Takashi Tezuka (手塚 卓志, Tezuka Takashi, born November 17, 1960; also known as "TENTEN" (てんてん)[1]) is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer.

[2][3] Tezuka was the right-hand man to Shigeru Miyamoto and co-director of the early Mario and Zelda games.

[4] Upon graduating from the Design Department of Osaka University of Arts, he joined Nintendo in April 1984[5] and became a co-designer of some of the most critically acclaimed Nintendo series, including Mario and The Legend of Zelda.

[2][6] Tezuka is fond of fantasy novels such as J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and wrote the story and script for The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.

[8] I have never consciously separated casual users and hardcore gamers when I design a game.