The N-Sider Files: What Are They Doing Now

The N-Sider Files: What Are They Doing Now?

Welcome to N-Sider's digital log of key members of Nintendo's development teams. This first issue uncovers the projects of NCL heavy weights like Hideki Konno, Yoshio Sakamoto, and even Giles Goddard's next project.

Toshiaki Suzuki - Director - Nintendo R&D2

Toshiaki Suzuki is wrapping up his first GameCube work titled Koro Koro Kirby 2 (Kirby's Tilt N Tumble 2). Suzuki and R&D2 were the developers of the original Koro Koro KirbyKoro Koro Kirby 2 is a GameCube title that also connects to the GBA via the link cable and is due for release in the Summer of 2002.

Giles Goddard - Programmer - Nintendo Co. Ltd

After a short hiatus from Nintendo, Goddard returned to his favorite company to program Doshin The Giant. Nintendo programmed and produced this GameCube remake originally developed by partner Kazutoshi Iida and his freelance company Param for the Nintendo 64DD. Having wrapped up development in mid February, Goddard's next game is a secret Game Boy Advance title for Nintendo. Rumor of Goddard working on 1080 Snowboarding 2 is only half truth at this point as Goddard is only assisting the team; Goddard is involved as a reference guide and supervisor alongside the staff leads of the original 1080 Snowboarding. What Goddard's next game or what Nintendo team he will be working for is a mystery at the moment.

Hideki Konno - Director - Nintendo EAD

The main director of the Mario Kart and Yoshi series is working on his second GameCube title under the tentative title of Mario Kart for GameCube. Konno's track record has come in question lately after the lukewarm successes of Yoshi's Story and Luigi's Mansion. Miyamoto has promised the next Mario Kart will feature some big changes, all we can hope is the end package is a better result than Konno's last two efforts. Rumor is Nintendo plans to release the tile by Spring 2003 in Japan.

Mitsuhiro Takano - Director - Nintendo EAD

Mitsuhiro Takano is making his directorial debut on The Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo GameCube. Takano has worked for both Nintendo R&D2 and Nintendo EAD in his 7 year tenure as everything from a script writer, graphic designer, to assistant director. Takano spoke briefly of his project and mentioned the development team was working very hard on expanding the controls and hoped to fully utilize the GameCube controller. It shall be interesting to see how one third of the original The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask creative designers does with the new Zelda now that Eiji Aonuma and Yoshiaki Koizumi have moved on to other projects.

Yoshio Sakamoto - Director - Nintendo R&D1

Sakamoto is currently working in-house with Metroid 4 for the GBA. Sakamoto is also one of the NCL members involved in the Nintendo-Retro production of Metroid Prime.

Masaru Nishida - Director - Nintendo R&D2

Relatively new director assigned to the budding R&D2 division who is working on an original music title for the Game Boy Advance. Pocket Music was originally being developed for the Game Boy Color but Nintendo decided to bump the game to the GBA because of the much expanded sound channels and CPU. Nintendo has been very quiet about the title lately, and several rumors have surfaced including the possibility of the title being bumped to the Nintendo GameCube.

Anthony JC