Sega AM4

Sega AM4
Founded: 1991
Defunct: 1999
Merged into: Sega Mechatronics (1999)
Headquarters: Japan

Sega Amusement Machine Research and Development Department #4, commonly known as Sega AM R&D #4 or Sega AM4, was a research and development division within Sega. The AM4 name was adopted in 1990 after the internal AM and CS teams were separated, and its attraction and medal game personnel broke off into the Sega AM5 and Sega AM6 units. It was previously known as R&D4.

Unlike Sega AM1, Sega AM2 and Sega AM3, Sega AM4 was responsible for the creation of arcade cabinet hardware, and thus outside of an advisory role had no influence in the development of video game software. During the development process, the three main AM divisions would typically first provide a 50% complete build of their titles for AM4 personnel to examine and base a cabinet off of.

Though AM4 most often created cabinets to house the three software-focused AM divisions' produce, it would make projects of its own and with others too; their UFO Catcher and Print Club lines in particular became large successes for Sega and popularised their machine types in Japan. The division also collaborated with its former AM5 and 6 colleagues again on some occasions.

Ultimately, AM4 created the vast majority of arcade machines sold by Sega in the 1990s. Its credits remain inconsistent however, with it sometimes being credited and other times not, receiving less recognition than the three main AM divisions as a result.

AM4 merged with AM6 in 1999, and continued its role as Sega Mechatronics.

Members

• Tomoji Miyamoto
• Hiroshi Yagi
• Kaji Toshiyuki
• Masami Ishikawa
• Masao Yoshimoto
• Masayuki Osada
• Mitsuharu Fukuzawa
• Naoyuki Sato
• Norio Furuichi
• Shingo Dote
• Tokinori Kaneyasu
• Tomoya Takasugi
• Masaki Matsuno
• Masayuki Yamada
• Junta Asano
• Hiroyuki Takahashi
• Yasuhiro Komori
• Masayoshi Yamada
• Futoshi Ito
• Yoshinao Usuki
• Mieko Sakaniwa
• Masaki Kawabata
• Hideki Watanabe

Softography before AM4

• R360 (1990)

World Derby BD

• World Derby (1989)

UFO BD

• UFO Catcher (1985)
• UFO Catcher DX (1987)

Dedicated

• New Speed Hockey (1988)
• Golden Wave (1989)
• Bull's Eye (1988)
• Sega Super Circuit (1989)

Multi-purpose arcade cabinets

• Aero City (1988)

Softography

System C2

• Print Club (1995)

System 32

• OutRunners (1993) (cabinet)
• Dragon Ball Z V.R.V.S. (1994)

Model 1

• Virtua Racing (1992)
• Virtua Formula (1993)

Model 2

• Virtua Cop (1994)
• Sega Rally Championship (1995) (cabinet)
• Manx TT Super Bike (1995)
• The House of the Dead (1997) (cabinet)

Model 3

• Sega Bass Fishing (1997)
• L.A. Machineguns (1998)
• Sega Rally 2 (1998) (cabinet)
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park Special (1998)

Sega Titan Video

• Sports Fishing (1994)
• Critter Crusher (1995)
• Name Club (1996)

NAOMI

• The House of the Dead 2 (1998) (cabinet)
• Dynamite Baseball NAOMI (1998) (cabinet)

Large attraction

• Mad Bazooka (1994)
• VR-1 (1994)

Royal Ascot BD

• Royal Ascot (1992) (with Sega AM3, Sega AM6)

Western Dream BD

• Western Dream (1992) (with Sega AM6)

X Board

• Carribean Roule (1992) (with Sega AM3, Sega AM6)

Bingo Party BD/M1

• Bingo Party (1993) (with Sega AM6)

Castle Coaster BD

• Castle Coaster (1995) (with Sega AM6)

G-MAIN/M1

• Bingo Planet (1997)

C-GAL/Sega Titan Video

• Fantasy Zone (ST-V game) (1997)

UFO BD

• Dream Town (1993)
• School Kids (1993)

Dream Catcher BD

• Dream Catcher (1993)

UFO BD EX

• Prize Sensor (1998)

EX BD

• UFO Catcher 21 (1996)
• UFO A La Carte (1996)
• UFO Catcher 800 (1998)
• Baby UFO (1998)

Sega System C

• Waku Waku Marine (1992)
• SegaSonic Popcorn Shop (1993) (with AM1)
• Print Club (1995) (with Atlus)
• Print Club Vol.2: Winter Version (1995) (with Atlus)
• Print Club Vol.4: Summer Version (1996) (with Atlus)
• Print Club Vol.5: Autumn Version (1996) (with Atlus)

Sega System 16B

• Heavyweight Champ (1987) (with Sega AM1)

Y Board

• Galaxy Force II (1988) (with AM1)

Sega Titan Video

• Critter Crusher (1995) (with Sega AM1)
• Name Club (1996)
• Aroma Club (1997)
• Movie Club (1997)
• Waku Waku Shinkansen (1997) (with Sega AM1)
• Waku Waku Shoubousya (1997)
• Wanpaku Safari (1998)

Sega H1 Board

• Aqua Stage (1995)

Dedicated

• Speed Basketball (1992)
• Speed Soccer (1992)
• Zaurus Oozu (1992)
• Bingo Carnival (1993)
• Exciting Speed Hockey (1993)
• Speed Attack (1993)
• Ghost Hunters (1994) (with AM5)
• Aqua Paradise (1995)
• Stamp Club (1996)
• Hockey Stadium (1997)
• PaoPao Catcher (1998)

Multi-purpose arcade cabinets

• Astro City (1993)
• Super Megalo 2 (1994)
• Megalo 410 (1996)
• Blast City (1996)
• New Versus City (1996)

Magazine articles

Main article: Sega AM4/Magazine articles.