Difference between revisions of "Ultra (company)"

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'''Ultra Software Corporation''', usually branded as '''Ultra Games''', or just '''Ultra''' was a American shell company created by [[Konami]] which existed from 1988 and to 1992. Konami created the company to bypass a publishing restriction put in place by [[Nintendo|Nintendo of America]]. A similar company called [[Palcom]] was created in Europe for the same reason. After the release of the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]], NoA lifted the publishing restriction in and Konami folded Ultra.
 
'''Ultra Software Corporation''', usually branded as '''Ultra Games''', or just '''Ultra''' was a American shell company created by [[Konami]] which existed from 1988 and to 1992. Konami created the company to bypass a publishing restriction put in place by [[Nintendo|Nintendo of America]]. A similar company called [[Palcom]] was created in Europe for the same reason. After the release of the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]], NoA lifted the publishing restriction in and Konami folded Ultra.
  
The publishing restriction preventing companies from publishing more than five games a year on the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]. NoA created this rule as an attempt to prevent another video game crash like the one seen in 1983. By limiting a company to only five games a year, NoA believed that companies would work especially hard to create good games since they only had five chances to recoup their expenses each year. Because Konami had a head start in Japan they had a back-catalog of games they wanted to publish onto the NES, as well as the new games they were developing, so they created Ultra as a second company licensed through NoA so they could published ten games a year instead of just five. When Konami didn't have ten games to publish in a year, they used their additional slots to publish games from other developers including [[Electronic Arts]], [[MicroProse]], [[Interplay]], [[Beam Software]], and a few others.
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The publishing restriction preventing companies from publishing more than five games a year on the American [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] was created as an attempt to prevent another video game crash like the one seen in 1983. By limiting a company to only five games a year, Nintendo of America believed that companies would work especially hard to create good games since they only had five chances to recoup their expenses each year. Because Konami had a head start in Japan they had a back-catalog of games they wanted to publish onto the NES, as well as the new games they were developing, so they created Ultra as a second company licensed through NoA so they could published ten games a year instead of just five. When Konami didn't have ten games to publish in a year, they used their additional slots to publish games from other developers including [[Electronic Arts]], [[MicroProse]], [[Interplay]], [[Beam Software]], and a few others.
  
Ultra introduced several franchises to the US that would go on to be extremely popular including [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (universe)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]] and [[Metal Gear (universe)|Metal Gear]].
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Ultra introduced several franchises to the US that would go on to be extremely popular including ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (universe)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' and ''[[Metal Gear (universe)|Metal Gear]]''.
  
When Ultra first existed, I was unaware that they were just a shell company for Konami and viewed them as a completely company. However, I think I was tipped off when I saw a TMNT handheld game which was sold by Konami, not Ultra.
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When Ultra first existed, I was unaware that they were just a shell company for Konami and viewed them as a completely unique company. However, I think I was tipped off when I saw a ''TMNT'' handheld game which was sold by Konami, not Ultra.
  
 
==Games==
 
==Games==
Here are some of the games Ultra published that are important to me.
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Here are the games Ultra published that are important to me.
  
* [[Skate or Die!]]
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===[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]]===
* [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (video game)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]
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<gallery>
* [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game]]
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Skate or Die - NES - USA.jpg|''[[Skate or Die]]''
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - NES - USA.jpg|''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (video game)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]''
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II - Arcade Game, The - NES - USA.jpg|''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (arcade game)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game]]''
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</gallery>
  
 
==Media==
 
==Media==
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
Ultra - Ad 1988-06.jpg|Ultra ad from 1988.
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Ultra - Ad - 1988-02.jpg|Ultra ad from February, 1988.
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Ultra - Ad 1988-06.jpg|Ultra ad from May, 1988.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_Games en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_Games] - Wikipedia.
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{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_Games}}
* [https://www.mobygames.com/company/ultra-software-corporation mobygames.com/company/ultra-software-corporation] - MobyGames.
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{{Link|MobyGames|https://www.mobygames.com/company/ultra-software-corporation}}
  
  

Revision as of 16:49, 8 October 2019

Ultra's logo.

Ultra Software Corporation, usually branded as Ultra Games, or just Ultra was a American shell company created by Konami which existed from 1988 and to 1992. Konami created the company to bypass a publishing restriction put in place by Nintendo of America. A similar company called Palcom was created in Europe for the same reason. After the release of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, NoA lifted the publishing restriction in and Konami folded Ultra.

The publishing restriction preventing companies from publishing more than five games a year on the American Nintendo Entertainment System was created as an attempt to prevent another video game crash like the one seen in 1983. By limiting a company to only five games a year, Nintendo of America believed that companies would work especially hard to create good games since they only had five chances to recoup their expenses each year. Because Konami had a head start in Japan they had a back-catalog of games they wanted to publish onto the NES, as well as the new games they were developing, so they created Ultra as a second company licensed through NoA so they could published ten games a year instead of just five. When Konami didn't have ten games to publish in a year, they used their additional slots to publish games from other developers including Electronic Arts, MicroProse, Interplay, Beam Software, and a few others.

Ultra introduced several franchises to the US that would go on to be extremely popular including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Metal Gear.

When Ultra first existed, I was unaware that they were just a shell company for Konami and viewed them as a completely unique company. However, I think I was tipped off when I saw a TMNT handheld game which was sold by Konami, not Ultra.

Games

Here are the games Ultra published that are important to me.

NES

Media

Links

Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-MobyGames.png