Compile
From Sega Retro
Compile | ||
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Founded: 1982-04-07[1] | ||
Defunct: 2002 | ||
T-series code: T-66 | ||
Headquarters:
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Compile (株式会社 コンパイル) was a Japanese video game company founded in 1983 by Masamitsu "Moo" Niitani. They were best known in the 1980s for their many shoot-'em-up games and in the 1990s for their flagship Puyo Puyo video game series.
Between its founding and the eventual domination of the IBM PC internationally, Compile was known as a major home computer developer, most prolifically on the MSX — introducing a majority of its portfolio on the platform: shoot-'em-up series Zanac and Aleste, RPG series Golvellius and Madou Monogatari (and the first game in its spun-off puzzle game series Puyo Puyo), and a variety of other games and compilations (the DiscStation series).
Compile was also well known for developing under license or contract for parts of their early history — most notably as the shadow-developers of Naxat Soft's Crush series of pinball games (including Devil Crash, which Tecnosoft ported to the Mega Drive) and of Hudson's Blazing Lazers/Gunhed — all for the TurboGrafx-16. Their relationship with Sega began this way — being asked to port N-Sub, Tranquilizer Gun (as Safari Hunting), and Borderline to the SG-1000 as three of their first projects, and later returning to do more ports and contracts. But the tables would turn: after Sega offered to make Puyo Puyo into an arcade game, Compile developed a sequel whose wildfire success defined the future of Compile as a console developer primarily focused on Puyo Puyo games.
Compile filed for bankruptcy and disbanded in 2002, though its spirit lives on in a handful of companies founded by ex-employees:
- Compile Heart, founded by several ex-employees including Niitani, aims to keep the brand name alive
- Milestone Inc., who made arcade shoot-'em-ups, now defunct
- Eighting/Raizing, who also makes arcade shoot-'em-ups
- Aiky, who is known for publishing games
The rights to Puyo Puyo were acquired by and remain the property of Sega. New games in the franchise are produced by Sega's subsidiary Sonic Team. The rights to all other Compile properties were acquired by online publisher D4 Enterprise, but were sold (back) to Compile Heart in late 2010[2]. Sega Logistics Service announced that on March 31, 2017, it would end maintenance on the arcade versions of Puyo Puyo Tsuu, Puyo Puyo SUN, and Puyo Puyo Da! Featuring Ellena System.[3][4]
Compile had a short-lived subsidiary LMS Music which provided audio for a number of their games in the mid-1990s.
Contents
Softography
System C2
- Puyo Puyo (1992)
- Puyo Puyo Tsuu (1994)
NAOMI
NAOMI GD-ROM
- Pochi to Nyaa (unreleased)
SG-1000
- N-Sub (1983)
- Tranquillizer Gun (1983)
- Borderline (1984)
- Lode Runner (1984)
- Hustle Chumy (1984)
- Choplifter (1985)
- Championship Lode Runner (1985)
- C So! (1986)
- Gulkave (1986)
- Champion Billiards (1986)
Master System
- Ghostbusters (1987)
- Parlour Games (1987)
- Golvellius (1988)
- Power Strike (1988)
- R-Type (1988)
- Casino Games (1989)
- Power Strike II (1993)
- Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (1994)
Mega Drive
- Ghostbusters (1990)
- M.U.S.H.A. (1990)
- Puyo Puyo (1992)
- Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (1993)
- Puyo Puyo Tsuu (1994)
- Madou Monogatari I (1996)
Game Gear
- GG Aleste (1991)
- Power Strike II (1993)
- Puyo Puyo (1993)
- Nazo Puyo (1993)
- Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (1993)
- Madou Monogatari I: 3tsu no Madoukyuu (1993)
- Nazo Puyo 2 (1993)
- Madou Monogatari II: Arle 16-Sai (1994)
- Nazo Puyo Arle no Roux (1994)
- Madou Monogatari III: Kyuukyoku Joou-sama (1994)
- Puyo Puyo Tsuu (1994)
- Madou Monogatari A: Doki Doki Vacation (1995)
Mega-CD
- Robo Aleste (1992)
- Warau Salesman (1993)
- Shadowrun (1996)
- Dennin Aleste 2 (unreleased)
Saturn
- Puyo Puyo Tsuu (1995)
- DiscStation Bessatsu i miss you. (1997)
- Waku Waku Puyo Puyo Dungeon Taikenban (1998)
- Waku Waku Puyo Puyo Dungeon (1998)
- Madou Monogatari (1998)
- Puyo Korogashi (unreleased)
Dreamcast
- Puyo Puyo~n (1999)
- Puyo Puyo Da! Featuring Ellena System (1999)
MSX
- Gulkave (1986)
FM Towns
- Columns (1990)
Game Boy Color
- Pocket Puyo Puyo Sun (1998)
- Puyo Puyo Gaiden: Puyo Wars (1999)
- Arle no Bouken: Mahou no Jewel (2000)
- Pocket Puyo Puyo~n (2000)
Nintendo Switch Online
- Super Puyo Puyo 2 (2019)
LMS Music
Mega Drive
- Madou Monogatari I (1996) (audio)
Game Gear
- Madou Monogatari A: Doki Doki Vacation (1995) (audio)
Mega-CD
- Shadowrun (1996) (audio)
Saturn
- Puyo Puyo Tsuu (1995) (audio)
External links
NEC Retro has more information related to Compile
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- Mostly complete softography 1983-1999 from an archive of Compile's web site