ABA Games
Encyclopedia
ABA Games is a Japanese video game developer
, comprising solely of game designer Kenta Cho. ABA Games' works, available as open source freeware
, are predominantly shoot 'em up
games often inspired by classic games in the genre. Its games feature stylised retro
graphics, innovative gameplay
features and modes and are based around random rather than scripted events. These creations have been acclaimed as some of the best and well-known independent games available, though some commentators, including Cho himself, feel they are too simple for commercial release.
Cho began creating computer games as a hobby during his childhood in the 1980s. After leaving university, he pursued a career with Toshiba
in multimedia research and development while continuing to develop games in his spare time. The positive reaction to ABA Games' first shoot 'em up, Noiz2sa (2002), encouraged him to concentrate on that genre. The developer's games have been ported from the original Windows
versions to Mac OS X
and various handheld devices
. One of its games, Tumiki Fighters, was remade, built upon and released for the Wii
console as Blast Works. According to Cho, he occasionally receives interest in further console ports. In addition to Tumiki Fighters, acclaimed ABA Games titles include Gunroar, rRootage and Torus Trooper.
microcomputer
, as there were few commercially available games. After leaving university, Cho contemplated professional games development but ultimately instead joined Toshiba
to work in multimedia research and development. He continues to work full time for Toshiba while running ABA Games as a hobby, working mainly on weekends. Cho is the sole contributor to ABA Games. Lacking musical training, he creates the soundtracks to his games using commercially available, pre-made samples
. ABA Games releases a game approximately every six months, with the first three months spent creating prototypes and the latter three spent refining a finished version.
ABA Games released its first shoot 'em up game—Noiz2sa—in 2002, and the positive feedback Cho received encouraged him to concentrate on the genre. ABA Games' creations are "avant-garde
" re-imaginings of classic arcade
shoot 'em ups, using modern 3D graphics techniques to emulate older vector graphics
and employing "imaginative, fresh" gameplay ideas. According to Cho, his graphical style was inspired by the game Rez
as well as street billboards, and his attempts at innovative gameplay features have been inspired by games such as Radiant Silvergun
, Ikaruga
and Gradius V
. ABA Games' works also tend to be based around random rather than scripted events. Its games are developed for Windows
, but some have been ported to other systems including Mac OS X, iPhone
, iPod touch
, and PSP
, with its game Tumiki Fighters forming the basis of Wii
game Blast Works (which included a selection of his games as bonus content). Cho has also created BulletML, an open source program which can replicate bullet patterns from other shoot 'em up games.
Cho has stated he occasionally receives interest in ports for game consoles, but although he would otherwise be interested in such ports, he feels his games are too simple for commercial release. He has also stated his use of the D programming language proved problematic when porting Tumiki Fighters to the Wii. ABA Games' works are open source and free to download; Cho has stated he creates games of the kind which he desires to play and distributes them (along with the source code) for the enjoyment of others without the intent of monetary profit. Macworld
acclaimed Cho as "spectacularly talented" and "one of today’s best independent game programmers", while GamesRadar
noted him for "creating some of the best freeware shoot ‘em ups out there". Ashcraft states that in the West, Cho is "hailed as the most famous 'doujin software' shmup maker", while The Guardian
claimed Cho's works are among "the best-known examples" of Japan's independent gaming scene. While out with Japan ABA Games is known as a "doujin" developer, unlike doujin developers Cho does not seek to sell his works, nor are they fan-created games
; however, Cho is affable to the term being applied to his work. Jonathan Mak, creator of award-winning game Everyday Shooter
(published by Sony
on PlayStation Network) has cited ABA Games' Parsec 47 as the inspiration behind his game's aesthetic.
version of Geometry Wars
(or a cross between Asteroids and Space Invaders
). The player controls a small, abstract gunboat which can be rotated through 360 degrees as in games such as Geometry Wars and Robotron. The game also features vertical scrolling; however, unlike the standard shoot 'em up in which the propulsion of the craft dictates the pace, players can control the speed at which they proceed through the level. The faster players move through a level, the more points
they will score. The game features multiple modes dependent on how the game is controlled: the player can choose to control a single boat by means of the keyboard or mouse or a more complicated "dual" mode allowing the use of two boats using both hands on the keyboard. Gunroar was praised for its minimalist design, impressive polygonal graphics, and frenetic action.
Tumiki Fighters is a side-scrolling shooter in which the protagonist is a toy aeroplane flying through a cartoon setting. The game employs a device inspired by Katamari Damacy
, allowing the player to attach debris from destroyed enemies to the aircraft, which in turn act as armour and power-up
s. Praised for its addictive gameplay, Tumiki Fighters formed the base of Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy, a game published by Majesco in 2008 for the Wii
. Developer Budcat Creations
remade ABA Games' creation for the console and further added an editor function allowing extensive user-created content. Critics acclaimed Blast Works for its innovative and entertaining gameplay and has been described by critics variously as an upgraded version or remake— or simply a port or re-release— of Tumiki Fighters. Blast Works featured Tumiki Fighters, as well as three other ABA Games titles, as bonus content. UGO
felt that these games' minimalist graphics, while not outstanding, did retain some charm. According to Cho, he did not receive money for the port, allowing his game to be used for free.
rRootage is a shoot 'em up viewed from a top-down perspective, comprised solely of boss
battles against large abstract spacecraft attacking the player with intricate barrages of projectiles. The game featured multiple modes: "normal", "Psy", "Ika" and "GW"; the latter three inspired by Psyvariar
, Ikaruga
and Giga Wing
, respectively. The game was ported to the iPhone
and iPod touch
by developer Lahzrog Games and released as a free download on iTunes
. GamesRadar described the game as "great" and "full of win". Macworld acknowledged the game was esoteric but praised its "classic fast paced action", awarding it a maximum five stars. However, the reviewer noted the iPhone version sometimes ran more slowly than intended.
Torus Trooper, a reimagining of the game Tempest, features a spacecraft flying through an abstract tunnel, the walls of which twist and change shape. The player competes against the clock, gaining more time by destroying enemies. The game was acclaimed for its stark yet highly attractive graphics. Titanion is a vertical shooter acclaimed for its attractive graphics. Mu-cade combines the mechanics of Centipede
with sumo
wrestling, while Noiz2sa is an abstract "bullet hell" shooter— also ported by Lahzrog Games to the iphone.
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
, comprising solely of game designer Kenta Cho. ABA Games' works, available as open source freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
, are predominantly shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
games often inspired by classic games in the genre. Its games feature stylised retro
Retro
Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, that has since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc...
graphics, innovative gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
features and modes and are based around random rather than scripted events. These creations have been acclaimed as some of the best and well-known independent games available, though some commentators, including Cho himself, feel they are too simple for commercial release.
Cho began creating computer games as a hobby during his childhood in the 1980s. After leaving university, he pursued a career with Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
in multimedia research and development while continuing to develop games in his spare time. The positive reaction to ABA Games' first shoot 'em up, Noiz2sa (2002), encouraged him to concentrate on that genre. The developer's games have been ported from the original Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
versions to Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
and various handheld devices
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
. One of its games, Tumiki Fighters, was remade, built upon and released for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
console as Blast Works. According to Cho, he occasionally receives interest in further console ports. In addition to Tumiki Fighters, acclaimed ABA Games titles include Gunroar, rRootage and Torus Trooper.
Overview
ABA Games' sole developer, Kenta Cho, began writing games as a child during the 1980s using the NEC PC-6001NEC PC-6001
The NEC PC-6001 was the first of the NEC Corporation personal computer line. There were several versions of the PC-6001, including the PC-6001 MK2, the PC-6001 MK2 SR, and the PC-6801. There was also an American version, called the NEC TREK, or NEC PC-6001A...
microcomputer
Microcomputer
A microcomputer is a computer with a microprocessor as its central processing unit. They are physically small compared to mainframe and minicomputers...
, as there were few commercially available games. After leaving university, Cho contemplated professional games development but ultimately instead joined Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
to work in multimedia research and development. He continues to work full time for Toshiba while running ABA Games as a hobby, working mainly on weekends. Cho is the sole contributor to ABA Games. Lacking musical training, he creates the soundtracks to his games using commercially available, pre-made samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
. ABA Games releases a game approximately every six months, with the first three months spent creating prototypes and the latter three spent refining a finished version.
ABA Games released its first shoot 'em up game—Noiz2sa—in 2002, and the positive feedback Cho received encouraged him to concentrate on the genre. ABA Games' creations are "avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
" re-imaginings of classic arcade
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
shoot 'em ups, using modern 3D graphics techniques to emulate older vector graphics
Vector graphics
Vector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon, which are all based on mathematical expressions, to represent images in computer graphics...
and employing "imaginative, fresh" gameplay ideas. According to Cho, his graphical style was inspired by the game Rez
Rez
Rez, developed under the codename K-Project, Project Eden, and Vibes, is a rail shooter video game released by Sega in Japan in 2001 for the Dreamcast and PlayStation 2, with a European Dreamcast release and United States PlayStation 2 release in 2002...
as well as street billboards, and his attempts at innovative gameplay features have been inspired by games such as Radiant Silvergun
Radiant Silvergun
is a vertically scrolling shooter video game, developed by Treasure. It was released in arcades on the ST-V platform in 1998 and subsequently ported to the Sega Saturn, with added cutscenes by noted animation studio Gonzo...
, Ikaruga
Ikaruga
is a shoot 'em up video game developed by Treasure. It was released in the arcades in 2001 on the Sega NAOMI, subsequently released on Dreamcast in Japan and then worldwide on the Nintendo GameCube, and was released on Xbox Live Arcade on April 9, 2008...
and Gradius V
Gradius V
Gradius V is a Japanese-developed shoot 'em up video game published by Konami for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console in 2004. Gradius V was largely developed under contract by the Treasure team responsible for Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga under supervision of Konami's internal development...
. ABA Games' works also tend to be based around random rather than scripted events. Its games are developed for Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, but some have been ported to other systems including Mac OS X, iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, iPod touch
IPod touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
, and PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, with its game Tumiki Fighters forming the basis of Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
game Blast Works (which included a selection of his games as bonus content). Cho has also created BulletML, an open source program which can replicate bullet patterns from other shoot 'em up games.
Cho has stated he occasionally receives interest in ports for game consoles, but although he would otherwise be interested in such ports, he feels his games are too simple for commercial release. He has also stated his use of the D programming language proved problematic when porting Tumiki Fighters to the Wii. ABA Games' works are open source and free to download; Cho has stated he creates games of the kind which he desires to play and distributes them (along with the source code) for the enjoyment of others without the intent of monetary profit. Macworld
Macworld
Macworld is a web site and monthly computer magazine dedicated to Apple Macintosh products. It is published by Mac Publishing, which is headquartered in San Francisco, California...
acclaimed Cho as "spectacularly talented" and "one of today’s best independent game programmers", while GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
noted him for "creating some of the best freeware shoot ‘em ups out there". Ashcraft states that in the West, Cho is "hailed as the most famous 'doujin software' shmup maker", while The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
claimed Cho's works are among "the best-known examples" of Japan's independent gaming scene. While out with Japan ABA Games is known as a "doujin" developer, unlike doujin developers Cho does not seek to sell his works, nor are they fan-created games
Fangame
Fangames are video games made by fans based on one or more established video games. Many fangames attempt to clone the original game's design, gameplay and characters, but it is equally common for fans to develop a unique game using another only as a template...
; however, Cho is affable to the term being applied to his work. Jonathan Mak, creator of award-winning game Everyday Shooter
Everyday Shooter
Everyday Shooter is an independent video game developed by Canadian programmer and artist Jonathan Mak. It was released on the U.S...
(published by Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
on PlayStation Network) has cited ABA Games' Parsec 47 as the inspiration behind his game's aesthetic.
Games
Gunroar is a naval themed shoot 'em up likened to a vertically scrollingScrolling
In computer graphics, filmmaking, television production, and other kinetic displays, scrolling is sliding text, images or video across a monitor or display. "Scrolling", as such, does not change the layout of the text or pictures, or but incrementally moves the user's view across what is...
version of Geometry Wars
Geometry Wars
Geometry Wars is a minigame created by Bizarre Creations as part of Project Gotham Racing 2 for the Xbox, accessible through the in-game garage. An updated version of the game, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, is available for download on the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. It can also be played in...
(or a cross between Asteroids and Space Invaders
Space Invaders
is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
). The player controls a small, abstract gunboat which can be rotated through 360 degrees as in games such as Geometry Wars and Robotron. The game also features vertical scrolling; however, unlike the standard shoot 'em up in which the propulsion of the craft dictates the pace, players can control the speed at which they proceed through the level. The faster players move through a level, the more points
Score (gaming)
In games, score refers to an abstract quantity associated with a player or team. Score is usually measured in the abstract unit of points, and events in the game can raise or lower the score of different parties...
they will score. The game features multiple modes dependent on how the game is controlled: the player can choose to control a single boat by means of the keyboard or mouse or a more complicated "dual" mode allowing the use of two boats using both hands on the keyboard. Gunroar was praised for its minimalist design, impressive polygonal graphics, and frenetic action.
Tumiki Fighters is a side-scrolling shooter in which the protagonist is a toy aeroplane flying through a cartoon setting. The game employs a device inspired by Katamari Damacy
Katamari Damacy
Katamari Damacy is a third-person puzzle-action video game that is published and developed by Namco for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It was first released in Japan, and then later in South Korea and North America...
, allowing the player to attach debris from destroyed enemies to the aircraft, which in turn act as armour and power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s. Praised for its addictive gameplay, Tumiki Fighters formed the base of Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy, a game published by Majesco in 2008 for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. Developer Budcat Creations
Budcat Creations
Budcat Creations was a video game developer based in Iowa City, Iowa, United States and was a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision, though they formerly had partnerships with Electronic Arts and Majesco. They were largely responsible for porting titles to non-target consoles...
remade ABA Games' creation for the console and further added an editor function allowing extensive user-created content. Critics acclaimed Blast Works for its innovative and entertaining gameplay and has been described by critics variously as an upgraded version or remake— or simply a port or re-release— of Tumiki Fighters. Blast Works featured Tumiki Fighters, as well as three other ABA Games titles, as bonus content. UGO
UGO
UGO Entertainment, Inc. is a website providing coverage of online media in entertainment targeting males age 18–34. The company is currently based in New York, New York, United States. On July 24, 2007 it was announced that Hearst Corporation would acquire UGO Entertainment...
felt that these games' minimalist graphics, while not outstanding, did retain some charm. According to Cho, he did not receive money for the port, allowing his game to be used for free.
rRootage is a shoot 'em up viewed from a top-down perspective, comprised solely of boss
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
battles against large abstract spacecraft attacking the player with intricate barrages of projectiles. The game featured multiple modes: "normal", "Psy", "Ika" and "GW"; the latter three inspired by Psyvariar
Psyvariar
is a vertically scrolling shooter arcade game developed by Success Corporation on Taito's G-NET hardware.The game is known for heavy uses of Engrish at game intro.-Control:...
, Ikaruga
Ikaruga
is a shoot 'em up video game developed by Treasure. It was released in the arcades in 2001 on the Sega NAOMI, subsequently released on Dreamcast in Japan and then worldwide on the Nintendo GameCube, and was released on Xbox Live Arcade on April 9, 2008...
and Giga Wing
Giga Wing
Giga Wing is a 1999 vertically scrolling shooter arcade game developed by Takumi and published by Capcom on their CPS-2 arcade system board and ported later that year to the Dreamcast console. The arcade version is notable for using a horizontally aligned monitor Giga Wing is a 1999 vertically...
, respectively. The game was ported to the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
and iPod touch
IPod touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
by developer Lahzrog Games and released as a free download on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. GamesRadar described the game as "great" and "full of win". Macworld acknowledged the game was esoteric but praised its "classic fast paced action", awarding it a maximum five stars. However, the reviewer noted the iPhone version sometimes ran more slowly than intended.
Torus Trooper, a reimagining of the game Tempest, features a spacecraft flying through an abstract tunnel, the walls of which twist and change shape. The player competes against the clock, gaining more time by destroying enemies. The game was acclaimed for its stark yet highly attractive graphics. Titanion is a vertical shooter acclaimed for its attractive graphics. Mu-cade combines the mechanics of Centipede
Centipede (video game)
Centipede is a vertically-oriented shoot 'em up arcade game produced by Atari, Inc. in 1980. The game was designed by Ed Logg along with Dona Bailey, one of the few female game programmers in the industry at this time. It was also the first arcade coin-operated game to have a significant female...
with sumo
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestling, while Noiz2sa is an abstract "bullet hell" shooter— also ported by Lahzrog Games to the iphone.
External links
- ABA Games
- ABA Diary (in Japanese).
- Google translation of ABA Diary
- Blast Works: Build, Trade, & Destroy Developer Diary #1 Blast Works developers on recreating ABA Games' Tumiki Fighters.