Difference between revisions of "Mega Soft"

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'''Megasoft''' (株式会社メガソフト) was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sega. [http://web.archive.org/web/20150109230617/http://sega.jp/fb/creators/vol_3/4.html] Originally established in July 1985 as '''Whiteboard''' (株式会社ホワイトボード) [https://books.google.com/books?newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&id=Vre1AAAAIAAJ&dq=%22%E6%A0%AA%E3%83%9B%E3%83%AF%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88%E3%83%9C%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89%22&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%22%E6%A0%AA%E3%83%9B%E3%83%AF%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88%E3%83%9C%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89%22], it was later renamed '''Santos''' (サントス). Santos was acquired by Sega in December 1991 and changed names again. Megasoft was merged into Sega in November 1992 [http://web.archive.org/web/20150109230617/http://sega.jp/fb/creators/vol_3/4.html] during the production of the two games listed below.
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'''Mega Soft Co., Ltd.''' (株式会社メガソフト) was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sega (as of December 1991), allegedly the company formerly known as [[Santos]]. [http://web.archive.org/web/20150109230617/http://sega.jp/fb/creators/vol_3/4.html] However, there is some conflicting information.
  
Takeshi Tozu (戸津猛) was the president of Whiteboard/Santos. (He previously headed Orca [''Game Machine'' 1983/8/15, pg. 6], Sesame Japan, and [[Crux]]. [https://twitter.com/Area51_zek/status/525992587824353280]) He was replaced after the Sega acquisition (apparently by Tokinori Kaneyasu [兼安時紀] from Data East [https://books.google.com/books?id=3ZhGAAAAMAAJ&q=%22%E5%85%BC%E5%AE%89+%E6%99%82%E7%B4%80%22&dq=%22%E5%85%BC%E5%AE%89+%E6%99%82%E7%B4%80%22]) and apparently started [[Santos (2)|another company called Santos]] with some previous employees and intellectual property.
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A former Santos staffer said Santos went bankrupt. [https://twitter.com/kin68000/status/1363122004128272387] Also, the book ''Japanese Corporate Groups'' (''日本の企業グループ'') has December 1991 ("平3.12") listed as when Mega Soft was established [https://www.google.com/books/edition/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E3%81%AE%E4%BC%81%E6%A5%AD%E3%82%B0%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%83%97/7Sy1AAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%E6%A0%AA%E3%83%A1%E3%82%AC%E3%82%BD%E3%83%95%E3%83%88], which would suggest this was a new company. Of course, neither of these things would preclude Sega from buying Santos or its assets.
  
Megasoft was located in the same building as Treasure (東京都台東区上野 7 - 9 - 15 根本ビル 4F). [https://books.google.com/books?id=3ZhGAAAAMAAJ&q=%22%E5%85%BC%E5%AE%89+%E6%99%82%E7%B4%80%22&dq=%22%E5%85%BC%E5%AE%89+%E6%99%82%E7%B4%80%22] [https://twitter.com/TreasureCoLtd/status/1189052046197981184] [https://twitter.com/Dr_Purple2155/status/1058400300485099520]
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Tokinori Kaneyasu [兼安時紀], formerly of Data East, appears to have been the president of Mega Soft. [https://books.google.com/books?id=9JpGAAAAMAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&printsec=frontcover&q=%E5%85%BC%E5%AE%89%E6%99%82%E7%B4%80&hl=en] The company was located in the same building as Treasure (東京都台東区上野 7 - 9 - 15 根本ビル 4F). [https://twitter.com/TreasureCoLtd/status/1189052046197981184] [https://twitter.com/Dr_Purple2155/status/1058400300485099520] It was allegedly merged into Sega in November 1992 [http://web.archive.org/web/20150109230617/http://sega.jp/fb/creators/vol_3/4.html] during the production of the games listed below, but it looks like only the staff was folded into Sega; the company itself appears to have been liquidated in 1996. [https://twitter.com/gdri/status/1335653744252506121] [https://www.google.com/books/edition/%E5%AE%98%E5%A0%B1/wKhWAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%E6%A0%AA%E5%BC%8F%E4%BC%9A%E7%A4%BE%E3%83%A1%E3%82%AC%E3%82%BD%E3%83%95%E3%83%88] (Mega Soft is still listed as a subsidiary in Sega's 1995 annual report. [https://archive.org/details/sega-annual-report-1995] [page 18])
  
[[Gai Brain]] was started by former staff.
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'''[[About:Research Methods|Research Methods]]:''' Interviews, online resources, shared staff
  
'''[[About:Research Methods|Research Methods]]:''' Actual mentions, code comparisons, hidden data, interviews, online resources, shared staff
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===Game Gear [https://twitter.com/kin68000/status/1088737878065143810]===
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*<div style="color:red">''Aa Harimanada'' (JP Publisher: Sega)</div>
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*<div style="color:red">''Doraemon: Nora no Suke no Yabou'' (JP Publisher: Sega)</div>
  
==As Whiteboard==
 
===Arcade===
 
*''Airwolf'' (Kyugo) [https://twitter.com/kin68000/status/1096733670222622720]
 
*''Dakko-chan House'' (Sega)
 
*<div style="color:red">''Flashgal'' (Sega)</div>
 
*<div style="color:red">''Legend'' (Sega)</div>
 
*''Photo Mahjong: Gekisha'' (Whiteboard)
 
*<div style="color:red">''S.R.D. Mission'' (Taito)</div>
 
*''Sukeban Janshi Ryuuko'' (Sega)
 
 
===Famicom/NES===
 
*<div style="color:red">''Airwolf'' (sound?) (JP Publisher: Kyugo)</div>
 
:<small>Programming: [[C-lab.]]?</small>
 
*''Space Harrier'' (JP Publisher: Takara)
 
:<small>Started out as a game based on Licca-chan, Takara's popular fashion doll</small>
 
 
===Mark III/Master System===
 
*''Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars'' (JP/US/EU/AU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
 
*''Danan: The Jungle Fighter'' (EU/AU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
 
*''Dynamite Dux'' (EU/AU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
 
*''Masters Golf'' / ''Great Golf'' (JP/US/EU/AU Publisher: Sega)
 
*''Megumi Rescue'' (JP Publisher: Sega)
 
*''Nekkyuu Koushien'' (JP Publisher: Sega)
 
*''Opa Opa'' / ''Fantasy Zone: The Maze'' (JP/US/EU/AU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
 
*''Reggie Jackson Baseball'' / ''American Baseball'' (US/CA/EU/AU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
 
 
Artist Ano Shimizu has said he worked on ''Dynamite Dux'' and ''Nekkyuu Koushien'' at Whiteboard. [http://www.smspower.org/forums/16643-NekkyuuKoushienCheatCodeAndDeveloperTeam#97872] A code comparison between the two revealed shared code in the rest of the games on this list except ''Alex Kidd'' and ''Great Golf''.
 
 
''Alex Kidd'', ''Fantasy Zone'', ''Great Golf'', ''Megumi Rescue'', and ''Nekkyuu Koushien'' have the same initials, "YM," in the header. [http://www.smspower.org/Development/NamesInHeaders] Additionally, the standings screen in ''Great Golf'' has the name "KEI M," likely a reference to Whiteboard programmer Kei Maruyama (though some of the other names appear to be Sega staff). [http://www.smspower.org/forums/15286-WhodunitSantos#98144]
 
 
''Danan: The Jungle Fighter'', ''Nekkyuu Koushien'', and ''Reggie Jackson Baseball'' share a font. The other games use a variation of a font seen in Sega-developed titles like ''Black Belt'' with a less angular "A."
 
 
Whiteboard is named as a third party owed royalties for ''Danan: The Jungle Fighter'' on a list of Sega games that could be licensed to Atari Corp. as part of a settlement between the two companies over alleged patent infringement by Sega (referred to herein as "the Atari list"). [http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Blog:Legal_Brief:_Atari_vs._Sega]
 
 
Possible games (and reasons for inclusion on this list):
 
*<div style="color:red">''Great Baseball'' (overseas)</div>
 
:<small>Similar graphics</small>
 
*<div style="color:red">''The Pro Yakyuu Pennant Race''</div>
 
:<small>Similar fonts/graphics</small>
 
*<div style="color:red">''Walter Payton Football'' / ''American Pro Football''</div>
 
:<small>Uses fonts similar to ones used in ''Flashgal''</small>
 
*<div style="color:red">''Wonder Boy''</div>
 
:<small>Displays same Mark III logo at startup on Japanese systems as ''Masters Golf'' / ''Great Golf'' and ''Opa Opa'' / ''Fantasy Zone: The Maze''</small>
 
*<div style="color:red">''World Games''</div>
 
:<small>Similar fonts/graphics</small>
 
 
===Mega Drive/Genesis===
 
*''Mahjong Cop Ryuu: Hakurou no Yabou'' (JP Publisher: Sega)
 
 
===SG-1000===
 
*<div style="color:red">''Wonder Boy'' (JP Publisher: Sega)</div>
 
:<small>Names of several staff members are found throughout the ROM: Kamei, Maruyama, Nakayama, Tanaka</small>
 
 
Possible games (and reasons for inclusion on this list):
 
*<div style="color:red">''Ninja Princess''</div>
 
:<small>Has the same Sega logo animation at startup as ''Wonder Boy''</small>
 
 
==As Santos==
 
===Arcade===
 
*''Hammer Away'' (unreleased) (Sega)
 
:<small>Went on location test but was cancelled</small>
 
*''Mahjong Quest'' (Taito)
 
 
===Game Gear===
 
Possible games (and reasons for inclusion on this list):
 
*<div style="color:red">''The Pro Yakyuu '91''</div>
 
:<small>Based on ''The Pro Yakyuu Pennant Race'' (Master System)</small>
 
*<div style="color:red">''Space Harrier''</div>
 
:<small>Appears on the Atari list, but there's no other evidence of Santos' involvement</small>
 
*<div style="color:red">''Wonder Boy'' / ''Revenge of Drancon''</div>
 
:<small>Based on ''Wonder Boy'' (Master System)</small>
 
 
===Mega Drive/Genesis===
 
*''Battle Golfer Yui'' (JP Publisher: Sega)
 
*''Toki: Going Ape Spit'' / ''JuJu Densetsu'' (US/EU/JP Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy; KR Publisher: Samsung)
 
 
===Neo Geo===
 
*''Janshin Densetsu'' [MVS] (Yubis)
 
:<small>This was developed around 1991 and dusted off for a 1994 release.</small>
 
 
==As Megasoft==
 
 
===Mega Drive/Genesis===
 
===Mega Drive/Genesis===
 
*''Aa Harimanada'' (JP Publisher: Sega)
 
*''Aa Harimanada'' (JP Publisher: Sega)
*''The Super Shinobi II'' / ''Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master'' (JP/US/EU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy; SK Publisher: Samsung)
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*''The Super Shinobi II'' / ''Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master'' (JP/US/EU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy; KR Publisher: Samsung)
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
*[http://www.smspower.org/forums/15286-WhodunitSantos SMS Power! thread]
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*[http://web.archive.org/web/20160323022746/http://sega.jp/fb/creators/vol_3/1.html Sega.jp interview with sound designer Hirofumi Murasaki (村崎弘史) (Internet Archive Wayback Machine)] (Japanese)
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20160323022746/http://sega.jp/fb/creators/vol_3/1.html Sega.jp interview with Santos/Megasoft/Wavemaster sound creator Hirofumi Murasaki (村崎弘史) (Internet Archive Wayback Machine)] (Japanese)
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[[Category:Companies]]
 
[[Category:Companies]]
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[[Category:Sega]]

Revision as of 03:30, 11 December 2021

Mega Soft Co., Ltd. (株式会社メガソフト) was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sega (as of December 1991), allegedly the company formerly known as Santos. [1] However, there is some conflicting information.

A former Santos staffer said Santos went bankrupt. [2] Also, the book Japanese Corporate Groups (日本の企業グループ) has December 1991 ("平3.12") listed as when Mega Soft was established [3], which would suggest this was a new company. Of course, neither of these things would preclude Sega from buying Santos or its assets.

Tokinori Kaneyasu [兼安時紀], formerly of Data East, appears to have been the president of Mega Soft. [4] The company was located in the same building as Treasure (東京都台東区上野 7 - 9 - 15 根本ビル 4F). [5] [6] It was allegedly merged into Sega in November 1992 [7] during the production of the games listed below, but it looks like only the staff was folded into Sega; the company itself appears to have been liquidated in 1996. [8] [9] (Mega Soft is still listed as a subsidiary in Sega's 1995 annual report. [10] [page 18])

Research Methods: Interviews, online resources, shared staff

Game Gear [11]

  • Aa Harimanada (JP Publisher: Sega)
  • Doraemon: Nora no Suke no Yabou (JP Publisher: Sega)

Mega Drive/Genesis

  • Aa Harimanada (JP Publisher: Sega)
  • The Super Shinobi II / Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (JP/US/EU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy; KR Publisher: Samsung)

Links