Bits Laboratory

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Bits Laboratory logo

Not to be confused with British developer Bits Studios

Bits Laboratory Co. (有限会社ビッツラボラトリー) was established on December 24, 1985 [1], by Satoru Miyazaki (宮崎暁) with fellow part-time workers from ASCII. [2] Presumably it was originally called Workss. (The Famicom version of Ghostbusters credits "Workss"; The NES version credits "Bits." The Workss name is also present in the Famicom version of King's Knight.)

Bits Laboratory had a close relationship with Game Arts for years and worked with Square a number of times during the Famicom era. In the 1990s, the company had a hit with the PlayStation dating sim True Love Story. It was also a member of Game Developers Network (GD-NET), a collective of smaller Japanese game developers. [3]

In 2017, Bits Laboratory entered into a formal business partnership with Miya Engineering [4], a software development company run by Toyokazu Miyazaki (宮崎豊和). [5]

Yasunori Takahara (高原保法) and Motoyuki Kanayama (金山泰志) started GameCrab in 2001, which continued development of the True Love Story series. [6]

Research Methods: Actual mentions, code comparisons, online resources, shared staff

Famicom/NES

  • Gambler Jiko Chuushinha (programming; under subcontract with Game Arts?) (JP Publisher: Asmik)
Music: Mecano Associates
  • Gambler Jiko Chuushinha 2 (some music [sound programming?]; under subcontract with Game Arts?) (JP Publisher: Asmik)
Some Music (Composition?): Mecano Associates
  • Ghostbusters (JP Publisher: Tokuma Shoten; US Publisher: Activision)
  • Hanjuku Hero (main programming, sound programming?) (JP Publisher: Square)
  • King's Knight (programming?) (JP/US Publisher: Square)
  • Mahou no Princess Minky Momo: Remember Dream (JP Publisher: Yutaka)
Music Composition: T's Music
  • Minna no Taabou no Nakayoshi Daisakusen (programming) (JP Publisher: Character Soft)
Original Concept: Game Arts; Planning: ASCII; Some Music: T's Music
  • SD Gundam Gachapon Senshi 4: New Type Story (programming; under subcontract with Game Arts?) (JP Publisher: Yutaka)
Direction, Scenario: Game Arts; Graphics: Japan Art Media?
  • SD Gundam Gachapon Senshi 5: Battle of Universal Century (JP Publisher: Yutaka) [7]
  • Seiken Densetsu (unreleased) (co-developer) (Square)
A 3D dungeon RPG in development before the release of Dragon Quest. The game was half-finished when it was put on hold. [8]
  • Thexder (JP Publisher: Square)

Famicom Disk System

  • Kiki Kaikai: Dotou-hen (JP Publisher: Taito)
  • Magma Project Hacker (some programming) (JP Publisher: Tokuma Soft)
Some Programming: OSS
Says "Workss" even though this came out after the NES version of Ghostbusters

Game Boy

  • Kitchen Panic (JP Publisher: Coconuts Japan)

Mega CD/Sega CD

  • Lunar: Eternal Blue (some animation graphics/painting) (JP Publisher: Game Arts; US Publisher: Working Designs)
  • Prince of Persia (under subcontract with Game Arts?) (JP Publisher: Victor; US/EU Publisher: Sega)
Graphics: M.P.Run
  • Rise of the Dragon (JP Publisher: Sega; US Publisher: Dynamix)
  • Urusei Yatsura: Dear My Friends (some programming) (JP Publisher: Game Arts)
  • Wing Commander (US Publisher: Electronic Arts; JP Publisher: Sega)

Mobile

  • Nyankoro Solitaire 10-ko-iri (some planning, some graphics, script) (JP Publisher: G-mode)
Some Planning, Programming, Some Graphics: opti-wave

PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16

  • After Burner II (programming, graphics) (JP Publisher: NEC Avenue)
  • Darius Alpha ([some?] programming) (JP Publisher: NEC Avenue)
  • Darius Plus ([some?] programming) (JP Publisher: NEC Avenue)
  • Fantasy Zone (programming, some graphics) (JP Publisher: NEC Avenue; US Publisher: NEC)
  • Toilet Kids (JP Publisher: Media Rings) [9]
Music: T's Music
  • Veigues Tactical Gladiator (programming; under subcontract with Game Arts?) (JP Publisher: Victor; US Publisher: NEC)

PC Engine CD/TurboGrafx-CD

  • Ai Cho Aniki (game design, programming) (JP Publisher: Masaya)
Planning, Graphics: Vanguard; Sound: Two-Five
  • CD Mahjong: Bishoujo Chuushinha (JP Publisher: Games Express)
Some Programming: Yellow Horn?; Music: T's Music
  • Doukyuusei (opening direction, some programming) (JP Publisher: NEC Avenue)
  • Gain Ground SX ([some?] direction, programming?, some graphics?) (JP Publisher: NEC Avenue)
Some Graphics: Fill in Cafe; Sound: T's Music
  • Gambler Jiko Chuushinha: CD dayo Zenin Shuugou!! Gekitou 36 Janshi (some programming) (JP Publisher: Hudson)
  • Hi-Leg Fantasy (JP Publisher: Games Express)
  • Rainbow Islands (programming) (JP Publisher: NEC Avenue)
Main Programming?: Yellow Horn
  • Side Arms Special (some programming) (JP Publisher: NEC Avenue)
  • Space Invaders: The Original Game (JP Publisher: NEC Avenue)
  • Splash Lake (programming) (JP/US Publisher: NEC Avenue)
Sound: T's Music
  • Super Darius ([some?] programming) (JP Publisher: NEC Avenue)
  • Uchuu Senkan Yamato (some music) (JP Publisher: Human)

PlayStation

  • Charumera (JP Publisher: Pack-In-Soft)
Sound: T's Music
  • TearRingSaga: Yutona Eiyuu Senki (some graphics?) (JP Publisher: Enterbrain)
Developer: Tirnanog; Battle CG, Animation Production: Dream Japan; Some Graphics: Marchen Breaker; Some Graphics?: Ferga; 2D Character Graphics: Earthly Production; ?: Studio Ingaohboo; Debugging?: Pole To Win
  • True Love Story (JP Publisher: ASCII)
  • True Love Story 2 (JP Publisher: ASCII)
  • True Love Story Fan Disc (JP Publisher: ASCII)
  • True Love Story: Remember My Heart (JP Publisher: ASCII)

PlayStation 2

  • Amagami (programming) (JP Publisher: Enterbrain)
  • Chenuen no San Goku Shi (co-developer) (JP Publisher: Game Arts)
  • Kimi Kiss (programming) (JP Publisher: Enterbrain)
  • Gungrave O.D. / Gungrave: Overdose (co-developer) (JP Publisher: Red; US Publisher: Mastiff; UK/AU Publisher: Play It)

Saturn

  • Derby Stallion (some programming) (JP Publisher: ASCII)
Some Programming?: ScriptArts; Sound Data Conversion: T's Music
  • Game BASIC for SegaSaturn (JP Publisher: ASCII)
Sample Game/Tool Creation: ScriptArts
  • Kekkon Zenya (JP Publisher: Shogakukan Production)
  • Mahou Gakuen Lunar (battle programming?) (JP Publisher: Game Arts)
  • Ooedo Renaissance (JP Publisher: Pack-In-Soft)
Graphics: Neverland?; Sound: T's Music
  • Puyo Puyo 2 (some programming? [10]) (JP Publisher: Compile)

Super Famicom/Super NES

  • Cho Aniki: Bakuretsu Rantou-hen (game design, some graphics, motion design, balance direction) (JP Publisher: Masaya)
Programming: Yellow Horn?; Sound Production, Music: Two-Five; Sound Effects, Sound Driver: Cube
  • Gambler Jiko Chuushinha: Mahjong Kouisen (some programming?; under subcontract with Game Arts?) (JP Publisher: PalSoft)
Some Programming: Yellow Horn; Music: T's Music
  • Gambler Jiko Chuushinha 2: Dorapon Quest (under subcontract with Game Arts?) (JP Publisher: Pack-In-Video)
Music: T's Music
  • Lasabirdie: Get in the Hole (JP Publisher: Ricoh)
  • Monstania (JP Publisher: Pack-In-Video)
Character Design?: Amccus; Some Graphics?: Japan Art Media
  • Pokonyan! Henpokorin Adventure (some programming, some coordination) (JP Publisher: Toho)
Planning, Production: Toho, Shougakukan Production; Game Design, Direction: Vanguard; Some Programming, Graphics: Radical Plan?; Sound: Two-Five?; Some Coordination: Game Arts
  • SD Gundam X: Super Gachapon World (JP Publisher: Yutaka)
Some Music (Composition?): T's Music
  • Sengoku no Hasha: Tenka Fubu e no Michi (programming?; under subcontract with Game Arts?) (JP Publisher: Banpresto) [11]

Vita

  • Yuusha Shisu. (JP Publisher: Nippon Ichi Software) [12]

Wii

  • Dairantou Smash Brothers X / Super Smash Bros. Brawl (development cooperation) (JP/US/AU/EU/KR Publisher: Nintendo)

Wii U

  • Gotouchi Tetsudou: Gotouchi Chara to Nihon Zenkoku no Tabi (development cooperation) (JP Publisher: Bandai Namco Games)

Windows

  • Favorite Dear for Windows (graphics) (JP Publisher: InterChannel)

Links

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