I'MAX Corp[a] was a Japanese company that developed and published video games in the 1990s.[1][2][3]

It also ran its own video game development school, I'Max Academy.[4] One of its members won the grand prize for up-and-coming game developers at the 1998 Tokyo Game Show.[5][6]

In Japan, it published games such as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn version of Worms.[7][8]

Its series of puzzle and board video games were popular in Japan.[9] Its PlayStation title I'MAX Shogi II received a re-release for the Japanese PlayStation Store.[10] As of July 2024, many of its classic titles are available on the cloud gaming service Project EGG.[11][12][13]

Some of the people who worked on I'MAX games have gone on to enjoy successful careers in the gaming industry, such as Sohei Niikawa, who worked on titles such as Dual Orb,[14] and Hiroyuki Kotani, whose first game was Dual Orb II.[15]

Micom BASIC column

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During I'MAX's lifetime, major Japanese video game companies had specialists who wrote articles for the industry-influential Micom BASIC Magazine [ja] to announce new developments in a casual way. [16][17] Like Konami with its "Konami News Station" and Capcom with its "Capcom World,"[18] I'MAX's also had its own column in the magazine.[19][20]

The column from April 1995 announced a sequel to Super Keiba and also lamented the Great Hanshin earthquake, informing that I'MAX had workers from the area.[21]

Video game library

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Notes

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  1. ^ Japanese: 株式会社アイマックス, Hepburn: Kabushiki Gaisha Aimakkusu

References

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  1. ^ "【I'MAX】A Former Game Manufacturer! Packed with Super Retro NES Software! What was the software lineup of I'MAX, which released many tabletop games?". Retro Video Game Republic. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Game Companies - I'Max". GameFAQs. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Irem Arcade Classics". Intelligent Gamer. No. 2. United States. July 1996. p. 83. Retrieved 29 July 2024 – via Archive.org.
  4. ^ "ゲームマシン". www.ampress.co.jp. December 1998. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  5. ^ "TOKYO GAME SHOW Information".
  6. ^ "TOKYO GAME SHOW Information". tgs.cesa.or.jp. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Worms Game Trailer, Game Reviews, Worms Game Information and Gaming Forum by MeltedJoystick". www.meltedjoystick.com. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  8. ^ "HonestGamers - Worms (PlayStation)". www.honestgamers.com. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  9. ^ Cantallops, Marçal Mora (5 May 2023). Rompecabezas: Cinco décadas de videojuegos y puzles (in Spanish). Héroes de Papel. ISBN 978-84-19084-45-3. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  10. ^ "『アイマックス将棋II』&『大海信長伝・下天II』がプレイステーションゲームアーカイブスで配信開始". ファミ通.com (in Japanese). 3 December 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  11. ^ "I'MAX 配信ゲーム". プロジェクトEGG (in Japanese). Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  12. ^ "株式会社D4エンタープライズ » Blog Archive » 『プロジェクトEGG』にて2011年4月12日に『どっすん! 岩石バトル』をリリース". www.d4e.co.jp. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  13. ^ "プロジェクトEGG,サバゲーシム「ボール・ブレッド・ガン」を配信スタート". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  14. ^ "風雨来記4". 日本一ソフトウェア (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Patapon". Edge (magazine). No. 309. United Kingdom. September 2017. p. 121. Retrieved 7 August 2024 – via Archive.org.
  16. ^ "貴重なレゲー1万本と雑誌を収集するフランス没落貴族!?→自宅に凸して数奇な人生を聞いたら、ただのガチゲーマーだった件【NPOゲーム保存協会:探訪レポ】". 電ファミニコゲーマー – ゲームの面白い記事読んでみない? (in Japanese). 23 August 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  17. ^ "<ベーマガ備忘録>書評・マイコンBASIC Magazine 1989年3月号&勝手にベストプログラマー". minominosuper のブログ.
  18. ^ "懐かしのベーマガ表紙画像 1997年1月号". s-sasaji.ddo.jp. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  19. ^ "マイコンBASICマガジン年鑑-1991.5目次". www.aabmg.com. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  20. ^ "懐かしのベーマガ表紙画像 1991年9月号". s-sasaji.ddo.jp. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  21. ^ "ぷーちゃんのアイマックス情報局". マイコンBASICマガジン (in Japanese). Japan. April 1995. p. 205. Retrieved 29 July 2024 – via Archive.org.
  22. ^ "カンヅメモンスター(GB)-おきらくゲームソフト事典". gamesoft.ukariko.jp. Retrieved 31 July 2024.