Nintendo Cube

Nintendo Cube Co., Ltd. is a Japanese video game developer headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, with an additional office in Sapporo. The studio is a subsidiary of Nintendo and is principally associated with the development of party-oriented games, especially the Mario Party series. It was established on March 1, 2000, under the name Nd Cube as a joint venture between Nintendo and Dentsu, Japan’s major advertising company. The original name reflected the two founding companies: Nintendo and Dentsu. At formation, Nintendo held the controlling interest, while Dentsu and other shareholders held minority stakes. The structure gave Nintendo substantial influence from the outset but allowed the company to operate as a distinct development organization. During its early years, Nd Cube worked on games and other interactive entertainment projects, although it did not initially carry the same broad public profile as Nintendo’s major internal studios. The company’s role changed significantly after Hudson Soft, the original developer of the Mario Party series, released Mario Party 8 in 2007. In the following years, a number of Hudson Soft employees moved to Nd Cube, including former Hudson Soft president Hidetoshi Endo. Endo became president of Nd Cube around 2009. This transfer of personnel helped establish the studio as the successor development team for Mario Party and connected it with a major Nintendo-owned franchise. Nintendo strengthened its ownership in 2010 by purchasing shares held by Dentsu and other minority shareholders. Nintendo’s ownership rose from 78 percent to approximately 96 percent at that stage, increased to 97 percent in 2015, and reached approximately 99 percent from 2023. The ownership changes made Nd Cube increasingly integrated into Nintendo’s corporate structure while preserving its identity as a specialized development subsidiary. In 2012, the company changed its branding from Nd Cube to NDcube. That same year, it released Mario Party 9 for Wii, its first Mario Party title and the first entry in the series developed by the studio after the transition from Hudson Soft. NDcube subsequently continued its association with the franchise, contributing to later Mario Party projects and becoming the principal studio identified with the series’ modern Nintendo era. Leadership also changed in 2019, when Shuichiro Nishiya replaced Hidetoshi Endo as president. Nishiya had served as director of the Mario Party series from Mario Party 6 through Super Mario Party, giving the studio’s leadership a direct connection to the franchise that defined much of its public identity. In 2024, NDcube adopted the name Nintendo Cube, aligning the company’s corporate branding more visibly with Nintendo. Nintendo Cube is best understood as a Nintendo-owned development studio rather than a consumer-facing standalone game publisher. Its work supports Nintendo’s platform and software ecosystem, with an emphasis on accessible multiplayer entertainment and established Nintendo intellectual property. Publicly available material provides limited information about its independent commercial operations, financial performance, and full project portfolio. Its principal recognized contribution remains the continuation and development of Mario Party after Hudson Soft’s departure from the series.

Nintendo Cube was founded on March 1, 2000, as Nd Cube, a joint venture between Nintendo and Dentsu. The company’s original ownership structure gave Nintendo 78 percent of the shares, Dentsu 13.3 percent, and other shareholders the remaining 8.7 percent. The name Nd Cube was derived from the names of the two founding companies, Nintendo and Dentsu. The studio initially operated as a separate Japanese game developer within Nintendo’s broader corporate network. Its profile changed after Hudson Soft, the original developer of the Mario Party series, released Mario Party 8 in 2007. In the years that followed, many Hudson Soft employees moved to Nd Cube. Among them was Hidetoshi Endo, a former president of Hudson Soft who became president of Nd Cube around 2009. The personnel movement supplied the studio with experience directly connected to Mario Party and helped prepare it to assume development responsibility for the franchise. Nintendo expanded its control over Nd Cube in 2010 by buying the shares held by Dentsu and other shareholders. Its ownership increased to approximately 96 percent, making the company more closely aligned with Nintendo while it continued to operate under its own corporate identity. Nintendo’s stake later rose to approximately 97 percent in 2015 and approximately 99 percent from 2023. The company changed its name from Nd Cube to NDcube in 2012. That year also marked its first Mario Party release: Mario Party 9 for the Wii. The game represented the studio’s formal entry into the franchise as the successor to Hudson Soft’s development role. NDcube subsequently remained associated with the series and became recognized as one of Nintendo’s principal developers of multiplayer party software. In 2019, Shuichiro Nishiya replaced Hidetoshi Endo as president. Nishiya brought extensive Mario Party experience to the leadership role, having served as director of the series from Mario Party 6 through Super Mario Party. The change connected the company’s executive leadership even more closely with its best-known development activity. In 2024, NDcube rebranded as Nintendo Cube. The new name made the company’s relationship with its parent group more explicit. Nintendo Cube remains a Japanese development subsidiary with headquarters in Shibuya, Tokyo and an additional office in Sapporo. Its public identity is primarily tied to the Mario Party series and to the development of accessible multiplayer games for Nintendo platforms. Available reference material does not provide a complete account of every title developed by the company, nor does it disclose standalone financial results or a detailed current executive roster.

• 2024

  Rebrand to Nintendo Cube

  [1]Nintendo Cubeen.wikipedia.org

  NDcube changes its name to Nintendo Cube.

• 2023

  Nintendo ownership reaches approximately 99 percent

  [1]Nintendo Cubeen.wikipedia.org

  Nintendo’s shareholding reaches approximately 99 percent.

• 2019

  Leadership changes

  [1]Nintendo Cubeen.wikipedia.org

  Shuichiro Nishiya succeeds Hidetoshi Endo as president.

• 2015

  Nintendo ownership rises further

  [1]Nintendo Cubeen.wikipedia.org

  Nintendo’s ownership stake in NDcube increases to approximately 97 percent.

• 2012

  NDcube branding and Mario Party 9

  [1]Nintendo Cubeen.wikipedia.org

  The company adopts the NDcube name and releases Mario Party 9 for Wii, its first Mario Party game.

• 2010

  Nintendo consolidates ownership

  [1]Nintendo Cubeen.wikipedia.org

  Nintendo buys shares from Dentsu and other shareholders, increasing its stake from 78 percent to approximately 96 percent.

• 2009

  Hidetoshi Endo becomes president

  [1]Nintendo Cubeen.wikipedia.org

  Former Hudson Soft president Hidetoshi Endo becomes president of Nd Cube around this period.

• 2007

  Hudson Soft releases Mario Party 8

  [1]Nintendo Cubeen.wikipedia.org

  The release precedes the movement of Hudson Soft personnel to Nd Cube and the eventual transfer of Mario Party development responsibility.

• 2000

  Nd Cube is founded

  [1]Nintendo Cubeen.wikipedia.org

  Nintendo and Dentsu establish Nd Cube as a joint video game development company, with Nintendo holding the controlling share.

A Nintendo-owned specialist game development studio focused on multiplayer and party-oriented software, particularly the Mario Party franchise.

• Multiplayer party video games · 2012

  Mario Party series

  Nintendo Cube is best known for developing Mario Party titles after Hudson Soft’s role in the series ended. Its involvement began with Mario Party 9 in 2012 and made the studio a central developer of Nintendo’s long-running multiplayer party franchise.

• Wii party video game · 2012

  Mario Party 9

  Released for Wii in 2012, Mario Party 9 was Nintendo Cube’s first Mario Party project. It marked the studio’s succession to Hudson Soft as the principal developer associated with the franchise.

• 2024

  Corporate rebranding as Nintendo CubeStrategy

  Background

  The company had used the NDcube name since its 2012 rebranding and had become almost entirely owned by Nintendo.

  Action taken

  NDcube adopted the Nintendo Cube name.

  Aftermath

  The new name makes the company’s relationship with Nintendo more explicit while retaining its identity as a specialized development subsidiary.

  Source

• 2012

  Transition into Mario Party developmentProduct launch

  Background

  After Hudson Soft’s departure from the series’ development role and the movement of Hudson Soft personnel to Nd Cube, Nintendo needed a successor studio for Mario Party.

  Action taken

  NDcube developed and released Mario Party 9 for Wii.

  Aftermath

  The release established NDcube as the studio most publicly associated with the modern continuation of Mario Party.

  Source

• 2010

  Nintendo buys out minority shareholdersM&A

  Background

  Nd Cube was originally a joint venture in which Nintendo held 78 percent, Dentsu held 13.3 percent, and other shareholders held the balance.

  Action taken

  Nintendo purchased the shares held by Dentsu and other minority shareholders, raising its stake to approximately 96 percent.

  Aftermath

  The transaction substantially consolidated Nintendo’s control of the studio, which later became approximately 97 percent owned in 2015 and approximately 99 percent owned from 2023.

  Source

1. 1Nintendo Cubeen.wikipedia.org