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| Next Level Games | |
|---|---|
| Name | Next Level Games |
| Type | Private |
| Industry | Video game development |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | +Ensemble of Canadian developers |
| Headquarters | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Key people | Jason Carr, Glen Schofield, Phil Spencer, Shigeru Miyamoto, Doug Bowser |
| Products | Nintendo-published video games, Luigi's Mansion, Punch-Out!!, Mario Strikers |
| Num employees | ~150 |
| Parent | Nintendo |
Next Level Games Next Level Games is a Canadian video game developer based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The studio has developed console and handheld titles for major publishers and worked closely with industry figures and companies such as Nintendo, Electronic Arts, Square Enix, Capcom, and Ubisoft. Its catalogue includes collaborations on franchises featuring characters from Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Metroid, and Kirby.
Next Level Games was founded in 2002 by a group of Canadian developers with prior experience at studios and projects connected to Electronic Arts, Ubisoft Montreal, Relic Entertainment, and BioWare. Early contracts and partnerships involved work-for-hire agreements alongside publishers such as Nintendo, THQ, and Sega. The studio gained prominence after shipping titles on platforms by Nintendo and Sony Interactive Entertainment, establishing relationships with executives like Phil Spencer and creators such as Shigeru Miyamoto. Over time, the company navigated industry events including console launches by Nintendo GameCube, Wii, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch.
Next Level Games' roster includes entries in established franchises and original properties. The team developed Punch-Out!! for Wii, a revival tied to legacy works like Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! and involved industry personalities referenced in discussions alongside Donkey Kong and Mario Kart. They produced Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon for Nintendo 3DS and later Luigi's Mansion 3 for Nintendo Switch, connecting to the lineage of Luigi and collaborations with figures such as Shigeru Miyamoto. Other projects include Mario Strikers Charged-style sports entries in the Mario universe, work on licensed properties with Capcom and Square Enix, and original titles that intersected with trends from indie game scenes and AAA development cycles led by studios like Rare and Nintendo EPD.
The studio has used middleware and engines compatible with platforms from Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. Technical pipelines reflected best practices from peers such as Retro Studios, Monolith Soft, PlatinumGames, and Intelligent Systems, adapting to architectures introduced with Wii, Wii U GamePad, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Switch OLED model. Collaboration with middleware vendors and platform holders influenced toolchains similar to those employed by Epic Games and Unity Technologies, while optimization approaches corresponded to techniques discussed at industry events like Game Developers Conference and award showcases such as The Game Awards.
Initially independent, the studio operated as a private company engaging in contracts with publishers including Nintendo, Electronic Arts, and SEGA Corporation. In 2021, the company was acquired by Nintendo in a move paralleling other acquisitions by major publishers such as Microsoft acquiring Bungie and Sony Interactive Entertainment acquiring Insomniac Games. The acquisition integrated the studio into a corporate structure alongside Nintendo EPD while maintaining Vancouver operations influenced by local institutions like Vancouver Film School and regional policies of British Columbia.
Next Level Games' leadership has included producers, directors, and engineers with experience at studios such as EA Canada, Ubisoft Montreal, and Relic Entertainment. Key personnel have engaged with creators and executives like Shigeru Miyamoto, Doug Bowser, and platform leaders at Nintendo of America. The studio's culture emphasized collaboration, iterative design, and cross-studio coordination reflective of practices at Rare and Retro Studios, interacting with talent pipelines from institutions including Simon Fraser University and University of British Columbia.
Critical reception of the studio's titles has often highlighted design and polish, drawing comparisons with releases from Nintendo EPD, Retro Studios, Monolith Soft, and Intelligent Systems. Commercial performance and fan response placed certain releases alongside successful entries by Nintendo and Capcom, contributing to franchise trajectories involving characters from Mario, Luigi, and other Nintendo IPs. The studio's work influenced discourse in outlets like IGN, GameSpot, and Kotaku, and was discussed at events such as E3 and Nintendo Direct presentations.
Titles developed by the studio received nominations and awards in categories at ceremonies including The Game Awards, BAFTA Games Awards, and regional Canadian industry honours such as those presented by DICE Awards-adjacent organizations and Canadian media coverage from outlets like Polygon and Eurogamer. The studio's contributions to franchise revivals and high-profile releases have been cited in year-end lists by publications including Game Informer and Edge.
Category:Video game development companies of Canada