Hot-B Co., Ltd. (Company)

Hot-B Co., Ltd.

COMPANY» Founded 1988-01-01

Burlingame,California,United States

A Japanese game development studio that operated in the 80s and early 90s, best known for their fishing games.

Hot-B was established in 1983, starting out as the software planning department of an advertising agency called First Farmers. A short time later, the home computer boom kicked off in Japan, giving Hot-B a place to ply their trade before the Famicom took off. They are perhaps best known for their NES-era fishing games, to the point where legend had it that the "B" in their name stood for "bass". On July 23, 1993, Hot-B released a SNES RPG, Ancient Magic: Bazoe! Mahou Sekai. Exactly one day later, they declared bankruptcy. Later that year, former staff formed Starfish (Company) and acquired all of their previous studio's IPs. A US publishing subsidiary was formed in 1988, which dramatically outlived its' parent company. Their last release was in 2005.

Developed Games

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Psychic City (Game)

31 October 1984

An early Japanese RPG released by Hot-B in 1984 that departed from the fantasy themes of most other early RPGs in favour of what is possibly gaming's first sci-fi cyberpunk plot. Set in a post-apocalyptic city, the game revolves around an amnesiac protagonist with psychic powers.

PC88 FM7

The Blue Marlin (Game)

27 December 1991

Blue Marlin is the spiritual successor to Black Bass with similar fishing mechanics in a deep sea setting. The game's a lot bigger out here. It was out in Japan well before the US version on December 27th 1991.

NES PS1

The Black Bass (Game)

31 December 1986

The Black Bass is a fishing simulator for the Famicom and MSX. It is not to be confused with the American NES game The Black Bass, which is actually the sequel to this game.

MSX NES

Blue Almanac (Game)

22 June 1991

An RPG released in Japan in 1991. A translated version called Star Odyssey was shopped around for a publisher, but the translation was reportedly so shoddy that nobody would touch it.

GEN

Palamedes II: Star Twinkles (Game)

7 May 1991

This was only released in Japan, on May 7th 1991.

NES

Black Bass: Lure Fishing (Game)

28 August 1992

Black Bass: Lure Fishing is a fishing game released on the Game Boy and Game Boy Color.

GB GBC

Kaleidoscope: 7 Man Kounen no Houshi-tachi (Game)

31 March 1985

RPG developed by Hot-B in 1986.

PC88 PC98 X1 +2

Kaleidoscope: Hakkan Wakusei (Game)

31 May 1985

RPG developed by Hot-B in 1986.

PC88 PC98 X1 +1

Super Shanghai: Dragon's Eye (Game)

31 December 1990

Arcade version of the popular mahjong solitare series with a unique quest mode and a "Paradise" mode with comely lasses.

ARC

King Salmon: The Big Catch (Game)

26 September 1992

The most realistic salmon fishing simulator for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive.

GEN

The King Salmon (Game)

1 March 1987

A salmon fishing game from Hot-B in the vein of their Black Bass and Blue Marlin titles.

PC88 PC98

Brutus (Game)

1 April 1985

Developed by Hot B in 1985.

6001

Published Games

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Shingen the Ruler (Game)

31 December 1990

A turn-based strategy game for the NES in which the player takes on the role of Japanese warlord Shingen Takeda during the 16th Century.

NES

The Black Bass (Game)

18 October 1988

A fishing game sequel for the NES where the object of the game is to catch as many black bass as possible from sunrise to sunset.

NES

Psychic City (Game)

31 October 1984

An early Japanese RPG released by Hot-B in 1984 that departed from the fantasy themes of most other early RPGs in favour of what is possibly gaming's first sci-fi cyberpunk plot. Set in a post-apocalyptic city, the game revolves around an amnesiac protagonist with psychic powers.

PC88 FM7

Bassin's Black Bass with Hank Parker (Game)

23 September 1994

A tournament fishing game for the Super Nintendo developed by Starfish and published by Hot B. Part of Hot B's Black Bass series.

SNES

Takeda Shingen (Game)

28 March 1988

A turn-based war strategy sim developed by Another for the NES. Unlike its sequel, Shingen the Ruler, it was never released outside of Japan.

NES

The Blue Marlin (Game)

27 December 1991

Blue Marlin is the spiritual successor to Black Bass with similar fishing mechanics in a deep sea setting. The game's a lot bigger out here. It was out in Japan well before the US version on December 27th 1991.

NES PS1

Super Black Bass (Game)

4 December 1992

Super Black Bass is a fishing game released by Hot-B, and is the sequel to The Black Bass. It features an overheard perspective and you must progress through various fishing tournaments.

GB SNES

The Black Bass (Game)

31 December 1986

The Black Bass is a fishing simulator for the Famicom and MSX. It is not to be confused with the American NES game The Black Bass, which is actually the sequel to this game.

MSX NES

Black Bass with Blue Marlin (Game)

18 November 1999

Compilation of two of Hot-B's finest fishing games.

PS1

Palamedes II: Star Twinkles (Game)

7 May 1991

This was only released in Japan, on May 7th 1991.

NES

Over Horizon (Game)

31 December 1991

Over Horizon is an NES Shoot Em Up title which was only released in Japan and Europe.

NES

Kaleidoscope: 7 Man Kounen no Houshi-tachi (Game)

31 March 1985

RPG developed by Hot-B in 1986.

PC88 PC98 X1 +2