Way Forward Technologies
Video game producers WayForward Technologies (founded in 1990 by actor-turned-programmer Voldi Way, and named for a joke in a novel by Douglas Adams) first established themselves as a reliable maker of product licensed to them by other companies -- they began to make their mark with an adaptation of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which made the astute decision of treating it as a game first and a licensed game second. They've gone on to avoid The Problem with Licensed Games in much of their subsequent work -- so much so that when Konami decided to contract out to an external developer for Contra 4, they went with WayForward.
But the company's true labor of love has been its original properties, most of which feature input from creator/character designer Matt Bozon and legendary Chiptune composer Jake Kaufman, a/k/a Virt.
Notable licensed works include:
- Justice League Heroes: The Flash, published by Warner Brothers Games for Game Boy Advance in 2006 (notably a prequel to the main JLH game, released for Playstation2, Xbox, Nintendo DS and PSP)
- Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck, published by Warner Brothers Games for Nintendo DS in 2007
- Contra 4, published by Konami for Nintendo DS in 2007 (US) and 2008 (Japan)
- A Boy and His Blob, published by Majesco for Nintendo Wii in 2009
- Batman the Brave And The Bold: The Videogame, published by Warner Brothers Games for Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in 2010
- BloodRayne: Betrayal, published by Majesco for XBLA and PSN August 2011
- Aliens: Infestation, co-developed by Way Forward and Gearbox, published by Sega for the Nintendo DS in October 2011.
- Silent Hill: Book of Memories, to be published by Konami for the Playstation Vita.
- Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?, Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS game.
- Double Dragon: Neon, PSN/XBLA game.
- The Mummy Demastered: A Playstation 4, Xbox One, Steam/GOG.com, and Nintendo Switch game that's kinda base off of The Mummy (2017 film).
Notable original works include:
- Shantae, published by Capcom for Game Boy Color in 2002
- Sigma Star Saga, published by Namco for GBA in 2005
- LIT, published by WayForward themselves on Wii Ware in 2008; licensed and published (as School of Darkness) by Square Enix in Japan
- Featuring an interesting Creator Cameo. The few lines given to the protagonist are voiced by Voldi Way himself.
- Mighty Flip Champs, published by WayForward on DSiWare in 2009
- Mighty Flip Champs DX, the upcoming PSN port/remake of said game, available July 12th, 2011.
- Shantae: Risky's Revenge, published by WayForward on DSiWare (potentially forward-compatible with the Nintendo 3DS) in October 2010 (US and Europe release only -- so far)
- Now available in the Nintendo 3DS Download Store (at least in the US)!
- Coming soon to an iDevice near you!
- Mighty Milky Way, the Spiritual Successor to Mighty Flip Champs, published again by WayForward on DSiWare, released on 2011.
- Mighty Switch Force!, Another Spiritual Successor for MFC, published by WayForward for the 3DS eShop, releasing 2011.
- Mystik Belle, were one plays as Mystik, a kid witch, in this metroidvania for the Playstation 4 and Xbox One. This is also a collaboration with Last Dimension.