Difference between revisions of "Aicom"

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[[Image:Aicom.png|right|Aicom logo]]
 
[[Image:Aicom.png|right|Aicom logo]]
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In 1990, Sammy established a subsidiary called "Nippon Eicom." In 1992, it and Japan Soft Technology (another subsidiary) merged. [http://www.sammy.co.jp/japanese/company/history/index.html] Aicom eventually became independent, received investment from SNK and Takara, and became Yumekobo. [http://www.review-site.net/developer/xe.html#エイコム]
+
''This entry is about the original Aicom. For the Aicom responsible for ''Pulstar'', see [[Yumekobo]].''
  
−
Unfortunately, that's about all the information on Aicom there is. Contrary to what [http://www.sammy.co.jp/japanese/company/history/index.html Sammy's corporate history] might imply, Aicom clearly existed prior to 1990.
+
'''Aicom Corporation''' (株式会社エイコム) was a game developer and publisher headed by Akio Inoue. (The name is allegedly short for "Akio Inoue COMputer.") The company was acquired by Sammy [http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Interview:Hitoshi_Akashi] in 1990 and became a subsidiary called '''Aicom Japan''' (株式会社日本エイコム). [http://web.archive.org/web/20090506003243/http://www.sammy.co.jp/japanese/company/history/index.html] Some executives and staff left as a result. [https://twitter.com/sizokmr/status/302308464552714240]
  
−
One theory we're floating is that either Aicom used to be Exa Planning or was started by people from Exa Planning. Just compare the Exa credits [http://gdri.smspower.org/credits/exaplanning.txt here] and the "confirmed games" credits [http://gdri.smspower.org/credits/aicomcredits.txt here]. We also wonder if Exa was somehow related to [[Eleca]] (Electronics Application).
+
Aicom and another Sammy subsidiary, Japan Soft Technology, were merged into Sammy [http://web.archive.org/web/20090506003243/http://www.sammy.co.jp/japanese/company/history/index.html] in February 1992. Approximately half of Aicom's staff continued to work at Sammy. [https://twitter.com/sizokmr/status/302308956527804416] Sammy eventually cancelled most ongoing projects and fired most of the remaining former Aicom staff. [https://twitter.com/sizokmr/status/302309545957527553]
  
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The list below only includes games released prior to 1992, when Aicom and Japan Soft Technology merged.
+
The name "EXA Planning" is seen on several arcade games (''Angel Kids'', ''Megumi Rescue'', and ''Pythagoras no Nazo''). Depending on who you ask, this was either a name used on games jointly developed by Aicom and [[Eleca]] (E = Eleca; A = Aicom), or it was another company run by Aicom's president. (It is worth noting that Eleca's name turns up in these games, but not Aicom's.)
  
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'''[[Game Developer Research Institute:About#Research_Methods|Research Methods]]:''' Actual mentions, code comparisons, interviews, online resources (see [[#Links|Links]]), [http://gdri.smspower.org/credits/aicomcredits.txt shared credits]
+
[[Cyclone System]] and [[C.P. Brain]] were both started by former Aicom staff.
 +
 
 +
'''[[About:Research Methods|Research Methods]]:''' Actual mentions, code comparisons, interviews, online resources (see [[#Links|Links]]), shared staff
  
 
===Arcade===
 
===Arcade===
 
*''A.B. Cop'' (Sega)
 
*''A.B. Cop'' (Sega)
−
*''Lord of King, The / Astyanax, The'' (Jaleco)
+
*<div style="color:red">''Angel Kids'' (Sega)</div>
 +
:<small>Programming: Eleca</small>
 +
*''Bombs Away'' (Jaleco)
 +
*''Hachoo!'' (Jaleco)
 +
*''The Lord of King'' / ''The Astyanax'' (Jaleco)
 +
*<div style="color:red">''Megumi Rescue'' (unreleased) (Sega)</div>
 +
:<small>Programming: Eleca</small>
 +
*<div style="color:red">''Pythagoras no Nazo'' (Sega)</div>
 +
:<small>Programming: Eleca</small>
 
*''Racing Hero'' (Sega)
 
*''Racing Hero'' (Sega)
  
 
===Famicom/NES===
 
===Famicom/NES===
 +
*''Bomber King'' / ''RoboWarrior'' (co-developer) (JP Publisher: Hudson; US/EU Publisher: Jaleco) [http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Blog:Bomb's_Your_Uncle]
 
*''Chuugoku Senseijutsu'' (JP Publisher: Jaleco)
 
*''Chuugoku Senseijutsu'' (JP Publisher: Jaleco)
−
*''Flying Hero'' (JP Publisher: Epic/Sony Records)
+
*''Flying Hero'' (JP Publisher: Epic)
−
*''Golgo 13: Dai 2 Shou: Riddle of Icarus / Golgo 13: The Mafat Conspiracy'' (JP/US Publisher: VIC Tokai)
+
*''Golgo 13: Dai 2 Shou: Riddle of Icarus'' / ''Golgo 13: The Mafat Conspiracy'' (JP/US Publisher: [[Vic Tokai]])
−
*''Gun-Dec / Vice: Project Doom'' (JP/US Publisher: Sammy)
+
*''Gun-Dec'' / ''Vice: Project Doom'' (JP/US Publisher: Sammy)
−
*''Moero!! Junior Basket: Two on Two / Hoops'' (JP/US Publisher: Jaleco)
+
*<div style="color:red">''The Lord of King'' / ''Astyanax'' (production? some sound?) (JP/US/EU Publisher: Jaleco)</div>
−
*''Totsuzen! Machoman / Amagon'' (JP Publisher: VIC Tokai; US Publisher: Sammy)
+
:<small>Developer: [[C-lab.]]?</small>
−
*''Ultimate Basketball / Taito Basketball'' (US Publisher: Sammy; JP Publisher: Taito)
+
*<div style="color:red">''Magic John'' / ''Totally Rad'' (production? sound?) (JP/US Publisher: Jaleco)</div>
−
*''Zenbei!! Pro Basket / All-Pro Basketball'' (JP/US Publisher: VIC Tokai)
+
:<small>Developer: C-lab.?</small>
 +
*''Magical Kids Doropie'' / ''The Krion Conquest'' (sound) (JP/US Publisher: Vic Tokai)
 +
*''Moero!! Junior Basket: Two on Two'' / ''Hoops'' (JP/US Publisher: Jaleco)
 +
*<div style="color:red">''Takeshi no Sengoku Fuuunko'' (sound?) (JP Publisher: Taito)</div>
 +
*''Totsuzen! Machoman'' / ''Amagon'' (JP Publisher: Vic Tokai; US Publisher: Sammy)
 +
*''Ultimate Basketball'' / ''Taito Basketball'' (US Publisher: Sammy; JP Publisher: Taito)
 +
*''Ultimate Soccer'' (unreleased) (game design) (Sammy)
 +
:<small>Programming, Graphics, Sound: [[Beyond]]</small>
 +
*''Zenbei!! Pro Basket'' / ''All-Pro Basketball'' (JP/US Publisher: Vic Tokai)
 +
 
 +
===Mark III/Master System===
 +
*<div style="color:red">''Basketball Nightmare'' (EU Publisher: Sega)</div>
 +
*<div style="color:red">''Great Basketball'' / ''Great Basket'' (JP/US/EU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)</div>
 +
*''Psycho Fox'' / ''Sapo Xulé Vs Os Invasores do Brejo'' (sound) (US/EU Publisher: Sega; KR Publisher: Samsung; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
  
 
===Mega Drive/Genesis===
 
===Mega Drive/Genesis===
−
*<div style="color:red">''Dando / Vasome'' (unreleased) (Treco) [http://www.iris.dti.ne.jp/~haya-c/funkykh/profile.html]</div>
+
*<div style="color:red">''Dando'' / ''Vasum'' (unreleased) (Treco) [http://www.iris.dti.ne.jp/~haya-c/funkykh/profile.html]</div>
 +
*''Fighting Masters'' (JP/US Publisher: Treco; KR Publisher: Samsung)
 +
:<small>Some System Design, Programming: [[ALU]]</small>
 +
*<div style="color:red">''Magical Hat no Buttobi Turbo! Daibouken'' (sound?) (JP Publisher: Sega)</div>
 +
*''Super Real Basketball'' / ''Pat Riley Basketball'' (JP/US/EU Publisher: Sega)
 +
*<div style="color:red">''Whip Rush: Wakusei Voltegas no Nazo'' / ''Whip Rush'' (sound?) (JP Publisher: Sega; US Publisher: Renovation)</div>
 +
*<div style="color:red">''Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair'' / ''Monster Lair'' / ''Monster Lair: Wonder Boy III'' (JP/EU Publisher: Sega; KR Publisher: Samsung)</div>
  
−
===PC Engine/Turbo Grafx-16===
+
===Neo Geo===
−
*<div style="color:red">''Makyou Densetsu / The Legendary Axe'' (JP Publisher: Victor; US Publisher: NEC Home Electronics)</div>
+
*''Dunk Shoot'' / ''Dunk Star'' (unreleased; co-developed with C-lab.) (Sammy) [https://twitter.com/sizokmr/status/510693168489037824]
−
*<div style="color:red">''USA Pro Basketball / Takin' It to the Hoop'' (JP Publisher: Aicom; US Publisher: NEC Home Electronics)</div>
+
*Untitled action game (unreleased) [https://twitter.com/sizokmr/status/510692566061170688]
 +
*''Viewpoint'' (SNK)
 +
Three additional games never went beyond the planning stage. [https://twitter.com/sizokmr/status/510693810976735232]
 +
 
 +
===PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16===
 +
*''Makyou Densetsu'' / ''The Legendary Axe'' (JP Publisher: Victor; US Publisher: NEC)
 +
:<small>Programming: Eleca?; Balance Adjustment, Debugging [http://www.highriskrevolution.com/gamelife/index.php?e=25], Sound?: Hudson</small>
 +
*''USA Pro Basketball'' / ''Takin' It to the Hoop'' (JP Publisher: Aicom; US Publisher: NEC)
 +
:<small>Some Programming: Eleca?</small>
 +
 
 +
===Super Famicom/Super NES===
 +
*''Battle Blaze'' (co-developed with Eleca) (JP/US Publisher: Sammy)
 +
:<small>Sound Driver: C-lab.</small>
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
−
*[http://www.review-site.net/developer/xe.html#エイコム SIT Developer Table entry]
+
*[http://3rd.geocities.jp/view001sp/ Terayan's homepage (former Aicom employee)] (Japanese)
−
*[http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=88707 Investigative thread at Digital Press]
+
*[http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.hibari.ne.jp/gal.html Hibari Works (company headed by former Aicom and C.P. Brain employee Shigenori Hashimoto) gallery (Internet Archive Wayback Archive)] (Japanese)
 +
*[http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87370 Investigative thread at Digital Press]
 +
 
 +
[[Category:Companies]]

Revision as of 15:49, 17 August 2017

Aicom logo

This entry is about the original Aicom. For the Aicom responsible for Pulstar, see Yumekobo.

Aicom Corporation (株式会社エイコム) was a game developer and publisher headed by Akio Inoue. (The name is allegedly short for "Akio Inoue COMputer.") The company was acquired by Sammy [1] in 1990 and became a subsidiary called Aicom Japan (株式会社日本エイコム). [2] Some executives and staff left as a result. [3]

Aicom and another Sammy subsidiary, Japan Soft Technology, were merged into Sammy [4] in February 1992. Approximately half of Aicom's staff continued to work at Sammy. [5] Sammy eventually cancelled most ongoing projects and fired most of the remaining former Aicom staff. [6]

The name "EXA Planning" is seen on several arcade games (Angel Kids, Megumi Rescue, and Pythagoras no Nazo). Depending on who you ask, this was either a name used on games jointly developed by Aicom and Eleca (E = Eleca; A = Aicom), or it was another company run by Aicom's president. (It is worth noting that Eleca's name turns up in these games, but not Aicom's.)

Cyclone System and C.P. Brain were both started by former Aicom staff.

Research Methods: Actual mentions, code comparisons, interviews, online resources (see Links), shared staff

Arcade

  • A.B. Cop (Sega)
  • Angel Kids (Sega)
Programming: Eleca
  • Bombs Away (Jaleco)
  • Hachoo! (Jaleco)
  • The Lord of King / The Astyanax (Jaleco)
  • Megumi Rescue (unreleased) (Sega)
Programming: Eleca
  • Pythagoras no Nazo (Sega)
Programming: Eleca
  • Racing Hero (Sega)

Famicom/NES

  • Bomber King / RoboWarrior (co-developer) (JP Publisher: Hudson; US/EU Publisher: Jaleco) [7]
  • Chuugoku Senseijutsu (JP Publisher: Jaleco)
  • Flying Hero (JP Publisher: Epic)
  • Golgo 13: Dai 2 Shou: Riddle of Icarus / Golgo 13: The Mafat Conspiracy (JP/US Publisher: Vic Tokai)
  • Gun-Dec / Vice: Project Doom (JP/US Publisher: Sammy)
  • The Lord of King / Astyanax (production? some sound?) (JP/US/EU Publisher: Jaleco)
Developer: C-lab.?
  • Magic John / Totally Rad (production? sound?) (JP/US Publisher: Jaleco)
Developer: C-lab.?
  • Magical Kids Doropie / The Krion Conquest (sound) (JP/US Publisher: Vic Tokai)
  • Moero!! Junior Basket: Two on Two / Hoops (JP/US Publisher: Jaleco)
  • Takeshi no Sengoku Fuuunko (sound?) (JP Publisher: Taito)
  • Totsuzen! Machoman / Amagon (JP Publisher: Vic Tokai; US Publisher: Sammy)
  • Ultimate Basketball / Taito Basketball (US Publisher: Sammy; JP Publisher: Taito)
  • Ultimate Soccer (unreleased) (game design) (Sammy)
Programming, Graphics, Sound: Beyond
  • Zenbei!! Pro Basket / All-Pro Basketball (JP/US Publisher: Vic Tokai)

Mark III/Master System

  • Basketball Nightmare (EU Publisher: Sega)
  • Great Basketball / Great Basket (JP/US/EU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
  • Psycho Fox / Sapo Xulé Vs Os Invasores do Brejo (sound) (US/EU Publisher: Sega; KR Publisher: Samsung; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)

Mega Drive/Genesis

  • Dando / Vasum (unreleased) (Treco) [8]
  • Fighting Masters (JP/US Publisher: Treco; KR Publisher: Samsung)
Some System Design, Programming: ALU
  • Magical Hat no Buttobi Turbo! Daibouken (sound?) (JP Publisher: Sega)
  • Super Real Basketball / Pat Riley Basketball (JP/US/EU Publisher: Sega)
  • Whip Rush: Wakusei Voltegas no Nazo / Whip Rush (sound?) (JP Publisher: Sega; US Publisher: Renovation)
  • Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair / Monster Lair / Monster Lair: Wonder Boy III (JP/EU Publisher: Sega; KR Publisher: Samsung)

Neo Geo

  • Dunk Shoot / Dunk Star (unreleased; co-developed with C-lab.) (Sammy) [9]
  • Untitled action game (unreleased) [10]
  • Viewpoint (SNK)

Three additional games never went beyond the planning stage. [11]

PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16

  • Makyou Densetsu / The Legendary Axe (JP Publisher: Victor; US Publisher: NEC)
Programming: Eleca?; Balance Adjustment, Debugging [12], Sound?: Hudson
  • USA Pro Basketball / Takin' It to the Hoop (JP Publisher: Aicom; US Publisher: NEC)
Some Programming: Eleca?

Super Famicom/Super NES

  • Battle Blaze (co-developed with Eleca) (JP/US Publisher: Sammy)
Sound Driver: C-lab.

Links

Retrieved from "http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php?title=Aicom&oldid=20590"