Grasshopper Manufacture
Encyclopedia
Grasshopper Manufacture, Inc. (グラスホッパー・マニファクチュア Gurasuhoppā Manifakuchua) is a Japan
ese video game development house
founded on March 30, 1998 in Suginami, Japan. Grasshopper gained mainstream attention in 2005 for the Nintendo GameCube
and PlayStation 2
game Killer7
. In addition to Killer7, they have developed Michigan: Report From Hell (released in Japan, Europe) and a number of Japan-only titles. Grasshopper Manufacture was also responsible for the Nintendo DS
game Contact
, the Wii
game No More Heroes
and its sequel No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle
, and Shadows of the Damned
. The company is headed by Goichi Suda
, also known as Suda51, and is noted for its original and imaginative titles - ones that are also fraught with financial risk. Potential losses are often made up by the development of games based on popular anime franchises, such as Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked
, Blood+: One Night Kiss, and Rebuild of Evangelion
: Sound Impact.
In May 2007, Suda announced during a speech at the 2007 Game Developers Conference that Grasshopper was at the time working on three titles for the Wii, two of which have now been released: No More Heroes and Fatal Frame IV
. There is no information on the status of the third Wii game in development then.
Grasshopper was said to be working on an Xbox 360
title, and have presented a concept for a PlayStation 3
game called Kurayami, a non-linear action adventure inspired by the worrying and confused universe of the Czech writer Franz Kafka
, whom Goichi Suda admires. This was later renamed Shadows of the Damned
.
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 video game development house
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...
founded on March 30, 1998 in Suginami, Japan. Grasshopper gained mainstream attention in 2005 for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
and 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...
game Killer7
Killer7
is an action-adventure video game for the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2. It was developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Capcom. The game was written and directed by Goichi Suda, also known by the nickname Suda51, and produced by Hiroyuki Kobayashi...
. In addition to Killer7, they have developed Michigan: Report From Hell (released in Japan, Europe) and a number of Japan-only titles. Grasshopper Manufacture was also responsible for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
game Contact
Contact (video game)
is a role-playing video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan on March 30, 2006, by Atlus in North America on October 19, 2006, and by Rising Star Games in Australasia and Europe on January 25, 2007...
, 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...
game No More Heroes
No More Heroes (video game)
, is an action video game for the Wii video game system. It was directed by Goichi Suda , developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Marvelous Entertainment Inc., Ubisoft and Rising Star Games...
and its sequel No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle
No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle
is an action video game developed for the Wii video game system. It is the sequel to No More Heroes. It was directed by Suda51, developed by Grasshopper Manufacture, published by Ubisoft and Rising Star Games, and was released on January 26, 2010 in North America, on May 28, 2010 in Europe, and in...
, and Shadows of the Damned
Shadows of the Damned
Shadows of the Damned, officially abbreviated as Damned or DMD, is a 2011 third-person shooter video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles. The game follows the story of Garcia Hotspur, a Mexican demon...
. The company is headed by Goichi Suda
Goichi Suda
, is the CEO of Grasshopper Manufacture. The "51" in his nickname, Suda51, is a pun on his given name. In Japanese, "Go" means 5 and "ichi" means 1. His works include Moonlight Syndrome, The Silver Case, Flower, Sun and Rain, Michigan, killer7, the No More Heroes series, and most recently, Shadows...
, also known as Suda51, and is noted for its original and imaginative titles - ones that are also fraught with financial risk. Potential losses are often made up by the development of games based on popular anime franchises, such as Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked
Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked
Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked, released in Japan as , is a beat 'em up video game for PlayStation 2. It has an original story based on the anime series Samurai Champloo though Bandai has stated it has no direct relation to the events depicted in the show.-Story:The game follows an original story...
, Blood+: One Night Kiss, and Rebuild of Evangelion
Rebuild of Evangelion
Rebuild of Evangelion, known in Japan as , is a Japanese animated film series and a remake of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series. It is being produced by Studio Khara and KlockWorx in partnership with Gainax...
: Sound Impact.
In May 2007, Suda announced during a speech at the 2007 Game Developers Conference that Grasshopper was at the time working on three titles for the Wii, two of which have now been released: No More Heroes and Fatal Frame IV
Fatal Frame IV
is a survival horror video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console, and the fourth game in the Fatal Frame series.-Plot:...
. There is no information on the status of the third Wii game in development then.
Grasshopper was said to be working on an 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...
title, and have presented a concept for a 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...
game called Kurayami, a non-linear action adventure inspired by the worrying and confused universe of the Czech writer Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
, whom Goichi Suda admires. This was later renamed Shadows of the Damned
Shadows of the Damned
Shadows of the Damned, officially abbreviated as Damned or DMD, is a 2011 third-person shooter video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles. The game follows the story of Garcia Hotspur, a Mexican demon...
.
Games developed
| Year | Title | System | Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The Silver Case The Silver Case is a video game developed by Goichi Suda for Grasshopper Manufacture. The game was originally released only in Japan for the PlayStation, although a planned worldwide re-release for the Nintendo DS is currently in development.-Gameplay:... |
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... |
Only released in Japan; a remake was developed, but not released, for Nintendo DS Nintendo DS The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP... |
| 2001 | Flower, Sun, and Rain Flower, Sun, and Rain is a video game developed by Goichi Suda for Grasshopper Manufacture. The game was initially released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan on May 2, 2001, while an enhanced Nintendo DS remake entitled Flower, Sun, and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise was released in Japan on March 6, 2008, Europe on... |
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... & Nintendo DS Nintendo DS The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP... |
Japan-exclusive. A remake was released for the Nintendo DS Nintendo DS The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP... available in all Western territories. |
| 2003 | Shining Soul Shining Soul is an action role-playing game for the Game Boy Advance. It is part of the Shining series. The game was followed by a sequel, Shining Soul II, in 2003... |
Game Boy Advance Game Boy Advance The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China... |
Co-developed by Nextech |
| 2004 | Shining Soul II | Game Boy Advance Game Boy Advance The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China... |
Co-developed by Nextech |
| 2004 | Michigan: Report From Hell | 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... |
Only released in Japan and Europe |
| 2005 | Killer7 Killer7 is an action-adventure video game for the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2. It was developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Capcom. The game was written and directed by Goichi Suda, also known by the nickname Suda51, and produced by Hiroyuki Kobayashi... |
Nintendo GameCube Nintendo GameCube The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia... & 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... |
PlayStation 2 version ported by Capcom |
| 2006 | Blood+: One Night Kiss | 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... |
Only released in Japan; co-developed by Namco Bandai Namco Bandai , also known as the Bandai Namco Group, is a Japanese holding company formed from the merger of Namco and Bandai. It has interests in toys, video games and arcades, anime, and amusement parks. The new entity was founded on September 29, 2005... |
| 2006 | Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked, released in Japan as , is a beat 'em up video game for PlayStation 2. It has an original story based on the anime series Samurai Champloo though Bandai has stated it has no direct relation to the events depicted in the show.-Story:The game follows an original story... |
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... |
Only released in Japan and North America |
| 2006 | Contact Contact (video game) is a role-playing video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan on March 30, 2006, by Atlus in North America on October 19, 2006, and by Rising Star Games in Australasia and Europe on January 25, 2007... |
Nintendo DS Nintendo DS The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP... |
|
| 2008 | No More Heroes No More Heroes (video game) , is an action video game for the Wii video game system. It was directed by Goichi Suda , developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Marvelous Entertainment Inc., Ubisoft and Rising Star Games... |
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... |
An enhanced port was developed by feelplus and released for 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... in Japan and 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... in Japan and Europe under the title No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise is an action video game developed by feelplus. The game is an enhanced port of the 2007 Wii video game No More Heroes, originally developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and directed by Goichi Suda.... |
| 2008 | Zero: Tsukihami no Kamen | 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... |
Only released in Japan; co-developed by Tecmo 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.... |
| 2009 | Flower, Sun, and Rain Flower, Sun, and Rain is a video game developed by Goichi Suda for Grasshopper Manufacture. The game was initially released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan on May 2, 2001, while an enhanced Nintendo DS remake entitled Flower, Sun, and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise was released in Japan on March 6, 2008, Europe on... |
Nintendo DS Nintendo DS The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP... |
Remake developed by h.a.n.d. H.a.n.d. is a Japanese video game developer founded in 1992. The company originally started as a service selling Macintosh hardware and software to universities before the Mac platform was widely-known. When competition in the field increased, h.a.n.d... |
| 2010 | No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle | 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... |
|
| 2011 | Frog Minutes | 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... |
|
| 2011 | Shadows of the Damned Shadows of the Damned Shadows of the Damned, officially abbreviated as Damned or DMD, is a 2011 third-person shooter video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles. The game follows the story of Garcia Hotspur, a Mexican demon... |
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... , 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... |
Co-developed by Shinji Mikami Shinji Mikami is a Japanese video game designer best known for creating the seminal survival horror series Resident Evil. He also contributed to some of Capcom's most popular post-32-bit era franchises, including Viewtiful Joe, Devil May Cry, and Ace Attorney, where he served as an executive producer... and EA Partners |
| 2011 | Rebuild of Evangelion Rebuild of Evangelion Rebuild of Evangelion, known in Japan as , is a Japanese animated film series and a remake of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series. It is being produced by Studio Khara and KlockWorx in partnership with Gainax... : Sound Impact |
PSP PSP PSP most commonly refers to the PlayStation Portable, a handheld game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment.PSP may also refer to:-Computing and programming:*Corel Paint Shop Pro, a graphics editor... |
|
| 2011 | Diabolical Pitch | Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers... |
Published by Microsoft Studios |
| 2012 | Lollipop Chainsaw Lollipop Chainsaw is an action video game being developed by Grasshopper Manufacture for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles. It focuses on Juliet Starling, a cheerleader fighting zombies in a fictional California high school... |
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... , 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... |
Published by Kadokawa Games Kadokawa Shoten is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine... in Japan and WB Games outside of Japan |
| 2012 | Sine Mora | Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers... , PlayStation Network |
Co-developed by Digital Reality Digital Reality Digital Reality is an Hungarian video game developer, located in Budapest, Hungary. The company is best known for developing the game Imperium Galactica series and Haegemonia: Legions of Iron.-History:... |
| 2012 | Black Knight Sword | Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers... , PlayStation Network |
Co-developed by Digital Reality Digital Reality Digital Reality is an Hungarian video game developer, located in Budapest, Hungary. The company is best known for developing the game Imperium Galactica series and Haegemonia: Legions of Iron.-History:... |
| 2012 | Guild01 Guild01 is an upcoming video game compilation for the Nintendo 3DS. It is being published by Level-5, and is being developed in cooperation with game designers Goichi Suda, Yoot Saito, and Yasumi Matsuno as well as Yoshiyuki Hirai of comedy duo America Zarigani. The compilation contains four games, each... |
Nintendo 3DS Nintendo 3DS The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software... |
Co-developed by Vivarium Inc. and Level-5 Level-5 is an independent video game developer and publisher based in Fukuoka, Japan. The company, which currently employs about 200 individuals, was founded in October 1998 by Akihiro Hino after he departed from the now defunct Japanese developer Riverhillsoft... |
External links
- Grasshopper official site
- Grasshopper Manufacture at IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
- GamerWiki article