Bits Laboratory
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.")
Bits Laboratory had a close relationship with Game Arts for years. 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?
- 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. [7]
- 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)
- 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 (JP Publisher: ASCII)
- Game BASIC for SegaSaturn (JP Publisher: ASCII)
- Kekkon Zenya (JP Publisher: Shogakukan Production)
- Mahou Gakuen Lunar (JP Publisher: Game Arts)
- Ooedo Renaissance (JP Publisher: Pack-In-Soft)
- Graphics: Neverland?; Sound: T's Music
- Puyo Puyo 2 (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) [8]
Vita
- Yuusha Shisu. (JP Publisher: Nippon Ichi Software) [9]
Wii
- Dairantou Smash Brothers X / Super Smash Bros. Brawl (co-developer)
Wii U
- Gotouchi Tetsudou: Gotouchi Chara to Nihon Zenkoku no Tabi (co-developer) (JP Publisher: Bandai Namco Games) [10]
Links
- Official website (Japanese)
- Official website (Internet Archive Wayback Machine) (Japanese)
- Developer Table entry (Japanese)
- Naozumi Honma's works List 1, 2 (Internet Archive Wayback Machine) (Japanese)