 197 (2024)
| parent =
| divisions =
| subsid = Purejio Co., Ltd. (株式会社プレジオ){{cite web |title=インテリジェントシステムズに就職したい！会社の概要と就職の際のポイント |url=https://game-creators.jp/media/career/299/ |website=game-creators.jp|date=September 2, 2020 }}
| homepage = {{URL|https://intsys.co.jp/english}}
{{URL|https://intsys.co.jp}}
| footnotes =
| intl =
}}
{{Nihongo foot|Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd.|株式会社インテリジェントシステムズ|Kabushiki gaisha Interijento Shisutemuzu|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a Japanese video game developer best known for developing games published by Nintendo with the Fire Emblem, Paper Mario, WarioWare, and Wars video game series. The company was headquartered at the Nintendo Kyoto Research Center in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto,{{cite web|url=http://www.intsys.co.jp/english/location/index.html|title=Location|publisher=Intelligent Systems|access-date=2010-08-29|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100619052019/http://www.intsys.co.jp/english/location/index.html|archive-date=2010-06-19}} and moved to a building near Nintendo's main headquarters in October 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://nintendo-online.de/news/15818/fire-emblem-studio-intelligent-systems-ist-in-neues-gebaeude-umgezogen|title=Fire Emblem-Studio Intelligent Systems ist in neues Gebäude umgezogen|website=Nintendo-Online.de|language=de-DE|access-date=2020-02-28}} They were responsible for the creation of various development hardware both first- and third-party developers used to make games for Nintendo systems, such as the IS Nitro Emulator, the development kit for the Nintendo DS.
History
Intelligent Systems started when programmer Toru Narihiro was hired by Nintendo to port Famicom Disk System software to the standard ROM-cartridge format that was being used outside Japan on the NES. Similarly to the origins of HAL Laboratory, the team became an auxiliary program unit for Nintendo that provided system tools and hired people to program, fix, or port Nintendo-developed software. Much of the team's original work consists of minor contributions to larger games developed by Nintendo R&D1 and Nintendo EAD.{{Cite web|url=https://www.giantbomb.com/intelligent-systems-co-ltd/3010-333/|title=Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd. (Company)|website=Giant Bomb|language=en|access-date=2020-02-28}}
Narihiro programmed his first video games, Famicom Wars and Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, towards the end of the Famicom's life cycle, although the game design, graphic design, and music was provided by the Nintendo R&D1 team. Because of Narihiro's success, Intelligent Systems began to hire graphic designers, programmers, and musicians to extend the company from an auxiliary–tool developer to a game development group. The company continued to develop entries in the Wars and Fire Emblem franchises.{{cn|date=March 2025}}
In 2000, Intelligent Systems produced Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64, which became a surprise hit, leading to five sequels. Three years later, the first entry in the WarioWare series was released on the Game Boy Advance, and it too became a successful series.{{cn|date=March 2025}}
Not all games developed by Intelligent Systems are published by Nintendo. Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest (which was co-developed by Intelligent Systems) was published by Atlus in North America; Intelligent Systems also developed various Dragon Quest games, which were published by Square Enix.{{cn|date=March 2025}}
List of games developed
{{Anchor|List of games developed}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of video games developed by Intelligent Systems ! scope="col" | {{Abbr|Year|Year of first release}} ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Platform(s) ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
| 1983
| scope="row" | Mario Bros.{{efn|Co-developed by Nintendo R&D1.|name=rd1}} | rowspan="11" | NES |
| rowspan="6" | 1984
| scope="row" | Tennis{{efn|Co-developed by Nintendo R&D1.|name=rd1}} |
| scope="row" | Wild Gunman{{efn|Co-developed by Nintendo R&D1.|name=rd1}} |
| scope="row" | Duck Hunt{{efn|Co-developed by Nintendo R&D1.|name=rd1}} |
| scope="row" | Hogan's Alley |
| scope="row" | Donkey Kong 3 |
| scope="row" | Devil World{{efn|Co-developed by Nintendo R&D1.|name=rd1}} |
| rowspan="4" | 1985
| scope="row" | Soccer |
| scope="row" | Wrecking Crew |
| scope="row" | Stack-Up{{efn|Co-developed by Nintendo R&D1.|name=rd1}} |
| scope="row" | Gyromite{{efn|Co-developed by Nintendo R&D1.|name=rd1}} |
| rowspan="3" | 1986
| scope="row" | Tennis | rowspan="3" | Famicom Disk System |
| scope="row" | Soccer |
| scope="row" | Metroid{{efn|name=rd1}}
| {{cite web |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4333/the_elegance_of_metroid_yoshio_.php |title=The Elegance Of Metroid: Yoshio Sakamoto Speaks |author=Christian Nutt |date=23 April 2010 |work=Gamasutra |publisher=United Business Media LLC |access-date=5 August 2010}} |
| rowspan="3" | 1988
| scope="row" | Famicom Wars{{efn|name=rd1}} | Famicom |
| scope="row" | Kaettekita Mario Bros.
| rowspan="2" | Famicom Disk System |
| scope="row" | Wrecking Crew |
| rowspan="4" | 1989
| scope="row" |Alleyway{{efn|name=rd1}} | rowspan="4" | Game Boy |
| scope="row" |Baseball{{efn|Responsible for porting the original game to the Game Boy.|name=baseball}} |
| scope="row" |Yakuman |
| scope="row" |Golf |
| rowspan="2" | 1990
| scope="row" | Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light{{efn|name=rd1}} | Famicom |
| scope="row" | Backgammon
| Famicom Disk System | |
| rowspan="2" | 1991
| scope="row" |SimCity |
| scope="row" |Game Boy Wars{{efn|name=rd1}}
| Game Boy |
| rowspan="5" | 1992
| scope="row" | Super Scope 6 | Super NES |
| scope="row" | Fire Emblem Gaiden
| Famicom | |
| scope="row" | Mario Paint
| Super NES |
| scope="row" | Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru{{efn|name=rd1}}
| Game Boy |
| scope="row" | Battle Clash
| rowspan="2" | Super NES |
| 1993
| scope="row" | Metal Combat: Falcon's Revenge |
| rowspan="2" | 1994
| scope="row" | Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem | |
| scope="row" | Super Metroid{{efn|name=rd1}}
| Super NES |
| rowspan="2" | 1995
| scope="row" | Galactic Pinball | |
| scope="row" | Panel de Pon
| rowspan="2" | Super Famicom | |
| rowspan="2" | 1996
| scope="row" | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War | |
| scope="row" | Tetris Attack{{efn|name=rd1}}
| Super NES | |
| 1998
| scope="row" |Super Famicom Wars | rowspan="2" | Super Famicom | |
| 1999
| scope="row" |Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 | |
| rowspan="3" | 2000
| scope="row" |Trade & Battle: Card Hero{{efn|Co-developed by Nintendo R&D1.|name=rd1}} | |
| scope="row" |Paper Mario
| |
| scope="row" |Pokémon Puzzle Challenge
| Game Boy Color | |
| rowspan="2" | 2001
| scope="row" |Advance Wars{{efn|Released as Game Boy Wars Advance 1+2 in Japan on 2004.|name=wars}} | rowspan="2" | Game Boy Advance | |
| scope="row" |Mario Kart: Super Circuit
| |
| rowspan="2" | 2002
|scope="row" |Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest{{efn|Co-developed by Saru Brunei.|name=saru}} | GameCube | |
| scope="row"| Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade
| Game Boy Advance | |
| rowspan="4" | 2003
| scope="row"| Nintendo Puzzle Collection{{efn|name=rd1}} | GameCube | |
| scope="row"| Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
| rowspan="2" | Game Boy Advance | |
| scope="row"| Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising{{efn|name=wars}}
| |
| scope="row"| WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Games!{{efn|name=rd1}}
| rowspan="2" | GameCube | |
| rowspan="4" | 2004
| scope="row"| Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door | |
| scope="row" |Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
| rowspan="2" | Game Boy Advance | |
| scope="row"| WarioWare: Twisted!{{efn|Co-developed by Nintendo SPD Group No. 1.|name=spd1}}
| |
| scope="row"| WarioWare: Touched!{{efn|name=spd1}}
| |
| rowspan="3" | 2005
| scope="row"| Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance | GameCube | |
| scope="row"| Advance Wars: Dual Strike
| Nintendo DS | |
| scope="row"| Dr. Mario & Puzzle League
| Game Boy Advance | |
| 2006
| scope="row"| WarioWare: Smooth Moves{{efn|name=spd1}} | rowspan="3" | Wii | |
| rowspan="5" | 2007
| scope="row"| Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn | |
| scope="row"| Super Paper Mario
| |
| scope="row"| Planet Puzzle League
| rowspan="5" | Nintendo DS | |
| scope="row"| Face Training
| |
| scope="row"| Kousoku Card Battle: Card Hero{{efn|name=spd1}}
| |
| rowspan="3" | 2008
| scope="row" | Advance Wars: Days of Ruin | |
| scope="row"| Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
| |
| scope="row"| WarioWare: Snapped!{{efn|name=spd1}}
| rowspan="2" | Nintendo DS | |
| rowspan="9" | 2009
| scope="row"| WarioWare D.I.Y.{{efn|name=spd1}} | |
| scope="row"| WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase{{efn|name=spd1}}
| Wii | |
| scope="row" |Dragon Quest Wars
| Nintendo DS | |
| scope="row" |Eco Shooter: Plant 530
| Wii | |
| scope="row" |Nintendo DSi Instrument Tuner
| rowspan="5" | Nintendo DSi | |
| scope="row"| Nintendo DSi Metronome
| |
| scope="row"| Dictionary 6 in 1 with Camera Function
| |
| scope="row"| Link 'n' Launch
| |
| scope="row"| Spotto!
| |
| rowspan="2" | 2010
| scope="row" |Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem | rowspan="2" | Nintendo DS | |
| scope="row"| Face Training
| |
| rowspan="2" |2011
| scope="row" |Pushmo | rowspan="1" | Nintendo 3DS | |
| scope="row"| {{Ill|Dragon Quest 25th Anniversary Collection|jp|ドラゴンクエスト25周年記念_ファミコン%26スーパーファミコン_ドラゴンクエストI・II・III}}
| rowspan="1" | Wii |
| rowspan="3" | 2012
| scope="row"| Fire Emblem Awakening | rowspan="3" | Nintendo 3DS | |
| scope="row"| Crashmo
| |
| scope="row"| Paper Mario: Sticker Star
| |
| rowspan="2" | 2013
| scope="row" |Game & Wario{{efn|name=spd1}} | Wii U | |
| scope="row" |Daigasso! Band Brothers P{{efn|Co-developed by Nintendo SDD.|name=sdd}}
| Nintendo 3DS | |
| 2014
| scope="row" |Pushmo World | Wii U |
| rowspan="3" | 2015
| scope="row" |Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. | rowspan="3" | Nintendo 3DS | |
| scope="row"| Stretchmo
| |
| scope="row"| Fire Emblem Fates |
| 2016
| scope="row" |Paper Mario: Color Splash | Wii U | |
| rowspan="2" | 2017
| scope="row" |Fire Emblem Heroes | |
| scope="row" |Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
| rowspan="2" | Nintendo 3DS | |
| 2018
| scope="row" |WarioWare Gold | |
| 2019
| scope="row" |Fire Emblem: Three Houses{{efn|Co-developed with Koei Tecmo.}} | rowspan="6" | Nintendo Switch | |
| 2020
| scope="row" |Paper Mario: The Origami King | |
| 2021
| scope="row" |WarioWare: Get It Together! | |
| rowspan="2" | 2023
| scope="row" |Fire Emblem Engage | |
| scope="row" |WarioWare: Move It!
| |
| 2024
| scope="row" | Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door | |
;Notes
{{Notelist}}
= Cancelled =
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
| Title | System | class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}} |
|---|---|---|
| scope="row"| Dragon Hopper
| Virtual Boy | {{cite magazine|date=February 1997|title=Nintendo Kills the Virtual Boy|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_101_Volume_09_Number_02_1997-02_IDG_Publishing_US/page/n27/mode/2up|magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG|issue=101|page=27}} | ||
| scope="row"| Fire Emblem 64 | ||
| scope="row"| Untitled Fire Emblem game
| Wii | ||
| scope="row"| Crashmo World
| Wii U |
See also
- OrCAD (distributed by Intelligent Systems Japan, KK)
References
External links
- {{Official website|https://intsys.co.jp}}
- [https://intsys.co.jp/english/ Official website (English)]
{{Intelligent Systems}}
{{Nintendo developers}}
{{Portal bar|Japan|Video games|Companies}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Nintendo divisions and subsidiaries
Category:Video game companies of Japan
Category:Video game development companies
Category:Companies based in Kyoto