Next Level Games, Inc. is a Canadian video game developer owned by Nintendo since 2021 and based in Vancouver. Founded in August 2002 by former members of EA Black Box who worked on games such as Sega Soccer Slam and NHL Hitz titles, Next Level Games specializes in creating console video games. The company's first project was NHL Hitz Pro, which was published by Midway Games in 2003 and followed up from EA Black Box's prior entries in the NHL Hitz series. The company is best known for its work with Nintendo, developing titles including the Mario Strikers games and Punch-Out!! for the Wii, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Metroid Prime: Federation Force for the Nintendo 3DS, and Luigi's Mansion 3 for the Nintendo Switch.[3][4]
Among other awards, Next Level Games has been named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers" and one of BC's Top Employers in 2008, 2009 and 2012. The company has been featured in Maclean's magazine and BC Business magazine.
History
In January 2014, the studio announced that it would work exclusively with Nintendo from then on.[5][6] In that same interview, co-founder Jason Carr and producer Ken Yeeloy revealed that it was Nintendo who approached Next Level Games in the first place to develop Super Mario Strikers for the GameCube due to much of the team's prior work on Sega Soccer Slam at EA Black Box.[7]
In January 2021, Nintendo announced that it had purchased Next Level Games after "A number of owner-directors recently determined that the time is right for them to sell their shares, and NLG therefore began exploring potential sale transactions".[8] According to Nintendo's 2021 annual report, this acquisition took place on March 31st, 2021.[9] Co-founder Tronsgard would later retire from the studio by March 2022.[10]
List of games developed
- Notes:
External links
References
- Notification of the Acquisition of the Canadian Software Developer, Next Level Games Nintendo, January 5, 2021, retrieved September 19, 2025^
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-macfarlane-1542/^
- Hands-On With The Secret-Filled Luigi's Mansion 3 Kotaku Australia, June 12, 2019, retrieved June 12, 2019^
- Tom Phillips. Luigi's Mansion 3 gets the spookiest release date possible Eurogamer, July 17, 2019, retrieved July 27, 2019^
- Tom Phillips. Luigi's Mansion 2 dev will now work exclusively with Nintendo Eurogamer, Gamer Network, January 9, 2014, retrieved January 9, 2014^
- Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon developer Next Level Games signs second-party deal with Nintendo ScrewAttack.com, January 9, 2014, retrieved August 28, 2015^
- Christian Nutt. Working with Nintendo, making a studio great for developers Game Developer, January 8, 2014, retrieved January 10, 2025^
- Damien McFerran. Nintendo Is Buying Luigi's Mansion Studio Next Level Games Nintendo Life, January 5, 2021, retrieved January 5, 2021^
- Annual Report 2021 (page 54) Nintendo Co., Ltd. : Investor Relations Information, July 19, 2021, retrieved January 11, 2025^
- Liam Doolan. Co-Founder Of Nintendo-Owned Studio Next Level Games Announces Retirement Nintendo Life, March 4, 2022, retrieved January 10, 2025^
- Tom's guide to Microsoft Solitaire Collection July 29, 2020^
- Next Level Games was working on a WWE game that was cancelled by publisher THQ Unseen64.net, February 18, 2012^
- Super Mario Spikers is a cancelled volleyball/wrestling hybrid game developed by Next Level Games Unseen64.net, August 6, 2011^
- Next Level Games was working on an Action title known as "Catalyst" Unseen64.net, July 12, 2010^
- Next Level Games Was Working on a Puzzle-Platformer Called "Clockwerk" Gamnesia.com, January 12, 2015, retrieved August 28, 2015^