Hot B
Encyclopedia
, formally known as , was a Japanese video game company founded and headquartered in Tokyo
, Japan
in . They are best known for developing the The Black Bass
series.
On July 24, 1993, HOT・B filed for bankruptcy and became defunct, while it was bought a short time later by Star-Fish, a company that was found in 1994 that has got formed by former HOT・B staff members.
series.
In 1984, HOT・B released Psychic City, an early cyberpunk
role-playing game
(RPG), for the FM-7
and NEC PC-8801
computer platforms. In contrast to the fantasy
theme used in other early RPGs such as Hydlide
and The Black Onyx
, Psychic City was a science fiction
RPG set in a post-apocalyptic
New York devastated by World War III
and where the protagonist fights using psychic/telepathic abilities. Psychic City had a scenario expansion system that could used by other companies to create mods like the Kaleidoscope series. However, HOT・B's technical skills lagged behind those of other companies at the time, and so it became known for always being slow to produce games.
In 1987, HOT・B began development on the Famicom. As the company's technical skills hadn't improved, its 2nd title, Hoshi wo Miru Hito, is still considered to be legendary among .
After that, the company began development on the PC Engine
, Sega Mega Drive
, Super Famicom, and arcade games. At this point, HOT・B began to be used as the brand name instead of the label.
In , the company refocused its development efforts on arcade games and the Super Famicom. However, the same year, it fell into insolvency
and went bankrupt
the day after its last game, Bazoo! Mahou Sekai, was released on July 23.
Following bankruptcy, HOT・B's remaining arcade games, Schmeiser Robo
and Play Girls 2, were released. They were powered by Data East
's DECO32 arcade system board
. Titles that didn't make it to completion, including Steel Empire 2 and Cuby Bop, were delayed mid-development due to the staff being pulled onto Bazoo! Mahou Sekai, and were shelved being only a few screens away from completion.
Super Black Bass 2
for the Super Famicom, announced prior to bankruptcy, was completed and released by Star-Fish, a company formed by former HOT・B staff members. Star-Fish continues to release new games in HOT・B's game series, including a Game Boy Advance
port of Steel Empire
. HOT・B USA Inc. has outlasted its Japanese parent, although it currently exists only as a publisher of other companies' games, its latest release being Graffiti Kingdom
in 2005.
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
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...
in . They are best known for developing the The Black Bass
The Black Bass (MSX)
is a fishing video game developed and published by Gamu . It was originally released for the MSX computer in 1986, and was later ported to the Family Computer on March 18, 1987 in Japan.-Gameplay:...
series.
On July 24, 1993, HOT・B filed for bankruptcy and became defunct, while it was bought a short time later by Star-Fish, a company that was found in 1994 that has got formed by former HOT・B staff members.
History
HOT・B was established in as an independent project section among advertising agencies. A short time later, when the home computer boom occurred, HOT・B started developing and selling software under the label. The company originated the fishing game genre with The Black BassThe Black Bass (MSX)
is a fishing video game developed and published by Gamu . It was originally released for the MSX computer in 1986, and was later ported to the Family Computer on March 18, 1987 in Japan.-Gameplay:...
series.
In 1984, HOT・B released Psychic City, an early cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
role-playing game
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
(RPG), for the FM-7
FM-7
FM-7 is a home computer released in 1982 in Japan.The Fujitsu FM-7 was Fujitsu's first entry into the Japanese home computer market, and for their debut computer, they chose to come out with a 6809-based personal computer very similar to Radio Shack's Color Computer.-Hardware:*Two MC 68B09 CPUs @...
and NEC PC-8801
NEC PC-8801
The NEC PC-8801 was an early Zilog Z80-based computer exclusively released in Japan, where it became very popular, by NEC Corporation in 1981. It was informally called the "PC-88"....
computer platforms. In contrast to the fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
theme used in other early RPGs such as Hydlide
Hydlide
is a action role-playing video game developed and published by T&E Soft. It was originally released for the NEC PC-6001 and NEC PC-8801 computer in 1984, in Japan only; an MSX release came the following year...
and The Black Onyx
The Black Onyx
The Black Onyx is a 1984 computer role-playing game released in Japan by Bullet-Proof Software, and written by Henk Rogers. It was one of the first Japanese-language RPGs ever made, and helped familiarize the Japanese public with RPGs. It was originally released for the NEC PC-8801, and ported to...
, Psychic City was a science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
RPG set in a post-apocalyptic
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
New York devastated by World War III
World War III
World War III denotes a successor to World War II that would be on a global scale, with common speculation that it would be likely nuclear and devastating in nature....
and where the protagonist fights using psychic/telepathic abilities. Psychic City had a scenario expansion system that could used by other companies to create mods like the Kaleidoscope series. However, HOT・B's technical skills lagged behind those of other companies at the time, and so it became known for always being slow to produce games.
In 1987, HOT・B began development on the Famicom. As the company's technical skills hadn't improved, its 2nd title, Hoshi wo Miru Hito, is still considered to be legendary among .
After that, the company began development on the PC Engine
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
, Sega Mega Drive
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
, Super Famicom, and arcade games. At this point, HOT・B began to be used as the brand name instead of the label.
In , the company refocused its development efforts on arcade games and the Super Famicom. However, the same year, it fell into insolvency
Insolvency
Insolvency means the inability to pay one's debts as they fall due. Usually used to refer to a business, insolvency refers to the inability of a company to pay off its debts.Business insolvency is defined in two different ways:...
and went bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
the day after its last game, Bazoo! Mahou Sekai, was released on July 23.
Following bankruptcy, HOT・B's remaining arcade games, Schmeiser Robo
Schmeiser Robo
is a fighting arcade game developed and published by HOT・B. It is HOT・B's only attempt in the fighting game genre after the success and craze of Capcom's Street Fighter II, which inspired other companies to create their own inspiration as well...
and Play Girls 2, were released. They were powered by Data East
Data East
also abbreviated as DECO, was a Japanese video game developer and publisher. The company was in operation from 1976 to 2003, when it declared bankruptcy...
's DECO32 arcade system board
Arcade system board
An arcade system board is a dedicated computer system created for the purpose of running video arcade games. Arcade system boards typically consist of a main system board with any number of supporting boards...
. Titles that didn't make it to completion, including Steel Empire 2 and Cuby Bop, were delayed mid-development due to the staff being pulled onto Bazoo! Mahou Sekai, and were shelved being only a few screens away from completion.
Super Black Bass 2
Bassin's Black Bass with Hank Parker
Bassin's Black Bass with Hank Parker, known in Japan as is a tournament-based fishing video game developed by Starfish and published by HOT・B for the Super NES. The player attempts to rise up from an amateur tournament to the bass fishing championship in both versions...
for the Super Famicom, announced prior to bankruptcy, was completed and released by Star-Fish, a company formed by former HOT・B staff members. Star-Fish continues to release new games in HOT・B's game series, including a 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...
port of Steel Empire
Steel Empire
Steel Empire , and originally released as in Japan, is a 1992 side-scrolling shoot 'em up video game for the Sega Mega Drive home console, and was ported to the Nintendo Game Boy Advance in 2004.Steel Empire is notable amongst shoot 'em up games for its unique aesthetic...
. HOT・B USA Inc. has outlasted its Japanese parent, although it currently exists only as a publisher of other companies' games, its latest release being Graffiti Kingdom
Graffiti Kingdom
Graffiti Kingdom, known as Rakugaki Ōkoku 2: Maōjō no Tatakai in Japan, is a video game by Taito Corporation and Garakuta Studio, which was published in America by Hot-B for the PlayStation 2 console.-Gameplay:...
in 2005.
Major works
- Insector XInsector Xis a side-scrolling shooter by Taito, released in 1989.-Summary:The player controls an insect-sized warrior named "Kai", who takes on a vast army of cyborg insects to free the insect world from the dark ruler queen. The game uses two buttons: a main shot and an upgradable secondary weapon. This...
- Ka Ge Ki (Mega DriveSega Mega DriveThe Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
port) - Kaleidoscope
- Ginga
- Steel EmpireSteel EmpireSteel Empire , and originally released as in Japan, is a 1992 side-scrolling shoot 'em up video game for the Sega Mega Drive home console, and was ported to the Nintendo Game Boy Advance in 2004.Steel Empire is notable amongst shoot 'em up games for its unique aesthetic...
- Psychic City
- The Black BassThe Black Bass (MSX)is a fishing video game developed and published by Gamu . It was originally released for the MSX computer in 1986, and was later ported to the Family Computer on March 18, 1987 in Japan.-Gameplay:...
- The Black Bass II
- Super Black Bass
- Hyper Black Bass
- Shanghai Dragon's Eye
- Seibu no Nariagari
- Takeda Shingen
- Takeda Shingen 2
- Detonator OrgunDetonator Orgunis a Japanese original video animation series by AIC and Artmic, directed by Masami Ōbari. It was released on DVD by Central Park Media in the United States in 2001.-Part 1:...
- Hoshi wo Miru Hito
- Bazoo! Mahou Sekai
- PalamedesPalamedes (video game)Palamedes is an multiplatform video game released by the Taito in 1990. The video game was a Japan-exclusive release for all versions except the NES version . In North America, Palamedes had to compete with Tetris and Dr...
- Priton
- President no Sentaku
- Lalipappa Yakyuudan
- Youkiden
- WWF Superstars