Compile (company)
The logo of Compile after being acquired by Compile Heart. | |
Native name | 株式会社コンパイル |
---|---|
Romanized name | Kabushikigaisha Konpairu |
Privately held limited company | |
Industry | Video game industry |
Fate | Bankruptcy, trademark and intellectual property acquired by Compile Heart, Puyo Puyo franchise acquired by Sega. |
Predecessor | Programmers-3, Inc. |
Successor | Compile Heart |
Founded | 7 April 1982 |
Founder | Masamitsu Niitani |
Defunct | 6 November 2003 |
Headquarters | Japan |
Products |
Madou Monogatari Puyo Puyo |
Compile Co., Ltd. (株式会社コンパイル Kabushikigaisha Konpairu) was a Japanese video game developer, most notable for having developed the Puyo Puyo series, a franchise derived from the Madou Monogatari series. On 6 November, 2003, the company suffered from bankruptcy. As a result, key staff moved to Compile Heart, the company's spiritual successor, whereas shoot-'em-up staff moved to MileStone Inc.[1] The Compile trademark is currently being used as a brand label by Compile Heart to promote merchandise and games based on Compile properties.[2]
In April 2016, Niitani started a new successor company to Compile, COMPILE〇. The company launched the game Nyoki Nyoki: Tabidachi Hen for Nintendo 3DS on the Nintendo eShop with a follow-up scheduled for Nintendo Switch.
Puyo Puyo
Compile debuted their most successful title, Puyo Puyo, on the MSX computer in 1991. Puyo Puyo is a falling-block puzzle game similar to Tetris (1984). The object of the game is to create groups of four or more "Puyos" of the same color as they fall from the top of the screen. This simple yet addictive concept was expanded on in a series of sequels over the course of two decades.
Puyo Puyo reached North America and the PAL region in graphically altered form under the title of Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine for the Mega Drive/Genesis, as well as on the Super Nintendo (as Kirby's Avalanche in North America and Kirby's Ghost Trap in the PAL region). However, the series' unaltered appearance was Puyo Pop, a title used for games that were released on the PC Engine, Neo Geo Pocket Color and Game Boy Advance.
As part of Compile's restructuring in 1998, the rights to Puyo Puyo were sold to Sega, but Compile's franchise right would remain until their bankruptcy in 2002, thus allowing Sega to publish Puyo Puyo~n and Puyo Puyo Box. Later Puyo Puyo games were developed by Sonic Team, who created Puyo Pop Fever.
Shoot 'em ups
Until 1993, Compile focused much of their development efforts on the shoot 'em up genre. In the 1990s, a few Compile personnel left the company to work for another video game development company, 8ing/Raizing (est. 1993). There they contributed to such games as Mahou Daisakusen (1993) and Battle Garegga (1996).
Some employees who stayed with Compile until its end reincorporated as MileStone Inc. in April 2003, and continued to develop new shooters.
Some of Compile's most famous shoot-'em-up games include:
- Zanac
- First released on the MSX computer in 1986, Zanac combined fast action with an innovative AI system, which changes based on your style of play. Zanac received a true sequel, Zanac EX and an NES port. There was also a parody of Zanac called Gun*Nac, released by Nexoft for the NES in 1991. Similar to Konami's own Parodius games, Gun Nac brought humor to the gameplay of the original by replacing the enemies with carrot-throwing rabbits and letting the player purchase weapons in a fast food store at the end of each stage. In 2001, Compile released an updated version for the PlayStation titled Zanac X Zanac, which included an original sequel entitled Zanac Neo.
- Aleste
- Aleste was first released on the MSX2 and then ported to the Master System. A sequel, Aleste 2, was also released for the MSX2. Musha Aleste (titled M.U.S.H.A. in the US) was released on the Mega Drive in 1990. The game takes place in a unique Japanese futuristic setting. Super Aleste came out in 1992 for the Super Famicom and was retitled Space Megaforce in North America. Aleste is now available on cellular phones, courtesy of Aiky.
- Gunhed
- Gunhed (retitled Blazing Lazers for North America) was released in 1989 and soon became a showpiece for NEC's PC Engine console.
- Spriggan
- Developed jointly by Compile and Naxat Soft under the common label Nazac, Seirei Senshi Spriggan and Spriggan Mark 2 were respectively released in 1991 and 1992 for the PC Engine CD-ROM system.
Games developed
Note: Games marked with a dagger are conversions of a pre-existing version of a game as opposed to being natively developed.
Year | Title | Publisher | Platform(s) |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Borderline† | Sega | SG-1000 |
1983 | N-Sub† | Sega | SG-1000 |
1983 | Safari Hunting† | Sega | SG-1000 |
1984 | A.E.† | Toshiba EMI | FM-7, MSX, PC-88 |
1984 | Hustle Chumy | Sega General |
MSX, SG-1000 |
1984 | Lode Runner† | Sony | MSX |
1984 | Crisis Mountain | Comptiq | PC-88 |
1984 | Mr. Robot and His Robot Factory | Comptiq | PC-88 |
1984 | The Heist | Comptiq | PC-88 |
1984 | E.I. - Exa Innova | Sony | MSX |
1985 | Championship Lode Runner† | Sony | SG-1000 |
1985 | Final Justice | Pony Canyon | MSX |
1985 | Lode Runner II | Sony | MSX |
1985 | Swing | Pony Canyon | MSX |
1985 | Choplifter† | Sony | MSX |
1985 | C-So! | Pony Canyon | MSX, SG-1000 |
1985 | Lunar Ball | Pony Canyon | Arcade, MSX, Nintendo Entertainment System, PC-88 |
1986 | Gulkave | Pony Canyon | MSX, SG-1000 |
1986 | Guardic | Compile | MSX |
1986 | Zanac† | Pony Canyon | MSX, Nintendo Entertainment System, Palm OS |
1986 | Zanac EX† | Pony Canyon | MSX2 |
1986 | Thexder | Game Arts | MSX |
1986 | Champion Billiards | Sega | SG-1000 |
1987 | Golvellius: Valley of Doom | Compile | MSX, Sega Master System |
1987 | Jagur-5: Golden Triangle | Hudson Soft | MSX |
1987 | Ghostbusters† | Sega | Sega Master System |
1987 | City Adventure Touch: Mystery of Triangle | Toho | Nintendo Entertainment System |
1987 | Legacy of the Wizard† | Brøderbund | Nintendo Entertainment System[3] |
1987 | Romancia: Dragon Slayer Jr. | Nihon Falcom | Nintendo Entertainment System |
1987 | Parlour Games | Sega | Arcade, Sega Master System |
1988 | Power Strike | Compile | MSX, Sega Master System |
1988 | Disk Station #0 | Compile | MSX |
1988 | Randar no Bouken | Kemsx | MSX |
1988 | R-Type† | Sega[4][5] | Sega Master System |
1988 | The Guardian Legend | Irem | Nintendo Entertainment System |
1988 | Tombs & Treasure | Tokyo Shoseki | Nintendo Entertainment System |
1988 | Alien Crush† | Naxat Soft | PC Engine SuperGrafx |
1988 | Godzilla: Monster of Monsters | Toho | Nintendo Entertainment System |
1988 | Xevious: Fardraut Saga | Namco | MSX |
1989 | Blazing Lazers | Hudson Soft | TurboGrafx-16 |
1989 | Casino Games | Sega | Sega Master System |
1989 | Aleste Gaiden | Compile | MSX |
1989 | Aleste 2 | Compile | MSX |
1989 | Rune Master | Compile | MSX, Microsoft Windows |
1989 | Randar II: Revenge of Death | Compile | MSX |
1990 | Gun-Nac | Tonkin House | Nintendo Entertainment System |
1990 | Rune Master II | Compile | MSX |
1990 | Columns† | Telenet Japan | MSX |
1990 | M.U.S.H.A. | Toaplan | Sega Genesis |
1990 | Godzilla | Toho | Game Boy |
1990 | Ghostbusters† | Sega | Sega Genesis |
1990 | Devil's Crush | Naxat Soft | PC Engine SuperGrafx |
1990 | Randar no Bouken III: Yami ni Miserareta Majutsushi | Compile | MSX |
1990 | Madou Monogatari 1-2-3 | Compile | MSX, PC-98 |
1990 | Xevious: Faurdraut Saga | Namco | TurboGrafx-16 |
1990 | Cyber Knight | Tonkin House | TurboGrafx-16 |
1991 | Warau Salesman | Compile | MSX2, NEC PC-9801 |
1991 | Gorby no Pipeline Daisakusen | Tokuma Shoten | FM Towns, MSX, Nintendo Entertainment System |
1991 | Dragon Quiz | Compile | MSX |
1991 | Rune Master: War among Three Empires | Compile | MSX |
1991 | Seirei Senshi Spriggan | Naxat Soft | TurboGrafx CD |
1991 | Puyo Puyo | Compile Tokuma Shoten |
MSX, Famicom Disk System, Nintendo Entertainment System |
1991 | GG Aleste | Compile | Game Gear |
1992 | Disc Saga: Iraisha wa Monster? | Compile | PC-98 |
1992 | Disc Saga: Yukemuri ni Kieta Bijotachi Yume no Naka e Rendezvous | Compile | PC-98 |
1992 | Disc Saga: Nagisa no Baka Taishō | Compile | PC-98 |
1992 | Space Megaforce | Toho | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
1992 | Spriggan Mark 2 | Naxat Soft | TurboGrafx CD |
1992 | Shiki Oni no Koku: Chūgokuhen – Daiisshō | Compile | PC-98 |
1992 | Shiki Oni no Koku: Chūgokuhen – Dainishō | Compile | PC-98 |
1992 | Shiki Oni no Koku: Chūgokuhen – Daisanshō | Compile | PC-98 |
1992 | Puyo Puyo | Sega | Arcade, Game Gear, Sega Genesis |
1992 | Puyo Puyo | Compile | FM Towns, Game Boy, Macintosh, PC-98, Sharp X68000, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, TurboGrafx CD, Microsoft Windows |
1992 | Shiki Oni no Koku: Chūgokuhen – Daiyonshō | Compile | PC-98 |
1992 | Robo Aleste | Compile | Sega CD |
1992 | Super Aleste | Toho | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
1992 | Jaki Crush† | Naxat Soft | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
1993 | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sega | Game Gear, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, Microsoft Windows |
1993 | Power Strike II | Sega | Sega Master System |
1993 | Madou Monogatari A.R.S | Compile | PC-98 |
1993 | Power Strike II | Sega | Game Gear |
1993 | Nazo Puyo | Sega | Game Gear, PC-98 |
1993 | Warau Salesman | Compile | Sega CD |
1993 | Sylphia | Tonkin House | TurboGrafx CD |
1993 | Madou Monogatari I: 3tsu no Madoukyuu | Sega | Game Gear, Sega Genesis, TurboGrafx CD |
1993 | Nazo Puyo 2 | Sega | Game Gear |
1994 | Madō Monogatari: Michikusa Ibun | Compile | PC-98 |
1994 | Gensei Fūkyō Den | Compile | PC-98 |
1994 | Madou Monogatari II: Arle 16-Sai | Sega | Game Gear |
1994 | Nazo Puyo Arle no Roux | Sega | Game Gear |
1994 | Puyo Puyo Tsu | Sega | Arcade, Game Boy, Game Gear, Sega Genesis, Macintosh, Neo Geo Pocket Color, PC-98, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, TurboGrafx CD, WonderSwan |
1994 | Madou Monogatari III: Kyuukyoku Joou-sama | Sega | Game Gear |
1995 | Wind's Seed | Compile | PC-98 |
1995 | Gensei Kaitō Den | Compile | PC-98 |
1995 | Gensei Kitan: Disc Saga III | Compile | PC-98 |
1995 | Kirby's Avalanche | Nintendo | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
1995 | Super Nazo Puyo: Rulue no Roux | Banpresto | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
1995 | Madō Monogatari A: Dokidoki Vacation | Compile | Game Gear |
1996 | Madō Monogatari: Hanamaru Daiyōchienji | Tokuma Shoten | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
1996 | Rude Breaker | Compile | PC-9800 |
1996 | Shadowrun | Compile | Sega CD |
1996 | Super Nazo Puyo 2: Rulue no Tetsuwan Hanjouki | Compile | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
1996 | Puyo Puyo Sun | Compile | Arcade, Game Boy Color, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Microsoft Windows |
1997 | Tales of the Float Land | Compile | Microsoft Windows |
1998 | Madou Monogatari | Sega | Sega Saturn |
1998 | Waku Waku Puyo Puyo Dungeon | Compile | Sega Saturn |
1998 | Comet Summoner | Sega | Microsoft Windows |
1998 | Mystic Arts | Compile | Microsoft Windows |
1999 | Puyo Puyo DA! | Compile | Dreamcast |
1999 | Puyo Puyo~n | Sega | Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, Nintendo 64, PlayStation |
1999 | Puyo Puyo Gaiden: Puyo Wars | Compile | Game Boy Color |
1999 | DiscStation Bessatsu i miss you. | Compile | Sega Saturn |
2000 | Puyo Puyo Box | Compile | PlayStation |
2000 | Arle no Bouken: Mahou no Jewel | Compile | Game Boy Color |
2000 | Wander Wonder | Compile | Microsoft Windows |
2001 | Zanac X Zanac | Compile | PlayStation |
2001 | Guru Logi Champ | Compile | Game Boy Advance |
2003 | Pochi and Nyaa | Taito | Arcade |
References
- ↑ "Compile". Sega Retro. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
- ↑ "コンパイルハート". www.compileheart.com. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
- ↑ "Legacy of the Wizard – Hardcore Gaming 101". www.hardcoregaming101.net. Retrieved 2018-10-07.
- ↑ "Games of Summer 1988". IGN. 2008-06-20. Retrieved 2018-10-07.
- ↑ "R-Type sur Master System". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Retrieved 2018-10-07.
External links
- Compile page
- Alky page
- Compile Station Compile portal by D4 Enterprise,inc.
- MileStone official website - The official web site of MileStone, a game design firm founded by former Compile employees (Japanese)
- Mono Omou Ishi (Thinking Stone) - MileStone's official English-language web log (no longer updated)
- Compile Heart official home page - The official web site of Compile Heart, a game design firm founded by former Compile employees
- Kelesis Home Page: COMPILE SHOOTING GAME HISTORY - It's all translated from French so the writing's a little awkward, but there's a complete history of everything Compile, and tons of pictures.
- SHMUPS! - Has features on Aleste 1 and 2, MUSHA, and others. Best all around shooter site on the Internet too.
- Complete Aleste Shrine - Mostly devoted to MUSHA.
- Arcane Lore - Homepage of shooter fan Zach Keene, has an extremely indepth FAQ for Zanac X Zanac.