Jump to content

Nihon Falcom: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Jagged 85 (talk | contribs)
87,237 edits
ref
(22 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox company
⚫
{{nihongo|'''Nihon Falcom Corporation'''|日本ファルコム株式会社|Nihon Farukomu [[Kabushiki Kaisha|Kabushiki-kaisha]]}} is a Japanese [[computer game]] company. The company was founded in March 1981 by [[Masayuki Kato]]. Falcom has played a definite role in the growth and development of the Japanese [[personal computer]] software industry. The company released the first Japanese [[computer role-playing game]] in 1983 and followed with real-time [[Action game|action]] and [[adventure game]]s as well as games with fully developed [[soundtrack]]s.
| company_name = Nihon Falcom
| company_logo =
| caption =
| company_type =
| traded_as =
| foundation = March 1981
| location = [[Japan]]
| key_people = [[Masayuki Kato]], Founder<br />Toshihiro Kondo, President
| industry = [[Video game industry|Video games]]
| products = ''[[Dragon Slayer (series)|Dragon Slayer]]''<br />''[[Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu|Xanadu]]''<br />''[[The Legend of Heroes]]''<br />''[[Ys (series)|Ys]]''<br/>''[[Brandish]]''<br />''[[Vantage Master]]''<br />''[[Zwei!!|Zwei]]''
| revenue =
| net_income =
| num_employees =
| subsid =
| homepage = [http://www.falcom.com www.falcom.com]
}}
⚫
{{nihongo|'''Nihon Falcom Corporation'''|日本ファルコム株式会社|Nihon Farukomu [[Kabushiki Kaisha|Kabushiki-kaisha]]}} is a Japanese [[computer game]] company. The company was founded in March 1981 by [[Masayuki Kato]]. Falcom has played a definite role in the growth and development of the Japanese [[personal computer]] software industry. The company released the first Japanese [[computer role-playing game]] in 1983 and followed with [[Real-time game|real-time]] [[Action game|action]] and [[adventure game]]s as well as games with fully developed [[soundtrack]]s. They were pioneers of the [[action role-playing game]] genre<ref name="kat_hackandslash"/> and [[History of Eastern role-playing video games|Japanese role-playing game]] industry,<ref name="gtm_falcom"/><ref name="1up_falcom"/> and remain one of the oldest role-playing game developers still in existence today.<ref name="1up_falcom">{{cite web|last=Gifford|first=Kevin|title=The Trail of Nihon Falcom: The president of Japan's oldest existing RPG maker speaks|url=http://www.1up.com/news/trail-nihon-falcom|publisher=[[1UP.com]]|accessdate=13 September 2011|date=09/07/2011}}</ref>


==Overview==
Their flagship titles include the ''[[Dragon Slayer (series)|Dragon Slayer]]'', ''[[The Legend of Heroes]]'' and ''[[Ys (video game)|Ys]]'' series. These franchises were responsible for setting the template for the [[action role-playing game]] genre in the 1980s.<ref name="kat_hackandslash">{{Cite web | last = Bailey | first = Kat | title = Hack and Slash: What Makes a Good Action RPG? | publisher = [[1UP.com]] | date = May 18, 2010 | url = http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9030743 | accessdate = 2011-07-11}}</ref> They also featured early [[video game music]] soundtracks composed by famous [[chiptune]] musician [[Yuzo Koshiro]]. While most of Falcom's games have been ported to various [[video game]] consoles of all generations, they have only developed a few non-PC video games themselves.
Falcom were one of the three most important Japanese [[role-playing video game]] developers in the 1980s, alongside [[Enix]] and [[Square (company)|Square]],<ref name="gtm_falcom">{{cite journal|last=Szczepaniak|first=John|title=Falcom: Legacy of Ys|journal=[[GamesTM{{!}}Games<sup>TM</sup>]]|date=7 July 2011|year=2011|month=July|issue=111|pages=152-159 [153]|url=http://imageshack.us/f/32/yshistory02.jpg/|accessdate=2011-09-07}} ([[cf.]] {{cite web|last=Szczepaniak|first=John|title=History of Ys interviews|url=http://blog.hardcoregaming101.net/2011/07/history-of-ys-interviews-by-john.html|work=Hardcore Gaming 101|accessdate=6 September 2011|date=July 8, 2011}})</ref> both of which were influenced by Falcom.<ref name="gtm_falcom"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4066/game_design_essentials_20_rpgs.php?page=13|author=John Harris|title=Game Design Essentials: 20 RPGs - Dragon Slayer|publisher=[[Gamasutra]]|page=13|date=July 2, 2009|accessdate=2011-03-02}}</ref> Falcom's flagship titles include the ''[[Dragon Slayer (series)|Dragon Slayer]]'', ''[[The Legend of Heroes]]'' and ''[[Ys (video game)|Ys]]'' series. In the 1980s, these franchises, particularly ''Dragon Slayer'', were responsible for setting the template for the [[action role-playing game]] genre,<ref name="kat_hackandslash">{{Cite web | last = Bailey | first = Kat | title = Hack and Slash: What Makes a Good Action RPG? | publisher = [[1UP.com]] | date = May 18, 2010 | url = http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9030743 | accessdate = 2011-07-11}}</ref> and laying the foundations for the [[History of Eastern role-playing video games|Japanese role-playing game]] industry.<ref name="gtm_falcom"/> With more than 400,000 copies sold, ''[[Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu]]'' (1985) was the best-selling [[personal computer game]] in Japan.<ref name=Falcom>{{cite web |url=http://www.falcom.co.jp/xanadu_next/xanadu/xanadu.html|title=Xanadu Next home page|accessdate=2008-09-08 }} ([http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.falcom.co.jp%2Fxanadu_next%2Fxanadu%2Fxanadu.html Translation])</ref>

While most of Falcom's games have been ported to various [[video game console]]s of all generations, they have only developed a few non-PC [[video game]]s themselves. The company's decision to develop mainly for PCs rather than consoles set them apart from their main rivals, Enix and Square, but limited the company's popularity in the [[Western world]].<ref name="gtm_falcom"/><ref name="1up_falcom"/> Nevertheless, in terms of the number of game releases, Falcom's flagship ''Ys'' series is second only to ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' as the largest [[History of Eastern role-playing video games|Eastern role-playing game]] franchise.<ref name="gtm_falcom_154">{{cite journal|last=Szczepaniak|first=John|title=Falcom: Legacy of Ys|journal=[[GamesTM{{!}}Games<sup>TM</sup>]]|date=7 July 2011|year=2011|month=July|issue=111|pages=152-159 [154]|url=http://imageshack.us/f/844/yshistory03.jpg/|accessdate=2011-09-08}} ([[cf.]] {{cite web|last=Szczepaniak|first=John|title=History of Ys interviews|url=http://blog.hardcoregaming101.net/2011/07/history-of-ys-interviews-by-john.html|work=Hardcore Gaming 101|accessdate=8 September 2011|date=July 8, 2011}})</ref>

Falcom was also a pioneer in [[video game music]], with their early soundtracks mostly composed by [[chiptune]] musicians [[Yuzo Koshiro]] and [http://vgmdb.net/artist/700 Mieko Ishikawa],<ref name="gtm_falcom_154"/><ref name="kalata_ys">{{cite web|last=Kalata|first=Kurt|title=Ys|url=http://hardcoregaming101.net/ys/ys.htm|work=Hardcore Gaming 101|accessdate=3 September 2011|date=11/27/10}}</ref> and some arranged by [http://vgmdb.net/artist/708 Ryo Yonemitsu].<ref name="kalata_ys"/><ref name="rpgfan_falcom">{{cite web|title=Falcom Classics II|url=http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/falcomclassics2/Falcom_Classics_2-2.html|work=RPGFan|accessdate=3 September 2011|author=Ryan Mattich}}</ref> They were the first company to produce game music CDs, the first to apply vocals to game music, and the first to have a band composed of professional musicians dedicated to games, the [[:ja:Falcom Sound Team jdk|Falcom Sound Team JDK]].<ref name="gtm_falcom_154"/> Falcom's ''Ys'' soundtracks in particular are considered some of the finest and most influential role-playing game scores of all time.<ref name="greening_kotowski">{{cite web|title=Interview with Yuzo Koshiro|date=February 2011|publisher=Square Enix Music Online|author=Chris Greening & Don Kotowski|url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/features/interviews/yuzokoshiro.shtml|accessdate=2011-06-20}}</ref>


==Published works==
==Published works==
Line 23: Line 45:
*(1985.04) Asteka (PC-8801)
*(1985.04) Asteka (PC-8801)
*(1985.10.28) [[Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu]] (PC-8801)
*(1985.10.28) [[Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu]] (PC-8801)
*(1986.10) Xanadu Scenario 2: The Resurrection of Dragon (PC-8801)
*(1986.10) [[Xanadu Scenario II|Xanadu Scenario 2: The Resurrection of Dragon]] (PC-8801)
*(1986.10.06) [[Tombs & Treasure|Asteka II: Templo del Sol]] (PC-8801)
*(1986.10.06) [[Tombs & Treasure|Asteka II: Templo del Sol]] (PC-8801)
*(1986.10.24) [[Romancia|Dragon Slayer Jr.: Romancia]] (PC-8801)
*(1986.10.24) [[Romancia|Dragon Slayer Jr.: Romancia]] (PC-8801)
Line 66: Line 88:
*(2001.06.26) [[Ys (series)|Ys 1&2 Complete]] (Windows PC)
*(2001.06.26) [[Ys (series)|Ys 1&2 Complete]] (Windows PC)
*(2001.12.20) [[Zwei!!]] (Windows PC)
*(2001.12.20) [[Zwei!!]] (Windows PC)
*(2002.06.27) [[VM JAPAN]] (Windows PC)
*(2002.06.27) [[Vantage Master|VM Japan]] (Windows PC)
*(2002.12.19) Dinosaur Resurrection (Windows PC)
*(2002.12.19) Dinosaur Resurrection (Windows PC)
*(2003.09.27) [[Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim]] (Windows PC)
*(2003.09.27) [[Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim]] (Windows PC)
*(2004.06.24) [[The Legend of Heroes VI: Sora no Kiseki]] (Windows PC)
*(2004.06.24) [[The Legend of Heroes VI: Sora no Kiseki]] (Windows PC)
*(2004.12.25) [[Gurumin]] (Windows PC)
*(2004.12.25) [[Gurumin]] (Windows PC)
*(2005.06.30) [[RINNE]] (Windows PC)
*(2005.06.30) RINNE (Windows PC)
*(2005.06.30) [[Ys: The Oath in Felghana]] (Windows PC)
*(2005.06.30) [[Ys: The Oath in Felghana]] (Windows PC)
*(2005.10.29) [[Xanadu Next]] (Windows PC)
*(2005.10.29) [[Xanadu Next]] (Windows PC)
Line 84: Line 106:
*(2008.09.25) [[Zwei II]] (Windows PC)
*(2008.09.25) [[Zwei II]] (Windows PC)
*(2008.12.11) [[Zwei!!]] (PSP)
*(2008.12.11) [[Zwei!!]] (PSP)
*(2009.03.19) [[Brandish: Dark Revenant]] (PSP)
*(2009.03.19) [[Brandish|Brandish: Dark Revenant]] (PSP)
*(2009.07.16) [[Ys I & II Chronicles]] (PSP)
*(2009.07.16) [[Ys I & II Chronicles]] (PSP)
*(2009.09.17) [[Ys Seven]] (PSP)
*(2009.09.17) [[Ys Seven]] (PSP)
*(2009.12.24) [[Ys I & II Chronicles]] (Windows PC)
*(2009.12.24) [[Ys I & II Chronicles]] (Windows PC)
*(2010.04.22) [[Ys: The Oath in Felghana]] (PSP)
*(2010.04.22) [[Ys: The Oath in Felghana]] (PSP)
*(2010.07.29) [[Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga]] (PSP)
*(2010.07.29) [[The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky#Related|Ys vs. Sora no Kiseki: Alternative Saga]] (PSP)
*(2010.09.30) [[The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki]] (PSP)
*(2010.09.30) [[The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky#Related|The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki]] (PSP)
*(2011.09.29) [[The Legend of Heroes: Ao no Kiseki]] (PSP)
*(2011.09.29) [[The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky#Related|The Legend of Heroes: Ao no Kiseki]] (PSP)
*(TBA) Untitled PSVita game ([[PlayStation Vita]])
*(TBA) Untitled PSVita game ([[PlayStation Vita]])


Line 129: Line 151:


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Dragon Slayer (series)|''Dragon Slayer'' (series)]]
*[[Masaya Hashimoto]]
*''[[The Legend of Heroes]]''
*[[Mieko Ishikawa]]
*[[Ys (series)|''Ys'' (series)]]
*[[Yuzo Koshiro]]
*[[Yuzo Koshiro]]
*[[:ja:Falcom Sound Team jdk|Falcom Sound Team JDK]]


== References==
== References==

Revision as of 07:29, 13 September 2011

Nihon Falcom
IndustryVideo games
FoundedMarch 1981
HeadquartersJapan
Key people
Masayuki Kato, Founder
Toshihiro Kondo, President
ProductsDragon Slayer
Xanadu
The Legend of Heroes
Ys
Brandish
Vantage Master
Zwei
Websitewww.falcom.com

Nihon Falcom Corporation (日本ファルコム株式会社, Nihon Farukomu Kabushiki-kaisha) is a Japanese computer game company. The company was founded in March 1981 by Masayuki Kato. Falcom has played a definite role in the growth and development of the Japanese personal computer software industry. The company released the first Japanese computer role-playing game in 1983 and followed with real-time action and adventure games as well as games with fully developed soundtracks. They were pioneers of the action role-playing game genre[1] and Japanese role-playing game industry,[2][3] and remain one of the oldest role-playing game developers still in existence today.[3]

Overview

Falcom were one of the three most important Japanese role-playing video game developers in the 1980s, alongside Enix and Square,[2] both of which were influenced by Falcom.[2][4] Falcom's flagship titles include the Dragon Slayer, The Legend of Heroes and Ys series. In the 1980s, these franchises, particularly Dragon Slayer, were responsible for setting the template for the action role-playing game genre,[1] and laying the foundations for the Japanese role-playing game industry.[2] With more than 400,000 copies sold, Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu (1985) was the best-selling personal computer game in Japan.[5]

While most of Falcom's games have been ported to various video game consoles of all generations, they have only developed a few non-PC video games themselves. The company's decision to develop mainly for PCs rather than consoles set them apart from their main rivals, Enix and Square, but limited the company's popularity in the Western world.[2][3] Nevertheless, in terms of the number of game releases, Falcom's flagship Ys series is second only to Final Fantasy as the largest Eastern role-playing game franchise.[6]

Falcom was also a pioneer in video game music, with their early soundtracks mostly composed by chiptune musicians Yuzo Koshiro and Mieko Ishikawa,[6][7] and some arranged by Ryo Yonemitsu.[7][8] They were the first company to produce game music CDs, the first to apply vocals to game music, and the first to have a band composed of professional musicians dedicated to games, the Falcom Sound Team JDK.[6] Falcom's Ys soundtracks in particular are considered some of the finest and most influential role-playing game scores of all time.[9]

Published works

System indicated reflects the first release (or concurrent releases) of the game.

English-Localized Products

Many of these titles were not developed by Falcom, and in some cases bear little resemblance to the original game.

  • Faxanadu (NES) Nintendo
  • Tombs & Treasure (NES) Brøderbund Software
  • Ys: The Vanished Omens (SMS) Sega
  • Ancient Land of Ys (DOS) Brøderbund Software
  • Legacy of the Wizard (NES) Brøderbund Software
  • Sorcerian (DOS PC) Brøderbund Software
  • Ys Book I & II (Turbo CD) NEC Home Entertainment
  • Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (Genesis) Renovation Productions
  • Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (Super NES) American Sammy
  • Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (Turbo CD) Turbo Technologies
  • Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes (Turbo CD) Turbo Technologies
  • Brandish (SNES) Koei
  • Popful Mail: Magical Fantasy Adventure (Sega CD) Working Designs
  • Xanadu Next (N-Gage) Nokia
  • Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion (PSP) Namco Bandai Games
  • Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch (PSP) Namco Bandai Games
  • Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean (PSP) Namco Bandai Games
  • Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PS2 and PSP) Konami
  • Ys Book 1 (mobile) Hudson
  • Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure (PSP) Mastiff Games
  • Ys Book I & II (Virtual Console) Hudson
  • Legacy of Ys: Books I & II (DS) Atlus
  • Ys Seven (PSP) XSEED Games
  • Ys I & II Chronicles (PSP) XSEED Games
  • Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PSP) XSEED Games
  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: First Chapter (PSP) XSEED Games
  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: Second Chapter (PSP) XSEED Games
  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: Third Chapter (PSP) XSEED Games

Many Falcom games have been licensed and developed by other companies such as NEC, Hudson Soft, Epoch, Tokyo Shoseki (aka Tonkin House), Sega, RIOT, Victor, Koei and Konami, for various PC and video game systems.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Bailey, Kat (May 18, 2010). "Hack and Slash: What Makes a Good Action RPG?". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2011-07-11.
  2. ^ a b c d e Szczepaniak, John (7 July 2011). "Falcom: Legacy of Ys". GamesTM (111): 152-159 [153]. Retrieved 2011-09-07. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) (cf. Szczepaniak, John (July 8, 2011). "History of Ys interviews". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved 6 September 2011.)
  3. ^ a b c Gifford, Kevin (09/07/2011). "The Trail of Nihon Falcom: The president of Japan's oldest existing RPG maker speaks". 1UP.com. Retrieved 13 September 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ John Harris (July 2, 2009). "Game Design Essentials: 20 RPGs - Dragon Slayer". Gamasutra. p. 13. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  5. ^ "Xanadu Next home page". Retrieved 2008-09-08. (Translation)
  6. ^ a b c Szczepaniak, John (7 July 2011). "Falcom: Legacy of Ys". GamesTM (111): 152-159 [154]. Retrieved 2011-09-08. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) (cf. Szczepaniak, John (July 8, 2011). "History of Ys interviews". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved 8 September 2011.)
  7. ^ a b Kalata, Kurt (11/27/10). "Ys". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved 3 September 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Ryan Mattich. "Falcom Classics II". RPGFan. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  9. ^ Chris Greening & Don Kotowski (February 2011). "Interview with Yuzo Koshiro". Square Enix Music Online. Retrieved 2011-06-20.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nihon_Falcom&oldid=450254172"