Opera House
Satoru Miki and Hiroyuki Fujiwara were freelance programmers that worked together on games primarily for Pony Canyon and ISCO. In 1989 [1], they established Opera House in Naka-Meguro, Tokyo.
The fate of Opera House is unknown, but it appears that Miki went on to work for Gram Design [2] and Fujiwara went on to work for Nintendo. [3]
We believe the company went under around 1998 or 1999. 1) The earliest Nintendo game Fujiwara is credited with (assuming it is indeed the same Fujiwara) was originally released in Japan in 1999 (Pocket Monsters Stadium 2 / Pokémon Stadium). 2) Though it was not released until 2001, Block Wars for PlayStation features a copyright notice which reads, "©1999 DYNAMIC PLANNING." We think the game was probably worked on in 1998/1999. 3) Hiroshi Akagi, who did graphics for many Opera House games over the years, seems to have already been working for Office Dynamite by 2001. He turns up on Devilman: Akuma Uchi for Windows [4], which Dynamite planned, developed, and did graphics for. [5]
Contents
Works
3DO
- F1GP (programming) (Planning, Game Design, Direction: Office Dynamite; Design, Digital Video: Access Ten; JP Publisher: Pony Canyon)
Famicom/NES
- Break Time: The National Pool Tour (US Publisher: FCI)
FM Towns
- Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Lance (programming) (JP Publisher: Pony Canyon)
Game Boy
- Bubble Ghost (JP Publisher: Pony Canyon; US Publisher: FCI)
Game Gear
- Devilish (JP Publisher: Genki; US Publisher: Sage's Creation; EU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
- Honoo no Toukyuuji: Dodge Danpei (game program) (Plan, Graphics, Sound: SIMS; JP Publisher: Sega)
- Side Pocket (under ISCO) (US Publisher: Data East)
Mark III/Master System
- Cloud Master (US/EU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
- Double Hawk (game design, program) (Plan, Direction: Sanritsu; EU Publisher: Sega)
- Running Battle (EU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
Mega CD/Sega CD
- Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder (JP Publisher: Pony Canyon; US/EU Publisher: Sega)
Mega Drive/Genesis
- Captain America and the Avengers (under ISCO) (US Publisher: Data East; EU Publisher: Sega; BR Publisher: Tec Toy)
- Master of Monsters (under ISCO) (JP Publisher: Toshiba EMI; US Publisher: Renovation)
- Midnight Resistance (under ISCO) (JP Publisher: Data East; US Publisher: Sega)
- Rastan Saga II (JP/US Publisher: Taito)
- Two Crude Dudes / Crude Buster (under ISCO) (US/JP Publisher: Data East; EU Publisher: Sega)
- Verytex (under ISCO) (JP Publisher: Asmik)
MSX1
- Alpharoid (JP Publisher: Pony)
- Come On! Picot (JP Publisher: Pony)
MSX2
- Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Lance (JP Publisher: Pony Canyon)
- American Soccer (under ISCO) (JP Publisher: Nidecom)
- Nekketsu Juudou (JP Publisher: Pony Canyon)
- [Actual mention - opening] [ROM text]
- Ninja Kun: Ashura no Shou (under ISCO) (JP Publisher: HAL Laboratory)
- Project A2: Shijou Saidai no Hyouteki (JP Publisher: Pony)
- R-Type (under ISCO) (JP Publisher: Irem)
- Super Runner (JP Publisher: Pony Canyon)
- [Actual mention - opening] [Shared credits]
- Ultima: Exodus (game program) (JP Publisher: Pony Canyon)
PC-98
- Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Lance (JP Publisher: Pony Canyon)
PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16
- Shin Megami Tensei (CD) (under ISCO) (JP Publisher: Atlus)
Questionable game: Advanced Variable Geo (CD) The programmer is Hiroyuki Fujiwara. However, the kanji used is different from what is used on "Block Wars" (PS). But how many programmers named Hiroyuki Fujiwara could there be?
PlayStation
- Block Wars (programming, graphics) (Opening Movie: Pandagraph; JP Publisher: Pony Canyon)
Super Famicom/Super NES
- Classic Road (under ISCO) (JP Publisher: Victor)
- Classic Road II: Real Kouma Simulation (under ISCO) (JP Publisher: Victor)
- Jungle Wars 2: Kodai Mahou Atimos no Nazo (work cooperation with Marionette) (Program: Atelier Double; Game Design: Powwow; JP Publisher: Pony Canyon)
- [Actual mention - credits]
- Kyuuyaku Megami Tensei (under ISCO) (JP Publisher: Atlus)
- Super Hockey '94 (under ISCO) (JP Publisher: Party Room 21)
CRV's Theory of Opera House Development
"My theory is simple: If game music guru Hitoshi Sakimoto worked on it and it was published by Pony Canyon or it was originally contracted to ISCO, then it was probably programmed by Opera House. It has held up pretty well thus far.
The following are the most likely candidates. However, credits are not available, so I cannot confirm these at this time."
- Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Dragons of Flame (PC-9801)
- Death Knight of Krynn (PC-9801)
- Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Champions of Krynn (PC-9801)
- Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder (PC-9801)
- My Best Friends: St. Andrew Jogakuin Hen (Saturn)
- Virtual Gallop Kishudou (PlayStation)