Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd. 『株式会社インテリジェントシステムズ』 is a Japanese video game company founded by Nintendo programmer Tohru Narihiro in 1986. The company has a long history as a close partner to Nintendo, though are not owned by them. They are best known for the Fire Emblem franchise and the Paper Mario and WarioWare series.
Intelligent Systems was founded as a coding and porting factory to support Nintendo's console development, helping develop a number of NES games (most notably Metroid) and porting games from the disk-based Famicom Disk System to be playable on the cartridge-based NES. They quickly transitioned into developing their own games, mainly of the RPG variety. Their first title was the Strategy RPG Famicom Wars in 1988, developed with some assistance from Nintendo R&D1. It was a success, going on to become the company's first IP as the start of the long-running Nintendo Wars series (sometimes just known as Wars). In 1990 they released another Strategy RPG, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light, also developed alongside Nintendo's R&D1 team. The game was a Sleeper Hit despite poor reviews and was also successful enough to warrant a sequel, solidifying the company's position as an important partner to Nintendo and establishing one of Intelligent System's most important franchises. Though some future projects would still be done alongside Nintendo's other studios (e.g. Super Metroid) or under their supervision, Intelligent Systems was given a fair bit of creative autonomy to work on their own games.
Intelligent Systems created or was notably involved in:
- Nintendo Wars series (First game developed by Nintendo R&D1), including:
- Advance Wars
- Fire Emblem
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light
- Fire Emblem Gaiden
- Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem
- Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
- Fire Emblem: Thracia 776
- Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade
- Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade
- Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
- Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
- Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (DS remake of Shadow Dragon and the Blade Of Light)
- Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem (Japan-only DS remake of Mystery of the Emblem)
- Fire Emblem: Awakening
- Fire Emblem Fates
- Fire Emblem Heroes
- Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia (3DS remake of Gaiden)
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit
- Metroid, in which they helped program Metroid and Super Metroid for Nintendo R&D1.
- Paper Mario
- Pushmo
- Code Name: S.T.E.A.M
- Panel de Pon
- WarioWare (Collaborated with Nintendo R&D1 / SPD 1 since Mega Party Game$!)
- For the Frog the Bell Tolls, co-developed with Nintendo R&D1.
