Vanillaware
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese video game company development studio. Previously, they were known as Puraguru from 2002 until 2004, when they renamed as Vanillaware. The studio's past projects have specialized in 2D
, or sprite-based, game design. They have garnered positive attention from fans and game media alike for embracing 2D game design in a market dominated by 3D games. Vanillaware has developed 2 games for the PlayStation 2
and one for the Wii
. The company was formed from members of the Atlus project team which had developed Princess Crown
for the Sega Saturn
in 1997.
, including game director George Kamitani and two others, who had all previously been part of the development team of Princess Crown
for the Sega Saturn in 1997. At the time, Kamitani was working for Square Enix
as developmental director for their PC title Fantasy Earth: Zero, and had previously been employed by other video game companies such as Capcom
, where he worked on arcade titles such as Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom
, and Racjin
, where he served in an outsourced capacity. In 2004, the company changed its name to Vanillaware Ltd., and has since made a commitment to produce games which primarily feature 2D graphics as opposed to more mainstream 3D works. The company uses proprietary programming toolsets inspired by Adobe Flash
, as well as a graphic development process known as tebineri or "hand-shaping", which allows the artists to create characters and environments which look 3D, but are rendered entirely from two-dimensional pixels.
The company's first completed game was Odin Sphere for the PlayStation 2
, which was published by Atlus. Though the title was finished in 2006, Atlus withheld the game from release until May 2007 due to the popularity of its own in-house role-playing game Persona 3
to avoid conflicting sales. Though development on their second project, GrimGrimoire did not begin until after Odin Sphere was completed, it was actually released one month before it Japan, and was published by Nippon Ichi Software. By 2009, the company had grown to 21 employees, whom Kamitani described as "Basically, 100 percent" artists, and in the same year released their first game for the Nintendo Wii, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, published by Ignition Entertainment
. Their partnership with Ignition would later produce Dragon's Crown for the PlayStation 3
and Playstation Vita, a game Kamitani had been pitching to publishers for nearly 13 years before it eventually saw development.
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
, or sprite-based, game design. They have garnered positive attention from fans and game media alike for embracing 2D game design in a market dominated by 3D games. Vanillaware has developed 2 games 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...
and one 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...
. The company was formed from members of the Atlus project team which had developed Princess Crown
Princess Crown
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Atlus for the Sega Saturn video game console exclusively in Japan in 1997. Some of the team members involved in the project would later form the game development company Vanillaware....
for 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...
in 1997.
Company history
Vanillaware was originally founded under the name Puraguru in February 2002 by former employees of AtlusAtlus
is a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
, including game director George Kamitani and two others, who had all previously been part of the development team of Princess Crown
Princess Crown
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Atlus for the Sega Saturn video game console exclusively in Japan in 1997. Some of the team members involved in the project would later form the game development company Vanillaware....
for the Sega Saturn in 1997. At the time, Kamitani was working for Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
as developmental director for their PC title Fantasy Earth: Zero, and had previously been employed by other video game companies such as Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
, where he worked on arcade titles such as Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom
Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom
Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom is the first of two arcade games created by Capcom and based on the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The game was also released on the Sega Saturn, packaged with its sequel, Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara, under the title Dungeons & Dragons...
, and Racjin
Racjin
Racjin, formerly known as , is a Japanese video game developer established in 1995. Its name was changed in 2000 to make it more easily pronounced to the Japanese.-Games developed:*ASH: Archaic Sealed Heat...
, where he served in an outsourced capacity. In 2004, the company changed its name to Vanillaware Ltd., and has since made a commitment to produce games which primarily feature 2D graphics as opposed to more mainstream 3D works. The company uses proprietary programming toolsets inspired by Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
, as well as a graphic development process known as tebineri or "hand-shaping", which allows the artists to create characters and environments which look 3D, but are rendered entirely from two-dimensional pixels.
The company's first completed game was Odin Sphere 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...
, which was published by Atlus. Though the title was finished in 2006, Atlus withheld the game from release until May 2007 due to the popularity of its own in-house role-playing game Persona 3
Persona 3
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, originally released in Japan as simply , is the fourth video game in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series of console role-playing games developed by Atlus, which is part of the larger Megami Tensei series of video games...
to avoid conflicting sales. Though development on their second project, GrimGrimoire did not begin until after Odin Sphere was completed, it was actually released one month before it Japan, and was published by Nippon Ichi Software. By 2009, the company had grown to 21 employees, whom Kamitani described as "Basically, 100 percent" artists, and in the same year released their first game for the Nintendo Wii, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, published by Ignition Entertainment
Ignition Entertainment
Ignition Entertainment Ltd. is a British video game publisher formed in April 2002. It was created from a selection of smaller developers and publishers, such as Archer MacLean's Awesome Studios.-History:...
. Their partnership with Ignition would later produce Dragon's Crown for the 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...
and Playstation Vita, a game Kamitani had been pitching to publishers for nearly 13 years before it eventually saw development.
Games
- 2007 | Odin SphereOdin Sphereis a 2D fantasy action RPG video game. Developed by Vanillaware and localized and published by Atlus for the PlayStation 2 in 2007, it tells the interlocking stories of five different protagonists. Odin Sphere is considered a spiritual successor to an Atlus game titled Princess Crown and takes some...
(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...
) - 2007 | GrimGrimoireGrimGrimoireis a real-time strategy video game from Vanillaware and Nippon Ichi for the PlayStation 2.-Plot:Lillet Blan is a young magician admitted to a prestigious magic school, the Tower of Silver Star. Though she attends normal classes for the first four days and meets the various professors and students,...
(PlayStation 2) - 2008 | KumatanchiKumatanchiis a life simulation video game for the Nintendo DS co-developed by Vanillaware and dōjin game studio Ashinaga Oji-san and published by Dimple Entertainment...
(Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe 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...
) - 2009 | Muramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon Blade, known in Japan as is an action role playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan, Rising Star Games in Europe, and Ignition Entertainment in North America for the Wii...
(WiiWiiThe 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 | Grand Knights HistoryGrand Knights Historyis a role-playing video game developed by Vanillaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable handheld system.-Gameplay:...
(PlayStation PortablePlayStation PortableThe 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...
) - 2012 | Dragon's CrownDragon's Crown (video game)is a 2D fantasy action RPG video game currently being developed by Vanillaware and localized and published by Ignition Entertainment. The game will be released on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita during the first half of 2012...
(PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 3PlayStation 3The 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...
)