Takashi Tezuka, the architect behind classic titles such as Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Yoshi’s Island, is retiring from Nintendo after 40 years.
Ten-Ten-san is Officially Leaving Nintendo
Tezuka-san Punches Out One Last Time
Takashi Tezuka, a veteran game designer for most of Nintendo’s modern history, is officially retiring after 42 years with the company. Serving as Nintendo’s Executive Officer of the Board of Directors and Senior Officer of their Entertainment Planning and Development team, Tezuka-san is set to retire on June 26, 2026.
Tezuka-san’s retirement was made public in a financial document released by Nintendo on May 8, with neither party making a public announcement on the matter. This is par for the course for Tezuka-san, who has spent most of his career at Nintendo being relatively less public-facing than similarly tenured designers like Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma.
One of Nintendo’s Silent, but Legendary Geniuses
Tezuka-san, affectionately nicknamed "Ten-ten" around Nintendo from his surname, got his start with the company in 1984. He began as a character sprite designer for the arcade version of "Super Punch Out!!" before formally joining the company and serving as the assistant director to Shigeru Miyamoto on the original Super Mario Bros.
Ten-Ten-san’s full directorial debut with Nintendo came with the original sequel to Super Mario Bros., titled "The Lost Levels" in the West due to it being a Japan-exclusive game. He also served as the assistant director of The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: Adventure of Link, while also directing Super Mario Bros. 3.
His career with Nintendo was at its most prolific from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, which spanned the transition from the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Tezuka-san is the director of some of Nintendo’s most acclaimed titles on the SNES, such as Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Yoshi’s Island. He’s also credited as one of the co-designers for Yoshi alongside Nintendo graphic artist Shigefumi Hino.
As his stay at Nintendo progressed, Tezuka-san’s involvement in the creation of new games became much more supervisory in nature. He’s credited as a producer on titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Super Mario Galaxy 2 and as a supervisor on most mainline Zelda titles. His latest credited role is as a producer on Super Mario Wonder and the recently released Meetup in Bellabel Park expansion.
News of Tezuka-san’s retirement was met with reverence and respect among the gaming community, with both fans and media outlets celebrating his long, storied career. Tezuka-san’s tenure at Nintendo is remembered for his fun, friendly demeanor towards fans and journalists, as well as his legendary output and the influence his work has had on video game history.
Sources:
Announcement of Personnel Changes of Company Officers - Nintendo
Super Mario Bros. Wonder Cover Story – Powering Up
