Video System
Encyclopedia
was a software company that was founded and ran by software designer Koji Furukawa in Kyoto, Japan in December 1984. It was best known for making video game titles for the arcade
s and other different platforms, including the Super Nintendo
, Neo-Geo
and Nintendo 64
.
They released various types of arcade games throughout Japan and the U.S., such as Tail to Nose
, the F1 Grand Prix series, Karate Blazers, Tao Taido
, Rabbit Punch (known as Rabio Lepus in Japan), Turbo Force, Super Volleyball, and most notably, the Aero Fighters
series.
Although Video System's main headquarters opened in Japan, they eventually opened a U.S. branch office. Sometime in 1992, Video System's U.S. office changed its name to McO'River, Inc., and was given the licensing rights to distribute Aero Fighters arcade machines throughout the U.S. In 1993, McO'River was supposed to publish 3 titles of arcade games in the U.S. that were ported over to the Super Famicom
in Japan. While Video System developed and published numerous titles in Japan, McO'River would only able to publish 2 of them in the U.S.: Hyper V-Ball
in June, 1994; and Aero Fighters in November, 1994.
The third title, F-1 Grand Prix 2, was never released in the U.S. for reasons unknown. McO'River would never publish another title under that name. Video System, meanwhile, released Aero Fighters 2 and 3 for the Neo-Geo
, sequels which secured the shooter's success. In 1997, McO'River, Inc. changed its name to Video System U.S.A., Inc. Under that name, the company released Aero Fighters Assault, and F-1 World Grand Prix
for the Nintendo 64
. A sequel to the latter game was only released in Europe. Shortly before Video System closed its U.S. office sometime between 1999 and 2000 and closed all of its doors around 2001, the specific staff of Aero Fighters would go on to form their own company, Psikyo
.
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
s and other different platforms, including the Super Nintendo
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, Neo-Geo
Neo Geo (console)
The is a cartridge-based arcade and home video game system released on July 1, 1991 by Japanese game company SNK. Being in the Fourth generation of Gaming, it was the first console in the former Neo Geo family, which only lived through the 1990s...
and Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
.
They released various types of arcade games throughout Japan and the U.S., such as Tail to Nose
Tail to Nose
Tail to Nose: Great Championship, known in Japan as , is a Formula One-based arcade racing video game developed and published by Video System.-Summary:...
, the F1 Grand Prix series, Karate Blazers, Tao Taido
Tao Taido
is a fighting arcade game developed and published by Video System. It was Video System's only attempt in the fighting game genre, and it was created during the fighting game trend of the 1990s that was popularized by Capcom's arcade hit Street Fighter II....
, Rabbit Punch (known as Rabio Lepus in Japan), Turbo Force, Super Volleyball, and most notably, the Aero Fighters
Aero Fighters
Aero Fighters is a vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up arcade game released in 1992 by Video System, ported to the Super Famicom in 1993 and the Super Nintendo in 1994....
series.
Although Video System's main headquarters opened in Japan, they eventually opened a U.S. branch office. Sometime in 1992, Video System's U.S. office changed its name to McO'River, Inc., and was given the licensing rights to distribute Aero Fighters arcade machines throughout the U.S. In 1993, McO'River was supposed to publish 3 titles of arcade games in the U.S. that were ported over to the Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
in Japan. While Video System developed and published numerous titles in Japan, McO'River would only able to publish 2 of them in the U.S.: Hyper V-Ball
Hyper V-Ball
Hyper V-Ball - known in Japan as - is a Super NES volleyball video game and the fourth game of Super Volley series.-Summary:The player can use either human or robotic volleyball players. While the human players give the game more realism, the robot players can provide special moves that can...
in June, 1994; and Aero Fighters in November, 1994.
The third title, F-1 Grand Prix 2, was never released in the U.S. for reasons unknown. McO'River would never publish another title under that name. Video System, meanwhile, released Aero Fighters 2 and 3 for the Neo-Geo
Neo Geo (console)
The is a cartridge-based arcade and home video game system released on July 1, 1991 by Japanese game company SNK. Being in the Fourth generation of Gaming, it was the first console in the former Neo Geo family, which only lived through the 1990s...
, sequels which secured the shooter's success. In 1997, McO'River, Inc. changed its name to Video System U.S.A., Inc. Under that name, the company released Aero Fighters Assault, and F-1 World Grand Prix
F-1 World Grand Prix
F-1 World Grand Prix is a Formula One racing game/sim first released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64 game console and to later platforms including Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, PC and PlayStation...
for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
. A sequel to the latter game was only released in Europe. Shortly before Video System closed its U.S. office sometime between 1999 and 2000 and closed all of its doors around 2001, the specific staff of Aero Fighters would go on to form their own company, Psikyo
Psikyo
is a Japanese video game company started in 1992. Psikyo is an off-shoot formed from the staff that created the Aero Fighters series for Video System. Psikyo focused on arcade games, mostly vertically-scrolling shoot 'em ups and pornographic mahjong games...
.
External links
- Official Japanese website
- List of Video Sysytem games at GameFAQsGameFAQsGameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by CBS Interactive. The site has a database of video game information, cheat codes, reviews, game saves,...