【BOTTOM UP】 A game manufacturer that once existed! BOTTOM UP, which developed numerous software in the dawn era such as Super Famicom, is this kind of company!

Speaking of the game industry in the 1990s, it was an era when numerous masterpieces were born and home game consoles evolved greatly, wasn't it? Sending out unique works in such a turbulent game market was the Japanese game production company “BOTTOM UP.” Featuring expansion centered on familiar games such as playing cards, shogi, and mahjong, rather than flashy actions or grand RPGs. The friendliness of “being able to enjoy games that everyone knows on home game consoles” was likely the charm of this manufacturer. Entering the game industry in 1994, until bankrupting at the end of March 2000, it released works toward various hardware. Although the activity period was by no means long, looking back on its footsteps reveals the figure of a unique manufacturer that supported the game culture of those days.

BOTTOM UP's appearance in the game industry was December 16, 1994. “Super Tsume Shogi 1000” released for Super Famicom became its first step. As can be understood from the title, the subject matter was tsume shogi, a traditional Japanese brain game. Rather than jumping into trending genres, starting from a work played by thinking thoroughly is interesting, isn't it? After that, on April 21, 1995, it released “Super Trump Collection,” and on July 19 of the following 1996, “Super Trump Collection 2” as a sequel also appeared. Furthermore, with “VS. Collection” on November 29 of the same year and “Sugoroku Ginga Senki” on December 19, it expanded its lineup. While taking familiar games as subject matters, an attitude trying to deliver different fun for each work can be felt.

Entering 1997, BOTTOM UP expanded works in earnest to handheld game consoles as well. On July 25 of the same year, it released “Pocket Mahjong” for Game Boy, and on November 28, “Trump Collection GB.” Furthermore, in 1998, “Pocket Bass Fishing,” “Pocket Shogi,” and “Pocket Golf” appeared. In a lineup where you could enjoy not only mahjong and shogi, but even fishing and golf, you are surprised, aren't you? Compatibility with handheld machines where games could be enjoyed easily even on the go, not only playing on home TVs, is considered to have drawn out the charm of genres the company was good at. Selecting subject matters familiar across a wide range of generations and proposing various ways to play was also one of BOTTOM UP's unique characteristics.

BOTTOM UP's activities did not stop at table games alone. On November 28, 1997, it released “64 Ozumo” for NINTENDO 64, and on August 7 of the following 1998, sent out “64 Trump Collection: Alice no Waku Waku Trump World.” On the other hand, on PlayStation, “Doki Doki ON AIR” appeared on June 11, 1998, and “Trump Shiyo yo!” on October 15 of the same year. The point of expanding works across multiple game consoles—Super Famicom, Game Boy, NINTENDO 64, and PlayStation—cannot be missed. Not being tied to specific hardware or genres, handling diverse titles centered on familiar entertainments expresses the company's flexible work expansion.

Regrettably, BOTTOM UP went bankrupt at the end of March 2000, bringing down the curtain on its activities. However, not ending here is the interesting point. “Trump Shiyo yo!” for PlayStation, partly because premium prices were attached after going out of business, was re-released on October 5, 2000, as a “Reprint Edition” with rewritten data by Puresound, which bought the intellectual property rights at the developer. Furthermore, in 2002, the sequel “Motto Trump Shiyo yo!” appeared. On March 4, 2012, under consent from Puresound, GungHo Online Entertainment distributed the content of the reprint edition on Game Archives. Even after the company disappeared, in the fact that works were passed down while changing forms, there is the interest of history unique to game software.

BOTTOM UP, differing from manufacturers known for huge hit series, was a company that poured strength into delivering daily games as home games. Fun surrounding shogi boards or playing cards, casualness capable of playing in a little time, and challenges to diverse game consoles. From the accumulation of such works, rich choices held by the game market of the 1990s are conveyed. Currently the company itself does not exist, but released titles are valuable clues to know the game culture of those days. If searching for retro games, why not turn your eyes toward BOTTOM UP works too? You might meet a nostalgic yet fresh game world that could not be noticed merely by chasing famous titles.