Kosuke Yabuki

Kosuke Yabuki(矢吹光佑) is the group manager for Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 9. He is responsible for the Mario Kart and ARMS series, succeeding Hideki Konno in the role.

History

Kosuke Yabuki joined Nintendo in 2005, shortly after graduating from the University of Tokyo with a Masters in Mathematical Informatics. He started as a planner on The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and shifted over to the Mario Kart team in Nintendo EAD Software Development Group No. 1. He made his directorial debut with Mario Kart 7.

In 2015, he took over as the group manager as Hideki Konno was assigned to the Mobile Group, becoming the producer for the Mario Kart series. He has maintained this role since then.

Game Works

• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006) - Level Planning
• Mario Kart Wii (2008) - Planning
• Nintendogs + cats (2011) - Planning
• Mario Kart 7 (2011) - Director
• Mario Kart 8 (2014) - Director
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017) - Producer
• ARMS (2017) - Producer
• New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019) - Production Management
• Mario Kart Tour (2019) - Creative Director
• Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (2020) - Mario Kart Supervisor
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — Booster Course Pass (2022-2023) - Producer
• Mario Kart World (2025) - Producer

Special Thanks

• Mario Kart Arcade GP DX (2013)
• Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U (2014) - Supervisor (Original Games)
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018) - Original Game Supervisor

Interviews

• Iwata Asks: Mario Kart 7
• Nintendo Life: Mario Kart 8
• GDC 2018: ARMS: Building Mario Kart 8 Insights into a Showcase Nintendo Switch Fighter
• Ask the Developer Vol. 18: Mario Kart World