Mitchell Corporation
| File:Mitchell-Corporation-logo.gif | |
Native name | 株式会社ミッチェル |
|---|---|
Romanized name | Mitchell Co., Ltd. |
| Industry | Video games |
| Headquarters | Suginami, , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
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| Products | Arcade games, video games, software development |
| Website | http://www.mitchell.jp |
Mitchell Corporation (株式会社ミッチェル) was a Tokyo-based Japanese video game developer located in the Suginami district. The company was led by Roy Ozaki as president, with Koichi Niida serving as vice-president. Several team members had previously worked at Capcom and TAD Corporation.
Mitchell produced software for various platforms including home consoles, handheld devices, Japanese mobile phones, arcade machines, and interactive kiosks found in locations such as restaurants. Additionally, it supplied printed circuit boards tailored for the arcade and coin-operated sectors and created games on behalf of other publishers. Beginning in 2004, the firm concentrated solely on developing for Nintendo systems.
History
Established on February 1, 1960, initially as an import/export enterprise by Roy Ozaki’s father, the company transitioned under the leadership of Ozaki and Niida during the 1980s to serve as exclusive international representatives for multiple video game companies such as Visco Corporation, Video System, SETA Corporation, Metro, and Home Data.
Mitchell is primarily recognized for its development of Puzz Loop, which was copyrighted and trademarked in December 1999—the same year it debuted globally in arcades. Prior to this, the company created the Buster Bros. franchise. The Puzz Loop title was launched in North America and Europe under the name Ballistic for PlayStation and Game Boy Color; Infogrames published these editions in North America (1999), THQ handled European distribution, while Capcom released the original title in Japan in 2000.
On June 5, 2006, Nintendo of America introduced Puzz Loop to the Nintendo DS audience as Magnetica. A multiplayer variant titled Magnetica Twist was subsequently released on WiiWare in 2008. The most recent entry in the series is Tokyo Crash Mobs.[1]
Operations were halted on November 20, 2012.[2]
Post suspension
In 2014, an interview with CEO Roy Ozaki appeared in The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 1, where he mentioned that numerous intellectual properties from Mitchell were available for licensing.
By 2016, DotEmu published a new title utilizing the Pang license on contemporary platforms outside Japan, citing a copyright date of 2016 attributed to Mitchell Corporation.
In 2023, ININ Games released an emulated version of the arcade title Cannon Dancer (Osman) for modern systems, referencing a Mitchell Corporation copyright dated 2022.
Games
| Title | Launch Date | Category(ies) | System | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyoretsu Nageloop (Tokyo Crash Mobs) | 2012-08-08 | Puzzle (Toss) | Nintendo 3DS eShop | |
| Wii Remote Plus Variety (Wii Play: Motion) [Includes Treasure Twirl and Unicycle mini-games] | 2011-07-07 | Action | Nintendo Wii | |
| Pang: Magical Michael | 2010-09-17 | Platformer, Puzzle, Shooter (Gallery) | Nintendo DS | |
| Chotto Sūjin Taisen (Number Battle, Sujin Taisen: Number Battles) | 2009-01-28 | Tabletop, Puzzle, Strategy | Nintendo DSiWare | |
| Kakonde Keshite Wakugumi no Jikan (Wakugumi: Monochrome Puzzle) | 2009-04-01 | Puzzle (Match) | Nintendo DSiWare | |
| Minna de Puzzloop (Actionloop Twist, Magnetica Twist) | 2008-04-22 | Puzzle (Toss) | Nintendo WiiWare | |
| Sūjin Taisen (Number Battle, Sujin Taisen: Number Battles) | 2007-06-07 | Tabletop, Puzzle, Strategy | Nintendo DS | |
| Shunkan Puzzloop (Actionloop, Magnetica) | 2006-03-02 | Puzzle (Toss) | Nintendo DS | |
| Tsuukin Hitofude (Polarium Advance) | 2005-10-13 | Puzzle | Game Boy Advance | |
| Chokkan Hitofude (Polarium) | 2004-12-02 | Puzzle | Nintendo DS | |
| Kono e-Tako (This Good Octopus) | 2003-11-19 | Puzzle (Match) | Arcade | |
| Gamshara (Daredevil) | 2002-08 | Shooter (Gallery) | Arcade | |
| Janpai Puzzle Choukou (Yangtze River Mahjong Tile Puzzle) | 2001-11 | Tabletop, Puzzle (Match), Mature content | Arcade | |
| Puzz Loop 2 | 2001-02 | Puzzle (Toss) | Arcade | |
| Mighty! Pang | 2000-11 | Platformer, Puzzle, Shooter (Gallery) | Arcade | |
| Ballistic | 2000-10-12 | Puzzle (Toss) | Game Boy Color | |
| Ballistic | 2000-03-16 | Puzzle (Toss) | PlayStation | |
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Puzz Loop
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Puzzle (Toss) |
NeoGeo Pocket Color / Nuon / Various platforms |
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1998-12 |
Puzzle (Toss) |
Arcade |
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1997-03-14 |
Platformer, Puzzle, Shooter (Gallery) |
PlayStation |
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Sankokushi (Three Engraved Intentions) |
1996-08 |
Tabletop, Puzzle, Match, Mature content |
Arcade |
|
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1996-02 |
Platformer, Fighting (Scrolling) |
Arcade |
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Sotsugyo Shousho (Diploma) |
1995-11 |
Mini-Games |
Arcade |
|
|
1995-06 |
Platformer, Puzzle, Shooter (Gallery) |
Arcade |
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Ganbare! Gonta!! 2 (Party Time: Gonta the Diver II) |
1995-05 |
Puzzle, Mature content |
Arcade |
|
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Charlie Ninja |
1995 |
Platformer, Shooter (Scrolling) |
Arcade |
|
|
Mirage Youjuu Mahjongden (Demon Mirage Mahjong) |
1994-05 |
Tabletop, Mahjong, Mature content |
Arcade |
|
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Super-X [licensed from NTC; developed by Dooyong] |
1994 |
Shooter (Vertical Flying) |
Arcade |
|
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Double Wings |
1993-12 |
Shooter (Vertical Flying) |
Arcade |
|
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Moeyo Gonta!! (Lady Killer) [licensed from Yanyaka] |
1993-12 |
Puzzle, Mature content |
Arcade |
|
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1992-12 |
Fighting (Versus) |
Arcade |
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Funky Jet [licensed from Data East] |
1992-07 |
Platformer, Fighting |
Arcade |
|
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Pang Pom's [licensed from Metro] |
1992 |
Platformer, Puzzle |
Arcade |
|
|
1992-08 |
Platformer, Puzzle, Shooter (Gallery) |
Super NES |
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Mahjong Ikaga Desu ka (Mahjong How Are You) |
Circa 1991? |
Tabletop, Mahjong, Mature content |
Arcade |
|
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1990-11 |
Platformer, Puzzle, Shooter (Gallery) |
Arcade |
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1989-11 |
Platformer, Puzzle, Shooter (Gallery) |
Arcade |
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Mad Motor |
1989 |
Fighting (2.5D) |
Arcade |
|
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Poker Ladies |
1989 |
Casino-themed, Mature content |
Arcade |
External links
- (Archives)
- Conversation with Mitchell's Roy Ozaki
- Archive.org: Historical overview of Puzz Loop by Mitchell Corporation (Available in Japanese and English)
- Iwata Asks: Wii Play Motion (Roundtable discussion with Nintendo developers)
- cubed3 Interview on Sujin Taisen (Developer insights)