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Companies & Studios

Tecmo

Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive

Tecmo developed challenging action games and the Dead or Alive fighting series before merging with Koei to form Koei Tecmo Holdings.

NESarcadePlayStationxbox developerpublisherjapanese 1967–2010

Overview

Challenge as identity. Tecmo built a reputation on demanding games—NES Ninja Gaiden’s precision platforming, Rygar’s action-RPG combat, Dead or Alive’s technical fighting. Team Ninja became their premier development studio. The 2010 merger with Koei created a larger entity, but Tecmo’s action game legacy continued through Team Ninja’s output.

Fast facts

  • Founded: 1967.
  • Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan.
  • Merged: Koei Tecmo (2010).
  • Key studio: Team Ninja.

NES era

TitleYearGenre
Ninja Gaiden1988Action platformer
Rygar1987Action RPG
Tecmo Bowl1987Sports

Team Ninja era

TitleYearPlatform
Dead or Alive1996Arcade
DOA21999Dreamcast
Ninja Gaiden (Xbox)2004Xbox

Sports games

TitleInnovation
Tecmo BowlSimplified American football
Tecmo Super BowlPlayer licenses
Monster RancherCreature breeding

Koei merger

FactorDetail
Year2010
ResultKoei Tecmo Holdings
ContinuationBrands preserved
Team NinjaOngoing development

See also