Pax Softnica
Pax Softnica Corp. (パックスソフトニカ株式会社; originally romanized as "Pax Softonica") was a publisher and developer of computer games in its early years, but later worked on many games for Nintendo. It was formerly Imagesoft, a mail-order retailer/developer/publisher run by Yukio Tamura (田村幸雄). Imagesoft was acquired by Pax Electronica Japan in 1983 and became Pax Softnica (or "Pax Softonica" at the time), a subsidiary. [1]
Pax Electronica Japan (パックス・エレクトロニカ・ジャパン株式会社) was an electronics company that made synthesizers as well as Apple II and IBM PC clone hardware. [2] [3] It was originally established in May 1976 [4] as Pax Electronica (パックス・エレクトロニカジャパン株式会社) by four colleagues including Kazuhiko Nishi (西和彦), future founder of ASCII Corporation. Over time, Nishi would distance himself from Pax Electronica and focus on ASCII. [5] Makoto "Marc" Hara (原真) became president of Pax Electronica in February 1981. [6] Pax Electronica Japan eventually went bankrupt. [7]
Programmer Tomoshige Hashishita (橋下友茂) became president of Pax Softnica in 1986. He was made director and development manager in 1987. In May of that year, he established Softnica (有限会社ソフトニカ) and would continue to work for Pax Softnica under an exclusive contract. He resigned from Pax Softnica in December 1999 due to his "responsibility for deteriorating business performance." In January 2000, Softnica began "full-scale operations" developing games and software for other companies. [8] Softnica went bankrupt in 2018.
Pax Softnica, meanwhile, appears to have gone bankrupt in 2002.
Research Methods: Actual mentions, online resources, shared staff
As Imagesoft
Apple II
- Crazy Climber / Mad Climber (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [Yukio Tamura] [9]
- Love-Life (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
- Ocean (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
- Space Gals (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [10]
FM-7
- Enterprise (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [B.T.]
- Tri-Dantal (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [Y. Takeshita]
PC-6001
- Amazon-gawa Tanken (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [T. Katayama]
- Igo Joseki 100 Master (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
- Mad Blaster (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
- Miyuki in Meiro (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [11]
- Miyuki the Shoubushi (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
- Rommel Sensha Gundan (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
- Slender Island (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [Onitama/Onion Software]
- Star Trek (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
- The Card (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
- Ultra Mahjong (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [Souichi Nono (野乃草一)]
- 英単熟語集 (高校受験用)
- 英単熟語集 (大学受験用)
- 英文法練習 (高校受験用)
- 英文法練習 (大学受験用)
PC-88
- B52 Bakugeki Sakusen (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
- Leningrad Kyoushuu Sakusen (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
Twitter thread documenting Imagesoft ads in the Japanese computer magazine I/O
As Pax Softonica/Pax Softnica
Famicom/NES
- Ginga no Sannin (programming, sound) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Programmed by Pax Softnica, according to game designer Makoto Kuba [12]
- Hello Kitty World (JP Publisher: Character Soft)
- Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Okhotsk ni Kiyu (JP Publisher: Login Soft)
- Ice Hockey (programming, etc.) (US/CA/EU/AS Publisher: Nintendo)
- Mother (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- ?: Ape, Ishel Artvision
- Penguin-kun Wars (JP Publisher: ASCII)
- Super Dyna'mix Badminton (JP Publisher: VAP)
- Super Real Baseball '88 (JP Publisher: VAP)
- Tao (JP Publisher: VAP)
- Volleyball (US Publisher: Nintendo)
- The US copyright registration lists Pax Electronica Japan as the author.
Famicom Disk System
- Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Shin Onigashima: Kouhen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Shin Onigashima: Zenpen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Yuuyuuki: Kouhen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Yuuyuuki: Zenpen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Ice Hockey (programming, etc.) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Power Soccer (JP Publisher: Tokuma Soft)
- Similar to Soccer Boy / Soccer Mania (Game Boy)
- Time Twist: Rekishi no Katasumi de...: Kouhen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Time Twist: Rekishi no Katasumi de...: Zenpen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Volleyball (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Vs. Excitebike (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
Game Boy
- Balloon Kid (programming) (US Publisher: Nintendo)
- Donkey Kong (JP/US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
- Moguranya / Mole Mania (JP/US Publisher: Nintendo)
- Radar Mission (JP/US Publisher: Nintendo)
- Soccer Boy / Soccer Mania (JP Publisher: Epic; US Publisher: CSG Imagesoft)
- Programmer Narumi Nakashima (中島成己) is interviewed in G Action (Issue 1, January 1990). The game uses a font similar to the one used in Super Dyna'mix Badminton (Famicom).
- Top Rank Tennis / Top Ranking Tennis (programming, sound?) (US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
- Wave Race (US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
Game Boy Advance
- Mother 1+2 (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- The sole author listed on the US copyright registration
- Tottoko Hamtaro 3: Love Love Daibouken Dechu / Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak (JP/US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
Game Boy Color
- Balloon Fight GB (programming) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Star Wars Episode I: Racer (co-developer) (US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
- Tottoko Hamtaro 2: Hamchans Daishuugou Dechu / Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite! (JP/US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
- Tottoko Hamtaro: Tomodachi Daisakusen Dechu (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
MSX
- Attack Four (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)
- Baseball (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)
- Harapeko Pakkun (JP Publisher: ASCII) [Y. Hiyama (game designer?); Souichi Nono (programmer)]
- Mahjong Hidden (unreleased?) (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)
Nintendo 64
- Jungle Taitei / Jungle Emperor Leo (unreleased) (Nintendo)
- Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 Ketteiban! (programming?) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Pokémon Snap (some programming?) (JP/US/AU/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
PC-6001
- Baseball (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)
Super Famicom/Super NES
- Hajimari no Mori (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Heisei Shin Onigashima: Kouhen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Heisei Shin Onigashima: Zenpen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Konae-chan no Doki Doki Penguin Kazoku [Satellaview] (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
- Motoko-chan no Wonder Kitchen (JP Publisher: Ajinomoto)
- Snoopy Concert (JP Publisher: Mitsui Fudosan)
- Super NES Super Scope 6 (co-developer) (JP/US Publisher: Nintendo)
- NCL, NOA, Intelligent Systems, Pax Softnica, and TEC are listed as authors on the US copyright registration.
- Wrecking Crew '98 (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
