is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. It is the successor to the company Shin Nihon Kikaku and presently owns the SNK video game brand and the
Neo Geo video game platform. SNK's predecessor Shin Nihon Kikaku was founded in 1978 by Eikichi Kawasaki. The corporation was initially named . In 1981, the name was informally shortened to SNK Corporation, which became the company's official name in 1986.
SNK is known for its creation of the Neo Geo family of arcade, home, and handheld game consoles in 1990. The Neo Geo line was halted in 2001 because financial troubles forced SNK Corporation to close in the same year. Anticipating the end of the company, Kawasaki founded Playmore Corporation in 2001, which acquired all of the intellectual property of the first iteration of SNK Corporation. In 2003, Playmore Corporation was renamed to SNK Playmore Corporation. In 2016, SNK dropped the name Playmore from its logo and reintroduced its old slogan, "The Future Is Now", officially changing its corporate name back to SNK.
Traditionally, SNK operated primarily as a video game developer, publisher, and hardware manufacturer with a focus on arcade games; however, it has ventured into developing console and PC games. In 2004, SNK started manufacturing
pachislot machines, but the company withdrew from the market in 2015. In 2009, the company entered mobile game development. Classic SNK franchises include ''
Art of Fighting'', ''
Fatal Fury'', ''
Metal Slug'', ''
Samurai Shodown
''Samurai Shodown'', known in Japan as is a fighting game series by SNK. The series began in 1993 and is known for being one of the earliest in the genre with a primary focus on weapon-based combat.
Plot
The stories in the series take place in ...
'', ''
The Last Blade'', ''
World Heroes
is a series of four fighting games created originally by ADK with assistance from SNK for the Neo Geo family of arcade and home consoles.
Over the years, the games have been ported to various non-SNK platforms as well including the Super NE ...
'', ''
Twinkle Star Sprites'', and ''
The King of Fighters''.
History
Beginnings (1973–1981)
![SNK early logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/SNK_early_logo.png)
SNK was founded in 1973 as Shin Nihon Kikaku and reorganized in 1978 as a stock company (''
kabushiki gaisha
A or ''kabushiki kaisha'', commonly abbreviated K.K. or KK, is a type of defined under the Companies Act of Japan. The term is often translated as "stock company", " joint-stock company" or "stock corporation". The term ''kabushiki gaisha'' i ...
'') under the name "Shin Nihon Kikaku Corporation".
When Eikichi Kawasaki noticed rapid growth in the coin-operated video game market, he expanded Shin Nihon Kikaku to include the development and marketing of stand-alone
coin-op
A currency detector or currency validator is a device that determines whether notes or coins are genuine or counterfeit. These devices are used in a wide range of automated machines, such as retail kiosks, supermarket self checkout machines, a ...
games.
The company was nicknamed "Shin Nihon Kikaku" in katakana at first, but since 1981 it has been changed to "SNK" by taking the initials from the Roman alphabet (Shin Nihon Kikaku). The English copyright notation was also "SNK CORPORATION". It established itself in
Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale () is a city located in the Santa Clara Valley in northwest Santa Clara County in the U.S. state of California.
Sunnyvale lies along the historic El Camino Real and Highway 101 and is bordered by portions of San Jose to the north ...
, California, to deliver its own brand of coin-operated games to arcades in North America. SNK chose John Rowe to head its American operation.
The first two titles that SNK released were ''
Ozma Wars'' (1979), a vertical space
shooter, and ''Safari Rally'' (1980), a maze game. Game quality improved over time, most notably with ''
Vanguard
The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force.
History
The vanguard derives fr ...
'' (1981), a side-scrolling space shooter. SNK licensed the game to
Centuri
Centuri, formerly known as Allied Leisure, was an American arcade game manufacturer. They were based in Hialeah, Florida, and were one of the top six suppliers of coin-operated arcade video game machinery in the United States during the early 198 ...
for distribution in North America. Centuri started manufacturing and distributing the game by itself when profits exceeded projections.
In part due to the success of ''Vanguard'', SNK began to gain fame and reputation. An American branch opened on October 20, 1981, named SNK Electronics Corporation.
SNK Corporation (1986–2001; first incarnation)
![The Future Is Now, SNK Logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/The_Future_Is_Now%2C_SNK_Logo.svg)
In April 1986, Shin Nihon Kikaku Corporation officially became SNK Corporation. In November 1986, SNK Electronics Corporation, the US branch, became SNK Corporation of America and moved to Sunnyvale, California. In March 1988, SNK staff moved to a building in
Suita,
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
, Japan.
At this point, the Japanese operations of SNK Corporation had shifted their focus solely toward developing and licensing video games for arcade use and later for early
consoles. Between 1979 and 1986, SNK produced 23 stand-alone arcade games. Highlights from this period include ''Mad Crasher'' (1984), ''
Alpha Mission'' (1985), and ''
Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of ...
'' (1986), a game that gained a large following when it was ported to 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 America ...
(NES) in 1987. SNK's most successful game from this time was ''
Ikari Warriors'', released in 1986. It was so popular that it was licensed and ported to the
Atari 2600,
Atari 7800,
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...
,
Commodore Amiga,
Amstrad CPC,
Apple II
The Apple II (stylized as ) is an 8-bit home computer and one of the world's first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products. It was designed primarily by Steve Wozniak; Jerry Manock developed the design of Apple II's foam-m ...
,
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer.
Referred to during development as t ...
, and NES. After ''Ikari Warriors'', SNK released two sequels: ''Victory Road'' and ''Ikari III: The Rescue''.
At the time, Japan was affected by the
video game crash of 1983
The video game crash of 1983 (known as the Atari shock in Japan) was a large-scale recession in the video game industry that occurred from 1983 to 1985, primarily in the United States. The crash was attributed to several factors, including ma ...
. The console manufacturer
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 ...
remained in business throughout and after the crash. SNK became a third-party licensee for Nintendo's Famicom (alternative name for the NES) system in 1985. It opened a second branch in the US, called SNK Home Entertainment, based in
Torrance, California. The branch handled the North American distribution and marketing of the company's products for home consoles. John Rowe had already left the company to form
Tradewest, which went on to market the ''Ikari Warriors'' series in North America. Paul Jacobs took over Rowe's position over both halves of SNK America. He is known for having helped launch the company's Neo Geo system outside of Asia.
In response to strong sales of the company's NES ports, SNK began to dabble in the development of original software designed specifically for the NES console. Two games came out of this effort: ''
Baseball Stars
''Baseball Stars'' is a baseball video game developed by SNK. It was released for the NES in 1989. It became a major hit in many countries worldwide, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Features
''Baseball Stars'' was the ...
'' (1989) and ''
Crystalis
''Crystalis'' is a 1990 action role-playing action-adventure video game produced by SNK for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The original Nintendo Entertainment System version has been re-released via the ''SNK 40th Anniversary Collection'' on ...
'' (1990; known as ''God Slayer'' in Japan). In 1989, two home video game consoles were released in North America: the
Sega Genesis
The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...
, and
NEC
is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational information technology and electronics corporation, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. The company was known as the Nippon Electric Company, Limited, before rebranding in 1983 as NEC. It prov ...
and
Hudson Soft
was a Japanese video game company that released numerous games for video game consoles, home computers and mobile phones, mainly from the 1980s to the 2000s. It was headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo ...
's
TurboGrafx-16. Nintendo followed suit with a new system in 1991, the
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Eur ...
(Super NES, SNES). SNK as a whole did not become involved in the "system wars" of the early 1990s. Instead, it refocused its efforts on arcades. Other third parties, such as
Romstar and
Takara, were left to license and port SNK's properties to the various home consoles of the time with help from SNK's American home entertainment division. With console ports mainly handled outside the company, it moved on to developing SNK-branded arcade equipment.
SNK also licensed
Tiger Electronics to market
handheld electronic games from some of its brands.
In 1988, SNK created the idea of a modular cabinet for arcades. Up to that point, arcade cabinets typically contained only one game. When an arcade operator wanted to switch or replace that game, it would have to completely remove the internals of the existing cabinet or exchange the entire setup for another game. SNK's new system, called the
Neo Geo MVS (short for Multi Video System), featured multiple games in a single cabinet and used a cartridge-based storage mechanism. The system debuted in 1990 and could contain one, two, four, or six separate games in a single cabinet. To swap in a new game, all the operator had to do was remove one cartridge and exchange it for another. The MVS was an immediate success. It greatly shortened the setup time needed for each game, minimized floor space for cabinets, and reduced costs for new cartridges to US$500—less than half of what a traditional arcade unit cost at the time.
SNK wanted to bring arcade games to people's homes without making
CPU
A central processing unit (CPU), also called a central processor, main processor or just processor, is the electronic circuitry that executes instructions comprising a computer program. The CPU performs basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, and ...
and
memory
Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered, ...
performance compromises that typical home consoles were forced to make. In 1990, the Neo Geo family was created. The company released a home version of the MVS, a single cartridge unit called the
Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System (Neo Geo AES). Initially, the AES was only available for rent or for use in hotel settings, but SNK quickly began selling the system through stores when customer response indicated that people were willing to spend money on home versions. Several franchises of games derived from it, including ''
Sengoku
The was a period in Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615.
The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the feudal system of Japan under the Ashikaga shogunate. Various s ...
'', ''
The King of Fighters'', ''
The Last Blade'', ''
Super Sidekicks
''Super Sidekicks'' is a series of soccer video games made by SNK for its console, the Neo-Geo. Released in the 90's with an arcade-style approach to soccer, the games of the franchise allow players to choose any of the available game modes to co ...
'', ''
Art of Fighting'', ''
Metal Slug'', ''
Burning Fight
is a beat 'em up arcade game released by SNK in 1991 for the Neo Geo MVS system. Introduced to capture a share in the then-popular beat 'em ups market, it was meant to compete with Technōs' ''Double Dragon'', the leader of the genre at the time ...
'', ''
Savage Reign'', ''
Samurai Shodown
''Samurai Shodown'', known in Japan as is a fighting game series by SNK. The series began in 1993 and is known for being one of the earliest in the genre with a primary focus on weapon-based combat.
Plot
The stories in the series take place in ...
'', and ''
Fatal Fury''. The ''King of Fighters'', ''Samurai Shodown'', and ''Metal Slug'' series were continued on later consoles. SNK also helped publish third-party Neo Geo games such as
ADK's ''
World Heroes
is a series of four fighting games created originally by ADK with assistance from SNK for the Neo Geo family of arcade and home consoles.
Over the years, the games have been ported to various non-SNK platforms as well including the Super NE ...
'' and ''
Aggressors of Dark Kombat'',
Visco's ''
Breakers'' and ''
Ganryu'',
Noise Factory
was a Japanese video game developer and publisher based out of Osaka, it was one of the developer companies of SNK, established by former Atlus staff members who previously worked on ''Princess Crown'' for Sega Saturn. Its more known games were ...
's ''
Rage of the Dragons
is a 2002 tag team head-to-head fighting game released for the Neo Geo hardware by Playmore. The game was developed by Japanese company Noise Factory, co-developed by BrezzaSoft and chiefly-designed by the Mexican team Evoga. As of May 2020 ...
'' and ''
Sengoku 3
''Sengoku 3'' is a 2001 side-scrolling beat 'em up arcade video game developed by Noise Factory and published by SNK. It is the third and final entry in the ''Sengoku'' series. In the game, players battle against undead enemy spirits. Though ini ...
'',
Sunsoft's ''
Galaxy Fight: Universal Warriors'' and ''
Waku Waku 7
is a 2D fighting game developed and published by Sunsoft initially as an arcade game for the Neo Geo MVS arcade system in 1996 worldwide.
A port for the Nintendo Switch, part of the Arcade Archive collection from the Japanese video game pub ...
'',
Sammy's ''
Viewpoint
Viewpoint may refer to:
* Scenic viewpoint, a high place where people can gather to view scenery
In computing
* Viewpoint model, a computer science technique for making complex systems more comprehensible to human engineers
* Viewpoint Corporat ...
'',
NMK's ''
Zed Blade
''Zed Blade'' is a Shoot 'em up#Types, horizontally scrolling shooter Arcade game, arcade video game developed by NMK (company), NMK and originally published by SNK on September 13, 1994. It was the only game to be created by NMK for the Neo Geo ...
'',
Psikyo's ''
Strikers 1945 Plus
is a 1999 vertically scrolling shooter arcade game originally developed by Psikyo and published by SNK for the Neo Geo MVS. It is a remake of ''Strikers 1945 II'', which was released earlier in 1997 on multiple platforms. In the game, players cho ...
'',
Aiky/
Taito
is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, toys, arcade cabinets and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, vending machines and jukeboxes into Japan. It b ...
's ''
Pochi and Nyaa'',
Paon
is a Japanese video game developer. The company was founded in August 2004 as DP Inc. and merged with Paon Corporation, Ltd. in March 2015 to form Paon DP.
Paon Corporation was founded on January 20, 1999. Through a partnership with Nintendo, ...
/Eleven/Gavaking's ''
Nightmare in the Dark
is a platform arcade video game developed by AM Factory, with the assistance of Paon, and released by Eleven/Gavaking on January 27, 2000. The game never received an official release for either the Neo Geo AES (home) or Neo Geo CD platforms. It ...
'', Face's ''
Money Puzzle Exchanger'',
Data East's ''
Spinmaster
''Spinmaster'' is an arcade game developed and released by Data East in December, 1993 in North America, in Europe the same year and on February 18, 1994 in Japan. It is the first game Data East developed and released for the SNK Neo-Geo MVS ha ...
'' and ''
Street Slam
''Street Slam'' is a basketball video game developed by Data East for Neo Geo (console), Neo Geo, released in 1994. The game features three-on-three basketball match-ups with a variety of different teams. ''Street Slam'' is the only basketball g ...
'', and
Technōs Japan
was a Japanese video game Video game developer, developer, best known for the ''Double Dragon'' and ''Kunio-kun (series), Kunio-kun'' Media franchise, franchises (the latter including ''Renegade (video game), Renegade'', ''Super Dodge Ball'' and ...
's
''Double Dragon'' and ''
Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer
''Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer'' is a 1995 superhero-themed head-to-head fighting game produced by Technos Japan Corp. for the Neo Geo arcade and home console. It was the companys second attempt at a fighting game, following the Neo Geo fighting g ...
''. During this time, SNK also released stand-alone arcade games, some of which were ported to home consoles, including ''
Vanguard
The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force.
History
The vanguard derives fr ...
'', ''
Alpha Mission'', ''
Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of ...
'', ''
Ikari Warriors'', ''
Psycho Soldier
is a platform game developed by Japanese software company SNK. It was released in 1987. It is a distant sequel to ''Athena'', released a year earlier, featuring a late descendant of that game's main character. Ocean Software on their Imagine ...
'', ''
Touch Down Fever
is a 1987 American football arcade game developed and published by SNK. It was later ported to the NES and was released in North America by SNK in February 1991 and in Japan by K. Amusement Leasing on November 11, 1988, titled as .
Gameplay
At ...
'', ''
Time Soldiers
''Time Soldiers'', known in Japan as , is a 1987 run-and-gun shooter arcade video game developed by Alpha Denshi and published by SNK, while later distributed in North America by Romstar. A Master System version was also produced, as well as vers ...
'', ''
P.O.W.: Prisoners of War'', ''
Beast Busters
''Beast Busters'' is a rail shooter horror game released by SNK for arcades in 1989. It was the first three-player light gun shooter video game. Ports were released for the Amiga and Atari ST in 1990.
Gameplay
In the game, players control ...
'', and ''
Street Smart''.
Compared to other consoles at the time, the Neo Geo AES had much better graphics and sound;
It debuted at $599 (), sold with two joystick controllers and a game (either ''
Baseball Stars Professional
is a baseball arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on 26 April 1990. A follow-up to the original ''Baseball Stars'' on Nintendo Entertainment System, it was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Ne ...
'' or ''
NAM-1975
is a war shooting gallery arcade video game developed and originally published by SNK on April 26, 1990. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms, in addition to being the only tit ...
''). Within a few months of the system's introduction in North America, SNK increased the cost to $649 and changed the pack-in game to ''
Magician Lord
is a side-scrolling action-platform arcade video game developed by Alpha Denshi and originally published by SNK on April 26, 1990. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and Neo Geo AES (home) platforms, in addition ...
''. Alternatively, the console could be bought for $399 with one control stick and without an accompanying game. Other games cost at least $200 each. Joystick controllers contained the same four-button layout as the arcade MVS cabinet. The quality of AES games varied. Some, such as the ''
Super Sidekicks
''Super Sidekicks'' is a series of soccer video games made by SNK for its console, the Neo-Geo. Released in the 90's with an arcade-style approach to soccer, the games of the franchise allow players to choose any of the available game modes to co ...
'' series, were all-new creations, while others were updated versions of earlier successes, such as ''Baseball Stars Professional''. SNK games were graphically bold and bright. Games such as ''
Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy'' and the famous ''Metal Slug'' series were distinctive and instantly recognizable, contributing to the system's success in arcades.
SNK also produced the
Neo Geo CD home console, the
Hyper Neo-Geo 64 arcade system, and two
handheld game console
A handheld game console, or simply handheld console, is a small, portable self-contained video game console with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are smaller than home video game consoles and contain the cons ...
s, the
Neo Geo Pocket and
Pocket Color. Several more famous franchise titles, originally created for the MVS and AES systems, have been ported to other consoles such as the
Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
,
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant with an average radius of about nine and a half times that of Earth. It has only one-eighth the average density of Earth; h ...
and
Dreamcast; SNES;
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 ...
and
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
;
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
; and
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
.
The Neo Geo Pocket was SNK's original handheld system. It was released in Japan in late 1998 and featured a
monochrome
A monochrome or monochromatic image, object or palette is composed of one color (or values of one color). Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale (typically digital) or black-and-white (typically analog). In physics, monochrom ...
(one-color) display. Because its sales were fewer than the expected number, it was discontinued in 1999 in favor of the Neo Geo Pocket Color, which was later released in North America and Europe. In 2001, the Neo Geo family ended. It was briefly revived 11 years later with the
Neo Geo X
The Neo Geo X (NGX) is a video game console manufactured by Tommo, licensed by SNK Playmore. Information about the Neo Geo X was first reported in January 2012 and later confirmed in March. It is the first Neo Geo system to be released since the ...
.
In 1999, SNK opened the Neo Geo World Tokyo Bayside
amusement park
An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...
as part of the
Palette Town entertainment complex in
Odaiba
today is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. Odaiba was initially built in this area for defensive purposes in the 1850s. Reclaimed land offshore Shinagawa was dramatically expanded durin ...
, Tokyo equipped with attractions such as Ferris wheels and roller coasters. A large-scale
tie-in
A tie-in work is a work of fiction or other product based on a media property such as a film, video game, television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property. Tie-ins are authorized by the owners of the original prope ...
was established with the
Fujisankei Communications Group
, abbreviated FCG, is a keiretsu in Japan. In 1991, it was the fourth-largest media company in the world and the largest one in Japan. In the same year, the company's yearly revenue was $5 billion. Many of its affiliates are owned by Fuji Media ...
, owners of the nearby television station
Fuji TV, and was frequently promoted in various media.
However, by the late 1990s, the 2D fighting game boom, which had been behind much of SNK's recent success, had come to an end, and both the Neo Geo CD and Hyper Neo Geo 64 failed to meet sales expectations. At the same time, the Neo Geo Pocket, while initially selling well, began to fall behind in the market after the release of the
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 ...
, and Neo Geo World Tokyo Bayside quickly lost attendance after the re-opening of
Yokohama Cosmo World a few months later, with the park considered to be a massive failure. In addition, the arcade game magazine ''
Gamest
was a Japanese video game magazine that specialized in covering arcade games. Published by Shinseisha, it first began in May 1986 and originally published bi-monthly, later changed to be a monthly-issued magazine in the late 1980s. The magazine al ...
'', one of the biggest promoters of SNK titles, ceased publication after its publisher
Shinseisha
Co., Ltd. was a Japanese publisher founded in 1971 and who filed for bankruptcy in 1999. It originally published learning reference books, but it is more known for its 1986 arcade game magazine . The representative was Hiroshi Kato. The company ...
declared bankruptcy in 1999.
Bankruptcy and Playmore Corporation (2001–2003)
SNK had focused on the booming arcade industry for the 1990s, but as interest in arcades fell in favor of home and portable consoles going into the 2000s, they were unable to adjust to the changing market, with their recent hardware releases selling poorly and attempts to diversify into new markets such as amusement parks failing. SNK tried to develop more titles for the home console market, such as
Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits Bushidō Retsuden,
Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life,
Koudelka
is a role-playing video game developed by Sacnoth for the PlayStation. The game was published by SNK in Japan in 1999, and by Infogrames internationally in 2000. Set in the haunted Nemeton Monastery in Wales, the plot follows protagonists K ...
, and
Cool Cool Toon, but as none of them sold well it left the company's financial situation in a dire state.
In January 2000, SNK's poor financial status led to its acquisition by
Aruze
formerly known as and Universal, is a Japanese manufacturer of pachinko, slot machines, arcade games and other gaming products, and a publisher of video games. Aruze possesses licenses to both manufacture and distribute casino machines in the ...
, a company known for its
pachinko machines and the parent company of its competitor
SETA
In biology, setae (singular seta ; from the Latin word for "bristle") are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms.
Animal setae
Protostomes
Annelid setae are stiff bristles present on the body. Th ...
. Instead of developing video games using SNK's intellectual properties, Aruze manufactured pachinko machines that featured popular series such as ''King of Fighters''. SNK saw little success in the video game market.
The same year,
Capcom
is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
agreed to create a series of fighting games featuring both companies' fighting game characters. The ''
Capcom vs. SNK'' games were a success, however most of the profits went to Capcom because it developed and published the games. SNK released ''
SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium'' and ''
SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash'' on the Neo Geo Pocket Color. Combined, the two games sold around 50,000 copies.
SNK closed all American operations on June 13, 2000. The company sold rights to distribution in North America for MVS arcade systems and Neo Print photo systems. It licensed North American localizations of some console releases to outside companies.
With low morale and an unclear future, many of the company's employees left their jobs. Some joined rivals
Capcom
is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
and
Arc System Works, and others moved on to found the developer
Dimps. Kawasaki, along with five other former SNK executives, funded the formation of BrezzaSoft, which continued to develop Neo Geo games such as ''
The King of Fighters 2001''.
Eyeing the end of the company, founder Eikichi Kawasaki left SNK along with other executives to found a company named Playmore on August 1, 2001.
On April 2, 2001, SNK applied to the
Osaka District Court
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2.7 ...
for application of the Civil Rehabilitation Law. The application was accepted, and revitalization proccedings were once underway, and the head office returned to Suity City, Osaka Prefecture.
On October 30, 2001, the Osaka District Court declared to SNK bankruptcy and went bankrupt, SNK filed for bankruptcy and placed the intellectual property rights for its franchises up for auction. Licenses for SNK's game production and development rights to its franchises were sold to several other companies. These included BrezzaSoft, which produced ''The King of Fighters'' franchise between 2001 and 2002, and
Mega Enterprise
''Mega Enterprise'' ( ko, 메가엔터프라이즈) or also MEGA, was a South Korean company that specialised in developing video games. Mega Enterprise was best known for publishing and porting some of video game titles developed by Data East an ...
, which produced ''
Metal Slug 4
is a run and gun video game for the Neo-Geo console/arcade platform created by Mega Enterprise along with Noise Factory. It was released in 2002 for the Neo-Geo MVS arcade platform, and is the fourth game in the ''Metal Slug'' series. Two y ...
''.
To regain control of SNK, Kawasaki's new company, Playmore, successfully bid for and was awarded SNK's intellectual property rights on October 30, 2001. The company then began to bolster its assets and re-hire former SNK employees.
To re-establish its presence in the gaming market, Playmore acquired BrezzaSoft and its former SNK developers, as well as Japan-based Neo Geo developer
Noise Factory
was a Japanese video game developer and publisher based out of Osaka, it was one of the developer companies of SNK, established by former Atlus staff members who previously worked on ''Princess Crown'' for Sega Saturn. Its more known games were ...
. Sun Amusement, a Japanese commercial games distributor, was acquired by SNK to provide the company with an arcade distribution outlet in Japan. International offices were established in South Korea, Hong Kong, and the United States under the name SNK NeoGeo for commercial and, later, consumer gaming distribution. All of the acquired entities were consolidated into SNK Playmore on July 7, 2003 when Playmore regained rights to use the name SNK from Aruze.
In the same year, SNK purchased
ADK shortly after it filed for bankruptcy. Previously, ADK was a third-party company that had been heavily associated with SNK since the late 1980s. SNK Playmore's operations in Japan already largely resembled the original company: SNK employed many employees who left after its bankruptcy filing and occupied its former building.
In October 2002, Kawasaki sued Aruze for copyright infringement, claiming 6.2 billion
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third-most traded currency in the foreign exchange market, after the United States dollar (US$) and the euro. It is also widely used as a third reserve currency after the US dollar and the ...
(US$) in damages. He cited that Aruze had continued to use SNK's intellectual properties after Playmore re-acquired them. A preliminary decision in January 2004 by the Osaka District Court favored SNK Playmore, awarding it 5.64 billion yen (US$).
SNK Playmore (2003–2016)
![SNK Playmore logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/SNK_Playmore_logo.svg)
In the fall and winter of 2003, SNK Playmore obtained an injunction against a group of four different companies, causing hundreds of AES cartridges to be seized. In the following year, SNK Playmore struck a compromise with two of the companies. The two were allowed to sell AES cartridges, under the conditions that the cartridges would not be modified again and that any legitimate materials would be returned to SNK Playmore.
Within the same year, SNK Playmore would discontinue the AES system, preferring to publish video games in cooperation with
Sammy. Using its arcade board
Atomiswave
The Atomiswave is a custom arcade system board and cabinet from Sammy Corporation. It is based on Sega's Dreamcast console, sharing similarities with the NAOMI,
as far as it uses interchangeable game cartridges, as well as a removable module for ...
, SNK Playmore gained a more secure and modern platform for new arcade releases. In 2004, SNK Playmore officially became licensed to manufacture
pachislot machines (Japanese slot machines played in pachinko parlors). The company released its first two machines that year: ''Metal Slug'' and ''Dragon Gal''. Pachislots would be more heavily featured in SNK Playmore's product lineup for the next decade.
In September 2006 at the
Tokyo Game Show
, commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in September in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) and Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. The ...
(TGS), SNK Playmore announced that it had ceased producing games on the Atomiswave, favoring
Taito
is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, toys, arcade cabinets and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, vending machines and jukeboxes into Japan. It b ...
's Type X2 arcade platform. To counter the decline in the commercial gaming industry, the company shifted some of its development focus to consumer games, including original games for the PlayStation 2,
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
,
mobile phones
A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whil ...
, and other platforms. Games continue to be ported to the PlayStation 2, mostly in Europe because
Sony Computer Entertainment of America
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), formerly known as Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), is a multinational video game and digital entertainment company wholly owned by multinational conglomerate Sony. The SIE Group is made up of two legal co ...
(SCEA) did not approve most SNK Playmore games, and more rarely to the Xbox. In Japan, SNK Playmore released the ''
NeoGeo Online Collection'' for the PlayStation 2, which contained some of its older games. It featured emulations, and online play was available through the
KDDI
() is a Japanese telecommunications operator formed on October 1, 2000 through the merger of DDI Corp. (Daini-Denden Inc.), KDD (Kokusai Denshin Denwa) Corp. (itself a former listed state-owned enterprise privatized in 1998), and IDO Corp. It h ...
matching service. The company also released original titles based on existing franchises such as ''
Metal Slug'' and the ''
KOF: Maximum Impact'' series.
![SNK Playmore promotional models at Tokyo Game Show 20070921 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/SNK_Playmore_promotional_models_at_Tokyo_Game_Show_20070921_1.jpg)
In 2007, SNK Playmore USA released its first game on the
Xbox Live Arcade, titled ''Fatal Fury Special''. SNK Playmore also began supporting Nintendo's
Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Unix ...
service on the Wii in the US with ''Fatal Fury'', ''Art of Fighting'', and ''World Heroes''. In 2007, ''
The King of Fighters XI'' and ''
Neo Geo Battle Coliseum'' were released. SNK Playmore also released its first adult-themed game franchise, ''
Doki Doki Majo Shinpan!
is a video game developed by SNK Playmore for Nintendo DS. The player assumes the role of a junior high school student who is asked by an angel to locate a witch that has snuck into his school. In order to find the witch, he must search the su ...
'', the first for any handheld console. In 2009, the company released ''
The King of Fighters XII'', which was not well-received by the public and critics alike due to polemic changes in the game's graphics and structure. In 2010, SNK Playmore released a sequel, ''
The King of Fighters XIII'', which was considered a much better game than its immediate predecessor. It either won or was nominated to multiple
Game of the Year awards.
SNK has developed a great number of
mobile game
A mobile game, or smartphone game, is a video game that is typically played on a mobile phone. The term also refers to all games that are played on any portable device, including from mobile phone (feature phone or smartphone), tablet, PDA to ...
s since 2009. It has licensed its characters for Chinese and other Asian games, mostly mobile.
In December 2012, SNK Playmore released the
Neo Geo X
The Neo Geo X (NGX) is a video game console manufactured by Tommo, licensed by SNK Playmore. Information about the Neo Geo X was first reported in January 2012 and later confirmed in March. It is the first Neo Geo system to be released since the ...
, a relaunched mobile Neo Geo console. On October 2, 2013, SNK Playmore terminated its licensing agreement with the console's manufacturer,
Tommo
Tommo Inc. is an American video game publisher based in City of Industry, California. Founded in 1990, Tommo started out as a small independent distributor of imported video games. Since 2006, Tommo also operates a publishing subsidiary, UFO In ...
, effectively ending production of the Neo Geo X less than a year after its release. Tommo disputed the termination, stating that its contract was extended until 2016 and that it performed every obligation of the licensing agreement.
In June 2013, the
VIGAMUS
The Video Game Museum of Rome (VIGAMUS) is an interactive video game museum that displays the history of video games. The first official announcement for the museum was at the Italian Videogame Developer Conference (IVDC) in 2010. The museum opene ...
, a museum of video games in Rome, hosted an event dedicated to the history of SNK, tracing back the origins of the company and explaining the evolution of its games. Yamamoto Kei, Kiyoji Tomita, and Ogura Eisuke participated at the event and were interviewed. Ogura also drew two original illustrations to exhibit at the museum.
Foreign acquisition and brand restoration (2016–present)
In March 2015,
Leyou Technologies Holdings submitted a disclosure of interest document to the
Hong Kong Stock Exchange
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK, also known as Hong Kong Stock Exchange) is a stock exchange based in Hong Kong. As of the end of 2020, it has 2,538 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of HK$47 trillion. It is repor ...
, highlighting a "possible investment in a renowned Japanese video game developer". Later in August, it was announced that Chinese web and mobile game giant
37Games
37Games ( officially Sanqi Interactive Entertainment ) is an international browser and mobile game developer and publisher. Its gaming platform covers North America, Europe, mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and several Southeast As ...
, and asset management firm Orient Securities had formed a joint venture to invest in Ledo Millennium, a subsidiary of Leyou. Through Ledo, the venture acquired Kawasaki's 81.25% stake in SNK Playmore for $63.5 million. The reason given for the acquisition was to gain rights to SNK Playmore's intellectual property, and further develop them by following
Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC (formerly Marvel Enterprises) is an American show business, entertainment company (law), company founded in June 1998 and based in New York City, New York (state), New York, formed by the merger of #Marvel Entertainment ...
's approach to mass media. The joint venture planned to integrate games, comics, film, and television in a media franchise.
With the purchase completed, SNK Playmore signaled a shift in the company's strategy, which had previously been focused more on the production of pachislot and mobile games than its traditional area, console and arcade games. In 2015, SNK Playmore announced that it was withdrawing from the pachislot market, choosing instead to focus on console and mobile gaming, as well as character licensing
using its popular characters such as
Mai Shiranui, Ukyou Tachibana,
Nakoruru
is a fictional character in the ''Samurai Shodown'' (''Samurai Spirits'' in Japan) series of fighting games by SNK. She is one of the series' best known and most popular characters alongside its main protagonist Haohmaru, and has been introduced i ...
, and
Haohmaru
is the titular protagonist of the ''Samurai Shodown'' series of video games, as well as one of its most known Character (arts), characters alongside Nakoruru. He was introduced in the original ''Samurai Shodown (video game), Samurai Shodown'' in 1 ...
. Additionally, all of the aforementioned characters made their appearance as guest characters in a mobile
multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), ''Wangzhe Rongyao'', roughly translated to English as ''
Honor of Kings'', which is the world highest-grossing game of all time as well as the most downloaded mobile app globally.
On April 25, 2016, SNK officially dropped the "Playmore" name from its corporate logo and reintroduced its old slogan, "The Future Is Now", to signify "a return to SNK's rich gaming history".
A legal name change from SNK Playmore Corporation to SNK Corporation followed on December 1, 2016,
to more firmly establish SNK Playmore as the successor to the old SNK brand and legacy.
''
The King of Fighters XIV
''(KOF XIV)'' is a 2016 Japanese fighting game. Part of SNK's franchise ''The King of Fighters'' (''KOF'') series, with this installment being published by Atlus USA in North America and Deep Silver in Europe. After the 13th installment that ...
'', the first entry in its series in more than half a decade, was released in 2016. In July 2018, SNK released the NEOGEO Mini, a miniature console based on the design of the company's Japanese arcade machines. It was pre-loaded with forty classic Neo Geo games.
In June 2019, the 12th entry in the ''Samurai Shodown'' series was released for the
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
and
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
, followed by an arcade version in October and a
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
version later in the year.
On September 4, 2019, Nintendo announced that ''Fatal Fury'' protagonist and ''The King of Fighters'' character
Terry Bogard would be added as a downloadable, playable character to ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', with a planned release in November 2019. Terry was made available on November 6, alongside a ''The King of Fighters''-based stage and 50 songs from various SNK series.
In November 2020, the
MiSK Foundation
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Foundation (the MiSK Foundation) ( ar, مؤسسة الأمير محمد بن سلمان بن عبدالعزيز مسك) is a non-profit foundation established by Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman in 2 ...
, a non-profit organization owned by the crown prince of Saudi Arabia,
Mohammed Bin Salman, acquired a 33.3% share of SNK through its subsidiary, Electronic Game Development Company (EGDC), with the intention to acquire a further 17.7% share at a later time as to gain controlling interest in the company. In February 2022, EGDC's ownership share was increased to 96.18%.
Subsidiaries and related corporations
Current
* SNK Entertainment – founded in February 2016 to contract and develop new digital entertainment including video games. It ramps up activity that surrounds SNK's library of intellectual properties with "new and exciting sublicensing opportunities and collaborations".
* SNK Beijing
[
* SNK H.K., Ltd. – handles character licensing, as well as hardware and software sales in East Asia (except for Japan)]
* SNK USA Corporation – publisher of software and animation in America.
* Playmore Creative House Co.,Ltd – It is a video game formatting company for SNK and other game companies.
Former
* ADK – former game developer for the Neo Geo. SNK purchased its intellectual property assets when the company became bankrupt in 2003. Developed '' Aggressors of Dark Kombat'', the '' Crossed Swords'' series, ''Gang Wars
is a 1989 2D beat 'em up arcade game developed by Alpha Denshi and published by SNK.
Plot
The setting takes place in New York City, following martial artists Mike and Jackie, who heard an evil gang led by the antagonist, Jaguar, are terrorizin ...
'', ''Ninja Combat
is a 1990 side-scrolling beat 'em up video game developed by ADK (company), Alpha Denshi and published by SNK Playmore, SNK. It was one of the launch titles for both the Neo Geo (console), Neo Geo MVS (arcade) and AES (home) systems.
Gameplay
...
'', '' Ninja Commando'', '' Ninja Master's: Haō Ninpō Chō'', ''Over Top
is a racing arcade video game developed by ADK and originally published by SNK on April 26, 1996. It is the spiritual successor to ''Thrash Rally'', which was released earlier in 1991 on Neo Geo platforms.
Themed around rallying, ''Over Top'' ...
'', '' Shōgi no Tatsujin: Master of Syougi'', '' Sky Soldiers'', ''Sky Adventure'', ''Super Champion Baseball'', ''Time Soldiers
''Time Soldiers'', known in Japan as , is a 1987 run-and-gun shooter arcade video game developed by Alpha Denshi and published by SNK, while later distributed in North America by Romstar. A Master System version was also produced, as well as vers ...
'', '' Twinkle Star Sprites'', and the ''World Heroes
is a series of four fighting games created originally by ADK with assistance from SNK for the Neo Geo family of arcade and home consoles.
Over the years, the games have been ported to various non-SNK platforms as well including the Super NE ...
'' series.
* BrezzaSoft – co-developer of '' The King of Fighters 2001'' with Eolith.
* Eolith
An eolith (from Greek "''eos''", dawn, and "''lithos''", stone) is a knapped flint nodule. Eoliths were once thought to have been artifacts, the earliest stone tools, but are now believed to be geofacts (stone fragments produced by fully natur ...
– co-developer of ''The King of Fighters 2001'' with BrezzaSoft, co-developer of ''The King of Fighters 2002
''(KOF 2002, or KOF '02)'' is a fighting game produced by Eolith and Playmore for the Neo Geo in 2002. It is the ninth game in ''The King of Fighters'' series and the second one to be produced by Eolith and developed by Playmore (formerly Brez ...
'' with Playmore.
* Face Co. Ltd. – developer of ''Gururin
is a puzzle arcade video game developed by Face, with the assistance of Minato Giken, and originally published by SNK on May 25, 1994. It was the first game to be created by Face for the Neo Geo platform and it was not released on the Neo Geo AES ...
'', '' Money Puzzle Exchanger,'' and '' ZuPaPa!''.
* Mega Enterprise
''Mega Enterprise'' ( ko, 메가엔터프라이즈) or also MEGA, was a South Korean company that specialised in developing video games. Mega Enterprise was best known for publishing and porting some of video game titles developed by Data East an ...
– co-developer of ''Metal Slug 4
is a run and gun video game for the Neo-Geo console/arcade platform created by Mega Enterprise along with Noise Factory. It was released in 2002 for the Neo-Geo MVS arcade platform, and is the fourth game in the ''Metal Slug'' series. Two y ...
'' and ''Metal Slug 5
is a run and gun video game for the Neo-Geo created by SNK Playmore. It was released in 2003 for the MVS arcade platform and is the fifth game in the ''Metal Slug'' series. The game was developed by Noise Factory/SNK Playmore, after Korean com ...
'' with Noise Factory.
* Nazca Corporation
was a Japanese company that developed video games for the Neo Geo games console. The company was formed in 1994 by a group of employees from Irem who were tired of the company's inactivity. In 1996, the company was acquired by SNK.
History
...
– former game developer for the Neo Geo ('' Metal Slug'' and ''Neo Turf Masters
''Neo Turf Masters'' is a golf video game by Nazca for the Neo Geo (console), Neo Geo, released in 1996. This is also one of the first two titles by Nazca Corporation, Nazca, the other being the popular ''Metal Slug'' before being acquired by SNK. ...
''), later acquired by SNK
* Neo Geo do Brasil – handled hardware and software sales in Brazil from 1993 to 1998
* Noise Factory
was a Japanese video game developer and publisher based out of Osaka, it was one of the developer companies of SNK, established by former Atlus staff members who previously worked on ''Princess Crown'' for Sega Saturn. Its more known games were ...
– co-developer of ''Metal Slug 4'' and ''Metal Slug 5'' with Mega Enterprise, formerly owned by SNK
* Pallas – developed '' Eight Man'' and ''Super Baseball 2020
''Super Baseball 2020'' is a futuristic baseball video game. It was first released in Japan for the Neo Geo in 1991, and then it was later released in North America for the Sega Genesis (ported by NuFX and released by Electronic Arts) and Super ...
''.
* Sacnoth
renamed in 2002, was a Japanese video game developer based in Tokyo. The company was founded in April 1997 by Hiroki Kikuta with funding from SNK; its staff, including Kikuta, were veterans of Square. While their first releases were the ''Di ...
– developed ''Dive Alert
''Dive Alert: Becky's Version'' and ''Dive Alert: Matt's Version'' are role-playing video games developed by Sacnoth for the Neo Geo Pocket Color. They were published by SNK in 1999 in Japan and 2000 in North America. Following the exploits of p ...
'', ''Koudelka
is a role-playing video game developed by Sacnoth for the PlayStation. The game was published by SNK in Japan in 1999, and by Infogrames internationally in 2000. Set in the haunted Nemeton Monastery in Wales, the plot follows protagonists K ...
'', and ''Faselei!
is a tactical role-playing game developed by Sacnoth for the Neo Geo Pocket Color. It was published by SNK in 1999 in Japan and 2000 in the United Kingdom. A prospective North American release was cancelled when the console was pulled from sale ...
''.
* Saurus – developed ''Ironclad
An ironclad is a steam engine, steam-propelled warship protected by Wrought iron, iron or steel iron armor, armor plates, constructed from 1859 to the early 1890s. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships ...
'', '' Pleasure Goal: 5 on 5 Mini Soccer'', the ''Shock Troopers
is a run and gun arcade game developed by Saurus and published by SNK in 1997 for the Neo-Geo arcade and home platform. Gameplay involves taking command of one or three soldiers in an eight-way shooter. A second game in the series, '' Shock T ...
'' series, the ''Stakes Winner
''Stakes Winner'' is a horse racing Arcade game, arcade video game developed by Saurus, with additional support from AM Factory, and originally published by SNK on September 27, 1995 in video gaming, 1995. In the game, players compete with either ...
'' series, and ''The Irritating Maze''. Co-developed ''Prehistoric Isle 2
''Prehistoric Isle 2'' is a 1999 in video gaming, 1999 Shoot 'em up#Scrolling shooters, scrolling shooter Arcade game, arcade video game co-developed by Saurus and Yumekobo and published by SNK. It is the sequel to the original ''Prehistoric Isle' ...
'' with Yumekobo, co-developed ''Quiz King of Fighters'' with SNK, and co-developed ''Ragnagard
''Ragnagard'' is 2D arcade fighting game developed by Saurus and System Vision, and published by SNK and Saurus for the Neo Geo arcade, Neo Geo CD and Sega Saturn. The game's characters are all based on Shinto deities.
Gameplay
''Ragnagard'' i ...
'' with System Vision.
* SNK Corporation of America - handled published of software sales in America from 1981 to 2001
* SNK Playmore Europe Corporation – handled software sales in Europe
* Sun Amusement – published ''Metal Slug 4'' and ''The King of Fighters 2001.''
* Viccom – developed ''Fight Fever
is a 1994 2D fighting video game for the Neo-Geo MVS System. It is the first Korean Neo Geo title ever officially released, as well as the first game developed and released by Korean publisher of SNK games, Viccom (빅콤). A port for the Neo Ge ...
''.
* Yumekobo – developed ''Blazing Star
''Blazing Star'' is a shoot 'em up video game developed by Yumekobo and published by SNK in 1998 for the Neo Geo arcade and home systems. It is a follow-up to '' Pulstar'' (1995) and features side-scrolling action similar to its predecessor an ...
,'' co-developed ''Prehistoric Isle 2'' with Saurus.
See also
* List of SNK games
*SETA Corporation
was a Japanese computer gaming company, founded on October 1, 1985 and dissolved on February 9, 2009. SETA was headquartered in Kōtō, Tokyo, with a branch in Las Vegas, Nevada.
SETA developed and published games for consoles such as the Ninte ...
, former sister company
References
External links
* (current)
* (archives)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Snk
Japanese companies established in 1978
Amusement companies of Japan
Companies based in Osaka Prefecture
Companies that have filed for bankruptcy in Japan
Japanese brands
Japanese companies established in 2001
Re-established companies
Video game companies established in 1978
Video game companies established in 2001
Video game companies of Japan
Video game development companies
Video game publishers