# Kensuke Tanabe

Kensuke Tanabe (田邊 賢輔, Tanabe Kensuke, born January 26, 1963) is a Japanese video game producer and designer working for Nintendo, where he currently is Senior Officer at Nintendo EPD.
After he had graduated from the Visual Concept Planning Department of Osaka University of Arts, he decided to enter the video game industry, and joined Nintendo in April 1986.
At first, Tanabe was part of the Entertainment Analysis and Development division. He directed the platform games Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic and Super Mario Bros. 2, and worked on the scripts for the action-adventures The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. In 2003, Tanabe moved to the Software Planning and Development division, where he became the manager of Production Group No. 3. Since then, he has become a producer, and has managed and overseen the development of externally developed first party Nintendo video games, such as Metroid Prime, Donkey Kong Country, Paper Mario, Chibi-Robo and other series.

## Works

| Year | Game | Credit(s) |
| 1987 | Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic | Director, course design |
| 1988 | Super Mario Bros. 2 | Director, course design |
| 1988 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | Course design |
| 1991 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | Scenario writer |
| 1993 | The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening | Scenario writer |
| 1994 | Stunt Race FX | Map design |
| 1994 | Kirby's Dream Course | Map design |
| 1994 | Donkey Kong Country | Additional support |
| 1995 | Kirby's Avalanche | Nintendo staff |
| 1995 | Kirby's Dream Land 2 | Map design |
| 1995 | Kirby's Block Ball | Supervisor |
| 1996 | Super Mario RPG | Screenplay advisor |
| 1996 | Kirby Super Star | Advisor |
| 1996 | Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire | Japanese text translation |
| 1996 | BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge | Original design |
| 1998 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Script Support |
| 1999 | Pokémon Snap | Supervisor |
| 2000 | Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards | Assistant manager |
| 2001 | Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite! | Advisor |
| 2001 | Super Mario Advance | Supervisor |
| 2001 | Magical Vacation | Advisor |
| 2002 | Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest | Supervisor |
| 2002 | Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak | Advisor |
| 2002 | Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem | Supervisor |
| 2002 | Metroid Prime | Co-producer |
| 2003 | GiFTPiA | Supervisor |
| 2003 | Hamtaro: Rainbow Rescue | Advisor |
| 2004 | Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door | Supervisor |
| 2004 | Metroid Prime 2: Echoes | Producer |
| 2005 | Star Fox: Assault | Project management |
| 2005 | Kirby: Canvas Curse | Producer |
| 2005 | Chibi-Robo! | Producer |
| 2005 | Geist | Producer |
| 2005 | Battalion Wars | Producer |
| 2005 | Metroid Prime Pinball | Producer |
| 2005 | Super Mario Strikers | Producer |
| 2005 | Tottoko Hamtaro Nazo Nazo Q Kumonoue no ? Jou | Producer |
| 2006 | Mother 3 | Producer |
| 2006 | Magical Starsign | Producer |
| 2006 | Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland | Producer |
| 2006 | Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis | Producer |
| 2006 | Custom Robo Arena | Producer |
| 2006 | Kirby: Squeak Squad | Producer |
| 2006 | Excite Truck | Producer |
| 2006 | Metroid Prime Hunters | Producer |
| 2007 | Super Paper Mario | Producer |
| 2007 | Mario Strikers Charged | Producer |
| 2007 | Chibi-Robo!: Park Patrol | Producer |
| 2007 | Theta | Producer |
| 2007 | Battalion Wars 2 | Producer |
| 2007 | Metroid Prime 3: Corruption | Producer |
| 2008 | Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Producer |
| 2008 | Captain Rainbow | Producer |
| 2008 | Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir | Producer |
| 2008 | Kirby Super Star Ultra | Producer |
| 2009 | Picross 3D | Producer |
| 2009 | Picturebook Games: Pop-Up Pursuit | Producer |
| 2009 | Bonsai Barber | Producer |
| 2009 | Punch-Out!! | Producer |
| 2009 | Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! | Producer |
| 2009 | Okaeri! Chibi Robo! Happy Richie Dai Souji | Producer |
| 2009 | Irodzuki Tingle no Koi no Balloon Trip | Producer |
| 2009 | Rock N' Roll Climber | Producer |
| 2009 | Metroid Prime: Trilogy | Producer |
| 2009 | Art Academy | Producer |
| 2009 | Picturebook Games: The Royal Bluff | Producer |
| 2009 | Excitebike: World Rally | Producer |
| 2009 | Eco Shooter: Plant 530 | Producer |
| 2009 | A Kappa's Trail | Producer |
| 2009 | Excitebots: Trick Racing | Producer |
| 2010 | Aura-Aura Climber | Associate producer |
| 2010 | Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! | Producer |
| 2010 | Donkey Kong Country Returns | Producer |
| 2011 | Pilotwings Resort | Producer |
| 2011 | Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident | Producer |
| 2011 | Kirby Mass Attack | Senior producer |
| 2011 | Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive! | Producer |
| 2011 | Pushmo | Producer |
| 2012 | Kirby's Dream Collection | Producer |
| 2012 | Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! | Producer |
| 2012 | Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! | Producer |
| 2012 | Crashmo | Producer |
| 2012 | Dillon's Rolling Western | Producer |
| 2012 | Paper Mario: Sticker Star | Producer |
| 2012 | Sing Party | Producer |
| 2013 | Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon | Special advisor |
| 2013 | Game & Wario | Directing support, game design |
| 2013 | Dillon's Rolling Western: The Last Ranger | Producer |
| 2013 | Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move | Producer |
| 2013 | Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D | Producer |
| 2013 | Chibi-Robo! Photo Finder | Producer |
| 2014 | Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze | Producer |
| 2015 | Kirby and the Rainbow Curse | Producer |
| 2015 | Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars | Supervisor |
| 2015 | Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash | Producer |
| 2015 | Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam | Supervisor |
| 2016 | Mini Mario & Friends: Amiibo Challenge | Producer |
| 2016 | Metroid Prime: Federation Force | Producer |
| 2016 | Paper Mario: Color Splash | Producer |
| 2018 | Dillon's Dead-Heat Breakers | Producer |
| 2018 | WarioWare Gold | Producer |
| 2018 | Luigi's Mansion | Producer |
| 2019 | Luigi's Mansion 3 | Producer |
| 2020 | Paper Mario: The Origami King | Producer |
| 2021 | WarioWare: Get It Together! | Producer |
| 2021 | Super Nintendo World | Creative director |
| 2022 | Mario Strikers: Battle League | Producer |
| 2023 | Metroid Prime Remastered | Producer |
| 2023 | WarioWare: Move It! | Producer |
| 2024 | Luigi's Mansion 2 HD | Producer |
| 2025 | Donkey Kong Country Returns HD | Original game supervisor |
| 2025 | Metroid Prime 4: Beyond | Producer |