1-UP Studio

1-UP Studio Inc.
Native name
 1-UPスタジオ株式会社
1-UP Sutajio Kabushiki gaisha
Formerly called
 Brownie Brown
(2000–2013)
Subsidiary of Nintendo
Industry Video games
Founded June 30, 2000 (2000-06-30)
Founder Kameoka Shinichi
Kouji Tsuda
Headquarters Tokyo, Japan
Key people
 President
Gen Kadoi
Representative Directors
Yoshiaki Koizumi
Keizo Kato
Representative Auditor
Futoshi Yamaguchi
Products Mother 3
Mana series
Super Mario series
Number of employees
 33 (2017)[1]
Parent Nintendo
(2013–present)[1]
Website 1-up-studio.jp

1-UP Studio Co., Ltd. (１‐UPスタジオ株式会社, Wan-Appu Sutajio Kabushiki Gaisha), formerly Brownie Brown Inc. (ブラウニーブラウン, Buraunī Buraun), is a Japanese Nintendo-funded and owned video game developer founded on June 30, 2000 in Tokyo, Japan. On February 1, 2013, the company announced that due to their recent co-development efforts with Nintendo, that they were undergoing a change in internal structure, which included changing the name of their company to 1-UP Studio.[2]

History

The company consists of many ex-Square Co., Ltd. 2D artists. At least two of its founders (Kameoka Shinichi and Kouji Tsuda) had previously worked on the award-winning Mana series on the Game Boy and Super NES platforms.[3] Nintendo trademarked the original Brownie Brown name, the meaning of the name is that, according to Brownie Brown's old website, a brownie is a hard working elf, and the elf that is on their logo, is named Brown, thus he is the Brownie Brown.[4] The founders left Square due to "differing ideals."[5]

The company's first original creation was the Japan-only Magical Vacation for the Game Boy Advance, which was released in 2001. Another popular title developed by Brownie Brown was Sword of Mana, which was created for and published by Square Enix. Thought to be a new title in the Seiken Densetsu series, it was actually an enhanced remake of the first game in the series, Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden (known as Mystic Quest in Europe and Final Fantasy Adventure in North America).

The company has also been credited with the development of Mother 3 in a collaborative effort with Shigesato Itoi and HAL Laboratory, and Magical Starsign (Magical Vacation: When the Five Stars Align in Japan) for the Game Boy Advance. Brownie Brown, one of the game's three developers, expressed interest in a Nintendo DS port of Mother 3 if Nintendo asked them to make it, and that they would like it to be enjoyed by fans abroad.

While the company has only released video games for Nintendo's handheld video game systems up to this point, the company had previously announced a title for the Nintendo GameCube, named Gofuku, which was scheduled for release in 2005 and was announced alongside Magical Vacation: When the Five Stars Align.[6][7]

The company's most recent release is Blue Dragon Plus for the Nintendo DS, developed alongside Mistwalker.[8] Brownie Brown entered into the downloadable games market in 2009 with Kappa Michi, a DSiWare game.[9] Brownie Brown also announced the DS title Livly Garden, which is based on a browser game from So-net Entertainment and is due for release in Japan on January 28.[10][11] Brownie Brown is also aiding the development of two Level-5 titles, Professor Layton and the Last Specter and Fantasy Life, for the DS and 3DS respectively.[12]

On February 1, 2013, the company announced on their original official website that due to their recent co-development efforts with Nintendo, Brownie Brown had undergone a change in internal structure, which includes officially changing the name of their company to 1-UP Studio.[2]

List of games developed

Game Boy Advance

Nintendo DS

Nintendo 3DS

Wii U

References

  1. 1 2 "About Us - Company Profile". 1-up-studio.jp (in Japanese). 1-UP Studio. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  2. 1 2 Ishaan (2013-02-01). "Nintendo Subsidiary, Brownie Brown, Changes Name To 1-Up Studio". Siliconera. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
  3. ↑ IGN Staff (September 29, 2000). "Beware of Hitchhiking Brownies". IGN. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
  4. ↑ Go Nintendo » Blog Archive » New Nintendo trademarks
  5. ↑ Long, Andrew (November 3, 2000). "Brownie Brown President Talks About Name, Game". RPGamer.com. Retrieved 2008-07-29.
  6. ↑ GAF - News - Brownie Brown reveals new DS RPG & GC game
  7. ↑ RPGamer - News Bulletin - Brownie Brown Names Latest Project
  8. ↑ Go Nintendo » Blog Archive » Brownie Brown developing Blue Dragon Plus
  9. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (December 7, 2009). "Nintendo Teams with Brownie Brown for DSiWare". andriasang.com. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  10. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (August 21, 2009). "Brownie Brown Returns on the DS". IGN.com. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
  11. ↑ http://ds.livly.com/
  12. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (August 25, 2009). "Level-5 Shares Future Vision". IGN.com. Retrieved 2009-08-25.
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