Difference between revisions of "Tengen"

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{{CompanyBob
 
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| founded=1987-12-21
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| founded=1987
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| defunct=1994-06-28
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| defunct=1994
 
 
| tseries=T-48
 
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| mergedinto=[[Time Warner Interactive]]
 
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| headquarters=Milpitas, CA, USA
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| headquarters=[[wikipedia:Milpitas, California|1623 Buckeye Drive, Milpitas, California 95035, United States]]{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20230223152608/https://hiddenpalace.org/File:PXL_20210930_013418959.jpg}}
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}}
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| headquarters2=[[wikipedia:Milpitas, California|675 Sycamore Drive, Milpitas, California 95035, United States]]{{magref|egrn|8|40}}{{fileref|SummerCES1991 Directory.pdf|page=270}}
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'''Tengen''' was a video game publisher and [[video game developer|developer]] that was created by arcade game manufacturer Atari Games. Atari had been split into two distinct companies. Atari Corporation was responsible for computer and console games and hardware and owned the rights to the Atari brand for these domains. Atari Games was formed from Atari's arcade division, and were able to use the Atari name on arcade releases but not on console or computer games. When Atari Games wanted to enter the console-game market, it needed to create a new label that did not use the Atari name. The new subsidiary was dubbed Tengen, which in the Chinese game Go refers to the central point of the board (the word "Atari" comes from the same game). Tengen then made an agreement with [[Namco]] to bring some of their Famicom games to the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America before Namco opened its own North American branch in 1993. Tengen also released games by [[Sunsoft]] (another developer without a North American branch). During this time, Tengen ported first-party [[Sega Master System]] games, such as ''[[Fantasy Zone]]'' and ''[[Alien Syndrome]]'', to the NES.
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}}{{stub}}'''Tengen''' (テンゲン) was a division of [[Atari Games]] responsible for developing and publishing console games as well as licensing games made by other companies that contain Atari Games' properties. Some of Tengen's console games were ports of Atari Games' arcade titles, including ''[[Klax]]'', ''[[Hard Drivin']]'', and ''[[Paperboy]]''.
  
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Despite its problems with Nintendo, where it was in a legal battle over the use of unlicensed cartridges, Tengen went on to produce games for the [[Sega Mega Drive]], [[Sega Master System]], [[Sega Game Gear]], [[Sega CD]], Atari Lynx, and NEC Turbo Grafx-16. The company also published games for home computers such as the Amiga and the Atari ST. It was best-known for its ports of popular Atari arcade games, including ''[[Klax]]'', ''[[Hard Drivin']]'', and ''[[Paperboy]]'', although they published many other titles as well. Tengen is also known for stepping in as a publisher where other publishers did not have licenses, including [[Domark]] for Japanese releases and [[Virgin Interactive]] for American releases. In 1993, after Time Warner bought a controlling stake in Atari Games, the Tengen name was discontinued and home games were now released under the [[Time Warner Interactive]] (TWI) brand.
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==History==
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Atari had been split into two distinct companies; Atari Corporation was responsible for computer and console games and hardware and owned the rights to the Atari brand for these domains. Atari Games was formed from Atari's arcade division, and were able to use the Atari name on arcade releases but not on console or computer games. When Atari Games wanted to enter the console-game market, it needed to create a new label that did not use the Atari name. The new subsidiary was dubbed Tengen, which in the Chinese game Go refers to the central point of the board (the word "Atari" comes from the same game). Tengen started off as a group of testers, but later expanded to include its own development team.<ref>[http://www.nesworld.com/hindorff.php "Bill Hindorff Interview"]</ref>
  
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==Softography==
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Tengen published [[NES]] ports of four of [[Sega]]'s arcade games: ''[[After Burner II]]'', ''[[Alien Syndrome]]'', ''[[Shinobi]]'', and ''[[Fantasy Zone]]''; they had been released in North America without any approval from [[Nintendo]] due to the latter's strict third party publishing policies. Tengen had also sub-licensed the Japanese arcade rights and illegitimate Mega Drive rights to ''[[Tetris]]'' to Sega after Atari Games acquired the arcade rights and illegitimate console rights to the game from [[Mirrorsoft]]. Tengen's unapproved NES games and their development of an NES port of ''Tetris'' would result in a series of legal battles between Atari Games and Nintendo that Atari Games would ultimately lose.
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{{multicol
 
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===Nintendo Entertainment System===
 
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* ''[[After Burner]]'' (1989)
 
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* ''[[Alien Syndrome]]'' (1989)
 
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* ''[[Fantasy Zone]]'' (1989)
 
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* ''[[Shinobi]]'' (1989)
 
  
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===[[Master System]]===
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Tengen went on to produce games for the [[Mega Drive]], the [[Master System]], the [[Game Gear]], and the [[Mega-CD]]. Tengen also stepped in as a publisher where other publishers did not have licenses, including [[Domark]] for Japanese releases and [[Virgin Interactive]] for American releases. Time Warner, which had become the majority owner of Atari Games in 1993, merged Tengen with Atari Games and [[Time Warner Interactive]] (TWI) brand.
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* ''[[Klax]]'' (1991)
 
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* ''[[Ms. Pac-Man]] (1991)
 
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* ''[[PGA Tour Golf]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Rampart]]'' (1993)
 
  
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===[[Mega Drive]]===
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[[Domark]] and Tengen entered into an agreement where Domark would distribute each other's games in Europe and North America, respectively.
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* ''[[Hard Drivin']] (1990)
 
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* ''[[Klax]]'' (1990)
 
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* ''[[Ms. Pac-Man]]'' (1991)
 
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* ''[[Pac-Mania]]'' (1991)
 
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* ''[[Paperboy]]'' (1991)
 
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* ''[[Pit-Fighter]]'' (1991)
 
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* ''[[Rampart]]'' (1991)
 
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* ''[[R.B.I. Baseball 3]]'' (1991)
 
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* ''[[RoadBlasters]]'' (1991)
 
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* ''[[Paperboy 2]]'' (1992)
 
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* ''[[Dragon's Fury]]'' (1992)
 
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* ''[[R.B.I. Baseball 4]]'' (1992)
 
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* ''[[Steel Talons]]'' (1992)
 
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* ''[[Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino's Butt!]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Davis Cup World Tour]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Dragon's Revenge]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Formula One]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Gauntlet IV]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[James Bond 007 : The Duel]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Marble Madness]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[MiG-29]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Prince of Persia]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Race Drivin']]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[R.B.I. Baseball '93]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Slap Fight MD]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Snow Bros.]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[R.B.I. Baseball '94]]'' (1994)
 
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* ''[[Grind Stormer]]'' (1994)
 
  
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===[[Mega CD]]===
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==Softography==
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* ''[[Robo Aleste]]'' (1993)
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{{CompanyHistoryAll|Tengen}}
  
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===[[Game Gear]]===
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==References==
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* ''[[Klax]]'' (1991)
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{{NECRetro}}
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* ''[[Magical Puzzle Popils]]'' (1991)
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<references />
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* ''[[Paperboy]]'' (1991)
 
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* ''[[Marble Madness]]'' (1992)
 
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* ''[[PGA Tour Golf]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[World Cup Soccer]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Paperboy 2]]'' (1993)
 
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* ''[[Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck]]'' (1994)
 
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* ''[[R.B.I. Baseball '94]]'' (1994)
 
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}}
 
  
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[[Category:Third-Party Development Companies]]
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[[Category:Licensors]]

Latest revision as of 02:09, 13 December 2023

This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.

Tengen (テンゲン) was a division of Atari Games responsible for developing and publishing console games as well as licensing games made by other companies that contain Atari Games' properties. Some of Tengen's console games were ports of Atari Games' arcade titles, including Klax, Hard Drivin', and Paperboy.

History

Atari had been split into two distinct companies; Atari Corporation was responsible for computer and console games and hardware and owned the rights to the Atari brand for these domains. Atari Games was formed from Atari's arcade division, and were able to use the Atari name on arcade releases but not on console or computer games. When Atari Games wanted to enter the console-game market, it needed to create a new label that did not use the Atari name. The new subsidiary was dubbed Tengen, which in the Chinese game Go refers to the central point of the board (the word "Atari" comes from the same game). Tengen started off as a group of testers, but later expanded to include its own development team.[4]

Tengen published NES ports of four of Sega's arcade games: After Burner II, Alien Syndrome, Shinobi, and Fantasy Zone; they had been released in North America without any approval from Nintendo due to the latter's strict third party publishing policies. Tengen had also sub-licensed the Japanese arcade rights and illegitimate Mega Drive rights to Tetris to Sega after Atari Games acquired the arcade rights and illegitimate console rights to the game from Mirrorsoft. Tengen's unapproved NES games and their development of an NES port of Tetris would result in a series of legal battles between Atari Games and Nintendo that Atari Games would ultimately lose.

Tengen went on to produce games for the Mega Drive, the Master System, the Game Gear, and the Mega-CD. Tengen also stepped in as a publisher where other publishers did not have licenses, including Domark for Japanese releases and Virgin Interactive for American releases. Time Warner, which had become the majority owner of Atari Games in 1993, merged Tengen with Atari Games and Time Warner Interactive (TWI) brand.

Domark and Tengen entered into an agreement where Domark would distribute each other's games in Europe and North America, respectively.

Softography

System 16

Master System

Mega Drive

Game Gear

Mega-CD

References

Necretro-round.svg
NEC Retro has more information related to Tengen
  1. ↑ https://hiddenpalace.org/File:PXL_20210930_013418959.jpg (Wayback Machine: 2023-02-23 15:26)
  2. ↑ Electronic Gaming Retail News, "January 1992" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 40
  3. ↑ Summer CES Directory, page 270
  4. ↑ "Bill Hindorff Interview"
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