One hit wonder companies?

[Gapporin]

In the world of music, a "one-hit wonder" is a group or artist who makes that one big hit that tops the charts, but then spends the rest of their career in obscurity or mediocrity.

This concept could be applied to video games as well, except when I speak about "one hit wonder companies", I'm talking about companies who only put out one game total before folding. I've thought of a few examples myself:

Crack Dot Com (Created "Abuse", was working on a game called "Golgotha" when they folded)

Eclipse Productions/World Tree Games (Created "Tyrian"/"Tyrian 2000" (2000 is the same game, just with a few minor upgrades). Same company, but they changed their name halfway through their lifespan. They were involved in a lot of different productions, most of which never were finished. Last known porting "Tyrian 2000" to the Gameboy and Gameboy Advance, neither of which made it out the door)

Valkyrie Studios (Created "Septerra Core", was working a game called "Seraphim" when they folded)

Can anyone think of any others? It's alright if they had multiple products planned, but I'm looking for companies that only had one game released to their name. Any era is welcome.

[dao2]

In the world of music, a "one-hit wonder" is a group or artist who makes that one big hit that tops the charts, but then spends the rest of their career in obscurity or mediocrity.

This concept could be applied to video games as well, except when I speak about "one hit wonder companies", I'm talking about companies who only put out one game total before folding. I've thought of a few examples myself:

Crack Dot Com (Created "Abuse", was working on a game called "Golgotha" when they folded)

Eclipse Productions/World Tree Games (Created "Tyrian"/"Tyrian 2000" (2000 is the same game, just with a few minor upgrades). Same company, but they changed their name halfway through their lifespan. They were involved in a lot of different productions, most of which never were finished. Last known porting "Tyrian 2000" to the Gameboy and Gameboy Advance, neither of which made it out the door)

Valkyrie Studios (Created "Septerra Core", was working a game called "Seraphim" when they folded)

Can anyone think of any others? It's alright if they had multiple products planned, but I'm looking for companies that only had one game released to their name. Any era is welcome.

to make it a one hit wonder, I think the game has to actually be good.

I dunno about the rest but septerra core was an abomination

[Bojay1997]

to make it a one hit wonder, I think the game has to actually be good.

I dunno about the rest but septerra core was an abomination

Agreed. The whole cache of one-hit wonder is that the band had a top ten hit and then never repeated the success. Otherwise, it's just a band or company that failed completely.

[dao2]

Agreed. The whole cache of one-hit wonder is that the band had a top ten hit and then never repeated the success. Otherwise, it's just a band or company that failed completely.

I'd have to say Cavedog is a one hit wonder company, Total A was amazing, especially the online. Kingdoms was horrible and after that they shutdown.

[Fuyukaze]

I actualy liked septerra core. It wasnt that great but there is worse.

[dao2]

I actualy liked septerra core. It wasnt that great but there is worse.

like what! ;p

horrible graphics
bad story
bad cutscenes
and worse progression
and worse combat ever
not to mention slow as hell

[Kitsune Sniper]

like what! ;p

horrible graphics
bad story
bad cutscenes
and worse progression
and worse combat ever
not to mention slow as hell

...

It played just like FF7?

[DigitalSpace]

EDIT: Nevermind.

[SpaceHarrier]

Seibu Kaihatsu.

Raiden

(I loved the sequel more, but the first one was ported all over the place. The second was just on the PSX compilation and ported to Windows)

Tamsoft.

Battle Arena Toshinden

(I enjoyed the sequel to this one as well, but yeah..)

Ok, so I didn't read the topic fully until I posted this. Apologies to OP, I can't think of a-one. So this is just your 'one hit wonders that continued developing in obscurity for eternity'.

[exit]

Whats all the hate for Septera Core? While it's hardly the greatest RPG ever, it was still a decent game and did it's best with what it had.

And while we're talking about Monolith, Shogo was another good game they made and still has a small following last time I checked. It's a shame that they never released the other 2 episodes.

[Overbite]

I wouldn't call Monolith a one hit wonder company because they made Blood, Shogo, No One Live Forever 1 and 2, and FEAR

[Ed Oscuro]

I wouldn't call Monolith a one hit wonder company because they made Blood, Shogo, No One Live Forever 1 and 2, and FEAR

Now they've made the Condemned games...not altogether shabby if you ask me.

My votes:

The blighters behind Limbo of the Lost
and
The team behind Ex-Ranza (aka Ranger-X, that development house made literally only one game)

Seibu Kaihatsu.

Raiden

(I loved the sequel more, but the first one was ported all over the place. The second was just on the PSX compilation and ported to Windows)

Yeah right.

Raiden is indeed a landmark classic, but Raiden DX more than kept them going. They also put out interesting titles like Empire City 1931 and Dynamite Duke, and Dynamite Duke got at least three ports (SMS, Mega Drive, X68000 are ones I can think of).

Lately they released Raiden Fighters Aces, a three-game compilation for the 360 with all three Raiden Fighters games.

Raiden Fighters Jet recently landed near the top (or maybe it was the top?) of my personal Top 25 shooters list (and it did well in the SHMUPS.com poll); and Seibu is about to release Raiden 4.

[dao2]

...

It played just like FF7?

ur horrible ;p

[dao2]

Whats all the hate for Septera Core? While it's hardly the greatest RPG ever, it was still a decent game and did it's best with what it had.

And while we're talking about Monolith, Shogo was another good game they made and still has a small following last time I checked. It's a shame that they never released the other 2 episodes.

"best with what it had" yeah right

shogo was amazing ;p but monolith isnt a one hit wonder ^^

[williewonka2k1]

"Z" by the Bitmap Brothers is a WTS for the PC and Saturn Pal that is fucking INCREDIBLE!!!


PLAY/LOOK AT THIS GAME

[Ed Oscuro]

"Z" by the Bitmap Brothers is a WTS for the PC and Saturn Pal that is fucking INCREDIBLE!!!


PLAY/LOOK AT THIS GAME

But they had other hits - Soldiers of Fortune being one of them.

[williewonka2k1]

they did that too?? well "Z" is still pretty under the radar.

[Parodius]

Hey, the Bitmaps were also responsible for many excellent games on the Amiga like Speedball 2 and Xenon 2: Megablast.

[j_factor]

Sega Racing Studio was shut down recently. They only made one game, Sega Rally Revo.

I believe AMOK's developer only made that one game before folding.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm not such a big fan of Xenon II but it has some classy mixed music