SPS
SPS Co., Ltd. (株式会社エス・ピー・エス; also written "S.P.S") was a company based in Fukushima, Japan, headed by Tomohisa Konno (今野智久). It was established in March 1982 [1] and is mostly remembered for its arcade ports for Sharp's X68000 home computer.
On July 27, 2005, NetVillage announced it had entered into an agreement to form an alliance with SPS to operate and develop online games. As part of this alliance, SPS would become a subsidiary of NetVillage. [2] This did not happen, however; instead, NetVillage formed a wholly-owned subsidiary called NVSOFT. As part of a "comprehensive agreement" between NVSOFT and SPS, SPS president Konno would serve as advisor to NVSOFT (which he did [3]) and a "new" staff (essentially SPS's old staff [4]) would "be hired at NVSOFT's newly established Fukushima branch, which [would] conduct software planning and development on a contract basis."
Prior to all of this, some SPS staff joined Sun-Tec. DigiCan was started by former staff in 2004. A Fukushima graphic design company called Kovax sometimes collaborated with SPS. Though the company wasn't started until 1989 [5], there are references to Kovax in SPS games from before then (Re Birth, The Return of Ishtar).
SPS went bankrupt in 2021. [6] Tomohisa Konno passed away on October 13. [7] SPS's back catalog was acquired that year by M2. [8]
Research Methods: Actual mentions, shared staff
Arcade
- Technic Beat (programming, graphics) (Arika) [9]
Dreamcast
- Kitahei Gold (JP Publisher: NetVillage)
FM-7
- Re Birth (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Planning, Design: ? (according to back of box)
- The Return of Ishtar (JP Publisher: SPS)
Game Boy
- Hon Shogi (JP Publisher: Imagineer)
Mega Drive/Genesis
- King of the Monsters (US Publisher: Takara; EU/AU/JP/AS Publisher: Sega; KR Publisher: Samsung)
- Sound: T's Music?
- Ransei no Hasha (JP Publisher: Asmik)
MSX2
- Polar Star II: Wilvidow (unreleased) (SPS)
Multiple Platforms (Computers and Word Processors)
TODO: Sort out versions at a later date
- Ganbare Pentan (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Kitahei (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Polar Star II (JP Publisher: SPS)
PC-88
- Gruppe (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Re Birth (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Planning, Design: ? (according to back of box)
- The Return of Ishtar (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Tonky (JP Publisher: SPS)
PC-98
- Re Birth (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Planning, Design: ? (according to back of box)
- The Return of Ishtar (JP Publisher: SPS)
Pico
- Heisei Kyouiku Iinkai Jr.: Mezase Yuutousei (JP Publisher: Imagineer)
- Nontan to Issho: Wai Wai Nippon (JP Publisher: Imagineer)
PlayStation
- Dodge de Ball! / XS Junior League Dodgeball (JP Publisher: Yumedia; US Publisher: XS Games)
- Graphics: Stack; Character Dot Graphics: Nenriki
- Ground Stroke / Power Serve 3D Tennis / Power Serve (JP Publisher: SPS; US/EU Publisher: Ocean)
- Graphics, Character Design, Packaging, etc.: Kovax [10]
- Kitahei (unreleased) (SPS)
- Noon (JP Publisher: Micro Cabin)
PlayStation 2
- Assault Suits Valken (European version development)
- Atelier Marie + Elie: Salburg no Renkinjutsushi 1 * 2 (minigame programming) (JP Publisher: Gust)
- Developer: Quintet; Some Graphics: Tiny Art, Studio Rong, Atelier Rong, Studio Loft
- Gunbird 1 & 2 / Gunbird Premium Package / Gunbird Special Edition (European version development)
- Psikyo Shooting Collection Vol. 2: Sengoku Ace + Sengoku Blade / Samurai Aces (European version development)
- Soccer Life! (European version development)
- Technic Beat (programming, graphics) (JP Publisher: Arika; US Publisher: Mastiff) [11]
PSP
- Guilty Gear XX #Reload (JP/KR Publisher: Sega)
Sharp MZ
- Gruppe (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Ohsho (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Tonky (JP Publisher: SPS)
Sharp X1
- Gruppe (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Happy Fret (JP Publisher: Micro Cabin)
- Harry Fox (JP Publisher: Micro Cabin)
- Jet Turbo Terminal [communication software] (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Kage no Densetsu (JP Publisher: Nidecom Carry Soft)
- Ohsho (JP Publisher: SPS)
- The Return of Ishtar (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Tonky (JP Publisher: SPS)
Super Famicom/Super NES
- Barbarossa (JP Publisher: Sammy)
- Mega-Lo-Mania: Jikuu Daisenryaku / Mega-Lo-Mania (JP/EU Publisher: Imagineer)
Windows
- Battle Kitahei (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Battle Kitahei Server Pack [server software for Battle Kitahei] (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Battle Magohei [expansion pack for Battle Kitahei] (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Guilty Gear XX #Reload / Guilty Gear X2 #Reload (JP Publisher: MediaKite; EU Publisher: ZOO Digital Publishing)
- Internet Mahjong: Jyanpei (JP Publisher: NetVillage)
- Internet News Mail Gateway INMG [internet tool, download] (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Internet Shogi: Kitahei (JP Publisher: NetVillage)
- Jyanpei [download] (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Kitahei [download] (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Kitahei for Windows (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Kitahei for Windows 95 (JP Publisher: Aqua System)
- Kitahei Gold for Windows 95/98 (JP Publisher: NetVillage)
- Le Flat [download] (JP Publisher: SPS)
X68000
- A-Jax (JP Publisher: Konami)
- Akiko [SX-WINDOW] (JP Publisher: SPS) [12]
- Arkanoid (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Bonanza Bros. (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Chuuka Taisen (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Cueb Runner (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Cyber Core (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Developer: Alfa System
- Dash Yarou (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Death Brade (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Dragon Slayer: Eiyuu Densetsu (JP Publisher: SPS)
- The Fairyland Story (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Developer?: OeRSTED
- Full Throttle (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Gradius (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- HOST3 Pro-68K [communication software] (JP Publisher: SPS)
- HOST9 Pro-68K [communication software] (JP Publisher: SPS)
- HOST Pro Personal [communication software] (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Janshin Quest (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Kitahei 68K (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Märchen Maze (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Nekketsu Koukou Dodgeball-bu (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Nekketsu Koukou Dodgeball-bu: Soccer-hen (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Nemesis '90 Kai (JP Publisher: SPS)
- The NewZealand Story (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Pac-Mania (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Pinball [SX-WINDOW] (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Pro Soccer 68 (JP Publisher: Imagineer)
- Pro Tennis World Court (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Pro Yakyuu World Stadium (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Puyo Puyo (JP Publisher: SPS)
- The Return of Ishtar (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Salamander (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Super Hang-On (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Syvalion (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- Terminoru 2 [communication software] (JP Publisher: SPS)
- Thunder Blade (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- TwinBee (JP Publisher: Sharp)
- V'Ball (JP Publisher: Sharp)
SPS sound drivers were used in various Capcom X68000 arcade ports: Daimakaimura, Final Fight, Street Fighter II', and Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers. [13]
Xbox
- Guilty Gear Isuka (JP Publisher: Sammy)
- Guilty Gear XX #Reload / Guilty Gear X2 #Reload (JP Publisher: Sammy; US Publisher: Majesco; EU Publisher: ZOO Digital Publishing)
