Jaleco


Jaleco Ltd. was a corporate brand name that was used by two previously connected video game developers and publishers based in Japan. The original Jaleco company was founded in 1974 as Japan Leisure Company, founded by Yoshiaki Kanazawa, before being renamed to simply Jaleco in the early 1980s. This company was later acquired in 2000 by Hong Kong company PCCW, who rebranded it as their Japanese game division, PCCW Japan, before reverting it to Jaleco in 2002. In 2006, Jaleco became independent from PCCW and renamed to Jaleco Holding, having their video game operations spun off into a new company, also called Jaleco. This new spin-off company was sold to mobile developer Game Yarou in 2009, with Jaleco Holding renaming itself to Encom Holdings shortly after.
Jaleco is known for its arcade and home console video games produced in the 1980s and early 1990s, including City Connection, Bases Loaded, Ninja JaJaMaru-kun, Exerion, Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai and Rushing Beat. Jaleco also produced arcade cabinets for other game developers, alongside redemption arcade games and UFO catcher claw machines. In the past, the company produced amusement park equipment and aquarium parts, under their JAQNO brand name. Their North American division, Jaleco USA, published a number of titles for the NES and SNES, including Maniac Mansion, Pinball Quest and R-Type III.
In 2014, Jaleco's parent company Game Yarou filed for bankruptcy, causing Jaleco to vanish from the video game industry. The company's video game assets would be purchased by City Connection, an indie Japanese studio that continues to use their games for other side projects and licensing deals. The original Jaleco company, Encom Holdings, quit the video game business in 2009, citing stiff competition in the industry, instead dealing in real estate. Encom dissolved in 2013, and was delisted from the JASDAQ that same year.
WWW Official Site

History

Jaleco was founded by Japanese businessman Yoshiaki Kanazawa on October 3, 1974. They were originally known as the Japan Leisure Co., Ltd., producing equipment for both amusement parks and arcade centers across Japan. The company was originally based out of Setagaya-ku, Tokyo.
Japan Leisure began production of arcade video games by 1982, and changed their corporate name to Jaleco, taking the first two letters of each word of "Japan Leisure Co.", in March 1983. Jaleco began production of home console video games for the Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan. Towards the mid-1980s, Jaleco would begin production of equipment for aquarium tanks, which were released under their JAQNO brand name. A North American office, Jaleco USA, operated in Northbrook, Illinois. This division sometimes published other third-party video games for both the NES and SNES consoles, notably Maniac Mansion and R-Type III, alongside distribution of Jaleco video games in the United States.
By 2000, Jaleco was struggling financially, being unable to produce a hit video game in several years. To keep the company afloat, Jaleco was acquired by Hong Kong-based company PCCW in November 2000, where they became the Japanese division of the company, renamed to PCCW Japan. Heavy company restructuring was performing, with Jaleco's arcade division shuttering in April 2001 while retaining their home console video game division. In April 2001, PCCW Japan purchased the VR-1 Group, the holder of North American MMO developer VR-1 Entertainment, in order to have their operations expand globally. In October 2002, PCCW Japan merged Jaleco USA and VR-1 Entertainment into a new company, Jaleco Entertainment, relocating to Buffalo, New York. PCCW Japan was renamed back to Jaleco in 2004. They would continue to operate for several years as a subsidiary of PCCW, producing video games for home consoles and Japanese mobile phones, alongside soundtrack albums and applications for web browsers.
In August 2005, PCCW sold off Jaleco to Sandringham Fund SPC, alongside the subsidiary company Hyperlink Investments Group. By July 2006, the company was renamed to Jaleco Holding and became a holding company. The video game operations were then spun off into a new company known as Jaleco, which would become a subsidiary of Jaleco Holding. The corporate restructure was done to reflect the company's diversified portfolio which no longer limited to video games and included activities such as real estate and financial services. In October 2007, Hyperlink Investments Group sold its stock in Jaleco Holding to Game Yarou, a Japanese mobile phone developer, and two South Korean corporations, STIC Pioneer Fund and A2i. Jaleco Holdings dissolved two subsidiary companies, FFBC Investment and J Consulting, in early 2008. Jaleco's North American division, Jaleco Entertainment, closed their doors later that year.
In January 2009, Jaleco Holding sold Jaleco to Game Yarou for ¥1, but Game Yarou also assumed ¥700,000,000 of Jaleco Holding's ¥16,000,000,000 debt. A spokesperson for Jaleco Holding cited "increasing competition in recent years in the video game market" as the reason for the company's departure from the industry. Jaleco Holding renamed itself to Encom Holdings the same year in April, focusing on real estate and finance business in Japan and no longer being involved with video games. Encom Holdings dissolved on May 13, 2013, due to poor reputation and loss of income.
Under ownership of Game Yarou, Jaleco produced video games for Japanese mobile phones and web browsers, alongside licensing many of their older video games to third-party developers for use in other projects. One of the game titles that was released by Jaleco under this ownership was Ougon no Kizuna for the Wii, which was released in May 2009.
By 2012, Game Yarou was in financial crisis due to high debt and poor sales of their mobile titles – they were officially declared bankrupt by the Tokyo District Court on May 21, 2014. Jaleco would soon vanish from the video game industry, with their video games being acquired later that year by Japanese company City Connection, formerly known as Clarice Disk. The company continues to use Jaleco video games for a number of projects, alongside licensing them out to other developers for use in other products.

Games

Arcade

Blue Print

Casino

All games in this section are Japan-exclusive.Big III: 3Reel Roulette Joyful Cards: Jaleco 5Reel Poker Jokers Wild Draw Poker Four Jokers Raise Bet Poker Axis Bells
  • ''Slot Match: 3Reel Slot''

PC

Fighter Ace UltraCorps Fighter Ace II Fighter Ace 3.5 Trailer Park Tycoon World Championship Pool 2004

MSX

Top Roller Exerion II: Zorni D-Day Formation Z Snake Runner Alien 8 Gunfright City Connection Ninja-kun: Majou no Bouken Ninja JaJaMaru-kun Mississippi Satsujin Jiken: Murder on the Mississippi Break In
  • ''Moero!! Nettou Yakyuu '88''

NES/Famicom

Exerion Formation Z Ninja-Kun: Majou no Bouken Field Combat City Connection Ninja JaJaMaru-kun Argus Choplifter JaJaMaru no Daibouken Urusei Yatsura: Lum no Wedding Bell Mississippi Satsujin Jiken: Murder on the Mississippi Knight Lore: Majou no Ookami Otoko Fuuun Shaolin Ken Youkai Club Bases Loaded Monty no Doki Doki Daidassou: Monty on the Run Bio Senshi Dan: Increaser to no Tatakai Esper Boukentai Ucuusen Cosmo Carrier Druid: Kyoufu no Tobira Racket Attack Fuuun Shaolin Ken: Ankoku no Maou Wizards & Warriors Radical Bomber!! Jirai-Kun Bases Loaded II: Second Season Big Challenge! Judo Senshuken Maniac Mansion Big Challenge! Dogfight Spirit Saiyuuki World Hoops Chuugoku Senseijutsu Goal! RoboWarrior Astyanax JaJaMaru Ninpou Chou Big Challenge! Gun Fighter Big Challenge! Go Go Bowling Shin Moero!! Pro Yakyuu Okkotoshi Puzzle Tonjan!? Terao no Dosukoi Oozumou Pinball Quest JaJaMaru Gekimaden: Maboroshi no Kinmajou Moero!! Judo Warriors Bases Loaded 3 Totally Rad A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia Whomp 'Em Metal Mech: Man & Machine The Last Ninja Ninja JaJaMaru: Ginga Daisakusen Bases Loaded 4 Tsurupika Hagemaru: Mezase! Tsuruseko no Akashi Shatterhand Pizza Pop! Rampart Plasma Ball Toukon Club Goal! Two Rod Land Cyberball The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Mezase! Top Pro: Green ni Kakeru Yume

Super NES/Super Famicom

Big Run: The Supreme 4WD Challenge: 13e Rallye Super Bases Loaded Earth Defense Force Rival Turf! Goal! Super Bases Loaded 2 Super Professional Baseball II King Arthur's World Brawl Brothers Pro Sport Hockey Tuff E Nuff Operation Logic Bomb: The Ultimate Search & Destroy Bishoujo Janshi Suchie-Pai Utopia: The Creation of a Nation Super Goal! 2 The Peace Keepers Kingyo Chuuihou! Tobidase! Game Gakuen Jurassic Park Super Ninja-kun HammerLock Wrestling R-Type III The Ignition Factor Takeda Nobuhiro no Super League Soccer JWP Joshi Pro Wrestling: Pure Wrestle Queens Super Bases Loaded 3: License to Steal

GameCube

Super Bubble Pop Goblin Commander: Unleash the Horde Room Zoom: Race for Impact

Wii

Zenkoku Dekotora Matsuri
  • ''Ougon no Kizuna''

Game Boy

Hero Shuugou!! Pinball Party Bases Loaded for Game Boy Maru's Mission The Rescue of Princess Blobette Battle Unit Zeoth In Your Face Fortified Zone Vanishing Racer Q*bert for Game Boy Ikari no Yousai 2 WordZap Rampart Avenging Spirit Dirty Racing Rod Land Goal! Soldam Tetris Plus The Fidgetts Dr. Franken II
  • ''Hayaoshi Quiz Ouza Ketteisen: The King of Quiz''

Game Boy Color

Get Mushi Club: Minna no Konchuu Daizukan
  • ''Pocket Bowling''

Game Boy Advance

Kawaii Pet Shop Monogatari 3 Sea Trader: Rise of Taipan Scan Hunter: Sen Nen Kaiuo wo Oe! Darius R Toukon Heat Jazz Jackrabbit Karnaaj Rally Super Bubble Pop JaJa-Kun Jr. Denshouki
  • ''Moero!! Jaleco Collection''

Nintendo DS

Brain Buster Puzzle Pak Chuukana Janshi Tenhoo Painyan Remix Puchi Puchi Virus Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai III Remix Nep League DS Denjirou Sensei no Fushigi na Jikkenshitsu Chou!! Nep League DS Imasugu Tsukaeru Mamechishiki: Quiz Zatsugaku-Ou DS
  • ''WiZmans World''

PlayStation

Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Limited Bases Loaded '96: Double Header Slam Dragon Tetris Plus Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai II Limited Turf Wind '96: Take Yutaka Kyousouba Ikusei Game Tokyo Highway Battle Ninja JaJaMaru-kun: Onigiri Ninpouchou BRAHMA Force: The Assault on Beltlogger 9 Fantastep Cheesy Mini-Yonku Bakusou Kyoudai: Let's & Go!!: WGP Hyper Heat Speed Racer GunBare! Game Tengoku 2: The Game Paradise 2 Suchie-Pai Adventure Doki Doki Nightmare T: Kara Hajimaru Monogatari Bakusou Kyoudai Let's & Go!! Eternal Wings Dragonseeds Nectaris: Military Madness Punky Skunk Battle Konchuuden Irritating Stick Option Tuning Car Battle 2 K-1 Revenge Juggernaut Vampire Hunter D Shiibas 1-2-3 Destiny! K-1 Grand Prix Vanark Builder's Block Super Bubble Pop
  • ''Jaleco Collection Vol. 1''

PlayStation 2

Stepping Selection Rock'n MegaStage Dream Audition Dream Audition 2 Super Micchan Dream Audition 3 Dream Audition Super Hit Disc 1 Dream Audition Super Hit Disc 2 Raging Blades Hooligan: Kimi no Naka no Yuuki Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Toukon Inoki Michi: Puzzle de Daa! Idol Janshi R: Janguru Project Lowrider Sweet Legacy Goblin Commander: Unleash the Horde Otona no Gal Jan: Kimi ni Hane Man World Championship Pool 2004 Shin Bakusou Dekotora Densetsu Tenka Touitsu Choujou Kessen Room Zoom: Race for Impact World Super Police Otona no Gal Jan 2

Xbox

NightCaster II: Equinox Super Bubble Pop Pulse Racer Goblin Commander: Unleash the Horde World Championship Pool 2004 Room Zoom: Race for Impact

Sega Saturn

Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Special Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Remix Bases Loaded '96: Double Header Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai II Tetris Plus Turf Wind '96: Take Yutaka Kyousouba Ikusei Game Fantastep Game Tengoku: The Game Paradise! Ninja JaJaMaru-kun: Onigiri Ninpouchou Gold Suchie-Pai Adventure Doki Doki Nightmare GT24 Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Mecha Genteiban

Sega Dreamcast

Idol Janshi wo Tsukucchaou

WonderSwan

Ganso JaJaMaru-kun
  • ''Moero!! Pro Yakyuu Rookies''

3DO

Mobile

Antonio Inoki vs Jaleco Jaleco Reversi Revengers Real Time Adventure -EOW- Jaleco Super Tennis Heroine Cup Tenkuu no Kinki Mahou ga Ochiru Hi Mahou ga Ochiru Hi 2 Jumping Peng
  • ''Magic Block Limited Edition''

Prototypes/cancelled games

Exerion Block Buster Vs. Great Tennis Bashi Bazook: Morphoid Master Counter Force R&T Super Dog Booby: Akachan Daibouken no Maki Taro's Quest Gun Baron In Your Face Squashed War on Wheels Chimera Beast Super Strong Warriors Kick for the Goal Super Circuit Red Zone Crossroads Navy Force Rock'n 4 Carrier 2: The Next Mutation Lost Continents World Championship Pool 2004
  • ''Ninja JaJaMaru-kun: Pen wa Ken Yorimo Kyoushidegozaru''