You’ve likely never heard of SRD (Systems Research and Development) — a co-developer of Nintendo games whose legacy with the company stretches back four decades. While the company’s history of development is inextricably intertwined with Nintendo’s, and the SRD Kyoto offices are within the Nintendo Development Center, there’s actually been no formal capital relationship between the two — until now, as Nintendo has moved to acquire the partner, expected to close out the deal on April 1st.
Given their history, this feels more like formality than anything (the business projection accompanying the announcement even states that it will have only a minor effect on any results), but it’s a good opportunity to learn some of SRD’s history and legacy. SRD was originally hired to help develop software development kits for the Famicom, due to having expertise in computer-aided design (CAD) at the time. After cutting their teeth with ports of Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. to the fledgling platform, the company and its head Toshihiko Nakago worked with Shigeru Miyamoto to make Excitebike, their first original Famicom game. The list of games they’ve made in the decades since is too long (and unclear) to recount in full, but includes the following:
- Super Mario Bros., including all numbered sequels, Super Mario World 1&2, Super Mario 64, and the entire New Super Mario Bros. series
- Basically every single Legend of Zelda game not developed by Capcom
- Every Animal Crossing
- Wii Fit and Ring Fit Adventure
- Star Fox 64 and Star Fox Zero
- Super Mario Maker 1&2 and Game Builder Garage
As you can see, the company particularly has a history working with Miyamoto and the franchises he developed. They’ve also developed programming for every single Nintendo console in existence, so… yeah, they’re much more important than you’d think. It’s rather amazing that it took Nintendo so long to buy them out. After the purchase of Next Level Games last year, maybe Nintendo is seeing the benefits they reaped from acquiring Monolith Soft in 2007 and are seeking to bring more developers under its umbrella. Or maybe it’s just simple corporate consolidation. Who can say? I never took a business class, you expect me to analyze this kind of thing? I write on the internet for two explicit purposes: 1) shilling for Kingdom Hearts 2) begging for Mother 3. Don’t take corporate advice from me okay? Anyway, mazel tov to SRD and Ninty, much luck to their future endeavors, etc.
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Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
