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Genki (company)
Encyclopedia
Genki is a Japan
ese developer
of computer and video games
. It was founded in October 1990 by Hiroshi Hamagaki and Tomo Kimura, who left Sega
to form the company. Genki is best known for its racing game
titles.
that was released for Sega
's Game Gear and Mega Drive systems in 1991. One of its worst was a first-person mecha
shooting game for the PlayStation
called Kileak: The DNA Imperative, which was released in 1995, and was panned by critics and consumers alike.
They developed two MotoGP video games for the SNES
: GP-1
(1993) and GP-1 RS: Rapid Stream (1994).
Although they did not know it at the time, Genki found its niche in 1994, with the release of Shutokō Battle '94 Keichii Tsuchiya Drift King
for the Super Famicom -- the first in a long-running series of racing game
s. Shutokou Battle 2 followed one year later, in 1995, and was also for the Super Famicom.
Within the same year, Genki shifted towards developing 3D games, continuing the Shutokou Battle series
with Wangan Dead Heat (known in western markets as "Highway 2000") on the Sega Saturn
. Genki also produced major titles for both the PlayStation and Nintendo
's N64
console in the following two years, including another Shutokou Battle game for the PlayStation (known in western markets as "Tokyo Highway Battle") and Multi-Racing Championship
for the N64. They also developed Jade Cocoon
for the PlayStation
in 1998.
According to MobyGames, the company logo is a picture of Hiroshi Hamagaki, drawn by his son when he was 3 years old.
The Dreamcast version of Shutokou Battle enjoyed much greater success than any of its predecessors, and was soon followed up by Shutokou Battle 2, also for the Dreamcast, and Shutokou Battle Zero for the PlayStation 2
. By the time Shutokou Battle Zero came out in 2001, Genki was becoming well known among racing-game fans, particularly because of its series' relatively unique "free roam" and "SP" gameplay mechanics.
In 2002, Namco
partnered with Genki to produce a game based on Michiharu Kusunoki
's racing manga, Wangan Midnight
. Namco developed the arcade version (based largely on Genki's gameplay mechanics), which was imported to the U.S., while Genki developed the Japan-only PlayStation 2 version. Namco continued its arcade game series with the release of Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune in 2004. Genki released the Japan-only home version for PlayStation 3
(with online mode) and PlayStation Portable
in June and September 2007.
In 2003, Genki released Shutokou Battle 01 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3) for the PlayStation 2
.
, which tried to apply an MMO-like aspect to the existing gameplay of the series. The game and its update version were sold only in Japan but were playable from anywhere as free online trial versions (with free registration) were available for download on the game's website.
Less than two months later, the GRP released the touge
-based drifting/racing game Kaido Battle
, which was a rather stark departure from the Tokyo-highway-based Shutokou Battle series. Kaido Battle was followed by Kaido Battle 2: Chain Reaction in 2004 and Kaido Battle: Touge No Densetsu in 2005. All three titles were released for the PS2. Kaido Battle and Kaido Battle: Touge No Densetsu were both released in North America, under the titles Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift and Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2, respectively. By comparison, European markets received Kaido Battle 2: Chain Reaction and Kaido Battle: Touge No Densetsu, under the names Kaido Racer and Kaido Racer 2.
Among the various other adaptations of Shutokou Battle lies another unique title marketed as "Car Tuning RPG", called Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix, which was released for the PS2 in 2005. Racing Battle departed from highway and mountain racing, focusing on real-life tracks such as Tsukuba Circuit
, Suzuka Circuit
, and TI Circuit
.
The last Shutokou Battle game at the time of this writing is Shutokou Battle X for the Xbox 360
, which was released in 2006 and is known in western markets as "Import Tuner Challenge
."
In late 2006, Genki announced they would end the Shutokou Battle series, and eventually shutted down the Genki Racing Project, as a part of the cost-cutting operation.
division called 'Genki ARG', to replace the currently discontinued Genki Racing Project.
The Shutokou Battle series was recently revived with its Mobage version for the mobile phone
s. This is the first Shutokou Battle game after GRP was discontinued.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese developer
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...
of computer and video games
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
. It was founded in October 1990 by Hiroshi Hamagaki and Tomo Kimura, who left Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
to form the company. Genki is best known for its racing game
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
titles.
History
In its early years, Genki dabbled in a few different genres, looking for its niche. One of its best early efforts was its first software release -- Devilish, a puzzle game similar to ArkanoidArkanoid
is an arcade game developed by Taito in 1986. It is based upon Atari's Breakout games of the 1970s. The title refers to a doomed "mothership" from which the player's ship, the Vaus, escapes.-Overview:...
that was released for Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's Game Gear and Mega Drive systems in 1991. One of its worst was a first-person mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
shooting game for the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
called Kileak: The DNA Imperative, which was released in 1995, and was panned by critics and consumers alike.
They developed two MotoGP video games for the SNES
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...
: GP-1
GP-1
GP-1 is a motorcycle racing game developed by Genki and published by Atlus for the SNES, which was released in 1993.-Gameplay:There is an Exhibition mode that can support two players and the Season mode. It is possible to choose between six bikes, and six different engineers whose skills match the...
(1993) and GP-1 RS: Rapid Stream (1994).
Although they did not know it at the time, Genki found its niche in 1994, with the release of Shutokō Battle '94 Keichii Tsuchiya Drift King
Shutoko Battle '94 Keichii Tsuchiya Drift King
, is a Japan-only racing game for the Super Famicom.-Summary:The player controls a stock car across various circuits in either the scenario or the practice mode of the game. It was published by Bullet-Proof Software . This game is the first of the long running series of Shutokō Battle games...
for the Super Famicom -- the first in a long-running series of racing game
Racing game
A racing video game is a genre of video games, either in the first-person or third-person perspective, in which the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air, or sea vehicles. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings...
s. Shutokou Battle 2 followed one year later, in 1995, and was also for the Super Famicom.
Within the same year, Genki shifted towards developing 3D games, continuing the Shutokou Battle series
Shutokou Battle series
is an arcade oriented driving game series created by Genki in 1994. The games were released in America as Tokyo Xtreme Racer and in Europe as Tokyo Highway Challenge.-Shuto Expressway:...
with Wangan Dead Heat (known in western markets as "Highway 2000") on the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
. Genki also produced major titles for both the PlayStation and Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's N64
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...
console in the following two years, including another Shutokou Battle game for the PlayStation (known in western markets as "Tokyo Highway Battle") and Multi-Racing Championship
Multi-Racing Championship
, or simply MRC, is a 1997 racing game developed by Genki which was published in North America and Europe by Ocean and in Japan by Imagineer for the Nintendo 64. The game is compatible with the Controller Pak and the Rumble Pak.-Gameplay:...
for the N64. They also developed Jade Cocoon
Jade Cocoon
is a video game for the Sony PlayStation, released by Crave in 1998. The game combines elements of role-playing video games and virtual pet management...
for the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
in 1998.
According to MobyGames, the company logo is a picture of Hiroshi Hamagaki, drawn by his son when he was 3 years old.
Shutokou Battle
Continuing with the genre that is consistently the most rewarding for them, Genki continued the Shutokou Battle series, releasing a title for Sega's Dreamcast console in 1999, simply called "Shutokou Battle." This game was also exported to western markets, where it came to be known as "Tokyo Xtreme Racer" (U.S.) and "Tokyo Highway Challenge" (Europe).The Dreamcast version of Shutokou Battle enjoyed much greater success than any of its predecessors, and was soon followed up by Shutokou Battle 2, also for the Dreamcast, and Shutokou Battle Zero for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. By the time Shutokou Battle Zero came out in 2001, Genki was becoming well known among racing-game fans, particularly because of its series' relatively unique "free roam" and "SP" gameplay mechanics.
In 2002, Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
partnered with Genki to produce a game based on Michiharu Kusunoki
Michiharu Kusunoki
is a Japanese manga artist from Tosa, Kōchi. He is most known for its street racing series Wangan Midnight serialized in Kodansha weekly Young Magazine and which has been adapted into a 26 episode anime series, a series of video games, and a movie....
's racing manga, Wangan Midnight
Wangan Midnight
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Michiharu Kusunoki and serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits since 1990, later in Kodansha's Young Magazine. In 1999, it won the Kodansha Manga Award for general manga....
. Namco developed the arcade version (based largely on Genki's gameplay mechanics), which was imported to the U.S., while Genki developed the Japan-only PlayStation 2 version. Namco continued its arcade game series with the release of Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune in 2004. Genki released the Japan-only home version for PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
(with online mode) and PlayStation Portable
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...
in June and September 2007.
In 2003, Genki released Shutokou Battle 01 (Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3) for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
.
GRP: Genki Racing Project
In response to the success of their racing titles, particularly the Shutokou Battle series, Genki established a division dedicated to that genre in 2003 called the Genki Racing Project, or GRP. The GRP's first title was Shutokou Battle Online for Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft 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...
, which tried to apply an MMO-like aspect to the existing gameplay of the series. The game and its update version were sold only in Japan but were playable from anywhere as free online trial versions (with free registration) were available for download on the game's website.
Less than two months later, the GRP released the touge
Touge
is a Japanese word literally meaning "pass." It refers to a mountain pass or any of the narrow, winding roads that can be found in and around the mountains of Japan and other geographically similar areas, like the legendary Nordschleife in Germany....
-based drifting/racing game Kaido Battle
Kaido Battle
Kaidō Battle is a racing video game series for the PlayStation 2 created by the Japanese video game developer Genki. They are focused on Touge racing and heavily centered on drifting...
, which was a rather stark departure from the Tokyo-highway-based Shutokou Battle series. Kaido Battle was followed by Kaido Battle 2: Chain Reaction in 2004 and Kaido Battle: Touge No Densetsu in 2005. All three titles were released for the PS2. Kaido Battle and Kaido Battle: Touge No Densetsu were both released in North America, under the titles Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift and Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift 2, respectively. By comparison, European markets received Kaido Battle 2: Chain Reaction and Kaido Battle: Touge No Densetsu, under the names Kaido Racer and Kaido Racer 2.
Among the various other adaptations of Shutokou Battle lies another unique title marketed as "Car Tuning RPG", called Racing Battle: C1 Grand Prix, which was released for the PS2 in 2005. Racing Battle departed from highway and mountain racing, focusing on real-life tracks such as Tsukuba Circuit
Tsukuba Circuit
The Tsukuba Circuit is a motorsport race track located in Shimotsuma, a neighboring city of Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It is long, has 32 pits and the longest straight is long. There is a small chicane corner that is used for motorcycle racing only and increases the total length to...
, Suzuka Circuit
Suzuka Circuit
, Suzuka Circuit for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..-Introduction:...
, and TI Circuit
TI Circuit
The Okayama International Circuit is a private motorsport race track in Mimasaka, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. TI is abbreviation of "Tanaka International" after the name of the holding company, though the name of the circuit was officially "TI Circuit Aida".The course was built in 1992 as a...
.
The last Shutokou Battle game at the time of this writing is Shutokou Battle X for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, which was released in 2006 and is known in western markets as "Import Tuner Challenge
Import Tuner Challenge
Import Tuner Challenge is the international title for Shutokou Battle Ten , a racing game published by Ubisoft and developed by Genki for the Xbox 360...
."
In late 2006, Genki announced they would end the Shutokou Battle series, and eventually shutted down the Genki Racing Project, as a part of the cost-cutting operation.
Recent works
In 2010, Genki created an alternate reality gameAlternate reality game
An alternate reality game is an interactive narrative that uses the real world as a platform, often involving multiple media and game elements, to tell a story that may be affected by participants' ideas or actions....
division called 'Genki ARG', to replace the currently discontinued Genki Racing Project.
The Shutokou Battle series was recently revived with its Mobage version for the mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s. This is the first Shutokou Battle game after GRP was discontinued.
External links
- Genki ARG official website
- MobyGame's entry on Genki
- List of Genki 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,...