Irem appreciation thread (first post updated)
Sept 2, 2013 12:12:49 GMT -5
Post by 1983parrothead on Sept 2, 2013 12:12:49 GMT -5
Irem Corporation started in 1974 as IPM (International Playing Machine) and released their first video game, IPM Invaders. Like most video game developers back then, they started with a clone of another video game.
In 1979, IPM changed its name to Irem Corporation. Originally an abbreviation for "International Rental Electronics Machines", the meaning of Irem's acronym was changed to "Innovations in Recreational Electronic Media" in the first half of the 1980s. Most of Irem's video games back then weren't becoming hits, until the creator of the first Street Fighter, Takashi Nishiyama, started working for Irem and created Irem's first known hit: Moon Patrol. It was ported to numerous home consoles and home computers:
Takashi Nishiyama later created one of the earliest (if not, the earliest) beat 'em up, Kung-Fu Master. It earned numerous ports (most notably the Kung-Fu for NES), as well as a French film about a boy who obsessively plays the arcade game titled "Kung-Fu Master!"
During the same year as the French film's release, Takashi Nishiyama started working for Capcom to create the first Street Fighter, while Irem forever became best known for the side-scrolling shoot 'em up: R-TYPE. Like Moon Patrol and Kung-Fu Master, it earned numerous home ports.
In 1990, former Atari and Nintendo executive Frank Ballouz and general sales manager Drew Maniscalco, while working at arcade distributor Fabtek, met up with Irem Corporation's president Yuki Takashima, who was fond of Frank, and spoke about founding the North American office of Irem, Irem America. Left: Drew Maniscalco. Right: Frank Ballouz.
Shortly after that, Irem started releasing their detailed-looking, post-apocalyptic arcade games (with Perfect Soldiers missing in that link), which later became well-known to Neo-Geo fans, while they also started their iconic (but not-so classic to Americans) Daiku no Gen-san / Hammerin' Harry franchise. At Irem America, Drew Maniscalco started creating the plot and name concept of one of James "AVGN" Rolfe's favorite arcade games: Ninja Baseball Bat Man. Its Japanese title is a reference to the Super Sentai series, which makes sense. I suggested Drew to create his own website.
Near the mid-'90s, Irem Corporation was about to end its original self and become Irem Software Engineering. While ending its original business, several former Irem Corporation employees later worked for Aicom (later Yumekobo), as well as founding Nazca Corporation to create some Neo-Geo titles like Pulstar, Blazing Star and the Metal Slug franchise. Irem continued developing video games until the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, causing Irem to cancel the majority of its remaining video game projects, including Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 4: Summer Memories and Poncotsu Roman Daikatsugeki Bumpy Trot 2. Similar to Visco Corporation's current business, Irem re-focused to become primarily a slot-machine and pachinko developer, the industry it was in before turning to video games. Its video game division was dissolved in April 2011 and many Irem designers, including producer Kazuma Kujo, gathered to form a new company called Granzella to continue creating games.
Read this for more info on Irem:
www.arcade-gear.com/Games/Irem/Irem.htm
And here is a longplay of Yakyū Kakutō League Man recorded from the PCB:
%E7%B7%A8_videogames" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.dailymotion.com/video/xsupq2_%E9%87%8E%E7%90%83%E6%A0%BC%E9%97%98%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B0%E3%83%9E%E3%83%B3-%E3%83%AC%E3%83%83%E3%83%89-%EF%BD%81%EF%BD%8C%EF%BD%8C-%E5%89%%E7%B7%A8_videogames
www.dailymotion.com/video/xsuprk_%E9%87%8E%E7%90%83%E6%A0%BC%E9%97%98%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B0%E3%83%9E%E3%83%B3-%E3%83%AC%E3%83%83%E3%83%89-%EF%BD%81%EF%BD%8C%EF%BD%8C-%E5%BE%8C%E7%B7%A8_videogames
In 1979, IPM changed its name to Irem Corporation. Originally an abbreviation for "International Rental Electronics Machines", the meaning of Irem's acronym was changed to "Innovations in Recreational Electronic Media" in the first half of the 1980s. Most of Irem's video games back then weren't becoming hits, until the creator of the first Street Fighter, Takashi Nishiyama, started working for Irem and created Irem's first known hit: Moon Patrol. It was ported to numerous home consoles and home computers:
Takashi Nishiyama later created one of the earliest (if not, the earliest) beat 'em up, Kung-Fu Master. It earned numerous ports (most notably the Kung-Fu for NES), as well as a French film about a boy who obsessively plays the arcade game titled "Kung-Fu Master!"
During the same year as the French film's release, Takashi Nishiyama started working for Capcom to create the first Street Fighter, while Irem forever became best known for the side-scrolling shoot 'em up: R-TYPE. Like Moon Patrol and Kung-Fu Master, it earned numerous home ports.
In 1990, former Atari and Nintendo executive Frank Ballouz and general sales manager Drew Maniscalco, while working at arcade distributor Fabtek, met up with Irem Corporation's president Yuki Takashima, who was fond of Frank, and spoke about founding the North American office of Irem, Irem America. Left: Drew Maniscalco. Right: Frank Ballouz.
Shortly after that, Irem started releasing their detailed-looking, post-apocalyptic arcade games (with Perfect Soldiers missing in that link), which later became well-known to Neo-Geo fans, while they also started their iconic (but not-so classic to Americans) Daiku no Gen-san / Hammerin' Harry franchise. At Irem America, Drew Maniscalco started creating the plot and name concept of one of James "AVGN" Rolfe's favorite arcade games: Ninja Baseball Bat Man. Its Japanese title is a reference to the Super Sentai series, which makes sense. I suggested Drew to create his own website.
Near the mid-'90s, Irem Corporation was about to end its original self and become Irem Software Engineering. While ending its original business, several former Irem Corporation employees later worked for Aicom (later Yumekobo), as well as founding Nazca Corporation to create some Neo-Geo titles like Pulstar, Blazing Star and the Metal Slug franchise. Irem continued developing video games until the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, causing Irem to cancel the majority of its remaining video game projects, including Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 4: Summer Memories and Poncotsu Roman Daikatsugeki Bumpy Trot 2. Similar to Visco Corporation's current business, Irem re-focused to become primarily a slot-machine and pachinko developer, the industry it was in before turning to video games. Its video game division was dissolved in April 2011 and many Irem designers, including producer Kazuma Kujo, gathered to form a new company called Granzella to continue creating games.
Read this for more info on Irem:
www.arcade-gear.com/Games/Irem/Irem.htm
And here is a longplay of Yakyū Kakutō League Man recorded from the PCB:
%E7%B7%A8_videogames" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.dailymotion.com/video/xsupq2_%E9%87%8E%E7%90%83%E6%A0%BC%E9%97%98%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B0%E3%83%9E%E3%83%B3-%E3%83%AC%E3%83%83%E3%83%89-%EF%BD%81%EF%BD%8C%EF%BD%8C-%E5%89%%E7%B7%A8_videogames
www.dailymotion.com/video/xsuprk_%E9%87%8E%E7%90%83%E6%A0%BC%E9%97%98%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B0%E3%83%9E%E3%83%B3-%E3%83%AC%E3%83%83%E3%83%89-%EF%BD%81%EF%BD%8C%EF%BD%8C-%E5%BE%8C%E7%B7%A8_videogames