Difference between revisions of "Pax Softnica"

From Game Developer Research Institute
Jump to: navigation, search
 
(5 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
__NOTOC__
 
__NOTOC__
−
'''Pax Softnica''' (パックスソフトニカ株式会社; originally written "Pax Softonica") published and developed computer games in its early years, but later worked on many games for Nintendo. It was originally Imagesoft. [https://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/tiny_yarou/GALLERY/show_image_v2.html?id=https%3A%2F%2Fblog-001.west.edge.storage-yahoo.jp%2Fres%2Fblog-9e-4f%2Ftiny_yarou%2Ffolder%2F683525%2F83%2F26172383%2Fimg_3%3F1427192278&i=1] From [http://fm-7.com/museum/softhouse/paxsoftnica/5006.html Oh!FM-7]: "It seems that Imagesoft was originally a mail order store specializing in software, but started producing software in-house as well. After that, it was absorbed by Pax Electronica Japan, which manufactured and sold PC peripherals, and Pax Softnica was established in October 1983." (Programmer and former president Tomoshige Hashishita's profile says it was established in August. [http://web.archive.org/web/20090323165824/http://www.softnica.com/profile/index.html])
+
'''Pax Softnica Corp.''' (パックスソフトニカ株式会社; originally romanized as "Pax Softonica") was a publisher and developer of computer games in its early years, but later worked on many games for Nintendo. It was formerly [[Imagesoft]], a mail-order retailer/developer/publisher run by Yukio Tamura (田村幸雄). Imagesoft was acquired by Pax Electronica Japan in 1983 and became Pax Softnica (or "Pax Softonica" at the time), a subsidiary. [https://twitter.com/gdri/status/1316049693609209856]
  
−
'''[[About:Research Methods|Research Methods]]:''' Actual mentions, online resources, shared staff
+
Pax Electronica Japan (パックス・エレクトロニカ・ジャパン株式会社) was an electronics company that made synthesizers as well as Apple II and IBM PC clone hardware. [https://tw.linkedin.com/in/marchara] [https://archive.org/details/mac-week-v-3-n-1/page/8/mode/2up] It was originally established in May [https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/6LcxAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22%E5%8E%9F%E7%9C%9F%22] 1976 [http://www.nishi.org/wiki/] as Pax Electronica (パックス・エレクトロニカジャパン株式会社) by four colleagues including Kazuhiko Nishi (西和彦), future founder of ASCII Corporation. Over time, Nishi would distance himself from Pax Electronica and focus on ASCII. [https://diamond.jp/articles/-/249161?page=2] Makoto "Marc" Hara (原真) became president of Pax Electronica in February 1981. [https://books.google.com/books?id=-RYaAAAAYAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22%E5%8E%9F%E7%9C%9F%22+makoto&q=%22%E5%8E%9F%E7%9C%9F%22&hl=en] Pax Electronica Japan eventually went bankrupt. [https://www.famitsu.com/news/202009/14204712.html]
  
−
==As Imagesoft==
+
Programmer Tomoshige Hashishita (橋下友茂) became president of Pax Softnica in 1986. He was made director and development manager in 1987. In May of that year, he established Softnica (有限会社ソフトニカ) and would continue to work for Pax Softnica under an exclusive contract. He resigned from Pax Softnica in December 1999 due to his "responsibility for deteriorating business performance." In January 2000, Softnica began "full-scale operations" developing games and software for other companies. [https://web.archive.org/web/20170909232315/http://www.softnica.com/profile/index.html] Softnica went bankrupt in 2018.
−
===Apple II===
+
−
*''Crazy Climber'' / ''Mad Climber'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [Yukio Tamura] [https://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm17818996]
+
−
*''Ocean'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
+
−
*''Space Gals'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [https://www.beep-shop.com/blog/1674/]
+
  
−
===FM-7===
+
Pax Softnica, meanwhile, appears to have gone bankrupt in 2002.
−
*''Enterprise'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [B.T.]
+
−
*''Tri-Dantal'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [Y. Takeshita]
+
  
−
===PC-6001===
+
'''[[About:Research Methods|Research Methods]]:''' Actual mentions, online resources, shared staff
−
*''Amazon-gawa Tanken'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [T. Katayama]
+
−
*''Igo Joseki 100 Master'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
+
−
*''Mad Blaster'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
+
−
*''Miyuki in Meiro'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [https://twitter.com/chackn6601/status/1266372214862958594]
+
−
*''Miyuki the Shoubushi'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
+
−
*''Rommel Sensha Gundan'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
+
−
*''Slender Island'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft) [Onitama/Onion Software]
+
−
*''Star Trek'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
+
−
*''The Card'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
+
−
*''Ultra Mahjong'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
+
−
*英単熟語集(高校受験用)
+
−
*英単熟語集(大学受験用)
+
−
*英文法練習(高校受験用)
+
−
*英文法練習(大学受験用)
+
−
 
+
−
===PC-88===
+
−
*''B52 Bakugeki Sakusen'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
+
−
*''Leningrad Kyoushuu Sakusen'' (JP Publisher: Imagesoft)
+
  
−
[https://twitter.com/gdri/status/1314244093191618561 Twitter thread documenting Imagesoft ads in the Japanese computer magazine ''I/O'']
 
−
 
−
==As Pax Softonica/Pax Softnica==
 
 
===Famicom/NES===
 
===Famicom/NES===
 
*''Ginga no Sannin'' (programming, sound) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Ginga no Sannin'' (programming, sound) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
Line 42: Line 15:
 
*''Hello Kitty World'' (JP Publisher: Character Soft)
 
*''Hello Kitty World'' (JP Publisher: Character Soft)
 
*''Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Okhotsk ni Kiyu'' (JP Publisher: Login Soft)
 
*''Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Okhotsk ni Kiyu'' (JP Publisher: Login Soft)
−
*''Ice Hockey'' (programming, etc.) (US/CA/EU/AS Publisher: Nintendo)
 
 
*''Mother'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Mother'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
:<small>?: Ape, Ishel Artvision</small>
 
:<small>?: Ape, Ishel Artvision</small>
 
*''Penguin-kun Wars'' (JP Publisher: ASCII)
 
*''Penguin-kun Wars'' (JP Publisher: ASCII)
−
*''Super Dyna'mix Badminton'' (JP Publisher: VAP)
+
:<small>Subcontracted by [[Home Data]] to Pax Softnica's parent company, Pax Electronica Japan [https://www.famitsu.com/news/202009/14204712.html]</small>
 
*''Super Real Baseball '88'' (JP Publisher: VAP)
 
*''Super Real Baseball '88'' (JP Publisher: VAP)
 
*''Tao'' (JP Publisher: VAP)
 
*''Tao'' (JP Publisher: VAP)
Line 57: Line 29:
 
*''Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Yuuyuuki: Kouhen'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Yuuyuuki: Kouhen'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Yuuyuuki: Zenpen'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Yuuyuuki: Zenpen'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
−
*''Ice Hockey'' (programming, etc.) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
 
*''Time Twist: Rekishi no Katasumi de...: Kouhen'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Time Twist: Rekishi no Katasumi de...: Kouhen'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Time Twist: Rekishi no Katasumi de...: Zenpen'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Time Twist: Rekishi no Katasumi de...: Zenpen'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
Line 78: Line 49:
 
===Game Boy Color===
 
===Game Boy Color===
 
*''Balloon Fight GB'' (programming) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Balloon Fight GB'' (programming) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 +
*''Game Boy Bunko: Hajimari no Mori'' (unreleased) (Nintendo)
 
*''Star Wars Episode I: Racer'' (co-developer) (US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Star Wars Episode I: Racer'' (co-developer) (US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Tottoko Hamtaro 2: Hamchans Daishuugou Dechu'' / ''Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite!'' (JP/US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Tottoko Hamtaro 2: Hamchans Daishuugou Dechu'' / ''Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite!'' (JP/US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Tottoko Hamtaro: Tomodachi Daisakusen Dechu'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Tottoko Hamtaro: Tomodachi Daisakusen Dechu'' (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 +
 +
===MSX===
 +
*''Attack Four'' (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)
 +
*''Baseball'' (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)
 +
*''Harapeko Pakkun'' (JP Publisher: ASCII) [Y. Hiyama (game designer?); Souichi Nono (programmer)]
 +
*''Mahjong Hidden'' (unreleased?) (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)
  
 
===Nintendo 64===
 
===Nintendo 64===
Line 86: Line 64:
 
*''Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 Ketteiban!'' (programming?) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 Ketteiban!'' (programming?) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Pokémon Snap'' (some programming?) (JP/US/AU/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
 
*''Pokémon Snap'' (some programming?) (JP/US/AU/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
 +
 +
===PC-6001===
 +
*''Baseball'' (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)
  
 
===Super Famicom/Super NES===
 
===Super Famicom/Super NES===
Line 101: Line 82:
 
*[https://www.linkedin.com/pub/%E6%B5%A9%E4%B8%80-%E5%B7%9D%E5%B3%B6/5b/83/90b Kouichi Kawashima's LinkedIn profile]
 
*[https://www.linkedin.com/pub/%E6%B5%A9%E4%B8%80-%E5%B7%9D%E5%B3%B6/5b/83/90b Kouichi Kawashima's LinkedIn profile]
 
*[https://jp.linkedin.com/in/tomoyuki-sumi-886401119 Tomoyuki Sumi's LinkedIn profile]
 
*[https://jp.linkedin.com/in/tomoyuki-sumi-886401119 Tomoyuki Sumi's LinkedIn profile]
 +
*[https://www.famitsu.com/news/202009/14204712.html ''Famitsu'' interview with Tomoshige Hashishita (2020)] (Japanese)
 +
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDvzsVILSGc Tomoshige Hashishita on ''OBSLive'' (2021)] (Japanese)
 +
*[https://www.yaruki-lab.jp/niinou-kazuya/ Interview with Kazuya Niinou - Worked on ''Tottoko Hamtaro'' on Pax Softnica] (Japanese)
  
 
[[Category:Companies]]
 
[[Category:Companies]]
 
[[Category:Nintendo]]
 
[[Category:Nintendo]]

Latest revision as of 04:54, 26 April 2024

Pax Softnica Corp. (パックスソフトニカ株式会社; originally romanized as "Pax Softonica") was a publisher and developer of computer games in its early years, but later worked on many games for Nintendo. It was formerly Imagesoft, a mail-order retailer/developer/publisher run by Yukio Tamura (田村幸雄). Imagesoft was acquired by Pax Electronica Japan in 1983 and became Pax Softnica (or "Pax Softonica" at the time), a subsidiary. [1]

Pax Electronica Japan (パックス・エレクトロニカ・ジャパン株式会社) was an electronics company that made synthesizers as well as Apple II and IBM PC clone hardware. [2] [3] It was originally established in May [4] 1976 [5] as Pax Electronica (パックス・エレクトロニカジャパン株式会社) by four colleagues including Kazuhiko Nishi (西和彦), future founder of ASCII Corporation. Over time, Nishi would distance himself from Pax Electronica and focus on ASCII. [6] Makoto "Marc" Hara (原真) became president of Pax Electronica in February 1981. [7] Pax Electronica Japan eventually went bankrupt. [8]

Programmer Tomoshige Hashishita (橋下友茂) became president of Pax Softnica in 1986. He was made director and development manager in 1987. In May of that year, he established Softnica (有限会社ソフトニカ) and would continue to work for Pax Softnica under an exclusive contract. He resigned from Pax Softnica in December 1999 due to his "responsibility for deteriorating business performance." In January 2000, Softnica began "full-scale operations" developing games and software for other companies. [9] Softnica went bankrupt in 2018.

Pax Softnica, meanwhile, appears to have gone bankrupt in 2002.

Research Methods: Actual mentions, online resources, shared staff

Famicom/NES

  • Ginga no Sannin (programming, sound) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
Programmed by Pax Softnica, according to game designer Makoto Kuba [10]
  • Hello Kitty World (JP Publisher: Character Soft)
  • Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Okhotsk ni Kiyu (JP Publisher: Login Soft)
  • Mother (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
?: Ape, Ishel Artvision
  • Penguin-kun Wars (JP Publisher: ASCII)
Subcontracted by Home Data to Pax Softnica's parent company, Pax Electronica Japan [11]
  • Super Real Baseball '88 (JP Publisher: VAP)
  • Tao (JP Publisher: VAP)
  • Volleyball (US Publisher: Nintendo)
The US copyright registration lists Pax Electronica Japan as the author.

Famicom Disk System

  • Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Shin Onigashima: Kouhen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Shin Onigashima: Zenpen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Yuuyuuki: Kouhen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Famicom Mukashi Banashi: Yuuyuuki: Zenpen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Time Twist: Rekishi no Katasumi de...: Kouhen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Time Twist: Rekishi no Katasumi de...: Zenpen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Volleyball (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Vs. Excitebike (JP Publisher: Nintendo)

Game Boy

  • Balloon Kid (programming) (US Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Donkey Kong (JP/US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Moguranya / Mole Mania (JP/US Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Radar Mission (JP/US Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Top Rank Tennis / Top Ranking Tennis (programming, sound?) (US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Wave Race (US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)

Game Boy Advance

  • Mother 1+2 (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
The sole author listed on the US copyright registration
  • Tottoko Hamtaro 3: Love Love Daibouken Dechu / Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak (JP/US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)

Game Boy Color

  • Balloon Fight GB (programming) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Game Boy Bunko: Hajimari no Mori (unreleased) (Nintendo)
  • Star Wars Episode I: Racer (co-developer) (US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Tottoko Hamtaro 2: Hamchans Daishuugou Dechu / Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite! (JP/US/EU Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Tottoko Hamtaro: Tomodachi Daisakusen Dechu (JP Publisher: Nintendo)

MSX

  • Attack Four (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)
  • Baseball (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)
  • Harapeko Pakkun (JP Publisher: ASCII) [Y. Hiyama (game designer?); Souichi Nono (programmer)]
  • Mahjong Hidden (unreleased?) (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)

Nintendo 64

  • Jungle Taitei / Jungle Emperor Leo (unreleased) (Nintendo)
  • Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 Ketteiban! (programming?) (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Pokémon Snap (some programming?) (JP/US/AU/EU Publisher: Nintendo)

PC-6001

  • Baseball (JP Publisher: Pax Softonica)

Super Famicom/Super NES

  • Hajimari no Mori (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Heisei Shin Onigashima: Kouhen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Heisei Shin Onigashima: Zenpen (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Konae-chan no Doki Doki Penguin Kazoku [Satellaview] (JP Publisher: Nintendo)
  • Motoko-chan no Wonder Kitchen (JP Publisher: Ajinomoto)
  • Snoopy Concert (JP Publisher: Mitsui Fudosan)
  • Super NES Super Scope 6 (co-developer) (JP/US Publisher: Nintendo)
NCL, NOA, Intelligent Systems, Pax Softnica, and TEC are listed as authors on the US copyright registration.
  • Wrecking Crew '98 (JP Publisher: Nintendo)

Links

Retrieved from "http://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php?title=Pax_Softnica&oldid=28079"