Park Place Productions

From Game Developer Research Institute
Revision as of 15:14, 8 November 2013 by CRV (Talk | contribs)

Jump to: navigation, search
Park Place Productions logo

Maktal, Inc. dba Park Place Productions was a development company near San Diego, California, United States [1], started by Michael Knox and Troy Lyndon in 1989 [2] with $3,000 and a credit card. [3] With clients such as Electronic Arts, it grew to be North America's largest independent game development company. [4]

Meteoric growth brought much expansion. Contract developer Knight Technologies was acquired. Software testing was moved in-house, which was spun off into a company called Bug Busters. Spirit of Discovery (originally incorporated in California on January 2, 1992 [5]) was established as a publishing arm for DOS and Windows software. [6] (It eventually relocated to Kaneohe, Hawaii. [7])

However, by 1994, Park Place was experiencing financial problems. Further compounding matters, Sony Imagesoft opened up a studio nearby and hired a number of former Park Place employees. [8] Still, the company limped along for a few more years with a much smaller staff.

Lyndon later started Christian game maker Left Behind Games in 2001. Knox served on the board of directors for a time. [9] Knox died of colon cancer on September 15, 2009, at age 48. [10]

Research Methods: Actual mentions, interviews, online resources (see Links)

3DO

  • 3D Adventures (unreleased)
  • 3D Football (unreleased)

Commodore 64

  • ABC Monday Night Football (US Publisher: Data East)
Game Design: Season Ticket Productions
  • The Dream Team: 3 on 3 Challenge (US/CA Publisher: Data East)
Game Design: Season Ticket Productions

DOS

  • ABC Monday Night Football (US Publisher: Data East)
Game Design: Season Ticket Productions
  • Batman Returns (US/EU Publisher: Konami)
Game Design: Subway Software
  • Beat the House (US Publisher: Spirit of Discovery)
  • The Berenstain Bears Learn About Counting (US Publisher: Compton's New Media)
  • Bo Jackson Baseball / TV Sports: Baseball (US Publisher: Data East; EU Publisher: Mindscape)
  • Body Illustrated (US Publisher: Spirit of Discovery)
  • David Robinson Basketball (unreleased?) (Sega)
  • Draft & Print (US Publisher: Spirit of Discovery)
  • The Dream Team: 3 on 3 Challenge (US/CA Publisher: Data East)
Game Design: Season Ticket Productions
  • Dvorak on Typing (US Publisher: Interplay)
  • Facts in Action (US Publisher: Spirit of Discovery)
  • The Human Calculator (US Publisher: Compton's New Media)
  • Learn to Type? [11]
  • NFL Video Pro Football (US Publisher: Konami)
  • Typing for Today (US Publisher: Interplay)

Famicom/NES

  • Roundball: 2-on-2 Challenge (US/EU Publisher: Mindscape)

Game Boy

  • The Chessmaster (US Publisher: Hi Tech Expressions; JP Publisher: Altron)
  • The New Chessmaster (US Publisher: Hi Tech Expressions; JP Publisher: Altron)

Jaguar

  • 3D Football (unreleased) [12]

Macintosh

  • Beat the House (US Publisher: Interplay)
Did Park Place do this version?

Mega CD/Sega CD

  • Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (unreleased) (Sunsoft)
  • NFL's Greatest: San Francisco vs. Dallas 1978-1993 (US Publisher: Sega)

Development of ESPN Baseball Tonight and ESPN National Hockey Night was likely started at Park Place but finished at Sony Imagesoft. (Sony hired a number of former Park Place employees.)

Mega Drive/Genesis

  • Champions World Class Soccer (EU/US Publisher: Flying Edge; JP Publisher: Acclaim; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
  • Dan Marino Power Play Football (unreleased) (Virgin)
  • Dick Vitale's "Awesome, Baby!" College Hoops (US/AU Publisher: Time Warner Interactive)
  • ESPN Baseball Tonight (US Publisher: Sony Imagesoft)
  • Jeopardy! (US Publisher: GameTek)
  • Jeopardy!: Deluxe Edition (US Publisher: GameTek)
  • Jeopardy!: Sports Edition (US Publisher: GameTek)
  • Joe Montana Football (US/EU/JP Publisher: Sega)
  • John Madden Football / John Madden American Football (US/EU Publisher: Electronic Arts; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
  • Lennox Lewis Boxing (unreleased) (Acclaim)
  • Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing (US/EU Publisher: Virgin)
  • NHL Hockey / EA Hockey / Pro Hockey (US/EU Publisher: Electronic Arts; JP Publisher: Electronic Arts Victor)
  • Road to the Cup Hockey '94 (unreleased) (Electro Brain)

Development of ESPN National Hockey Night and ESPN SpeedWorld was likely started at Park Place but finished at Sony Imagesoft. (Sony hired a number of former Park Place employees.)

Lobo (unreleased) was originally being programmed at Park Place. It was finished at Ocean of America.

Super Famicom/Super NES

  • Champions World Class Soccer (JP/US Publisher: Acclaim)
  • ESPN Baseball Tonight (US Publisher: Sony Imagesoft)
  • John Madden Football / Pro Football (US Publisher: Electronic Arts; JP Publisher: Imagineer)
  • Kawasaki Caribbean Challenge (US Publisher: GameTek)
  • Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (unreleased) (Sunsoft)
  • Muhammad Ali Heavyweight Boxing (unreleased) (Virgin)
  • NFL Football (US/JP Publisher: Konami)
  • NHLPA Hockey 93 (US Publisher: Electronic Arts)
  • Pigskin Footbrawl (unreleased) (RazorSoft)
Originally contracted to Knight Technologies
  • Road to the Cup Hockey '94 (unreleased) (Electro Brain)
  • Super Slam Dunk / Magic Johnson no Super Slam Dunk (US/JP Publisher: Virgin)

Development of ESPN National Hockey Night and ESPN SpeedWorld was likely started at Park Place but finished at Sony Imagesoft. (Sony hired a number of former Park Place employees.)

NFL Quarterback Club was originally being developed at Park Place. Unfortunately, Park Place programmers going to Sony delayed the game [13], and the final product was developed at Iguana. [14]

Windows

  • Beat the House (US Publisher: Interplay)
  • Beat the House 2 (game design) (US Publisher: Interplay)
Developer: Cetasoft
  • Caesars Palace series (game design) (US Publisher: Interplay)
Developer: Cetasoft
  • Galles Indy Extreme (unreleased)
  • Jeopardy! (US Publisher: GameTek)
Jeopardy! Deluxe?
  • Wheel of Fortune (US Publisher: GameTek)
Wheel of Fortune Deluxe?

Links