SAS

SAS Co., Ltd. (エス・エー・エス株式会社; stylized as sAs) is a software and hardware development company based in Taito City, Tokyo. [1] It was originally established on March 7, 1980, as System Technology Co., Ltd. (システムテクノロジー株式会社), a software development company. In March 1982, Sigma Electronics Co., Ltd. (シグマ電子株式会社), a hardware development company started in 1971, was merged into System Technology, which was then renamed SAS. [2] [3]

Sakata SAS Co., Ltd. (酒田エス・エー・エス株式会社) is a subsidiary based in Sakata, Yamagata, established in April 1985 [4] "to extend and reinforce software development." [5]

Between 1985 and 2000, game development seemed to be done primarily at Sakata SAS, and mostly involved only the programming. The division of work is less obvious in more recent games, further obscured by the creation of SAS's entertainment division in 2014. [6] (The SAS Games website used to highlight the cooperation between SAS and Sakata SAS. [7])

In November 2022, Extreme acquired 51.3% of SAS, making it a subsidiary. [8] (Extreme also owns the NCS back catalog of games. [9] CEO Shohei Sato was formerly the business manager of NCS' Masaya division. [10])

Research Methods: Actual mentions, code comparisons, interviews, online resources, shared staff

3DS

• Biyoushi Debut Monogatari: Top Stylist o Mezasou! (JP Publisher: Columbia)
• Mangaka Debut Monogatari: Suteki na Manga o Egakou (JP Publisher: Columbia)

Developer: Cattle Call; Sound: T's Music; ?: Kinsha, Seedsnest

• Theatrhythm Dragon Quest (planning [some rhythm game-related planning, some rhythm game music score data], programming [mainly rhythm-game related], graphics [mainly rhythm-game related]) (JP Publisher: Square Enix)

Developer: indieszero

• Theatrhythm Final Fantasy (planning [some rhythm game-related planning, some rhythm game music score data], programming [mainly rhythm-game related], graphics [mainly rhythm-game related]) (JP/US/AU/EU/KR Publisher: Square Enix)

Developer: indieszero

• Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call (planning [some rhythm game-related planning, some rhythm game music score data], programming [mainly rhythm-game related], graphics [mainly rhythm-game related]) (JP/US/AU/EU Publisher: Square Enix)

Developer: indieszero

• Thomas to Asonde Oboeru Kotoba to Kazu to ABC (JP Publisher: Columbia)

Android

• Phantasy Star Online 2 es (some management, some programming, some graphics) (Sega)

Arcade

• Basha Basha [medal game] (planning, programming, graphics, pub design) (Enheart)
• Ciao Manga Station (Sega)
• Genshi Hito ga Bingo de Waaaa! series [medal games] (planning, programming, graphics, pub design) (Enheart)
• Genma Taisen / Bega's Battle (programming?) (Data East)
• Gyo~ten! Gappori Sushi series [medal games] (planning, programming, graphics, pub design) (Enheart)
• Hako Emaki Manpuku series [medal games] (Sega)
• Hamburger / BurgerTime (programming) (Data East)

Staff: Yuji Gondo (planner - Data East); Ken Obara (programmer - SAS)

• Hammer Car (unreleased) (programming) (Data East)
• Heat Up Hockey Image (Sega)
• Kids Wanpakumura [medal game] (Sega)
• Kouchuu Ouja Mushiking / Mushiking: The King of Beetles (some programming? [11]) (Sega)
• Marine Marine: Minami Hakofugu to Sangoshou no Nakama-tachi (Sega)
• Medal de! Fantasy Zone [medal game] (Sega)
• Minna de Derby series [medal games] (planning, programming, graphics, pub design) (AQ Interactive/Enheart)
• Moshikashite? Obake no Shateki-ya [medal game] (planning, programming, graphics, pub design) (Enheart)
• Nazo!? no Ani Ani Island [medal game] (planning, programming, graphics, pub design) (Enheart)
• Rakugaki Card Battle Gekitsui-Ou (Sega)
• Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: All-Star Carnival (planning, management, programming, graphics, cabinet design) (Square Enix)

Developer: indieszero

Dreamcast

• Revive... Sosei (programming) (JP Publisher: Data East)

CG Coloring: Dream Japan

DS

• Card de Asobu! Hajimete no DS (JP Publisher: Sega)
• Kouchuu Ouja Mushiking: Greatest Champion e no Michi 2 (JP Publisher: Sega)
• Kouchuu Ouja Mushiking: Greatest Champion e no Michi DS (JP Publisher: Sega)
• Lilpri DS: Hime-Chen! Apple Pink (JP Publisher: Sega)
• Oshare Majo Love and Berry: DS Collection (JP Publisher: Sega)

Famicom/NES

• Boulder Dash (programming, some stage design) (JP Publisher: Data East; US Publisher: JVC; EU Publisher: Nintendo)

Not currently listed on the main SAS or Sakata SAS websites, but is listed on the SAS Games website

• Buggy Popper / Bump 'n' Jump (programming?) (JP Publisher: Data East; US Publisher: Vic Tokai)
• BurgerTime (programming?) (JP Publisher: Namco; US Publisher: Data East)

Not currently listed on the main SAS or Sakata SAS websites, but is listed on the SAS Games website

In this 2002 interview with former Data East staff, "H-san" said they ported BurgerTime with "two other subcontracted employees." [12]

• Famicom Yakyuu Ban (programming?) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Graphics: Pophouse?

• Karnov (programming?) (JP Publisher: Namco; US Publisher: Data East)
• Parasol Henbee (programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Graphics: Pophouse

• Robocop (programming) (JP/US Publisher: Data East; EU Publisher: Ocean)

The SAS and Sakata SAS websites also list Robocop 2, even though that was an Ocean/Painting by Numbers game.

• Soccer League: Winner's Cup (programming) (JP Publisher: Data East)
• Tag Team Pro-Wrestling / Tag Team Wrestling (programming?) (JP Publisher: Namco; US Publisher: Data East)
• Tantei Jinguuji Saburou: Yokohama-kou Renzoku Satsujin Jiken (programming) (JP Publisher: Data East)

Sound: Musical Plan

• Werewolf: The Last Warrior / Choujinrou Senki Warwolf (programming) (US/EU Publisher: Data East; JP Publisher: Takara)

Famicom Disk System

• Karate Champ (programming?) (JP Publisher: Data East)

Only the Famicom Disk System version is listed here because that is the only version that was released in Japan, but it is possible SAS also worked on the NES cartridge version.

• Tantei Jinguuji Saburou: Kiken na Futari: Kouhen (main programming) (JP Publisher: Data East)

Sound: Musical Plan

• Tantei Jinguuji Saburou: Kiken na Futari: Zenpen (main programming) (JP Publisher: Data East)

Sound: Musical Plan

• Tantei Jinguuji Saburou: Shinjuku Chuuou Kouen Satsujin Jiken (programming?) (JP Publisher: Data East)

Sound: Musical Plan?

Game Boy

• Bakuretsu Senshi Warrior / Cyraid (programming?) (JP Publisher: Epoch; US Publisher: Nexoft)
• Doraemon: Taiketsu Himitsu Dougu!! (programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Graphics: Pophouse

• Herakles no Eikou: Ugokidashita Kamigami (programming) (JP Publisher: Data East)
• Panel no Ninja Kesamaru (programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Graphics: Pophouse

• Parasol Henbee (programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Graphics: Pophouse

Game Boy Advance

• Kouchuu Ouja Mushiking: Greatest Champion e no Michi ([some?] direction, some programming) (JP Publisher: Sega)

Planning, Some Graphics: Y'sK; Some Programming, Some Graphics: Intense; Some Graphics: Digit Kino? Tiny Art?; Sound: Best Score? Paon?

Game Boy Color

• Doraemon Memories: Nobita no Omoide Daibouken (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Developer: Studio Cliche?

iOS

• Go Dance (Sega)
• Phantasy Star Online 2 es (some management, some programming, some graphics) (Sega)
• Theatrhythm Final Fantasy (planning [some rhythm game-related planning, some rhythm game music score data], programming [mainly rhythm-game related], graphics [mainly rhythm-game related]) (Square Enix)

Developer: indieszero

MAX Machine?

• Kickman (Commodore)
• Omega Race (Commodore)

Neo Geo Pocket

• Magical Drop Pocket (programming?) (JP Publisher: Data East; US/EU Publisher: SNK)

Other

• Pon Pon Touch! [rehabilitation support machine] (Sai)
• Virtual Nettaigyo: Real Aquarium [virtual aquarium] (Micro Research)

PlayStation

• Doraemon: Nobita to Fukkatsu no Hoshi (some programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Co-Developer: Pophouse

• Magical Drop F: Daibouken mo Rakujanai! (programming) (JP Publisher: Data East)

PlayStation 4

• Theatrhythm Final Bar Line (rhythm game programming [including communication processing], some rhythm game graphics, some rhythm game music score data) (JP/KR/US/EU/AU Publisher: Square Enix)

Developer: indieszero

Saturn

• Doraemon: Nobita to Fukkatsu no Hoshi (some programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Co-Developer: Pophouse

• Doukoku Soshite... (programming) (JP Publisher: Data East)

Super Famicom/Super NES

• Alice no Paint Adventure (programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Graphics: Pophouse

• Barcode Battler Senki: Super Senshi Shutsugeki Seyo! (programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Graphics: Pophouse

• Chibi Maruko-chan: Harikiri 365 Nichi no Maki (programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Graphics: Pophouse

• Dark Law: Meaning of Death (programming) (JP Publisher: ASCII)

Sound: Target Laboratory

• Donald Duck: Mahou no Boushi (programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Graphics: Pophouse

• Doraemon 2: Nobita no Toizurando Daibouken (programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Graphics: Pophouse

• Doraemon: Nobita to Yousei no Kuni (programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Graphics: Pophouse

• Kakinoki Shougi (programming?) (JP Publisher: ASCII)
• Lupin Sansei: Densetsu no Hihou (programming) (JP Publisher: Epoch)

Some Planning, Graphics: Pophouse

• Sanrio Shanghai (programming?) (JP Publisher: Character Soft)
• Wizap!: Ankoku no Ou (programming) (JP Publisher: ASCII)

Switch

• Bang! Bang! Bandits (JP Publisher: Columbia) [13]
• Kabuto Kuwagata (some programming) (JP Publisher: Shogakukan) [14]

Technology, Some Direction, Some Programming, Some 2D Design: Nigoro Design; Some Programming, Some 3D Design: Seedsnest; Some Programming: StudioTo [15]

• Moshikashite? Obake no Shateki-ya for Nintendo Switch (planning, programming, graphics) (JP Publisher: Columbia)
• Sumikko Gurashi: Minna de Rhythm Party (planning, programming, graphics) (JP Publisher: Columbia)
• Theatrhythm Final Bar Line (rhythm game programming [including communication processing], some rhythm game graphics, some rhythm game music score data) (JP/AS/KR/US/EU/AU Publisher: Square Enix)

Developer: indieszero

Xbox 360

• Isse no se! ONLINE

Other entertainment-related, but not necessarily game-related, things SAS worked on are listed on the company's website here and here.

Links

• SAS Games website (Japanese and English)
• Official SAS website (Japanese)
• Official Sakata SAS website (Japanese)
• Official Sakata SAS website - Entertainment (circa 2005) (Internet Archive Wayback Machine) (Japanese)