Compile

I have wanted to do a Compile history thread for a couple years now but I always had too many unanswered questions and their history seemed impossible to piece together since many of their games have gone uncredited with only their publishers' names on them.

But now thanks to finding an archive of the old Compile site I have finally been able to put together a near complete history. There are a few names I couldn't figure out(mostly kanji stuff) so I have left those in Japanese if anyone knows them.

http://web.archive.org/web/200112020...ame/index.html

This Compile site is excellent(mostly for their shooters) - http://kelesis.free.fr/hp/index_eng.htm

This MSX database was helpful too - http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb

I have left out two types of games that comprise a lot of their history:
Puyo Puyo games(the excellent puzzle series available on nearly every game format from the 8-bit era to present) and the Disk Station games which are a series of small games that came with magazines in Japan. Disk Station spans several eras and the games cover every genre from shooters to maze games to platformers to strategy games. So if a console/computer isn't listed here or doesn't have much listed it likely has more quantity, just in Disk Station or Puyo Puyo games.
http://www.sokutsu.com/IMG/jpg/ds32.jpg


-MSX Games-


Bee & Flower(1983)
Shoot things at rival bugs.
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/s...resize/g59.gif

E.I.(1984)
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/s...resize/g98.gif

Aqua Polis SOS(1984)
Head to the ocean bottom to rescue dudes.
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/softwareinfo/4

Devil's Heaven(1984)
http://www4.airnet.ne.jp/makuta/tagoo/grp/50.png

Hustle Chumy(1984)
See SG-1000.

Megalopolis SOS(1984)
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/softwareinfo/78

A.E.(1985)
A port of the Broderbund game.
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/softwareinfo/105

C-SO!(1985)
Not a bad platformer. You have collect all the objects on the screen, flip the planks over and avoid enemies.
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/s...esize/g513.gif

Godzilla kun(1985)

Championship Lode Runner(1985)
Another Broderbund conversion.

Choplifter(1985)
And another Broderbund game.

Final Justice(1985)
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/softwareinfo/617

Lunar Ball(1985)

Lode Runner(1985)

Swing(1985)
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/s...esize/g686.gif

Guardic(1986)
http://kelesis.free.fr/hp/compile/gu...uadead_end.jpg

Gulkave(1986)
See SG-1000 pic.

Zanac(1986)
http://outerspace.terra.com.br/retro.../MSX/zanac.gif

Thexder(1986)
I'm guessing that they just did this version and Game Arts did the original in-house on another computer.

Birdie Try(1986)
Golf, I assume.

Jagur(1987)
The Compile site lists the publisher as Pony Canyon but I believe that's an error and it's a Hudson game like seen here.
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/softwareinfo/945

Golvellius
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/softwareinfo/1016


-SG-1000 Games-


N-Sub(1983)
A port of the Sega arcade game.
http://potato.emu-france.com/sms/ima..._(SG-1000).gif

Safari Hunting(1983)
A port of the Sega arcade game Tranquilizer Gun.

Borderline(1983)
Another arcade port made for Sega.
http://potato.emu-france.com/sms/images/Borderline_(SG-1000).gif

Hustle Chumy(1984)
http://www.classicgaming.com.br/imag...humy_Foto3.jpg

Championship Lode Runner(1985)

Choplifter(1985)

C-SO!(1986)

Gulkave(1986)
An impressive sidescrolling shooter. It even has multiple layers of parallax scrolling.
http://potato.emu-france.com/sms/ima...0)_%5B!%5D.gif

Champion Billiards(1986)


-NES Games-


Lunar Pool(1985)
The domestic name for the previously mentioned Lunar Ball.
http://www.juegomania.org/emuladores/nes/0/510.jpg

Zanac(1986)

Touch Mystery of Triangle(1987)
http://www.geocities.jp/f_tamakoku/f...7_03/touch.gif

Romancia(1987)
http://www.geocities.jp/f_tamakoku/f...5/romansia.gif

The Guardian Legend(1988)
Known as Guardic Gaiden in Japan. This was a very cool mix of an overhead action/adventure game and a vertical shooter.
http://tuxnes.sourceforge.net/snaps/...-snap-0002.gif

Taiyou no Shinden(1988)
http://www.geocities.jp/f_tamakoku/f...unoshinden.gif

Godzilla(1988)
http://www.monkeysvsrobots.com/mvsrp...llareview2.gif

テーラーメイド (Taylor Made?)(1990)
I looked through the Famicom Database for 1990 and couldn't find anything by this name. The name does show up on some FC lists but no info.

Gun*Nac(1990)
I love this game. I think it's a big improvement over Zanac.
http://www.emumax.com/pic/videopic/2004825235552.gif

Gorby no Pipeline(1991)
A neat puzzle game.
http://www.geocities.jp/f_tamakoku/f...rubinopipe.gif


-Master System Games-


Ghostbusters(1987)
A remake of David Crane's computer game.
http://dorando.emuverse.com/images/ghostbusters_02.png

Parlour Games(1987)
http://bto8.smspower.org/segapower/1342/11.gif

R-Type(1988)
This was an amazing port of Irem's arcade game. Compile left their touch with a hidden level exclusive to this version called Super Stage. You can listen to a midi of its signature Compile sounding music here: http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console...etStageSMS.mid

Power Strike(1988)
A port of the MSX2 Aleste. It's missing a couple levels from the original.

Casino Games(1988)
http://www.briansemu.com/sms/games/C...o%20Games.html

Golvellius(1988)
http://bto8.smspower.org/segapower/1363/72.gif

Power Strike II(1993)
One of, if not the, best 8-bit shooters.
http://kelesis.free.fr/hp/compile/po.../index_eng.htm

And although it wasn't listed on their site I still think Bomber Raid has some sort of Compile connection given the similarities to Aleste.


-MSX2 Games-


Zanac(1986)

Makaijima - Higemaru(1987)
A port of the Capcom arcade game.

Aleste(1988)
The first in a long line of amazing shooters.
http://www.yspu.yar.ru/MSX/original/best/aleste.gif

Girly Block(1988)
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/s...size/g1131.gif

Xevious Faudraut(1988)
I'm not sure what's different between this and the original Namco arcade game.

Golvellius(1988)
I believe this version has extra stuff not in the others which is why it is sometimes incorrectly labeled as a sequel.
http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/s.../msx/side3.gif

Aleste 2(1988)
http://www.chez.com/msxfr/aleste6.jpg

Family Stadium Professional Baseball(1989)
A port of the Namco Famicom game.

Nyanbu(1990)
I'm not sure I transliterated the name right.
http://game.goo.ne.jp/contents/retro...ECOM1010_2.jpg

Randar no Daibouken III(1990)
Compile mascot Randar gets his own game. I think the first two were Disk Station games.
http://www.uvlist.com/img.asp?!arandar3_msx2.png

Rune Master 2(1990)

魔導師ラルバ総集編(1990)
http://game.goo.ne.jp/contents/retro/RGMEGGECOM1001/

Madou Monogatari 1-2-3(1990)
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/s...size/g1447.gif

Dragon Quiz(1991)
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/s...size/g1690.gif

Columns(1991)
A port of the Sega game.

Gorby no Pipeline(1991)

Rune Master 3(1991)
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/softwareinfo/1609

Warau Salesman(1991)
http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/s...size/g1631.gif


-PC98 Games-


Warau Salesman(1991)

Madou Monogatari 1-2-3(1991)

Madou Monogatari A.R.S.(1993)

幻世喜譚(1995)


-TurboGrafx-16/CD Games-


Alien Crush(1988)
I'm a huge fan of the pinball games Compile did for Naxat. I was surprised to see all of them listed on the Compile site as I had always credited them to the publisher before.
http://images.webmagic.com/klov.com/...lien_Crush.png

Blazing Lazers(1989)
An excellent shooter. In Japan it was based on the Gunhed license although in gameplay it's pretty much an Aleste game.
http://media.gamespy.com/columns/ima...1080168362.jpg

Xevious Faudraut(1990)

Devil's Crush(1990)
This was also ported to Genesis by Tecnosoft.
http://www.armchairempire.com/images...ls-crush-1.gif

Cyber Knight(1990)
http://pcenginebible.roarvgm.com/HTM...ber_Knight.htm

Spriggan(1991, CD)
Another awesome Aleste like shooter.
http://www.sokutsu.com/IMG/gif/sprig.gif

Spriggan Mark II(1992, CD)
I haven't played this one but I hear it's worse than the first.
http://www.pcengine.com.br/SprigganII/Cd_ee55.jpg

Sylphia(1993, CD)
I really want to try this but it's so expensive.
http://www.pcengine.com.br/sylphia/Cd_2211.gif


-Genesis/CD Games-


Ghostbusters(1990)
This one wasn't a port but an original platformer.
http://www.ecto-web.biz.be/games/gb1.../gengb1mmm.gif

M.U.S.H.A.(1990)
Metallic Unframe Super Hybrid Armor was the domestic name for Musha Aleste. This is one of the Genesis' best shooters.
http://www.genesiscollective.com/Gen...SHA%20(GS).png

Robo Aleste(1992, CD)
http://www.skjoldhammer.dk/md-mcd-32...leste_main.jpg

Warau Salesman(1993, CD)

Shadowrun(1996, CD)
http://www.sega-16.com/Feature-%20Le...20RPGs%202.htm

Madou Monogatari I(1996)


-Game Gear Games-


GG Aleste(1991)

Power Strike II(1993)
Known as GG Aleste II in Japan. It's a different game than the MSx2 and SMS games. I think it's the best portable shooter although given the GG's blurry screen playing it through emulation's a better idea.
http://kelesis.free.fr/hp/compile/gg...leste2shot.png

Madou Monogatari I(1993)
Madou Monogatari II(1994)
Madou Monogatari III(1994)
Madou Monogatari A(1995)


-Super Nintendo Games-


Naxat Super Pinball: Jaki Crush(1992)
This is my least favourite of the "Crush" series but I still like it.
http://www.cherryroms.com/screenshot..._(J)(6317).png

Space Megaforce(1992)
Known as Super Aleste in Japan. The SNES was always considered the weaker shooter system compared to the TG16 and Genesis but I consider this the best one of the era. It excelled in every area: gameplay, graphics, and sound.
http://emultest.free.fr/screenshot/s...emegaforce.gif

Madou Monogatari(1996)


-Windows PC Games-


After Devil Force(1998)
http://shop.knet.ne.jp/software/Image/cple024i.gif

Geoconflict 4(2000)
http://softplaza.biglobe.ne.jp/shop/...g/mission1.jpg

Wander Wonder(2000)
http://kelesis.free.fr/hp/pc-games/w...r/wander02.jpg


-Others-


Lunar Ball(PC88, 1985)
Birdie Try(X1, 1986)
Godzilla kun(GB, 1990)
Columns(FM Towns, 1991)
Gorby no Pipeline(FM Towns, 1991)
Madou Monogatari(SS, 1998)

Zanac x Zanac(PS1, 2001)
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/...413/cmpl01.jpg

Your thoughts on Compile? Please make any corrections or additions.
http://shell0.elnet.com/~gm-quinn/sm...ik2/randar.gif

I _love_ the music in Robo Aleste. It also had one of the most eye-screwing last levels in shooter history. ZanacxZanac is still a kickass fun game to play, and an awesome tribute to Zanac. They had a lot of other shooters that I loved to play, and it's interesting to see all the other stuff they've worked on.

Exceedingly bizarre that they worked on a Shadowrun game...

Damn Neozeed! You done did it again!
Compile might be my favorite development house of all time. I've always wanted to play their version of Shadowrun. I didn't know they were behind like a third of those games!

NES Godzilla is still awesome. That is all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NeoZeedeater

テーラーメイド (Taylor Made?)(1990)

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The first four katakana symbols read Tera, not Taylor. Maybe it's "Terra Maid"?

Awesome thread, by the way. I always enjoy reading these detailed retrospectives.

Great thread, I love compile. I wish you didn't omit the Puyo games though, as they're not only fantastic and a big part of Compile's history, but diverse, making up RPGs, Adventure games, etc, as well as puzzlers.

I never did get to try Pochi to Nya... What are the compile guys doing now?

EDIT: Oh yeah, and you forgot Pnickies.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cowdisease

The first four katakana symbols read Tera, not Taylor. Maybe it's "Terra Maid"?

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I know literally it's Tera Meido but given Japanese transliterations of words it could be a variety of things involving R's or L's.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

I wish you didn't omit the Puyo games though

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They are fantastic but there's no way I could have fit them all in or figured out all the different variations. I already had to shrink the post considerably. Take a look at the Compile archive and you'll see there are so many of them. It's even more confusing with Disk Station stuff. I left out Aleste gaiden which is one of the coolest mini-games ever.

I don't think they actually developed Pnickies, they just licensed the gameplay to Capcom it seems. I could be wrong but the game says "Licensed by Compile" on it and it doesn't appear on the Compile site under Arcade.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cowdisease

The first four katakana symbols read Tera, not Taylor. Maybe it's "Terra Maid"?

---

How can you tell? (Not being a troll, I really would like to know)

Basically Taylor would be Teira, as opposed to Tera.

Wow, great thread as usual. I didn't know much about most of the games mentioned, but I always thought that Zanac was an aleste game, being that holding down A+B while pressing start twice in Zanac gives you a ship that looks almost exactly like the one in Space Megaforce.

I'd also like to thank you for reminding me how badass Robo Aleste is. I kinda forgot the game existed since my sega cd took to scratching up my discs when I played it...I'll give it a try in the xbox tonight!