Zap
Zap Corporation (株式会社ザップ) was a company started by 19-year-old Yuichiro Itakura (板倉雄一郎), who previously worked for Ample Software.[1] It was established in February 1984. [1]
Heartbeat and Genius Sonority founder Manabu Yamana (山名学), Climax Entertainment co-founder Kan Naito (内藤寬), and Square Enix producer Takashi Tokita (時田貴司) were among the early staff.[1] Other former employees include Hitoshi Akashi (赤司仁) of Beyond Interactive, Koji Miyoshi (三好弘二) of Spiel, Kou Matsuda (松田康) of Radical Plan, Demon's Souls producer Takeshi Kajii (梶井健), and writer/Geo Factory founder Takaharu Mita (三田隆治). Itakura himself went on to start various technology companies and write business self-help books.[1]
According to Yamana, Zap was originally called Way Limit (Way Limit Corporation, 株式会社ウェイリミット), but the name was quickly changed.[1] In actuality, Way Limit may have been a predecessor company, as the games made under that name would have come out prior to February 1984.
Research Methods: Actual mentions, interviews, print (see Further reading), shared staff
Related Interviews: Hitoshi Akashi
Way Limit
MSX
- High Way Star (JP/EU Publisher: ASCII)
- Midnight Building (JP/EU Publisher: ASCII)
Zap
Famicom/NES
- Ankoku Shinwa: Yamato Takeru Densetsu (JP Publisher: Tokyo Shoseki)
- Programming: Another
- Chuugoku Janshi Story: Tonpuu (JP Publisher: Natsume)
- Super Rugby (JP Publisher: T.S.S.)
FM-7
- Super Rambo (programming) (JP Publisher: Pack-In-Video)
- Planning, Graphics: Bothtec
Mark III/Master System
- Summer Games / Jogos Olympícos (under subcontract with Kaga Electronics?) (EU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
MSX
- Bomber King (JP Publisher: Hudson)
- Cosmo-Explorer (JP Publisher: Sony)
- Fairy (JP Publisher: Zap)
- Funky Mouse (JP Publisher: Sony)
- Glider (JP Publisher: Zap)
- Manes (JP Publisher: Zap)
- Midnight Brothers (JP Publisher: Sony)
- Payload (JP Publisher: Sony)
- Pineapplin (JP Publisher: Zap)
- Raid on Bungeling Bay (JP Publisher: Sony)
- Rally (JP Publisher: Takeru [Brother])
MSX2
- Ankoku Shinwa: Yamato Takeru Densetsu (JP Publisher: Tokyo Shoseki)
- Barunba (JP Publisher: Namco)
- Ninja (JP Publisher: Bothtec)
- Shuto Dakkai (首都奪回) (unreleased) (Zap)
- Taiyou no Shinden: Asteka II (JP Publisher: Tokyo Shoseki)
PC-88
- Super Rambo (programming) (JP Publisher: Pack-In-Video)
- Planning, Graphics: Bothtec
PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16
- Barunba (JP Publisher: Namco)
- Dead Moon: Gessekai no Akumu / Dead Moon (JP Publisher: T.S.S.; US Publisher: NEC)
- Music: Mecano Associates
Unknown (MSX, PC)
- 1942 (JP Publisher: ASCII)
- Alien invasion game (unreleased)
- A game Manabu Yamana worked on that was rejected by ASCII
- Senjou no Ookami (JP Publisher: ASCII)
X1
- Super Rambo (programming) (JP Publisher: Pack-In-Video)
- Planning, Graphics: Bothtec
Further reading
1. Szczepaniak, John. The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 3: Monochrome. United States: SMG Szczepaniak, 2018. Print.
