Thin Chen Enterprise

Thin Chen Enterprise Co., Ltd
聖謙企業股份有限公司
Private
Industry Video game
Fate Defunct
Founded 1988
Headquarters Taipei, Taiwan
Website http://www.sachen.com.tw (archived)

Thin Chen Enterprise, also known as Sachen or in the original name Sheng Qian Enterprise Co., Ltd (聖謙企業股份有限公司), was a Taiwanese company that developed several original games for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Mega Drive, Game Boy and other early cartridge-based handheld systems such as the Watara Supervision and Mega Duck. With the exception of the latter two handhelds, all of Thin Chen's games were produced without license from the console manufacturers; the company produced at least 70 unique games for the NES and Famicom and at least 32 for the Game Boy (albeit compiled into eight 4-in-1 cartridges), making it the most prolific unlicensed developer and publisher for both consoles by a considerable margin.[1] The company also produced its own Nintendo Entertainment System hardware clones, such as the Q-Boy.[2]

Most of Thin Chen's products were released under the "Sachen" brand name, although the names Joy Van and Commin were also used for certain early games for the Famicom and handheld consoles respectively. Several of their NES games were released outside Taiwan under license by foreign publishers, including Hacker International in Japan (usually with added pornographic content), Bunch Games/Color Dreams and American Video Entertainment in the USA, and Milmar in Brazil.[1]

Games

Nintendo Entertainment System/Family Computer

List of games developed as Thin Chen

# Serial number Title AKA title(s) Original release Notes
1 SA-003 Middle School English Dòng Dòngnǎo II - Guó Zhōng Yīngwén 1989
2 SA-002 The Penguin & Seal 1989 Published in AUS by HES Interactive as Arctic Adventure: Penguin & Seal.
3 SA-001 Taiwan Mahjong 16 Táiwān Máquè 16 1989
4 SA-013 Dancing Block 1990
5 TC-029 Gaiapolis 1990 An unofficial port of the arcade game of the same name.
6 SA-008 The Mahjong World Máquè Shìjiè 1990 1) Contains nudity.
2) Published in Japan by Hacker International as Mahjong Summit Kabuchiko Hen.
7 SA-014 Magical Mathematics 1990 Credited as Magic Mathematic on title screen.
8 SA-027 Mahjang Companion Mahjong Partner 1990 1) Contains nudity.
2) Published in Japan by Hacker International.
9 TC-013 Poker II 1990 4 games in 1: Max 2, Ghost Buster, 99, and Change Around.
10 SA-009 Pyramid 1990 1) A puzzle game.
2) Published: in the US by American Video Entertainment, and in Japan by Hacker International.
3) The Hacker version contains nudity, and was also re-released by the same Sachen.
4) Published in AUS by HES Interactive
11 SA-010 Pyramid II 1990
12 SA-012 Millionaire 1990 A board game similar to Monopoly.
13 SA-015 Chess Academy Xiàngqí Xué Yuán 1991
14 SA-016 Hell Fighter 1991
15 SA-017 Locksmith 1991 A mix of action and puzzle.
16 TC-015 Olympic I.Q. 1991
17 TC-023 PoPo Team 1991
18 SA-021 Final Combat 1992
19 SA-019 The Great Wall 1992
20 N/A Magical Tower 1992
21 N/A Puff Kid 1992 A prototype of the game Q Boy.
22 SA-025 Taiwan Mahjong II 1) Táiwān Máquè 16 II
2) Bonus Tiles Mahjong
1992 Credited as Táiwān Huā Pái Máquè 16 on title screen.
23 SA-020 Tasac 1992 A basic vertical space-shooter.
24 SA-024 2-in-1 Tough Cop 1993 1) 2 games in 1: Tough Cop and Super Tough Cop.
2) Cartridge says "Light Gun Game", green label.
25 SA-022 Huge Insect 1993 1) A Galaga-style game with a wildlife-theme rather than a space-theme.
2) Produced in 1993 but remained unreleased until the early 2000s.
26 TC-024 Rockball 1993
27 TC-026 Q Boy 1994 A prototype screen shot in the back of certain Sachen game manuals shows the game being named 'Puff Kid' at one point, and having a menu that contains an "Options" menu.
28 TC-025 Silver Eagle 1994 An overhead shoot'em up very similar to Bloody Wolf or Metal Gear. The Main character is sometimes called "Snake", which is the name of both the main protagonist in the Metal Gear series and one of the character's names in Bloody Wolf.
29 TC-030 Thunder Blaster Man Rocman X 1995 A platformer with a gliding ability and a boomerang weapon, title screen and Chinese version label says "Rocman X".
30 TC-032 Chuugoku Taitei[3] 1) Zhong Guo Da Heng
2) Millionaire II
Unknown A board game similar to Game of the Goose.
31 N/A Měi Shǎo Nú Mèng Gōngchǎng Unknown An unofficial Chinese-language port of Princess Maker.

List of games developed as Sachen

# Serial number Title AKA title(s) Original release Notes
1 TC-011 Chinese KungFu 1989 A clone of the game Double Dragon.
2 SA-005 Colorful Dragon 1989 A maze game.
3 SA-004 Lucky Bingo 1989 1) A slot-machine simulator.
2) Credited as Lucky 777 on title screen.
4 N/A Mine Sweeper 1989
5 N/A Mine Sweeper 2 1989
6 N/A Mine Sweeper 3 1989
7 SA-007 Bingo 75 1990 1) A slot-machine simulator containing nudity.
2) Credited as 75 Bingo on title screen.
8 N/A Challenge of the Dragon 1990 1) The US version of Chinese KungFu.
2) The title of the game is not related at the game of the same name, made by Color Dreams.
9 N/A Double Strike: Aerial Attack Force 1990 The US version of Twin Eagle; published by American Video Entertainment.
10 N/A Galactic Crusader 1990 The US version of Incantation; published by Bunch Games.
11 TC-028 Jurassic Boy 1990 1) A Sonic-esque game that lacks abilities from the original, such as rolling along the ground and spin dash. The NES manual mentions these features, however, and the game itself contains numerous unused sprites, suggesting these features were planned.
2) Credited as Jurassic Boy 2 on title screen.
12 N/A Mission Cobra 1990 The US version of Sidewinder; published by Bunch Games.
13 SA-006 Honey Peach Měinǚ Quán 1990 Contains nudity.
14 SA-011 Pipe V 1990 1) Credited as Pipe 5 on title screen.
2) Published in AUS by HES Interactive as Pipemania.
15 N/A Mahjong Trap Plus Sìchuān Máquè - Zhìfú Piān 1990 1) Contains nudity.
2) Published in Japan by Hacker International as Shisen Mahjong: Seifuku Hen.
16 N/A Tagin Dragon 1990 The US version of Colorful Dragon; published by Bunch Games.
17 TC-012 The World of Card Games 1) Poker I
2) Boku Koku Shuu Kin
1990 4 games in 1: Omnibus Hearts, Fan Tan, Chinese Rummy, and The Clock.
18 TC-017 Auto-Upturn 1991 1) A puzzle game.
2) Contains nudity in later levels.
19 TC-019 Chinese Checkers 1991
20 TC-016 Happy Pairs 1991 A Mahjong solitaire game.
21 TC-018 Magic Cube 1991
22 SA-026 Mahjong Academy 1) Máquè Xué Yuán - Zúyè Piān
2) Mahjong School
1992 Contains nudity.
23 TC-020 Poker III Poker III 5-in-1 1991 5 games in 1: King of Casino, King Poker, Poker, Blackjack, and The 13 Cards.
24 SA-018 Poker Mahjong Pūkè Máquè 1991
25 TC-014 Strategist 1991 2 games in 1: Poker Racing and The Battle of Poker.
26 TC-021 Super Pang 1991 An unofficial port of the arcade game Pang.
27 N/A Frog Adventure 1992 An unofficial port of the arcade game Frogger.
28 TC-022 Super Pang II 1992 An unofficial port of the arcade game Super Pang.
29 N/A Worm Visitor 1992 Similar to Frogger.
30 SA-023 2-in-1 Cosmocop 1993 1) 2 games in 1: Cosmocop and Cyber Monster.
2) Cartridge says "Light Gun Game", red-grey label.
31 TC-027 Street Heroes Samurai Spirits 1995 1) A fighting game with extensive use of voice samples.
2) The version titled Samurai Spirits is not a port of the arcade game of the same name.

List of games developed as Joy Van

# Serial number Title AKA title(s) Original release Notes
1 TC-002 Hidden Chinese Chess Àn Qí 1989
2 TC-009 Incantation 1989 1) A shoot'em up game.
2) The version containing nudity, was published in Japan by Kinema Music as Papillon.
3 TC-001 Jovial Race 1989 1) Similar to Rally-X.
2) Published in Brazil by Milmar.
4 TC-007 Master Chu and the Drunkard Hu 1989 A platform game.
5 TC-008 Metal Fighter 1) Wèilái Xiǎozi
2) Joyvan Kid[4]
1989 1) The game was published: in Japan by Kinema Music, and in US by Color Dreams as Metal Fighter μ.
2) Also known as Space Boy.
6 TC-003 Sidewinder Xiǎngwěishé 1989 Published in AUS by HES Interactive.
7 TC-006 Twin Eagle Shuāng Yīng 1989 Published in AUS by HES Interactive.
8 TC-004 Little Red Hood Xiǎohóngmào 1990 Published in AUS by HES Interactive.
9 TC-010 Mahjong Trap Sìchuān Májiàng 1990 1) Also known as Shisen Mahjong in Japan.
2) Contains nudity.
10 TC-005 Silent Assault 1990 1) Published in the US by Color Dreams as Raid.
2) Published in AUS by HES Interactive.

Multi-game cartridges

# Title Original release Notes
1 Funblaster Pak 1990 1) Contains: Metal Fighter, Twin Eagle, Little Red Hood, and Pipe V (credited as Pipemania).
2) Published by HES Interactive.
2 Mindblower Pak 1990 1) Contains: Galactic Crusader, Arctic Adventure, Magical Mathematics (credited as Math Quiz), and Shuǐguǒ Lí (credited as Jackpot).
2) Published by HES Interactive.
3) The game Shuǐguǒ Lí, is the only game on the list which is not released by Sachen.
3 Super Cartridge Version 1: 4-in-1 Unknown Contains: Bingo 75, Lucky Bingo, Honey Peach, and Chess Academy.
4 Super Cartridge Version 2: 10-in-1 Unknown 1) Contains Hidden Chinese Chess, Omnibus Hearts, Fan Tan, Chinese Rummy, Max 2, Ghost Buster, 99, Change Around, Fortune Telling (Chinese), and Fortune Telling (English).
2) All games appear on The World of Card Games and Poker II except the two versions of Fortune Telling.
5 Super Cartridge Version 3: 8-in-1 Unknown 1) Contains: Jovial Race, Little Red Hood, Twin Eagle, Silent Assault, Super Pang, Mine Sweeper, Mine Sweeper II, and Mine Sweeper III.
2) The three versions of Mine Sweeper were only released on this cartridge.
6 Super Cartridge Version 4: 6-in-1 Unknown Contains: Master Chu and the Drunkard Hu, Metal Fighter, Galactic Crusader, Auto-Upturn, Magic Cube, and Super Pang II.
7 Super Cartridge Version 5: 7-in-1 Unknown Contains: The Penguin & Seal, Middle School English, Pyramid, Magical Mathematics, Strategist, Olympic I.Q., and Chinese Checkers.
8 Super Cartridge Version 6: 6-in-1 Unknown Contains: Colorful Dragon, Pyramid II, Pipe V, Millionaire, Dancing Block, and Locksmith.
9 Super Cartridge Version 7: 4-in-1 Unknown Contains: Sidewinder, Happy Pairs, Tasac, and Silver Eagle.
10 Super Cartridge Version 8: 4-in-1 Unknown 1) Contains: Final Combat, Worm Visitor, Frog Adventure, and Magical Tower.
2) All games bar Final Combat were ported from the Game Boy exclusively for this cartridge.
11 Super Cartridge Version 9: 3-in-1 Unknown Contains: Challenge of the Dragon, Rockball, and PoPo Team.

Note: All series of Super Cartridge Version, was developed and released as Thin Chen Enterprise.

Others

Unreleased

Game Boy/Game Boy Color

List of games developed as Sachen

# Title Original release [5] Game Boy GB Color Notes
1 2nd Space 1993 Yes No
2 Ant Soldiers 1993 Yes No
3 Black Forest Tale 1993 Yes No
4 Dan Laser 1993 Yes No
5 Magical Tower 1993 Yes No
6 Railway 1993 Yes No
7 Sky Ace 1993 Yes No
8 Worm Visitor 1993 Yes No
9 Zipball 1993 Yes No
10 Zoo Block 1993 Yes No
11 Crazy Burger 1994 Yes No
12 Explosive Brick '94 1994 Yes No
13 Captain Knick-Knack 1999 No Yes
14 Dice Square 1999 No Yes
15 Electron World 1999 No Yes
16 Jurassic Boy 2[6] 1999 No Yes
17 Rocman X Gold 1999 No Yes An alternate version of Thunder Blast Man.
18 Snake Roy 1999 No Yes
19 Thunder Blast Man[7] 1999 No Yes Also known as Rocman X on title screen. Although they are essentially the same game, it is worth nothing that the characters in the game from Thunder Blaster Man and Rocman X are completely different, the first being the original Sachen creation from the NES version, and the second being a clone of Megaman.
20 Trouble Zone 1999 No Yes
21 Virus Attack 1999 No Yes
22 Beast Fighter 2000 No Yes
23 Gedou Zhanlue 2002 2002 No Yes An RPG and strategy game with elements of The King of Fighters.[8]
24 Street Heroes Unknown No Yes Credited as Street Hero on the package.[9]

List of games developed as Commin

# Title Original release [5] Game Boy Game Boy Color Notes
1 A-Force: Armour Force 1993 Yes No
2 Arctic Zone 1993 Yes No
3 Bomb Disposer 1993 Yes No
4 Duck Adventures 1993 Yes No
5 Hong Kong Mahjung 1993 Yes No
6 Japan's Mahjong 1993 Yes No
7 Magic Maze 1993 Yes No
8 Store Tris 2 1993 Yes No
9 Street Rider 1993 Yes No A Game Boy version of Jovial Race.
10 Taiwan Mahjong 1993 Yes No
11 Trap & Turn 1993 Yes No
12 Vex Block 1993 Yes No
13 Deep: Final Mission 1994 Yes No
14 Pile Wonder 1999 No Yes
15 Puppet Knight 1999 No Yes
16 Suleiman's Treasure 1999 No Yes

Multi-game cartridges

# Serial number Title Original release Game Boy GB Color Notes
1 4B-001 4-in-1 Version 1 ??? Yes No Contains: Street Rider, Vex Block, Trap & Turn, and Duck Adventures.
2 4B-002 4-in-1 Version 2 ??? Yes No Contains: Virus Attack, Electron World, Dice Square, and Trouble Zone.
3 4B-003 4-in-1 Version 3 ??? Yes No 1) Also known as Commin 4-in-1.
2) Contains: Taiwan's Mahjong, Japan's Mahjong, Hong Kong's Mahjung, and Store Tris 2.
4 4B-004 4-in-1 Version 4 ??? Yes No Contains: Pile Wonder, Snake Roy, Suleiman's Treasure, and Puppet Knight.
5 4B-005 4-in-1 Version 5 ??? Yes No Contains: Arctic Zone, Magical Tower, Railway, and Worm Visitor.
6 4B-006 4-in-1 Version 6 ??? Yes No Contains: Bomb Disposer, A-Force: Armour Force, Black Forest Tale, and 2nd Space.
7 4B-007 4-in-1 Version 7 ??? Yes No Contains: Ant Soldiers, Dan Laser, Sky Ace, and Zoo Block.
8 4B-008 4-in-1 Version 8 ??? Yes No Contains: Captain Knick-Knack, Flea War, Explosive Brick, and Magic Maze.
9 4B-009 4-in-1 Version 9 ??? Yes No Contains: Zipball, Small Gorilla, Crazy Burger, and Deep: Final Mission.
10 8B-001 Color 8-in-1 1999 No Yes Contains: Zipball, Deep: Final Mission, Crazy Burger, Small Gorilla, Street Rider, Vex Block, Trap & Turn, and Duck Adventures.
11 8B-002 Color 8-in-1 1999 No Yes Contains: Virus Attack, Electron World, Trouble Zone, Dice Square, Pile Wonder, Snake Roy, Puppet Knight, and Suleiman's Treasure.
12 8B-003 Color 8-in-1 1999 No Yes Contains: Arctic Zone, Magical Tower, Railway, Worm Visitor, Bomb Disposer, 2nd Space, Black Forest Tale, and A-Force: Armour Force.
13 8B-004 Color 8-in-1 1999 No Yes Contains: Ant Soldiers, Sky Ace, Dan Laser, Zoo Block, Captain Knick-Knack, Flea War, Explosive Brick, and Magic Maze.
14 31B-001 31-in-1 Mighty Mix Unknown No Yes 1) Contains all of their games developed as Sachen for the Game Boy/Game Boy Color, as well as a few more: Thunder Blastman (sic), Jurassic Boy 2, Street Rider, Bomb Disposer, Dan Laser, Vex Block, Explosivew Brick (sic), Small Gorilla, Trap & Turn, Pile Wonder, Arctic Zone, Zoo Block, Magic Maze, Magical Tower, Virus Attack, Electron World, Truble Zone (sic), Dice Square, Railway, Worm Visitor, 2nd Space, Black Foresttale (sic), A-Force, Skyace, War Flea, Crazy Burger, Deep, Zipball, Captain Knick, Ant Soldiers, and Duck Adventures.
2) The menu font does not contain the characters '&' or '-'. They are displayed as ' ' (space).

Sega Genesis/Mega Drive

Both two games were developed as Thin Chen Enterprise.

# Title AKA title Original release Notes
1 Competition Mahjong Shizen Mahjong Unknown
2 Queen of Poker Club Unknown 6 card games in 1.

Watara Supervision

All games, both as Thin Chen Enterprise that as Sachen, were all made in 1992 with the only exception of Kung-Fu Street, which was made in 1993.

List of games developed as Thin Chen

  • 1. Balloon Fight
  • 2. Dancing Block
  • 3. Final Combat
  • 4. Galaxy Fighter
  • 5. Hero Hawk
  • 6. Kabi-Island: Gold in Island
  • 7. Kung-Fu Street
  • 8. Magincross
  • 9. Penguin Hideout
  • 10. Pyramid
  • 11. Super Kong
  • 12. Tasac 2010
  • 13. Thunder Shooting

List of games developed as Sachen

  • 1. Chinese Checkers
  • 2. Galactic Crusader
  • 3. Happy Pairs
  • 4. Happy Race
  • 5. John Adventure
  • 6. PoPo Team
  • 7. Super Pang

Mega Duck

Most of the games released for the Mega Duck were subsequently available on the Game Boy.

  • 1. 2nd Space
  • 2. A-Force: Armour Force
  • 3. Ant Soldiers
  • 4. Arctic Zone
  • 5. Beast Fighter
  • 6. Black Forest Tale
  • 7. Bomb Disposer
  • 8. Captain Knick-Knack
  • 9. Dice Square
  • 10. Duck Adventures
  • 11. Electron World
  • 12. Five in One
  • 13. Four in One
  • 14. Magic Maze
  • 15. Magical Tower
  • 16. Pile Wonder
  • 17. Puppet Knight
  • 18. Railway
  • 19. Snake Roy
  • 20. Street Rider
  • 21. Suleiman's Treasure
  • 22. Trap & Turn
  • 23. Trouble Zone
  • 24. Vex Block
  • 25. Virus Attack
  • 26. Worm Visitor
  • 27. Zipball

Note 1: Five in One contains: Hong Kong Mahjung, Japan's Mahjong, Store Tris, Store Tris 2, and Taiwan Mahjong.
Note 2: Four in One contains instead: Dice Square, Electron World, Trouble Zone, and Virus Attack.

See also

References

External links