Time Warner Interactive (Japan)

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Tengen Ltd. (株式会社テンゲン; aka Tengen Japan) was the Japanese counterpart of American publisher and developer Tengen, Inc., which was a subsidiary of arcade game maker Atari Games. It was first established in 1988 in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, and was originally headed by Kazuo Matsunaga (松永一夫), formerly of Namco. Around 1992 it moved to Taito-ku, Tokyo, but relocated back to Chiyoda in 1995.

Many of Tengen Ltd.'s releases were conversions of Atari Games arcade titles, and it was also responsible for the Japanese localization of Atari Games' arcade titles. The company was infamous for its game manuals, which were written in a highly informal, irreverent style containing strange interjections and turns of phrase, anecdotes from company staff, and fan letters and artwork.

Following Time Warner's purchase of a controlling stake in Atari Games in 1994, the company was renamed to Time Warner Interactive Ltd. (株式会社タイムワーナーインタラクティブ) and shifted focus more towards original titles. However, after Atari Games' acquisition by WMS Industries in 1996, the new owners decided there was no value in having a Japanese office, and the studio was shuttered following the release of Shinrei Jusatsushi Taroumaru. The studio's next planned title, Radiant Silvergun for the Saturn, was taken to Treasure by director Hiroshi Iuchi (井内ひろし), while much of the other development staff went to New.

Research Methods: Actual mentions, shared staff, online resources

As Tengen

Famicom/NES

  • Magical Puzzle Popils (unreleased) [1]

Game Gear

  • Magical Puzzle Popils / Popils: The Blockbusting Challenge (JP/US/EU Publisher: Tengen)

Mega Drive/Genesis

  • Marble Madness (JP Publisher: Tengen)
  • V-V / Grind Stormer (JP/US Publisher: Tengen)

PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16

  • Klax (JP/US Publisher: Tengen)
Sound: Lenar?
  • Magical Puzzle Popils (unreleased) [2]
  • Marble Madness (unreleased) [3]
  • Off the Wall (unreleased) [4]
Sound Effects: Lenar?
  • Peter Pack Rat (unreleased) [5]

As Time Warner Interactive

PlayStation

  • Race Drivin' a GO! GO! (JP Publisher: Time Warner Interactive)
  • Tama: Adventurous Ball in Giddy Labyrinth (JP Publisher: Time Warner Interactive)

Saturn

  • Race Drivin' (JP Publisher: Time Warner Interactive)
  • Shinrei Jusatsushi Taroumaru (JP Publisher: Time Warner Interactive)
  • Tama: Adventurous Ball in Giddy Labyrinth (JP Publisher: Time Warner Interactive)
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