Sonic designer joins Nintendo - Report

Japanese game developer and Sonic the Hedgehog designer Hirokazu Yasuhara has taken up a new role with Nintendo of America, according to a Gamasutra report.

Nintendo and Yasuhara have both reportedly confirmed the move. While Yasuhara's new role has not been divulged, it is understood he will take up a position at Nintendo of America in Redmond, Washington.

Yasuhara designed gameplay and stages for the early Sonic the Hedgehog titles before moving on to work on Sonic 3D Blast in 1995, Sonic Xtreme in 1996, and Sonic R in 1997. He remained with the Sonic team until 2002, when he left to join Naughty Dog as a game designer, working on the Jak & Daxter and Uncharted franchises.

Before joining Nintendo, Yasuhara was the senior design director at Namco Bandai Games America.

It is understood Yasuhara will be working at Nintendo's Software Technology division, a second-party developer for the Japanese publisher that works on DS and DSiWare titles such as Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem.