The Works of Ape Inc.

A Word from the Curator

This exhibit is dedicated to a truly unique studio in Nintendo's history: Ape Inc. Founded in 1989, Ape Inc. was created with a singular, ambitious purpose: to bring the vision of famous writer and personality Shigesato Itoi to the world of video games.

Their masterpiece, Mother, was the result. It was a collaboration of incredible talent, combining Itoi's heartfelt and quirky storytelling with Nintendo's unparalleled game design expertise. Ape Inc. wasn't just another game studio; it was a creative project that showed the Famicom could be a medium for deeply personal and emotional stories. The studio's legacy continues to this day, as it later evolved into Creatures Inc., one of the co-owners of the Pokémon franchise.