Hot-B

Formerly the software planning section of advertising agency First Farmers, Hot-B Co., Ltd. (株式会社ホット・ビィ) was established as an independent company in 1983. [1] It is perhaps best remembered for its science fiction role-playing games and fishing games such as the Black Bass series. [2]

Hot-B began publishing titles in 1984, under the GAMU (GA夢) brand [3], a play on the word "game" and the kanji for "dream." [4] This branding was dropped by 1988. [5]

On July 23, 1993, Hot-B released its last game, the RPG Bazoo! Mahou Sekai for the Super Famicom. The company declared bankruptcy the next day. [6] Former Hot-B staff started a new company called Starfish on September 20 [7] and acquired the Hot-B properties. [8]

Hot-B USA, a US publishing subsidiary, was incorporated on October 13, 1988, and outlived its former parent company by many years. [9] Sage's Creation, another US-based firm which published exclusively for Sega systems, appears to have been connected to Hot-B, but this has not been verified.

Research Methods: Actual mentions, interviews, shared staff

Related Interviews: Kimihiro Endoh

Arcade

• Chuuka Taisen (Taito)
• Cuby Bop (unreleased) (Hot-B)
• Insector X (Taito)
• Koutetsu Teikoku 2 (unreleased) (Hot-B)
• Play Girls (Hot-B)
• Play Girls 2 (Hot-B)
• Schmeiser Robo (Hot-B)

Sound: Mint

• Super Shanghai: Dragon's Eye (Hot-B)

Famicom/NES

• Over Horizon (JP Publisher: Hot-B; EU Publisher: Takara)

Hot-B eventually took over development from Pixel. [10]

• President no Sentaku (JP Publisher: Hot-B)

Programming: Another

• Takeda Shingen 2 / Shingen the Ruler (JP/US Publisher: Hot-B)

Mega CD/Sega CD

• Detonator Orgun (JP Publisher: Hot-B) [11]

Mega Drive/Genesis

• Bad Omen / Devilish: The Next Possession (JP Publisher: Hot-B; US Publisher: Sage's Creation; KR Publisher: Samsung)

Programming?: Aisystem Tokyo

• Blue Almanac / Star Odyssey (JP Publisher: Kodansha; US Publisher: Super Fighter Team)

Sound: Cube

• Crack Down (JP/EU/AU Publisher: Sega; US Publisher: Sage's Creation; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)

Music Arrangement: Mecano Associates; Sound Design: Cube

• Insector X / Gonchung Gundan (JP Publisher: Hot-B; US Publisher: Sage's Creation; KR Publisher: HiCom; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)

Sound?: Cube

• Ka-Ge-Ki / Ka-Ge-Ki: Fists of Steel (JP Publisher: Hot-B; US Publisher: Sage's Creation)

(Original?) Music Composition, Music Arrangement: Mecano Associates; Sound Design: Cube

• King Salmon (JP Publisher: Hot-B; US Publisher: Vic Tokai)

PC-98

• The 7 Colors (JP Publisher: Hot-B)
• Super Shanghai: Dragon's Eye (JP Publisher: Hot-B)

Sound: Cube

Super Famicom/Super NES

• Bazoo! Mahou Sekai (JP Publisher: Hot-B)

Sound: Cube

• Super Black Bass (JP/US Publisher: Hot-B)

Sound: Cube

X68000

• Super Shanghai: Dragon's Eye (production, direction, some graphics) (JP Publisher: Takeru [Brother])

Some Programming, Some Graphics, Some Sound?: Aisystem Tokyo; Some Programming: Soft Machine?; [Some?] Sound: Cube