Next Level Games
{{Short description|Canadian video game developer}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Next Level Games, Inc.
| logo = Next Level Games Logo.svg
| logo_size = 250px
| type = Subsidiary
| founders = Eric Randall
Douglas Tronsgard
Jason Carr
David Catlin
| foundation = {{start date and age|2002|10}}{{cite web|title=Next Level Games, Inc.|publisher=MobyGames|url=https://www.mobygames.com/company/4242/next-level-games-inc/}}
| location = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| key_people = Alex MacFarlanehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-macfarlane-1542/ {{Self-published source|date=June 2025}} (managing director)
| industry = Video games
| products =
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| num_employees = 140 (2024)
| parent = Nintendo (2021–present)
| homepage = {{Official URL}}
}}
Next Level Games, Inc. is a Canadian video game developer owned by Nintendo based in Vancouver. Founded in October 2002 by former members of EA Black Box who've worked on games such as Sega Soccer Slam and NHL Hitz titles. Next Level Games specializes in creating console video games. Their first project was NHL Hitz Pro, which was published by Midway Games in 2003 and followed up from EA Black Box's prior entries in the NHL Hitz series. The company is best known for its work with Nintendo, the Mario Strikers games and Punch-Out!! for the Wii, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Metroid Prime: Federation Force for the Nintendo 3DS, and Luigi's Mansion 3 for the Nintendo Switch.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2019/06/hands-on-with-the-secret-filled-luigis-mansion-3/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611221331/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2019/06/hands-on-with-the-secret-filled-luigis-mansion-3/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 11, 2019|title=Hands-On With The Secret-Filled Luigi's Mansion 3|date=June 12, 2019|website=Kotaku Australia|language=en|access-date=June 12, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-07-17-luigis-mansion-3-gets-the-spookiest-release-date-possible|title=Luigi's Mansion 3 gets the spookiest release date possible|last=Phillips|first=Tom|date=July 17, 2019|website=Eurogamer|language=en|access-date=July 27, 2019}}
Among other awards, Next Level Games has been named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers" and one of BC's Top Employers in 2008, 2009 and 2012. The company has been featured in Maclean's magazine and BC Business magazine.
History
In January 2014, the studio announced that it would work exclusively with Nintendo from then on.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-09-luigis-mansion-2-dev-will-now-work-exclusively-with-nintendo|title=Luigi's Mansion 2 dev will now work exclusively with Nintendo|last=Phillips|first=Tom|date=January 9, 2014|work=Eurogamer|publisher=Gamer Network|access-date=January 9, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.screwattack.com/news/luigis-mansion-dark-moon-developer-next-level-games-signs-second-party-deal-nintendo/ |title=Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon developer Next Level Games signs second-party deal with Nintendo |publisher=ScrewAttack.com |date=January 9, 2014 |access-date=August 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009173615/http://www.screwattack.com/news/luigis-mansion-dark-moon-developer-next-level-games-signs-second-party-deal-nintendo|archive-date=October 9, 2015}} In that same interview, co-founder Jason Carr and producer Ken Yeeloy revealed that it was Nintendo who approached Next Level Games in the first place to develop Super Mario Strikers for the GameCube due to much of the team's prior work on Sega Soccer Slam at EA Black Box.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/working-with-nintendo-making-a-studio-great-for-developers|title=Working with Nintendo, making a studio great for developers|last=Nutt|first=Christian|date=January 8, 2014|work=Game Developer|access-date=January 10, 2025}}
In January 2021, Nintendo announced that it had purchased Next Level Games after "A number of owner-directors recently determined that the time is right for them to sell their shares, and NLG therefore began exploring potential sale transactions".{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/01/nintendo_is_buying_luigis_mansion_studio_next_level_games|title=Nintendo Is Buying Luigi's Mansion Studio Next Level Games|last=McFerran|first=Damien|date=January 5, 2021|website=Nintendo Life|access-date=January 5, 2021}} According to Nintendo's 2021 annual report, this acquisition took place on March 31st, 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2021/annual2103e.pdf|title=Annual Report 2021 (page 54)|date=July 19, 2021|website=Nintendo Co., Ltd. : Investor Relations Information|access-date=January 11, 2025}} Co-founder Tronsgard would later retire from the studio by March 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/03/co-founder-of-nintendo-owned-studio-next-level-games-announces-retirement|title=Co-Founder Of Nintendo-Owned Studio Next Level Games Announces Retirement|last=Doolan|first=Liam|date=March 4, 2022|website=Nintendo Life|access-date=January 10, 2025}}
List of games developed
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ List of games developed by Next Level Games ! scope="col" |{{Abbr|Year|Year of first release}} ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Platform(s) !Publisher(s) |
| 2003
| scope="row" |NHL Hitz Pro |
| 2005
| scope="row" |Super Mario Strikers | rowspan="2" |Nintendo |
| rowspan="2"|2007
| scope="row" |Mario Strikers Charged |Wii |
| scope="row" | Spider-Man: Friend or Foe |
| 2008
| scope="row" |Ticket to Ride | rowspan="2" |Playful Entertainment |
| rowspan="3" |2009
| scope="row" |Jungle Speed | rowspan="5" |Wii |
| scope="row" |Punch-Out!!
| rowspan="2" |Nintendo |
| scope="row" |Doc Louis's Punch-Out!! |
| rowspan="2" |2010
| scope="row" |Transformers: Cybertron Adventures |
| scope="row" |Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon |
| 2011
| scope="row" |Captain America: Super Soldier | Sega |
| 2012
| scope="row" |Microsoft Solitaire Collection{{efn|Co-developed with Arkadium and Smoking Gun Interactive}}{{cite web |title=Tom's guide to Microsoft Solitaire Collection |date=July 29, 2020 |url=https://www.tomsguide.com/how-to/how-to-download-microsoft-solitaire-collection}} |
| 2013
| scope="row" |Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon | rowspan="2" |Nintendo 3DS | rowspan="4" |Nintendo |
| 2016
| scope="row" |Metroid Prime: Federation Force |
| 2019
| scope="row" |Luigi's Mansion 3 | rowspan="2" |Nintendo Switch |
| 2022
| scope="row" |Mario Strikers: Battle League |
;Notes:
{{Notelist}}
=Cancelled=
- WWE Titans: Parts Unknown - PS2, Xbox{{cite web|url=https://www.unseen64.net/2012/02/18/wwe-titans-parts-unknown-ps2-xbox-cancelled/|title=Next Level Games was working on a WWE game that was cancelled by publisher THQ|publisher=Unseen64.net|date=February 18, 2012}}
- Super Mario Spikers – Wii{{cite web|url=https://www.unseen64.net/2011/08/06/super-mario-spikers-wii-prototype/|title=Super Mario Spikers is a cancelled volleyball/wrestling hybrid game developed by Next Level Games|publisher=Unseen64.net|date=August 6, 2011}}
- Catalyst - PS3, Xbox 360{{cite web|url=https://www.unseen64.net/2010/07/12/catalyst-xbox-360-ps3-pitch-cancelled/|title=Next Level Games was working on an Action title known as "Catalyst"|publisher=Unseen64.net|date=July 12, 2010}}
- Clockwerk – Wii, X360, PS3{{cite web |url=http://www.gamnesia.com/news/next-level-games-was-working-on-a-puzzle-platformer-called-clockwerk/ |title=Next Level Games Was Working on a Puzzle-Platformer Called "Clockwerk" |publisher=Gamnesia.com |date=January 12, 2015 |access-date=August 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924020713/http://www.gamnesia.com/news/next-level-games-was-working-on-a-puzzle-platformer-called-clockwerk/ |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website}}
{{Next Level Games}}
{{Nintendo developers}}
{{Vancouver Corporations}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2002 establishments in British Columbia
Category:2021 mergers and acquisitions
Category:Canadian companies established in 2002
Category:Canadian subsidiaries of foreign companies
Category:Companies based in Vancouver
Category:First-party video game developers
Category:Nintendo divisions and subsidiaries
Category:Video game companies established in 2002