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Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (abbreviated as Nintendo EAD) was a former internal software division of Nintendo. It was originally known as Nintendo Research & Development No. 4 (Nintendo R&D4) before being renamed in 1989. Nintendo EAD was split into several different development groups and was responsible for the creation of many first party Nintendo titles, including most mainline entries in The Legend of Zelda series.

In 2003, a corporate restructure led to the creation of Nintendo EAD Software Group No. 3, which was dedicated entirely to the production of games in The Legend of Zelda series, with Eiji Aonuma serving as group manager. The developers in this group had previously worked on Majora's Mask and The Wind Waker, and all The Legend of Zelda series games developed by Nintendo EAD onward would be made by this group.

In 2015, Nintendo EAD was consolidated with Nintendo SPD to form Nintendo EPD.[1] Nintendo EAD Software Group No. 3 was also restructured into Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 3.

The Legend of Zelda Games[]

Game Systems Release Date Additional notes
The Legend of Zelda Nintendo Entertainment System Febuary 21, 1986 Known at the time as Nintendo R&D4.
The Adventure of Link Nintendo Entertainment System January 14, 1987 Known at the time as Nintendo R&D4.
A Link to the Past Super Nintendo Entertainment System November 21, 1991
Link's Awakening Game Boy June 6, 1993
Ocarina of Time Nintendo 64 November 21, 1998
Link's Awakening DX Game Boy Color December 12, 1998
Majora's Mask Nintendo 64 April 27, 2000
A Link to the Past & Four Swords Game Boy Advance December 2, 2002 Co-developed by Capcom.
The Wind Waker Nintendo GameCube December 13, 2002
Four Swords Adventures Nintendo GameCube March 18, 2004
Twilight Princess Nintendo GameCube / Wii November 19, 2006
Phantom Hourglass Nintendo DS June 23, 2007
Link's Crossbow Training Wii November 19, 2007
Spirit Tracks Nintendo DS December 7, 2009
Skyward Sword Wii November 18, 2011 Additional support by Monolith Soft.
The Wind Waker HD Wii U September 20, 2013 Additional support by Hexadrive.
A Link Between Worlds Nintendo 3DS November 22, 2013 Additional support by Monolith Soft.

Nomenclature[]

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in Other Regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
Language Name
Japan Japanese 任天堂情報開発本部 (Nintendō Jōhō Kaihatsu Honbu)

References

  1. Takuya Yoshimura, Notice Regarding Personnel Change of a Representative Director and Role Changes of Directors, www.nintendo.co.jp, published September 14, 2015, retrieved October 5, 2022.

See also: Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development on Wikipedia

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