indieszero
{{Lowercase title}}
{{short description|Japanese video game developer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2009}}
{{Infobox company
| name = indieszero Corporation, Ltd.
| brands = monsteroctopus
| logo = Indieszero_logo_new.webp
| type = Private
| genre =
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1997|4|21}}
| founder =
| defunct =
| location_city = Musashino, Tokyo
| location_country = Japan
| location = Kichijoji Hommachi 1-31-11 KS building 7F
| locations =
| area_served =
| key_people = Masanobu Suzui (鈴井匡伸)
| industry =
| products = Video games
| services =
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| aum =
| assets =
| equity =
| owner =
| num_employees = 52 (April 2024)
| parent =
| divisions =
| subsid =
| homepage = {{Official website | http://www.indieszero.co.jp/ |indieszero.co.jp}}
| footnotes =
}}
{{nihongo|indieszero Corporation, Ltd.|有限会社インディーズゼロ|lead=yes}} is a Japanese video game developer headquartered in Musashino, Tokyo, Japan. Founded on April 21, 1997, it is a frequent collaborator with Nintendo, developing some of their smaller scale and more experimental titles.
Overview
The name is a portmanteau, indicating independent video games with a low budget and minimal connections to other developers, which is described as "almost zero".{{Cite journal|date=April 2014|title=大人も子供もファミコン世代も。ファミコンリミックス開発者インタビュー|journal=ニンテンドードリーム}}
The philosophy of the company is to make games that are easy to understand and user-friendly.{{Cite web|url=http://cedec.cesa.or.jp/2011/program/GD/C11_P0074.html|title=ゲームデザイン {{!}} CEDEC 2011 {{!}} Computer Entertaintment Developers Conference|website=cedec.cesa.or.jp|language=ja|access-date=2018-03-13}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.cc2.co.jp/blog/?p=6052|title=3DS「タッチ！ダブルペンスポーツ」プレイレポ！ {{!}} CC2の楽屋裏|date=2011-06-13|work=CC2の楽屋裏|access-date=2018-03-13|language=ja}} The company initially specialized in games for handheld game consoles, but eventually expanded to smartphones.{{Cite news|url=http://wpb.shueisha.co.jp/2014/01/08/24116/|title=任天堂"宮本イズム"伝承者たちが語る「ファミコン黄金時代という高い壁、そして新たな黄金時代のつくり方」 - エンタメ - ニュース｜週プレNEWS［週刊プレイボーイのニュースサイト］|work=週プレNEWS［週刊プレイボーイのニュースサイト］|access-date=2018-03-13|language=ja}} It makes licensed trading-card games for popular franchises such as Legend of Mana and Final Fantasy.{{Cite news|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2011/01/06/indies-zero-the-draw-of-portable-games/|title=Indies Zero: The Draw Of Portable Games - Siliconera|date=2011-01-06|work=Siliconera|access-date=2018-03-13|language=en-US}}
The founder Masanobu Suzui commented that the company plans to "make new products that has never been created before". He regards the company as a game developer that "cherishes a creative viewpoint rather than state-of-the-art technology capabilities" and makes games that can be immersed by a long-time video game player but also aimed at what everyone can easily play.{{Cite journal|date=10 October 2016|title=吉祥寺.mag|journal=亜細亜大学}}
History
In 1997, at age 24, Masunobu Suzui founded the company along with two members from the fresh graduate discovery project Nintendo & Dentsu Game Seminar (predecessor of the current Nintendo Game Seminar). They were initially tasked with developing for Nintendo's Satellaview peripheral for the Super Famicom. This includes Sutto Hankoku and Cooking Pong!.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0503/22/index.html|title=『千年家族』開発スタッフインタビューin吉祥寺|website=www.nintendo.co.jp|access-date=2018-03-13|archive-date=2018-07-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731144436/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0503/22/index.html|url-status=dead}}
The company developed many games for the Nintendo DS such as Electroplankton. Shaberu! DS Oryōri Navi released by Nintendo in July 2006 won the 10th Media Arts Festival Entertainment Division Excellence Award. Oshare Majo: Love and Berry was released from Sega in November, with one million copies sold and a special prize in the annual work section of the Japan Game Award 2007.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0803/p2/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080326173034/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0803/p2/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 26, 2008|title=『ＤＳ美文字トレーニング』開発スタッフインタビュー[１]|website=www.nintendo.co.jp|language=ja|access-date=2018-03-13}}{{Cite web|url=http://cedec.cesa.or.jp/2009/contents/prg/pg_1097.html|title=CEDEC 2009 {{!}} CESA Developers Conference|website=cedec.cesa.or.jp|access-date=2018-03-13}}
In June 2011, the company released DualPenSports as its first Nintendo 3DS game.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/3ds/interview/creators/vol13/index3.html|title=社長が訊く『ニンテンドー3DS』ソフトメーカークリエーター 篇｜ニンテンドー3DS｜Nintendo|work=任天堂ホームページ|access-date=2018-03-13|language=ja}} It then collaborated with Square Enix on Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, in which Masunobu Suzui reunited with former Bandai producer Ikuro Kuroku. The game was ported to iOS and arcade, and had two independent sequels titled Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call and Theatrhythm Dragon Quest.
The company collaborated with Nintendo EAD for the development of NES Remix for both the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U. During the planning phase, Koichi Hayashida, the Director of Nintendo Tokyo Production Department, who had participated in the Nintendo & Dentsu Game Seminar as a student together with Masunobu Suzui, called Suzui to partner on the game development. Suzui brought a prototype, which Hayashida immediately approved. Development of the Nintendo 3DS Guide Louvre Museum was recently completed, so the company was able to commit to the project. The game was well-reviewed and two sequels in the form of NES Remix 2 and Ultimate NES Remix were developed.{{Cite journal|date=April 2014|title=大人も子供もファミコン世代も。ファミコンリミックス開発者インタビュー|journal=ニンテンドードリーム|volume=2014年4月号}}
The company first mobile game is Grand Marche no Meikyuu, released in September 2016. The game was developed in collaboration with Square Enix, after development of Theatrhythm Dragon Quest.{{Cite news|url=https://www.geek.com/tech/the-recipe-for-grand-marche-no-meikyuu-is-equal-parts-fantasy-rpg-cooking-and-anime-1669891/|title=The recipe for Grand Marche no Meikyuu is equal parts fantasy RPG, cooking and anime - Geek.com|date=2016-09-11|work=Geek.com|access-date=2018-03-13|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-03-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314044043/https://www.geek.com/tech/the-recipe-for-grand-marche-no-meikyuu-is-equal-parts-fantasy-rpg-cooking-and-anime-1669891/|url-status=dead}} Square Enix announced the game server's closure in November 2017.{{Cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-09-17/square-enix-grand-marche-no-meikyu-smartphone-game-shuts-down-in-november/.121474|title=Square Enix's Grand Marche no Meikyū Smartphone Game Shuts Down in November|work=Anime News Network|access-date=2018-03-13|language=en}}
During Nintendo's E3 Presentation in 2017, the company was revealed to be co-developing Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido, a strategic action-RPG-puzzle game for the Nintendo 3DS with Nintendo.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/16/15822466/sushi-striker-nintendo-3ds-game-trailer-e3-2017|title=Sushi Striker is a 3DS game about eating hella sushi and flinging empty plates at the haters|work=The Verge|access-date=2018-03-13}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/e3/2017/6/14/15804830/nintendo-sushi-striker-3ds|title=Nintendo announces Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido, new 3DS game dedicated to eating sushi|last=Alexander|first=Julia|date=2017-06-14|website=Polygon|access-date=2018-03-13}} It was ported as the company's first Nintendo Switch game, to be released on the same day as the 3DS version, and revealed in a Nintendo Direct in March 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/nintendo-switch/2018/3/8/17098024/sushi-striker-theway-of-sushido-nintendo-switch|title=Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido heading to the Switch in June|last=Alexander|first=Julia|date=2018-03-08|website=Polygon|access-date=2018-03-13}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/sushi-striker-coming-to-switch-and-3ds-in-june-w517647|title='Sushi Striker' Coming To Switch and 3DS In June|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2018-03-13|archive-date=2018-03-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313214148/https://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/sushi-striker-coming-to-switch-and-3ds-in-june-w517647|url-status=dead}}
List of games
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ !Year !Title !Publisher !Platform |
| rowspan="2" |1997
| rowspan="2" |Nintendo | rowspan="2" |Super Famicom |
| Oryouri Pon! |
| 1998
|Denshi no Seirei Chi-bitto |
| 2002
|Sakura Momoko no Ukiuki Carnival | rowspan="5" |Nintendo | rowspan="3" |Game Boy Advance |
| 2003 |
| rowspan="2" |2005
|Sennen Kazoku |
| Electroplankton |
| rowspan="2" |2006
| rowspan="7" |Nintendo DS |
| Oshare Majo: Love and Berry DS Collection
|Sega |
| 2007 |
| rowspan="2" |2008
| rowspan="2" |Nintendo |
| Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat? |
| 2009
|Namco Bandai Games |
| 2010
|America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking |Nintendo |
| 2011
|Namco Bandai Games |
| 2012
|Nintendo 3DS, iOS |
| rowspan="2" |2013
|Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre | rowspan="2" |Nintendo |Nintendo 3DS |
| NES Remix |
| rowspan="3" |2014
|Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call |Square Enix |Nintendo 3DS |
| NES Remix 2
| rowspan="2" |Nintendo |Wii U |
| Ultimate NES Remix
| rowspan="3" |Nintendo 3DS |
| rowspan="2" |2015
|Square Enix |
| Real Escape Game X Nintendo 3DS
|Nintendo |
| rowspan="2" |2016
|Grand Marche no Meikyuu | rowspan="2" |Square Enix |iOS, Android |
| Theatrhythm Final Fantasy All-Star Carnival |
| 2018
|Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido | rowspan="2" |Nintendo |Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch |
| 2019
|Dr Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch |Nintendo Switch |
| 2020
|Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory |Square Enix |Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows |
| 2021
|Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain |Nintendo |Nintendo Switch |
| 2023
|Square Enix |Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 |
| rowspan="2" |2024
|GameCenter CX: Arino no Chousenjou 1+2 REPLAY | rowspan="6" |Nintendo Switch |
| Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition{{cite web | url=https://mynintendonews.com/2024/07/11/theatrhythm-developer-indieszero-is-team-behind-nintendo-world-championships/ | title=Theatrhythm developer Indieszero is team behind Nintendo World Championships | date=11 July 2024 }}
|Nintendo |
| rowspan="4" |2025
|Shogakukan Manga App CoroCoro Comic 2024 | rowspan="4" |Shogakukan |
| Shogakukan Manga App CoroCoro Comic 2025 |
| Shogakukan Manga App Fate Rewinder |
| Shogakukan Manga App Splatoon |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website | http://www.indieszero.co.jp/}}
{{Nintendo developers}}
Category:Privately held companies of Japan
Category:Software companies based in Tokyo
Category:Video game companies of Japan
Category:Video game development companies
Category:Video game companies established in 1997