ASCII

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ASCII
Founded: 1977-05-24
Defunct: 2002 (stopped game production)
T-series code: T-21
Merged with: MediaWorks (2008)
Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan

ASCII Corporation, Inc. (アスキー) is a company founded by Kazuhiko Nishi on May 24, 1977. They primarily served as a publisher for computing magazines and books.

In its early years ASCII focused on the development of said hardware and software for it but later, when the video game market got rough in the mid-eighties, the company started to develop and publish software for popular gaming consoles of that time, namely the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Mega Drive.

Due to their success in the market, ASCII decided to establish an U.S. subsidiary in 1991 which became known as ASCII Entertainment. Additionally, ASCII created a number of controllers for Sega home console systems. The company also produced two Sega Saturn games under the "ASCII Something Good" name, primarily known for its telecom involvement.

In the following years the Japanese market of ASCII declined slowly while the US market became profitable and so another subsidiary was founded in 1998. It became known as "Ascii Game Entertainment TEChnology", or Agetec for short. Agetec's primary field of business was the publication of video games. In 1999 Agetec was spun off and became a fully independent publisher of games though business relationships remained.

In March 2002, ASCII Corporation finally ceased to distribute and publish video games on the Japanese market and started to center its attention around its early core competencies, IT- and computer-magazines like the prestigious ASCII-magazine. The software development branch was subsequently spun off as Media Leaves Inc.

In 2008 ASCII was absorbed by MediaWorks, becoming ASCII Media Works, a subsidiary of Kadokawa.

Softography

Master System

• Miracle Warriors: Seal of the Dark Lord (1987)

Game Gear

• Solitaire Poker (1991)

Mega Drive

• Double Clutch (1993)
• AWS Pro Moves Soccer (1994) (as ASCII Entertainment)

Saturn

• Kakinoki Shougi (1995)
• Mahjong Ganryuujima (1995)
• Jikuu Tantei DD (Dracula Detective): Maboroshi no Lorelei (1996)
• Shin Kaitei Gunkan: Koutetsu no Kodoku (1997)
• Wizardry: Llylgamyn Saga (1998) (as ASCII Entertainment)
• Game Basic for SegaSaturn (1998)
• Simulation RPG Tsukuru (1998)
• Linda³ Kanzenban (1998)
• Derby Stallion (1999)

Dreamcast

• Panzer Front (as ASCII Entertainment)
• Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage (2000)
• Lack of Love (2000)
• Metal Max: Wild Eyes (unreleased)

Hardware produced

Master System

• ASCII Stick α (1987)

Mega Drive

• 6 Button Arcade Fighter Pad
• AsciiPad MD
• ASCII Fighter Stick SG-6
• AsciiPad SG-6
• Capcom Pad Soldier MD
• Mega Pad
• Mega Stick
• Rhino Pad

Saturn

• ASCII Grip X
• ASCII Pad X
• ASCII Saturn Stick

Dreamcast

• ASCII Mission Stick
• ASCII Pad FT
• ASCII Stick FT

PlayStation

• tambourine controller for MiniMoni. Shaker tto Tambourine! Dapyon!

PlayStation 2

• Trance Vibrator for Rez

Books

• Fantasy Zone Kanzen Kouryaku Guide (1987)
• Shining Force Kouryaku no Tebiki (1992)
• Landstalker: Koutei no Zaihou Kouryaku no Tebiki (1993)
• Shining Force II: Inishie no Fuuin Kouryaku no Tebiki (1993)
• J.League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! 2 Kanzen Guide Book (1998)
• Chouzetsu Kakutouou Segata Sanshiro Monogatari (1998)
• Kyou Kara Hajimaru Derby Stallion (1999)
• Seaman Ikusei Shien Kit (2000)

Magazines

• Tech Saturn

References

NEC Retro has more information related to ASCII