Nihon Falcom

Nihon Falcom Corporation (日本ファルコム株式会社, Nihon Farukomu Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese computer game company. The company was founded in March of 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.

Their flagship titles include the Dragon Slayer, The Legend of Heroes and Ys series. 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.

Published works

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

• (1982.06) Galactic Wars (PC-8801)
• (1983.10) Horror House (PC-8801)
• (1983.10) Bird Land (PC-8801)
• (1983.12) Panorama Island (PC-8801)
• (1983.12) Horror House2 (PC-8801)
• (1984.03) Demon Ring (PC-8801)
• (1984.11) Dragon Slayer (PC-8801)
• (1985.04) Asteka (PC-8801)
• (1985.11) Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu (PC-8801)
• (1986.06) Asteka II: Templo del Sol (PC-8801)
• (1986.10) Dragon Slayer Jr.: Romancia (PC-8801)
• (1986.10) Xanadu Scenario 2: The Resurrection of Dragon (PC-8801)
• (1987.06.26) Ys: Ancient Ys Vanished Omen (PC-8801)
• (1987.07) Dragon Slayer IV: Drasle Family (MSX/MSX2)
• (1987.12.20) Dragon Slayer V: Sorcerian (PC-8801)
• (1988.04.22) Ys II: Ancient Ys Vanished - The Final Chapter (PC-8801)
• (1989.03) Star Trader (PC-8801)
• (1989.07.21) Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (PC-8801/PC-9801)
• (1989.12.10) Dragon Slayer VI: The Legend of Heroes (PC-8801/PC-9801)
• (1990.12) DINOSAUR (PC-8801)
• (1991.03.21) Dragon Slayer VII: Lord Monarch (PC-9801)
• (1991.10.25) Brandish (PC-8801/PC-9801)
• (1991.12.20) Popful Mail (PC-8801/PC-9801)
• (1992.03.19) Dragon Slayer VII: The Legend of Heroes II (PC-8801/PC-9801)
• (1993.03.12) Brandish 2: Planet Buster (PC-9801)
• (1994.02.18) Dragon Slayer VIII: The Legend of Xanadu (PC Engine)
• (1994.03.18) The Legend of Heroes III: White Witch (PC-9801)
• (1994.06.10) Popful Mail (Super Famicom)
• (1994.11.25) Brandish 3: Spirit of Balcan (PC-9801)
• (1995.06.30) The Legend of Xanadu II: The Last of Dragon Slayer (PC Engine)
• (1995.12.29) Ys V: Kefin, The Lost City of Sand (Super Famicom)
• (1996.05.24) The Legend of Heroes IV: A Red Drop (PC-9801)
• (1996.10.04) Brandish VT (PC-9801)
• (1996.12.22) Lord Monarch Original (Windows PC)
• (1997.04.25) The Legend of Heroes (Windows PC)
• (1997.06.27) Sorcerian Forever (Windows PC)
• (1997.11.22) Vantage Master (Windows PC)
• (1998.04.24) Ys 1 ETERNAL (Windows PC)
• (1998.07.10) Vantage Master V2 (Windows PC)
• (1998.10.30) Monarch Monarch (Windows PC)
• (1998.12.11) Brandish 4 (Windows PC)
• (1999.04.23) The Legend of Heroes III: White Witch (Windows PC)
• (1999.12.09) The Legend of Heroes V: A Cagesong of the Ocean (Windows PC)
• (2000.07.06) Ys 2 ETERNAL (Windows PC)
• (2000.11.09) Sorcerian Original (Windows PC)
• (2000.12.09) The Legend of Heroes IV: A Tear of Vermillion (Windows PC)
• (2001.06.28) Ys 1&2 Complete (Windows PC)
• (2001.12.20) ZWEI!! (Windows PC)
• (2002.06.27) VM JAPAN (Windows PC)
• (2002.12.29) DINOSAUR resurrection (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)
• (2004.12.25) Gurumin (Windows PC)
• (2005.06.30) RINNE (Windows PC)
• (2005.06.30) Ys: The Oath in Felghana (Windows PC)
• (2005.10.27) Xanadu Next (Windows PC)
• (2006.03.09) The Legend of Heroes : Sora no Kiseki Second Chapter (Windows PC)
• (2006.06.29) Gurumin (PSP)
• (2006.09.28) The Legend of Heroes : Sora no Kiseki First Chapter (PSP)
• (2006.12.21) Ys Origin (Windows PC)
• (2007.06.28) The Legend of Heroes : Sora no Kiseki The 3rd (Windows PC)
• (2007.09.27) The Legend of Heroes : Sora no Kiseki Second Chapter (PSP)
• (2008.04.24) Vantage Master Portable (PSP)
• (2008.07.24) The Legend of Heroes : Sora no Kiseki The 3rd (PSP)
• (2008.09.25) ZWEI II (Windows PC)

English-Localized Products

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
• Ancient Ys Vanished Omens (SMS and DOS PC) Sega and Brøderbund Software
• Legacy of the Wizard (NES) Brøderbund Software
• Sorcerian (DOS PC) Brøderbund Software
• Ys Book I & II (Turbo CD and Virtual Console) NEC Home Entertainment and Hudson
• Ys III: Wanderers from Ys (Turbo CD, SNES, Genesis) Turbo Technologies, American Sammy and Renovation Productions
• Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes (Turbo CD) Turbo Technologies
• Brandish (SNES) Koei
• Magical Popful Mail Fantasy Adventure (Sega CD) Working Designs
• Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion (PSP) Bandai Namco Games
• Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch (PSP) Bandai Namco Games
• Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean (PSP) Bandai Namco Games
• Ys: The Ark of Napishtim (PS2 and PSP) Konami
• Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure (PSP) Mastiff Games
• Legacy of Ys: Books I & II (DS) Atlus

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

• Masaya Hashimoto
• Mieko Ishikawa
• Yuzo Koshiro

External links

• Falcom Home Page Template:Ja icon
• Japanese Fan Site Template:Ja icon