is a Japanese

video game developer A video game developer is a broad term for a software developer specializing in video game development – the process and related disciplines of creating video games. A game developer can range from one person who undertakes all tasks to a larg ...

and

publisher Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...

founded on October 5, 1980. In 2016, it was renamed Culture Brain Excel.

History

Culture Brain was founded in 1980 as Nihon Game Corporation. In 1981, a subsidiary to handle the sales operations of the company was established. Its first video games were arcades games, with titles such as '' Shanghai Kid'' and ''

Chinese Hero ''Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword'' is a ''wuxia'' manhua series created by Hong Kong artist Ma Wing-shing. It is also referred to as ''Blood Sword'', ''Blood Sword Dynasty'', ''A Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword'' and ''A Man Calle ...

'' that were manufactured under "Taiyo Systems" trademark. In 1987, it transitioned from arcade to console video games and renamed itself "Culture Brain". The company has also alternatively used the brand "Micro Academy" in the mid-1980s. In North America, Culture Brain is mostly known for its six

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...

s for the

Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in American ...

and its three for the Super NES. Two of those games, '' The Magic of Scheherazade'' and '' Flying Warriors'', were strongly redesigned by Culture Brain USA (the company's division in Redmond, Washington) to better appeal North American consumers. Culture Brain was distinct for its innovative gameplay and its mixture of

role-playing video game A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...

elements with either action or adventure. However, like many other Japanese video game companies, Culture Brain ceased its operations in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

in the 1990s. Ever since the demise of Culture Brain USA, video games developed by the parent company have rarely made it in

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...

. An exception of the latter situation is the

Nintendo 64 The (N64) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. The successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it was released on June 23, 1996, in Japan, on September 29, 1996, in North America, and on March 1, 1997, in Europe and ...

version of ''

Flying Dragon ''Flying Dragon'', known in Japan as , is a fighting game with role-playing video game elements that was developed by Culture Brain and released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998. Part of the ''Hiryū no Ken'' series, it was published in Japan by Cul ...

'' which was published by Natsume. Culture Brain also ran until 2003 a professional school, the Culture Brain Art Institute. In 2016, the company was renamed Culture Brain Excel and the website's URL was changed to the new name. The longtime Culture Brain logo was instantly dropped and will be replaced by a new logo that is scheduled to be unveiled in 2017.

Games

Nintama Rantarō series

Baseball Simulator series

These

Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding ...

titles included some form of "Super League" where pitchers and batters would have special abilities. * '' Baseball Simulator 1.000'' (1989, NES), also known as Choujin Ultra Baseball * '' Super Baseball Simulator 1.000'' (1991, Super NES), also known as Super Ultra Baseball * ''Ultra Baseball Jitsumeiban'' (1992, SNES) NPB licensed. * ''Super Ultra Baseball 2'' (1994, SNES) * ''Ultra Baseball Jitsumeiban 2'' (1994, SNES) NPB licensed. * ''Ultra Baseball Jitsumeiban 3'' (1995, SNES) NPB licensed. * ''Pro Yakyū Star'' (1997, SNES) NPB licensed.

Hiryū no Ken series

* '' Shanghai Kid'' (known in Japan as ''Hokuha Syourin Hiryu no Ken'' (Arcade) * ''Hiryu no Ken Special: Fighting Wars'' (NES - Japan only) * '' Flying Dragon: The Secret Scroll'' (NES) * '' Flying Warriors'' (NES) * ''Fighting Simulator 2-in-1: Flying Warriors'' (Game Boy) * '' Ultimate Fighter'' (Super NES) * ''SD Hiryu no Ken Gaiden'' (Game Boy) * ''

'' (Nintendo 64) * ''

SD Hiryu no Ken Densetsu ''Flying Dragon'', known in Japan as , is a fighting game with role-playing video game elements that was developed by Culture Brain and released for the Nintendo 64 The (N64) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. The successor ...

'' (Nintendo 64 - Japan only) * ''Hiryu no Ken Retsuden GB'' (Game Boy Color) * ''

Virtual Hiryu No Ken Virtual may refer to: * Virtual (horse), a thoroughbred racehorse * Virtual channel, a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel (or range of frequencies) on which the signal travels * Virtual function, a programming ...

'' (Sony PlayStation)

Super Chinese series

In this list are series which were originally released as "Chinese Hero", but became better known as ''Super Chinese'', but with the exception of "Kung-Fu Heroes", these titles were released in North America as the "Ninja Brothers" series. * ''

'' (Arcade) * '' Kung Fu Heroes'' (NES) * ''

Little Ninja Brothers ''Little Ninja Brothers'', known in Japan as , is a 1989 video game developed and published by Culture Brain for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989 in Japan, 1990 in the United States, and 1991 in Europe. It is the second game in the ''Supe ...

'' (NES) * ''

Ninja Boy ''Ninja Boy'', known in Japan as , is a 1990 action video game that was developed and published by Culture Brain for the Game Boy. It is the first game in the handheld series of Culture Brain's ''Super Chinese is a series of adventure and ac ...

'' (Game Boy) * ''

Super Chinese 3 ''Super Chinese 3'' is an action RPG video game released in 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the last of the NES ''Super Chinese'' games and was not released outside Japan. Gameplay Similar to '' Little Ninja Brothers'' before i ...

'' (NES) * '' Super Ninja Boy'' (Super NES) * '' Ninja Boy 2'' (Game Boy) * ''

Super Chinese World 2 is a Japanese-only action RPG developed by Culture Brain. It is the second SNES ''Super Chinese'' game, being a sequel to ''Super Ninja Boy ''Super Ninja Boy'' is an action role-playing game released for the Super NES. It features random enc ...

'' (Super NES) * ''

Super Chinese Fighter is a 1995 fighting game developed and published by Culture Brain for the Super Famicom exclusively in Japan. It is part of the ''Super Chinese'' series, but is not in the main series of the games. ''Fighter'' allows players to fight in fighting ...

'' (Super NES) * ''

Super Chinese Land 3 is a Japanese-only action RPG released in 1995 by Culture Brain. This game is part of the ''Super Chinese'' series and is the third game in the series to appear on the Game Boy The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console develo ...

'' (Game Boy) * ''

Super Chinese World 3 is a Japanese-only action RPG developed by Culture Brain. It is the third SNES ''Super Chinese is a series of adventure and action role-playing games for the arcade and various Nintendo video game systems. The plot of several of the games f ...

'' (Super NES) * ''Super Chinese Land 1-2-3 Dash'' (Game Boy) * ''

Super Chinese Fighter GB is a 2D fighting video game for the Game Boy released by Culture Brain in 1996. It is part of the ''Super Chinese'' series. Like '' Super Chinese Fighter'' for the SNES The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to ...

'' (Game Boy) * '' Super Chinese I+II Advance'' (Game Boy Advance) * '' Super Chinese Labyrinth'' (Game Boy Advance)

Oshare Princess series

A Japan-only series of games for the GBA (with two DS versions) about fashion and dressing up. The games feature a wide range of clothes, shoes, accessories and makeup to be used in different combinations. There are 5 GBA games and 2 DS games.

Ferret/Hamster Monogatari series

A Japan-only series of games formally about care-taking ferrets, and later about care-taking hamsters. The illustrations of the Hamster Monogatari ones were heavily inspired by Ritsuko Kawai's children's storybook series,

Hamtaro ''Hamtaro'', known in Japan as , is a Japanese manga and storybook series created and illustrated by Ritsuko Kawai about a hamster. The manga was serialized in Shogakukan's "Second Grade" magazine in April 1997; more ''Hamtaro'' stor ...

. * '' Ferret Monogatari: Watashi no Okini Iri'' (Game Boy Color) * ''Hamster Monogatari'' (Sony PlayStation) * '' Hamster Monogatari 64'' (Nintendo 64) * ''Hamster Monogatari 2 GBA'' (Game Boy Advance) * ''Hamster Monogatari GB + Magi Ham Mahou no Shoujo'' (Game Boy Color) * ''Hamster Monogatari 3 GBA'' (Game Boy Advance) * ''Hamster Monogatari Collection'' (Game Boy Advance) * ''Hamster Monogatari 3EX, 4, Special'' (Game Boy Advance)

Konchuu Monster series

A Japan-only series of games about catching, training and battling insects. First released with ''Super Chinese Labyrinth'' both in Volume 3 of Culture Brain's Twin Series, a series of two-in-one Game Boy Advance games. * '' Konchuu Monster'' (Game Boy Advance) * ''Konchuu Monster: Battle Master'' (Game Boy Advance) * ''Konchuu Monster: Battle Stadium'' (Game Boy Advance) * ''Konchuu no Mori no Daibouken'' (Game Boy Advance)

Other

* '' The Magic of Scheherazade '' (NES) * ''First Queen'' (Super NES) * ''Osu!! Karate Bu'' (Super NES) * ''Computer Nouryoku Kaiseki: Ultra Baken'' (Super NES) * ''Sweet Cookie Pie'' (Game Boy Advance)

References

External links

* (current)
Official website
(former) {{Portal bar, Video games, Japan Japanese companies established in 1980 Software companies based in Tokyo Video game companies established in 1980 Video game companies of Japan Video game publishers Video game development companies