Rare & Nintendo R&D — Credit Theft Investigation
TL;DR: Rare & Nintendo R&D — Credit Theft Investigation
Status: Investigating. Thesis: Nintendo R&D created or heavily contributed to games published under Rare's name; Rare took credit; some games have no credits at all.
Background
- Nintendo R&D1: Created original Donkey Kong (1981); Shigeru Miyamoto, etc.
- Rare: UK studio; second-party developer for Nintendo.
- Nintendo commissioned Rare to reboot Donkey Kong → Donkey Kong Country (1994).
- Rare developed many NES/SNES titles; Nintendo published several.
Documented: Games Without or With Hidden Credits
Battletoads (NES, 1991)
- All credits listed as uncredited in game.
- Staff (from external sources): Tim Stamper, Chris Stamper, Joel Hochberg, Gregg Mayles, Guy Miller, Kevin Bayliss, David Wise (music).
- None visible in-game.
Battletoads in Battlemaniacs (SNES, 1993)
- Hidden credits in ROM at 0x7FE0: "RARE93 BREN GUNN!"
PIN·BOT (NES, 1990)
- Rare-developed; credits embedded in ROM, not displayed as end credits.
Other Rare Titles
- Pattern: credits omitted, hidden, or incomplete.
- Action: Audit full Rare NES/SNES catalog for credit status.
Scale: Games Without Credits (Industry-Wide)
- VGMPF: Category: Games Without Credits — 335 games in database.
- Publishers that prohibited credits: Parker Brothers, Sega, LJN, Toho, RazorSoft, Bally Midway.
- Reasons: ROM space, anonymity, staff poaching prevention, rushed development, early-era norms.
Investigation Angles
1. Nintendo R&D Contribution to Rare Games
- Thesis: Nintendo R&D may have built engines, tools, or content for Rare titles.
- Rare had Silicon Graphics workstations; Nintendo provided Donkey Kong IP and possibly technical support.
- Action: Research development history; Nintendo staff secondments; shared tech.
2. Rare's Credit Policy
- Consistent omission/hiding of credits across Battletoads, PIN·BOT, etc.
- Action: Compare to other UK developers; Nintendo's own credit practices.
3. Donkey Kong Country
- 12 developers over 18 months; Dave Wise, Robin Beanland, Eveline Fischer for music.
- Action: Who at Nintendo (if anyone) contributed? Japanese manuals vs. Western releases?
4. Count of Rare Games Missing Credits
- Action: Build list from VGMPF, TCRF, MobyGames; quantify.
Supporting Evidence (Deep Dive)
Nintendo Oversight of DKC
- Miyamoto: "Backed the decision and contributed design ideas" for Donkey Kong Country.
- Howard Lincoln, Genyo Takeda: Impressed by Rare's demo; commissioned the reboot.
- Yukio Kaneoka on DKC copyright: Japanese Nintendo sound designer (original Donkey Kong composer, Famicom APU designer) appears on "Aquatic Ambience" copyright alongside Wise, Beanland, Fischer. Suggests Nintendo sound department involvement in DKC soundtrack.
Wise's Own Account
- Video Game Music Shrine: Wise "was sure that a composer at Nintendo would be the one in charge of the music" — he expected Nintendo to handle it. He provided a temp track; Rare liked it and hired him.
- Interpretation: Development assumed Nintendo would score the game; credit structure may reflect contract rather than creative primacy.
Japan–UK Industry Structure
- UK industry: "Bottom-up," "bedroom coders," self-taught.
- Japan: Corporate sponsorship, arcades, toys, electronics; different skill pathways.
- Nintendo partnered with Western studios (Rare, Retro, Next Level) for global reach — "complex questions about maintaining franchise authenticity."
Open Questions
- How many Rare-developed games lack in-game credits?
- Did Nintendo require Rare to omit credits for contractual reasons?
- Full list of Nintendo R&D staff who worked on Rare projects?
Sources
