Konami: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
Content added Content deleted
VisualWikitext
m (Mass update links)
(Updated logo to current version using wikimedia commons)
 
(9 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{trope}}
{{creator}}
[[File:konami_logo.png|frame]]
[[File:Konami 4th logo 1.svg|thumb|]]


{{quote| [[Konami Code|UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, B, A]]}}
{{quote|[[Konami Code|UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, B, A]]}}


Konami is a popular Tokyo-based maker of video games, toys and trading cards, founded in 1969 as a jukebox rental and repair business in Osaka, Japan. Konami was one of the leading third-party developers during the NES era, with such best-selling games as ''Gradius'', ''Contra'' and ''Metal Gear''. It is currently the fourth-largest game company in Japan, behind [[Nintendo]], Sega Sammy and [[Namco Bandai]].
Konami is a popular Tokyo-based maker of video games, toys and trading cards, founded in 1969 as a jukebox rental and repair business in Osaka, Japan. Konami was one of the leading third-party developers during the NES era, with such best-selling games as ''Gradius'', ''Contra'' and ''Metal Gear''. It is currently the fourth-largest game company in Japan, behind [[Nintendo]], Sega Sammy and [[Namco Bandai]].


Due to Nintendo's restrictions on third-party licensing during that era, Konami could release only five games per year for the NES. Konami found a way around this by creating a quasi-independent subsidiary known as "Ultra Games", which published the first ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (video game)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' game, ''Skate or Die'', ''[[Metal Gear 1987]]'', and an expanded version of ''[[Gyruss]]'', among others. (They made a similar move in Europe with Palcom Software Ltd.) After Nintendo relaxed its standards, Konami closed Ultra in 1992 and absorbed its remaining employees into its American branch. Some of the other Konami staff left that same year to create [[Treasure]] Co. Ltd., a company well known for its fast-paced shooters (''[[Gunstar Heroes]]'', ''[[Radiant Silvergun]]'', ''[[Ikaruga]]'', etc.) Konami also owns a majority stake in [[Hudson Soft]] (recently Hudson became a wholly owned subsidiary), though the latter still operates more or less independently.
Due to Nintendo's restrictions on third-party licensing during that era, Konami could release only five games per year for the NES. Konami found a way around this by creating a quasi-independent subsidiary known as "Ultra Games", which published the first ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (video game)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' game, ''Skate or Die'', ''[[Metal Gear (video game)|Metal Gear]]'', and an expanded version of ''[[Gyruss]]'', among others. (They made a similar move in Europe with Palcom Software Ltd.) After Nintendo relaxed its standards, Konami closed Ultra in 1992 and absorbed its remaining employees into its American branch. Some of the other Konami staff left that same year to create [[Treasure]] Co. Ltd., a company well known for its fast-paced shooters (''[[Gunstar Heroes]]'', ''[[Radiant Silvergun]]'', ''[[Ikaruga]]'', etc.) Konami also owns a majority stake in [[Hudson Soft]] (recently Hudson became a wholly owned subsidiary), though the latter still operates more or less independently.


In the mid-80s, Konami became famous by one of their [[Classic Cheat Code|Classic Cheat Codes]], dubbed the "[[Konami Code]]". First appearing to US players in the 1986 NES port of ''[[Gradius]]'' and made popular in the 1988 NES port of ''[[Contra (video game series)|Contra]]'', it provided the players of the notoriously-diffiicult game with 30 lives, rather than the original 3. Due to the game's popularity, the Konami Code now enjoys a pop-culture status on par with the famous 'XYZZY' keyword from ''Colossal Cave Adventure'' -- mention the 'Konami Code', and it's a sure bet than any console gamer worth his eyeteeth will know ''exactly'' which code you mean.
In the mid-80s, Konami became famous by one of their [[Classic Cheat Code|Classic Cheat Codes]], dubbed the "[[Konami Code]]". First appearing to US players in the 1986 NES port of ''[[Gradius]]'' and made popular in the 1988 NES port of ''[[Contra (video game series)|Contra]]'', it provided the players of the notoriously-difficult game with 30 lives, rather than the original 3. Due to the game's popularity, the Konami Code now enjoys a pop-culture status on par with the famous 'XYZZY' keyword from ''Colossal Cave Adventure'' -- mention the 'Konami Code', and it's a sure bet than any console gamer worth his eyeteeth will know ''exactly'' which code you mean.


Fast forward to 2012, Konami's reputation nose dives into a shockingly low state. While the company avoided the DLC/online pass related ire that's become all too common in modern gaming, they made up for it with their [http://www.destructoid.com/jimquisition-konami-224682.phtml abysmal publishing decisions throughout 2011-2012], which can be summed up as Konami [[They Just Didn't Care|not giving a damn ]] to [[Epic Fail|hilariously awful levels]]. The highlights include [[What an Idiot!|releasing the Metal Gear Solid HD collection the same day as mega hit Modern Warfare 3]], releasing ''three'' separate Silent Hill games within a mere ''[[Beyond the Impossible|three week span]]'', several games around this time not having enough copies during launch day, the company not advertising games from new franchises at all, switching release dates for games unannounced, and [[Porting Disaster|releasing a fatally flawed]] ''[[Porting Disaster|Silent Hill 1]]'' [[Porting Disaster|port, despite being aware of the port's horrible quality prior to released]]. Needless to say, Konami's looking worse than even Capcom in 2012.
Fast forward to 2012, Konami's reputation nose dives into a shockingly low state. While the company avoided the DLC/online pass related ire that's become all too common in modern gaming, they made up for it with their [http://www.destructoid.com/jimquisition-konami-224682.phtml abysmal publishing decisions throughout 2011-2012], which can be summed up as Konami [[They Just Didn't Care|not giving a damn ]] to [[Epic Fail|hilariously awful levels]]. The highlights include [[What an Idiot!|releasing the Metal Gear Solid HD collection the same day as mega hit Modern Warfare 3]], releasing ''three'' separate Silent Hill games within a mere ''[[Beyond the Impossible|three week span]]'', several games around this time not having enough copies during launch day, the company not advertising games from new franchises at all, switching release dates for games unannounced, and [[Porting Disaster|releasing deeply flawed "remasters" of the three main]] ''[[Silent Hill]]'' [[Porting Disaster|games, despite being aware of the ports' dubious quality prior to release]].


In 2015, the company announced they were ceasing their console gaming involvement to concentrate on their mobile games and their non-video gaming ventures, like slot machines and pachinko. That's after [[Silent Hills]] was cancelled and [[Hideo Kojima]] left Konami.
Also got [[They Changed It, Now It Sucks]] in regards to their new logo.


In no way related to the [[Ship Manteau|Konata/Kagami pairing]] of ''[[Lucky Star]]'', or to [[Popotan|a certain character named Konami]], or to any kind of "economy".
In no way related to the [[Portmanteau Couple Name|Konata/Kagami pairing]] of ''[[Lucky Star]]'', or to [[Popotan|a certain character named Konami]], or to any kind of "economy".
----
----
=== Konami is responsible for the following video game franchises: ===
=== Konami is responsible for the following video game franchises: ===
Line 27: Line 27:
** ''[[Beatmania]]''
** ''[[Beatmania]]''
** ''[[Para Para Paradise]]''
** ''[[Para Para Paradise]]''
** ''[[Pop N Music|Pop'n Music]]''
** ''[[Pop'n music|Pop'n Music]]''
** ''[[Keyboardmania]]''
** ''[[Keyboardmania]]''
** ''[[Guitar Freaks]]'' & ''Drummania''
** ''[[Guitar Freaks]]'' & ''Drummania''
Line 133: Line 133:
* Naoki Maeda (sound director for the ''[[Dance Dance Revolution]]'' series and the producer of a majority of Konami original songs that debuted in DDR)
* Naoki Maeda (sound director for the ''[[Dance Dance Revolution]]'' series and the producer of a majority of Konami original songs that debuted in DDR)
** Takayuki Ishikawa (aka dj Taka; he is to ''[[Beatmania IIDX]]'' as Naoki is to DDR)
** Takayuki Ishikawa (aka dj Taka; he is to ''[[Beatmania IIDX]]'' as Naoki is to DDR)
* Mikio Saito (aka Metal Yuhki ; composer of ''[[Castlevania Rondo of Blood]]'', and composer and music producer of the ''[[Tokimeki Memorial]]'' series)
* Mikio Saito (aka Metal Yuhki ; composer of ''[[Castlevania: Rondo of Blood]]'', and composer and music producer of the ''[[Tokimeki Memorial]]'' series)
* Shingo Takatsuka (nickname "Seabass"; head designer and producer for the ''[[Pro Evolution Soccer]]'' series)
* Shingo Takatsuka (nickname "Seabass"; head designer and producer for the ''[[Pro Evolution Soccer]]'' series)
* [[Michiru Yamane]] (composer for many ''Castlevania'' soundtracks)
* [[Michiru Yamane]] (composer for many ''Castlevania'' soundtracks)
* [[Akira Yamaoka]] (the father of ''[[Silent Hill]]'')
* [[Akira Yamaoka]] (the father of ''[[Silent Hill]]'')
----
----
=== Tropes associated with Konami: ===


{{creatortropes}}
* [[Arc Number]]: The number 573 appears in many of Konami's games in some way.
* [[Arc Number]]: The number 573 appears in many of Konami's games in some way.
* [[Classic Cheat Code]]: [[Captain Obvious|Guess]].
* [[Classic Cheat Code]]: [[Captain Obvious|Guess]].
Line 151: Line 151:
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Video Game Companies]]
[[Category:Video Game Companies]]
[[Category:Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Franchise)]]
[[Category:index]]
[[Category:index]]
[[Category:Konami]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Japanese Games]]

Latest revision as of 19:32, 14 April 2024

/wiki/Konamicreator

UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, B, A

Konami is a popular Tokyo-based maker of video games, toys and trading cards, founded in 1969 as a jukebox rental and repair business in Osaka, Japan. Konami was one of the leading third-party developers during the NES era, with such best-selling games as Gradius, Contra and Metal Gear. It is currently the fourth-largest game company in Japan, behind Nintendo, Sega Sammy and Namco Bandai.

Due to Nintendo's restrictions on third-party licensing during that era, Konami could release only five games per year for the NES. Konami found a way around this by creating a quasi-independent subsidiary known as "Ultra Games", which published the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game, Skate or Die, Metal Gear, and an expanded version of Gyruss, among others. (They made a similar move in Europe with Palcom Software Ltd.) After Nintendo relaxed its standards, Konami closed Ultra in 1992 and absorbed its remaining employees into its American branch. Some of the other Konami staff left that same year to create Treasure Co. Ltd., a company well known for its fast-paced shooters (Gunstar Heroes, Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga, etc.) Konami also owns a majority stake in Hudson Soft (recently Hudson became a wholly owned subsidiary), though the latter still operates more or less independently.

In the mid-80s, Konami became famous by one of their Classic Cheat Codes, dubbed the "Konami Code". First appearing to US players in the 1986 NES port of Gradius and made popular in the 1988 NES port of Contra, it provided the players of the notoriously-difficult game with 30 lives, rather than the original 3. Due to the game's popularity, the Konami Code now enjoys a pop-culture status on par with the famous 'XYZZY' keyword from Colossal Cave Adventure -- mention the 'Konami Code', and it's a sure bet than any console gamer worth his eyeteeth will know exactly which code you mean.

Fast forward to 2012, Konami's reputation nose dives into a shockingly low state. While the company avoided the DLC/online pass related ire that's become all too common in modern gaming, they made up for it with their abysmal publishing decisions throughout 2011-2012, which can be summed up as Konami not giving a damn to hilariously awful levels. The highlights include releasing the Metal Gear Solid HD collection the same day as mega hit Modern Warfare 3, releasing three separate Silent Hill games within a mere three week span, several games around this time not having enough copies during launch day, the company not advertising games from new franchises at all, switching release dates for games unannounced, and releasing deeply flawed "remasters" of the three main Silent Hill games, despite being aware of the ports' dubious quality prior to release.

In 2015, the company announced they were ceasing their console gaming involvement to concentrate on their mobile games and their non-video gaming ventures, like slot machines and pachinko. That's after Silent Hills was cancelled and Hideo Kojima left Konami.

In no way related to the Konata/Kagami pairing of Lucky Star, or to a certain character named Konami, or to any kind of "economy".

Konami is responsible for the following video game franchises:


Licensed Games:


Anime series produced/sponsored by Konami:

Names associated with Konami:

Konami provides examples of the following tropes:
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Konami?oldid=2052629"