, also known by the abbreviated name ''Momoden'', is a

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 ...

series in Japan featuring the character from

Japanese folklore Japanese folklore encompasses the informally learned folk traditions of Japan and the Japanese people as expressed in its oral traditions, customs, and material culture. In Japanese, the term is used to describe folklore. The academic study o ...

, as well as other Japanese folklore characters such as

Kintarō is a folk hero from Japanese folklore. A child of superhuman strength, he was raised by a yama-uba ("mountain witch") on Mount Ashigara. He became friendly with the animals of the mountain, and later, after catching Shuten-dōji, the terror of ...

Urashima Tarō is the protagonist of a Japanese fairy tale (''otogi banashi''), who in a typical modern version is a fisherman rewarded for rescuing a turtle, and carried on its back to the Dragon Palace (Ryūgū-jō) beneath the sea. There he is entertained ...

, and Princess Kaguya (from ''

The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is a (fictional prose narrative) containing elements of Japanese folklore. Written by an unknown author in the late 9th or early 10th century during the Heian period, it is considered the oldest surviving work in the form. The story detail ...

''). The first game in franchise, Momotarō Densetsu'', had shipped 1 million copies in Japan. Started in 1987, the series was initially produced by Hudson Soft.

Konami , is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company, video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machin ...

absorbed the company in 2012. In 2015, a rumor stated that the franchise was acquired by

Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles. Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...

, though no official word from either Nintendo or Konami has been given. ''Momotarō Densetsu'' has many sub-series, including '' Momotaro Dentetsu''. As with ''Momotaro Dentetsu'', the project supervisor for the ''Momotaro Densetsu'' series is

Akira Sakuma (also known by the abbreviated name ''Momotetsu'') is a long-running board game-style video game series in Japan; in which players travel by rail, ship, and airplane; attempting to acquire wealth through business transactions buying properties; a ...

, with illustration by and main music production by Kazuyuki Sekiguchi of

Southern All Stars , also known by the abbreviations and SAS, are a Japanese rock band that first formed in 1974. The band is composed of Keisuke Kuwata (lead vocals and guitars), Yuko Hara (vocals and keyboards), Kazuyuki Sekiguchi (bass), Hiroshi Matsuda (dr ...

. In addition to the ''Momotaro Densetsu'' and ''Momotaro Dentetsu'' series, Hudson has produced several other video games in the Momotaro franchise, including the series, the series, and . The franchise has sold units, including the ''Momotaro Dentetsu'' spin-off series. A ''Momotaro Densetsu'' anime series was also broadcast, which had its own spinoff, , featuring a different storyline set in

outer space Outer space, commonly shortened to space, is the expanse that exists beyond Earth and its atmosphere and between celestial bodies. Outer space is not completely empty—it is a near-perfect vacuum containing a low density of particles, pred ...

. Both series were animated by

Knack Productions , formerly known as or simply until August 2008, is a Japanese anime and film production company. History Knack Productions was founded on September 25, 1967, by a group of former employees of Toei Animation and Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Production ...

Video games

* (

Famicom The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit Third generation of video game consoles, 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 redes ...

: 1987-10-26,

Sharp X68000 The is a home computer created by Sharp Corporation. It was first released in 1987 and sold only in Japan. The initial model has a 10 MHz Motorola 68000 CPU, 1 MB of RAM, and lacks a hard drive. The final model was released in 1993 wit ...

: 1988-02-26,

PlayStation is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...

: 1998-12-23) * (

PC Engine The TurboGrafx-16, known as the outside North America, is a home video game console designed by Hudson Soft and sold by NEC Home Electronics. It was the first console marketed in the fourth generation, commonly known as the 16-bit era, thoug ...

: 1990-07-20) * (PC Engine: 1990-12-22) * (

Game Boy The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...

: 1991-12-26, PC Engine: 1992-12-04, Famicom: 1993-12-17) * (

Super Famicom The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a Fourth generation of video game consoles, 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South ...

: 1993-12-24) * (

Game Boy Color The (commonly abbreviated as GBC) is a handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on October 21, 1998 and to international markets that November. It is the successor to the Game Boy and is part of the Game ...

: 2001-01-01) * (

i-mode NTT DoCoMo's i-mode is a mobile internet (distinct from wireless internet) service popular in Japan. Unlike Wireless Application Protocols, i-mode encompasses a wider variety of internet standards, including web access, e-mail, and the packet- ...

: 2011-04-18, : 2011-04-28) *'' Momotaro Dentetsu'' spin-off series

References

External links

Official siteMomotaro games at Hudson.co.jp
Video game franchises introduced in 1987 Hudson Soft games Japan-exclusive video games Video game franchises Game Boy games Game Boy Color games Knack Productions Konami franchises Nintendo Entertainment System games PlayStation (console) games Sharp X68000 games Super Nintendo Entertainment System games Super Nintendo Entertainment System-only games TurboGrafx-16 games TurboGrafx-16-only games Video games based on Japanese mythology Video games developed in Japan {{rpg-videogame-stub