Tec Toy
Encyclopedia
Tectoy is a Brazil
ian videogame and electronics
company. They are best known for publishing and distributing Sega
's consoles and video games in that country. The company stock is also traded at Bovespa
. The company is headquartered in São Paulo
.
Tectoy also made various Master System and Mega Drive derivatives targeting the low-income market. Those consoles don't have the cartridge slots, and games are recorded directly on internal memory. The most recent notable of those ones is the Mega Drive Portable.
Tectoy was founded in 1987, with the purpose of making electronic toy
s, a niche that other Brazilian toy manufacturers had failed to notice. They quickly struck a deal to become the exclusive representative of Japan
ese video game giant Sega Enterprises Ltd.
. Consequently, their first product was the Zillion
infrared toy gun. In the coming years they would release all of Sega's game machines, from the Master System
to the Dreamcast. Their success in the gaming field was so notable that toys became a minor part of their business.
With Tectoy, Sega had a huge advantage over rival Nintendo
in the Brazilian market; although there were countless Nintendo Entertainment System
clones there, Nintendo had no official representatives until 1993. This way, the Master System was a massive success there, and Tectoy even made some game versions not released anywhere else. During the 1990s, Tectoy had 80% of the official Brazilian market.
Tectoy translated several games to Portuguese
, such as the first three Phantasy Star
games (but not IV, which only had a fan-made translation in 2004 http://www.ps4br.cjb.net/), Shining in the Darkness
and Riven
(which also had its voices dubbed
).
They also modified some games to replace characters with local licenses; that way, Teddy Boy
became Geraldinho of Glauco
, certain Wonder Boy
titles became Monica's Gang
games and Ghost House also starred El Chapulín Colorado
("Chapolim Colorado"), a mexican character very popular in Brazil.
More interestingly, they have made unique ports and even developed original games. Some of these are: Street Fighter II
for the Master System, Duke Nukem 3D
for the Mega Drive/Genesis and an original Woody Woodpecker
game for the Mega Drive and Master System. More recently they released two Mega Drive titles based on Show do Milhão — a TV
game show
hosted by Silvio Santos
in the same vein of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
Even before the Dreamcast was discontinued and Sega withdrew from the console hardware business, Tectoy realized that their long-time partner was failing, and decided to diversify. They now also sell karaoke
devices, DVD
players and MP3 players. They also manage the Brazilian servers for Ragnarok Online
. Also, their Tectoy Mobile division, founded in 2005, is the Brazilian publisher of cell phone games
by companies such as Sega Mobile
, In-Fusio and Bandai
.
However, they still make older Sega consoles, especially variants of the Master System and the Mega Drive/Genesis with dozens of built-in games.
Besides the video games, Tectoy's most successful toy was Pense Bem ("Think well" in Portuguese): using books (themed history, geography, mathematics, etc.) with questions, the kids clicked the buttons with alternatives in a machine. The toy responded if it was right or wrong. Some Pense Bem books included famous characters like Monica's Gang, Sonic the Hedgehog
, Dinosaurs
and Donald Duck
.
Beside the books, Pense Bem had 10 built-in programs. Pense Bem-themed games are included in the new Super Mega Drive 3 http://www.tectoy.com.br/videogame/mega/jogos/pensebem.asp and Master System 3 Collection.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian videogame and electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
company. They are best known for publishing and distributing Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's consoles and video games in that country. The company stock is also traded at Bovespa
Bovespa
The BM&FBOVESPA is a stock exchange located at São Paulo, Brazil. As of December 31, 2010 it had a market capitalization of US $1.54 Trillion, making it one of the largest in the world. On May 8, 2008, the São Paulo Stock Exchange and the Brazilian Mercantile and Futures Exchange merged,...
. The company is headquartered in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
.
Video games
The main video game consoles released by Tectoy in Brazil are:- Master System (1988, from SegaSega, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
) - Mega Drive/Genesis (1989, from Sega)
- Sega Game GearSega Game GearThe was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
(1991, from Sega) - Sega SaturnSega SaturnThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
(1995, from Sega) - Dreamcast (1999, from Sega)
- ZeeboZeeboZeebo is a 3G-enabled entertainment and education system from Zeebo Inc. It not only enables users to play video games, but also connect to the Internet, communicate online and run educational applications. The Zeebo is targeted at developing markets such as BRIC and Mexico. Zeebo Inc...
(2009)
Tectoy also made various Master System and Mega Drive derivatives targeting the low-income market. Those consoles don't have the cartridge slots, and games are recorded directly on internal memory. The most recent notable of those ones is the Mega Drive Portable.
History
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s, a niche that other Brazilian toy manufacturers had failed to notice. They quickly struck a deal to become the exclusive representative of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese video game giant Sega Enterprises Ltd.
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
. Consequently, their first product was the Zillion
Zillion (anime)
Zillion, full title , is a Japanese anime television series that ran from April 12, 1987 to December 13, 1987 on Nippon Television in Japan and was produced by Tatsunoko Production and Sega...
infrared toy gun. In the coming years they would release all of Sega's game machines, from the Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
to the Dreamcast. Their success in the gaming field was so notable that toys became a minor part of their business.
With Tectoy, Sega had a huge advantage over rival Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
in the Brazilian market; although there were countless Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
clones there, Nintendo had no official representatives until 1993. This way, the Master System was a massive success there, and Tectoy even made some game versions not released anywhere else. During the 1990s, Tectoy had 80% of the official Brazilian market.
Tectoy translated several games to Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, such as the first three Phantasy Star
Phantasy Star series
is a series of console role-playing video games and other supplementary media created by Sega. The original game debuted in 1987 on the Sega Master System with Phantasy Star, and continues into the present with Phantasy Star Universe, Sega's foray into the realm of MMORPGs...
games (but not IV, which only had a fan-made translation in 2004 http://www.ps4br.cjb.net/), Shining in the Darkness
Shining in the Darkness
Shining in the Darkness, released as in Japan, is a 1991 RPG for the Mega Drive/Genesis video game console. It was one of the first RPGs released for the system, and began the Shining RPG series that would span four Sega video game consoles as well as the Game Boy Advance and PlayStation 2.On...
and Riven
Riven
Riven is a puzzle adventure game and the sequel to Myst. Developed by Cyan Worlds, it was initially published by Brøderbund. Riven was distributed on five compact discs and released on October 29, 1997, in North America; it was later released on a single DVD-ROM, with improved audio and a...
(which also had its voices dubbed
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
).
They also modified some games to replace characters with local licenses; that way, Teddy Boy
Teddy Boy (video game)
is a 1985 arcade game made by Sega. It stars a young boy who is armed with a gun. Each level is an infinitely repeating maze with several dice. Each die is filled with monsters which hatch out and the player must shoot to shrink, then collect them...
became Geraldinho of Glauco
Glauco Villas Boas
Glauco Villas Boas was a Brazilian illustrator, cartoonist and religious leader...
, certain Wonder Boy
Wonder Boy
is a series of video games published by SEGA and developed by Westone Bit Entertainment .The series itself consists of the main Wonder Boy series, and the Monster World sub-series. Games may be part of one, the other, or both. This has resulted in a sometimes confusing naming structure resulting in...
titles became Monica's Gang
Monica's Gang
Monica's Gang is a popular Brazilian comic book series. The series was created by Mauricio de Sousa, who signs his work as "Mauricio". Plots are centered on the adventures of a group of seven-year-old friends in the fictional neighborhood of "Limoeiro" in São Paulo...
games and Ghost House also starred El Chapulín Colorado
El Chapulín Colorado
El Chapulín Colorado is a television series, created and played by Roberto Gómez Bolaños, also known as Chespirito, a successful Mexican comedian and TV show producer, which parodied superhero shows...
("Chapolim Colorado"), a mexican character very popular in Brazil.
More interestingly, they have made unique ports and even developed original games. Some of these are: Street Fighter II
Street Fighter II
is a competitive fighting game originally released for the arcades in . It is the arcade sequel to the original Street Fighter released in and was Capcom's fourteenth title that ran on the CP System arcade hardware...
for the Master System, Duke Nukem 3D
Duke Nukem 3D
Duke Nukem 3D is a first-person shooter computer game developed by 3D Realms and published by GT Interactive Software. The full version was released for the PC . It is a sequel to the platform games Duke Nukem and Duke Nukem II published by Apogee...
for the Mega Drive/Genesis and an original Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker
Woody Woodpecker is an animated cartoon character, an anthropomorphic acorn woodpecker who appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz animation studio and distributed by Universal Pictures...
game for the Mega Drive and Master System. More recently they released two Mega Drive titles based on Show do Milhão — a TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
hosted by Silvio Santos
Silvio Santos
-External links:*...
in the same vein of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
devices, DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
players and MP3 players. They also manage the Brazilian servers for Ragnarok Online
Ragnarok Online
Ragnarok Online , often referred to as RO, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game or MMORPG created by GRAVITY Co., Ltd. based on the manhwa Ragnarok by Lee Myung-jin. It was first released in South Korea on 31 August 2002 for Microsoft Windows and has since been released in many other...
. Also, their Tectoy Mobile division, founded in 2005, is the Brazilian publisher of cell phone games
Mobile game
A mobile game is a video game played on a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet computer or portable media player. This does not include games played on handheld video game systems such as Nintendo DS or PlayStation Portable....
by companies such as Sega Mobile
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
, In-Fusio and Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
.
However, they still make older Sega consoles, especially variants of the Master System and the Mega Drive/Genesis with dozens of built-in games.
Besides the video games, Tectoy's most successful toy was Pense Bem ("Think well" in Portuguese): using books (themed history, geography, mathematics, etc.) with questions, the kids clicked the buttons with alternatives in a machine. The toy responded if it was right or wrong. Some Pense Bem books included famous characters like Monica's Gang, Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
, Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs (TV series)
Dinosaurs is an American family sitcom that was originally broadcast on ABC from April 26, 1991 to July 20, 1994. The show, about a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs, was produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Television in association with Walt Disney Television and Buena Vista...
and Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
.
Beside the books, Pense Bem had 10 built-in programs. Pense Bem-themed games are included in the new Super Mega Drive 3 http://www.tectoy.com.br/videogame/mega/jogos/pensebem.asp and Master System 3 Collection.