Hitmaker
Encyclopedia
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 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...
Sega Corporation
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...
. The development team has produced some popular arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
and video games, including Virtual On
Virtual On
is a series of video games created by Sega AM-3 . The original series was first published for arcades in February 1995. The game features fast, action-oriented gameplay requiring quick reflexes...
, NASCAR Arcade
NASCAR Arcade
NASCAR Arcade is a racing video game that was released in 2000 for the arcade....
, Crazy Taxi
Crazy Taxi
Crazy Taxi is a sandbox racing video game developed by Hitmaker and published by Sega. It is the first game in the Crazy Taxi series. The game was first released in arcades in 1999 and was ported to the Dreamcast in 2000. Subsequently, it was ported to the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube by...
, Astro Boy: Omega Factor
Astro Boy: Omega Factor
is a beat 'em up video game developed by Treasure Co. Ltd and Hitmaker, and published by Sega. The game was released for the Game Boy Advance console on December 18, 2003 in Japan; August 18, 2004 in North America; and February 18, 2005 in Europe. The game is based on Osamu Tezuka's manga and anime...
(along with Treasure
Treasure Co. Ltd
is a Japanese video game developer, founded by former employees of Konami on June 19, 1992. Treasure is best known for classic-style action games that employ innovative gameplay systems...
), Virtua Tennis
Virtua Tennis
Virtua Tennis is a 1999 tennis arcade game created by Sega-AM3. The player competes through tennis tournaments and various arcade modes. For the home console market the game was expanded with the introduction of the campaign mode. It was later ported to Dreamcast in 2000, and for Microsoft Windows...
, and the Initial D Arcade Stage
Initial D Arcade Stage
Initial D Arcade Stage is a racing game series developed by Sega Rosso, a division of Sega, based on the anime and manga Initial D...
series.
History
In 2000, as a part of a restructuring of Sega, they were renamed Hitmaker. Later in 2004, they were merged back with the other "AM teams" into Sega and have since then reverted back to their old name of Sega AM3.Sega Rosso
Sega Rosso is the name of a former development studio from SegaSega
, 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...
, formerly known as AM5, some of its staff came from 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...
, where they helped create the original Ridge Racer
Ridge Racer
Ridge Racer may refer to:*Ridge Racer , an arcade game first released by Namco in 1993, later ported to the PlayStation*Ridge Racer , a series of sequels and spin-offs based on the arcade game...
. In 2003, Merged with Hitmaker, now shut down.
Games developed as AM3
- Manx TT SuperbikeManx TT SuperbikeManx TT Superbike is a 1995 arcade racing game developed jointly by Sega-AM3 and Sega-AM4. It was later brought to the Sega Saturn by Psygnosis and Tantalus Interactive and then ported to Windows by Perfect Entertainment. It was the first motorcycle racing game built for the Sega Model 2 arcade...
— (1995) (Arcade) - Cyber Troopers Virtual-OnCyber Troopers Virtual-Onwas released in arcades and for Sega Saturn and PC, all in both America and Japan. There were actually two PC versions released, a normal version for North America and a 3D accelerated version for Japan. There were also two-player online versions of the game released in America and Japan for the...
— (1995) (Arcade) - Last BronxLast Bronxis a 3D fighting game developed by Sega-AM3 on the Sega Model 2 mainboard. This is one of the first motion captured 3D weapon fighting games released in Japanese game centers in 1996, the other was Soul Edge. Home versions, shortened to Last Bronx, were produced for contemporary Sega game console...
- (1996) (Arcade) - Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio TangramCyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangramis a 1998 Japanese Sega Model 3 arcade game that was later ported to the Sega NAOMI arcades and then later for the Dreamcast home console in both Japan in 1999 & America in 2000 . Oratorio Tangram is a sequel to the 1995 video game Cyber Troopers Virtual-On: Operation Moongate...
— (1998) (Arcade) - Virtua Tennis 3Virtua Tennis 3Virtua Tennis 3 is the second arcade game sequel to Sega's tennis game franchise, Virtua Tennis. The arcade version of Virtua Tennis 3 is powered by the PC-based Sega Lindbergh arcade system board...
— (2006) (Arcade)
Games developed as Hitmaker
- Crazy TaxiCrazy TaxiCrazy Taxi is a sandbox racing video game developed by Hitmaker and published by Sega. It is the first game in the Crazy Taxi series. The game was first released in arcades in 1999 and was ported to the Dreamcast in 2000. Subsequently, it was ported to the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube by...
— (1999) (Arcade, Dreamcast) - Virtua TennisVirtua TennisVirtua Tennis is a 1999 tennis arcade game created by Sega-AM3. The player competes through tennis tournaments and various arcade modes. For the home console market the game was expanded with the introduction of the campaign mode. It was later ported to Dreamcast in 2000, and for Microsoft Windows...
— (1999) (Arcade) - Crazy Taxi 2Crazy Taxi 2Crazy Taxi 2 was released solely on Dreamcast early in 2001 and is part of the Crazy Taxi series. It was ported to the PSP as part of Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars in 2007....
— (2001) (Dreamcast) - Virtua Tennis 2Virtua Tennis 2Virtua Tennis 2 is a sequel to Virtua Tennis that was released for the Sega Dreamcast, Sega NAOMI arcade unit and Sony's PlayStation 2 in 2001...
— (2001) (Arcade, Dreamcast) - Cyber Troopers Virtual-On ForceCyber Troopers Virtual-On Forceis a 3D Mecha fighting game developed by Hitmaker and published by Sega. It was released in Japanese arcades only on the Sega Hikaru arcade system board in 2001. Following its initial release, there was no home console port of the game due to the Arcade Board's superior graphical capabilities...
— (2001) (Arcade) - Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller — (2002) (Arcade)
- Cyber Troopers Virtual-On MarzCyber Troopers Virtual-On Marzwas released exclusively on the PlayStation 2 in North America and Japan, with no European release. Marz is designed on the basic gameplay rules of Virtual-On Force, and uses most of the assets from Force, ranging from the stages down to the virtuaroids. It can be considered a spiritual home...
— (2003) (Arcade) - Astro Boy: Omega FactorAstro Boy: Omega Factoris a beat 'em up video game developed by Treasure Co. Ltd and Hitmaker, and published by Sega. The game was released for the Game Boy Advance console on December 18, 2003 in Japan; August 18, 2004 in North America; and February 18, 2005 in Europe. The game is based on Osamu Tezuka's manga and anime...
— (2003) (Game Boy Advance)
Games developed as AM5
- Sega Rally ChampionshipSega Rally ChampionshipSega Rally Championship is a 1994 arcade racing game developed by AM5 on the Sega Model 2 board. It was a year later in 1995 ported over to the Sega Saturn and PC....
— (1995) (Arcade) - Sega Touring Car ChampionshipSega Touring Car ChampionshipSega Touring Car Championship is an arcade racing game created by AM-branch office for the Model 2 mainboard in 1996.-German Touring Car Championship:...
— (1996) (Arcade) - Sega Rally 2Sega Rally 2is a sequel to Sega Rally and is an arcade game developed and released by Sega in 1998 for the Sega Model 3 arcade board. It was ported in the following year to the Dreamcast console and later to PC systems.-Gameplay:...
— (1998) (Arcade) - Star Wars Trilogy ArcadeStar Wars Trilogy ArcadeStar Wars Trilogy Arcade is an arcade game first released in 1998. The game is a 3-D rail shooter based on the original trilogy of Star Wars films and was released along with the special editions of these films. Sega also released an accompanying pinball game...
— (1999) (Arcade) - Star Wars Racer Arcade — (2000) (Arcade)
Games developed as Sega Rosso
- Cardcaptor SakuraCardcaptor Sakura, abbreviated as CCS and also known as Cardcaptors, is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist group Clamp. The manga was originally serialized monthly in Nakayoshi from the May 1996 until the June 2000 issue, and later published in 12 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha...
: Tomoyo no Video Taisakusen — (2000) (Dreamcast) - Cosmic SmashCosmic smashCosmic Smash is an arcade game that was later ported to the Dreamcast console. It is a futuristic combination of squash and Breakout, and is a single player game. It is one of the few Dreamcast games to be released in a DVD-style case, rather than a jewel case.-External links:* * A tribute to...
— (2001) (Dreamcast) - Initial D: Arcade Stage — (2001) (Arcade)
- Initial D: Arcade Stage 2 — (2003) (Arcade)
- Sega Rally Championship — (2003) (Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceThe 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...
) - Initial D: Special Stage — (2003) (PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The 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...
) - Initial D: Version 3 — (2004) (Arcade)
- Initial D Arcade Stage 4Initial D Arcade Stage 4Initial D Arcade Stage 4 is a racing game developed by Sega Rosso. It is the sequel to Initial D Arcade Stage Ver.3. This version has been heavily updated compared to its predecessors. The game underwent location testing from October 21, 2006 to October 30, 2006 in game centers in Tokyo, Osaka, and...
— (2006) (Arcade)