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John Andersen

@johnandersen.bsky.social
690 followers 312 following 632 posts

Video game history - researching how the games we love to play were made. Documentaries, game historian, writer, movies. Opinions are my own. LGBTQ ally. BLM. Portfolio!: linktr.ee/johnandersen

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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
In 1994 you could order a five-pack of COMPILE Okonomiyaki Sauce via postal mail. Only 500 sets were made at a price of 3000 yen with a Hiroshima okonomiyaki recipe included, (Hiroshima being famous for the dish, and the headquarters of game developer COMPILE at the time). Via: Disc Station 04.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Linking up SEGA Game Gear's during a hot summer day in July of 1994 for a Puyo Puyo battle in front of Shibuya 109 in Tokyo. Via: Disc Station 04.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Early-2005: The SEGA-AM2 team in charge of developing arcade game "Quest of D", posing in front of SEGA Building #3 in Tokyo. Producer Hiroshi Kataoka poses with an Arcadia Magazine award for the card-based action-RPG game. Via: Arcadia 0057.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
July 1994: Idol Mami Inoue visits Compile's new high-rise office in Hiroshima to see Puyo Puyo Tsu nearing the end of development and gets to try it out. Those are a lot of Carbuncle (Kaa-kun) plushies. Puyo Puyo Tsu would be released to arcades in Japan by SEGA two months later. Via:Disc Station 04
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Game developers need to step up and notify players they need to take a break and drink coffee. Just like IREM/IPM did with their Space Invaders arcade game clone back in 1979. #CoffeeBreak #IPMInvader
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Would anyone in Japan be able to help me and Sonic researcher BitBlitz track down a TV commercial book titled "CM年鑑 '83" also known as "ACC CM年鑑(1983)"? We're looking for any mention of SEGA in the book. It's accessible online to those with NDL library access in Japan only. More info in reply.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
I spotted a black & white photograph of what appears to be a SEGA factory that may date back to 1979, workers are assembling cocktail cabinets. The interior matches photos on the 1979 SEGA/Sovoda flyer from France. It's via a 1991 Mega Drive feature discussing 1979: archive.org/details/mega...
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
1997: (Left) CAPCOM game designer and producer Noritaka Funamizu stands next to an unnamed Sound Effects team member. (Right) Two unnamed CAPCOM staff members, one of whom looks a lot like Keiji Inafune, work on Mega Man Legends on the 11th floor of the CAPCOM R&D building. Via: Jugemu, Jan 1998.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Tora-san presents the IBM Multistation 5550. Why have just two disk drives when you can have three?
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
CAPCOM (Late-1997): 9th floor: The desks of Akiman (Akira Yasuda) and Kinu Nishimura (busy at work-back turned to camera). Akiman posing with "the designer of Mega Man Legends", this appears to be Kazunori Kadoi who just recently directed the Resident Evil 4 2023 remake. Via Jugemu, Jan 1998.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Late-1997: Bug-checking Mega Man Legends for the PSX and (I believe) Rival Schools for the arcade at CAPCOM's Osaka development building (4th floor). CAPCOM Programmers on the 5th floor above work on Rival Schools and Star Gladiator 2 (Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein). Via Jugemu, January 1998.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
1992: Game developer Pack In Video. Programmer Toru Miyazawa (responsible for programming Rambo and Thunderbirds on the NES) and Yasuhiro Wada (working in publicity, going on to design Harvest Moon on SNES, GB, N64, then CEO of Marvelous, and then establishing TOYBOX Inc. in 2011).
Via:  Super Famicom Magazine 7/10/1992.Via:  Super Famicom Magazine 7/10/1992.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Production staff at BPS (Bullet-Proof Software) in Yokohama (1993). BPS employed their own designers, producers, and QA staff known as the "BPS Bug Hunters" but may have started outsourcing programming after Hatris and Battle Storm on the NES/Famicom? BPS closed their Japan office in 2001.
Super Famicom magazine - February 05th, 1993 issue.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The former classy Rongo Rongo Ginza game center. This place feels like you could just sit down and order a cup of coffee with your game.☕ Via: Jugemu Magazine - August 1995.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The jagged eye of JALECO HQ watches over Tokyo. Via: Super Famicom Magazine, 3/22/91, Number 8, Volume 2, Issue 5.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
In this 1989 issue of MSX Fans its main HQ is seen with the design room on the left and the MSX development room on the right. The article states that games like Hydlide 3, Greatest Driver, Laydock 2, A-Pa-Mya-Dock were created on the second floor. (2/2)
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
T&E Soft was in such a need for workspace in Nagoya (between new entries in its Hydlide and golf-sim series) the company opened a second annex office (pictured in 1991) right across the street from its main HQ. This occurred during the late-80's/early 90's. (1/2)
The Super Famicom - 1991-03-08 - Number 7 - Volume 2 - Issue 4.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Does anyone know where Norio Yasuda is now? Hideko Sato and I were unable to locate him. It would be great to learn more about Yasuda's time at SEGA and the other games he helped design. His last interview was ten years ago in the May 2016 issue of Amusement Journal magazine. (4/4)
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Hideki Sato told me via email that SEGA colleague Norio Yasuda (安田則雄) is the man that designed Heavyweight Champ. Yasuda would depart SEGA in 1986. He established Technostar, and was involved with Konami’s R&D of “WEC Le Man 24” racing game. He later became director of Banpresto. (3/4).
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
SEGA's Heavyweight Champ, released in 1975, was revolutionary. Consisting of TTL (transistor-to-transistor logic) board tech, it was the first hand-to-hand combat arcade video game. No cabinets are known to presently exist, but film/video of gameplay remain (such as this 1977 clip). (2/4)
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Several years ago I was able to get in touch with former SEGA executive Hideki Sato. He originally joined SEGA in 1971 to work in R&D. He agreed to answer a couple of questions via email, one of which had been on my mind for a while: Who at SEGA designed Heavyweight Champ released in 1975? (1/4)
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
...and some other images including one from a phone card.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The star of this Kirin Lemon World campaign from 1991 is singer/actress Ritsuko Tanaka (田中律子). Here is the TV commercial!
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
DBZ at BK? 🤯
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Capcom would admit in 1993 it was bursting at the seams in need of bigger, consolidated space. Its "HQ" was in fact split into six different buildings and factories! In July of 1994 and March of 1996 it moved into a new HQ building and adjacent R&D building respectively, still in use today! 5/5
Via:  Game Machine 442 (1993-2-1)CAPCOM Main Office/Headquarters
〒540-0037 大阪市中央区内平野町三丁目1番3号 CAPCOM Main Office/Headquarters
〒540-0037 大阪市中央区内平野町三丁目1番3号 CAPCOM R&D Building
3 Chome-2-8 Uchihiranomachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 540-0038, Japan
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
March 29th, 1990: CAPCOM unveiled a new 8-floor building for development, but it would also be utilized as a main/head office and then later on as a sales office. Were any SFC/SNES games developed here? A ceremony was held and president Kenzo Tsujimoto would move his office into the building. 4/5
Via Game Machine 5/1 1990 (no.379).  Page 9.
Presented by Amusement Press
https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/archive.html〒540	大阪市中央区常盤町2丁目1番12号〒540	大阪市中央区常盤町2丁目1番12号〒540	大阪市中央区常盤町2丁目1番12号
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
The city of Osaka should put CAPCOM character monuments on this site. This is where a number of CAPCOM game series' got their start, from Street Fighter to Mega Man. Even though the original white building was demolished for a hotel (left), the former KT head office annex (right) still stands. 3/5
GPS Address:  34.6860085,135.5144367大阪市中央区大手通1-3-5 KT大手通ビル 大阪市中央区大手通1-3-5 KT大手通ビル
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
It's unclear when CAPCOM moved into this development building, its address would appear on ads from 1986 to 1991. CAPCOM promptly constructed a new "Head Office Annex" building directly across the street with the letters KT on top (KT for founder Kenzo Tsujimoto?) that opened November 1986. 2/5
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
CAPCOM's early Osaka game development offices throughout the 1980's and early-1990's. CAPCOM game development for arcades and Nintendo consoles took place at a few different offices and these locations deserve a plaque or statue. Click on the photo captions for locations. A historical thread. 1/5
Formerly known on CAPCOM advertisements  as 大阪市東区大手通1-27 (or 1-27-18).  Higashi-ku, Osaka City" merged with Kita-ku in 1989 to become the current "Chuo-ku," so the relevant address is " 1-27 Ote-dori, Chuo-ku, Osaka City ." This address no longer exists, and it was formerly the location of Capcom's headquarters. The postal code for the area is 540-0021.  Address changed (due to further zoning) to:
大阪市中央区大手通1-4-12.  The building that stands on this spot is now the Toyoko INN Tenmabashi Otemae:  大阪府大阪市中央区大手通1-4-15Capcom CPS Promo from VHS Tape via Ottosb.
Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m029ZSL-ebQCapcom CPS Promo from VHS Tape via Ottosb.
Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m029ZSL-ebQ
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
It looks like Coreland's unreleased arcade game was shown outside Japan at TAITO's booth during the FER '89 show in Spain. I find it interesting that even though the game is classified as "unreleased" a service manual with a TAITO branded wiring diagram was released. Via: archive.org/details/micr...
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Two-page SEGA console ads from Spain. SEGA Master System (1990) Game Gear (1993) Sega Mega Drive (1994) Mega CD II (1994) Espectaculato en efecto.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
1993: An artist at SEGA Technical Institute (Redwood City, California) working on Sonic Spinball using a SEGA Digitizer System III. Second image: A programmer working on Eternal Champions at SEGA Interactive (Los Angeles). Via: Joypad Magazine - Issue 23.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Tim Curry. Dolly Parton. Legends. They will be missed.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Don't let these PlayStation disc factories go dark. Movies, TV and music on physical media are also at stake. Put your thoughts into a polite and respectful one-page typed letter to the SONY Group in Japan. See images and info below. Repost. #playstation #physicalmedia #PSBlackout
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
The second floor in the Nintendo Tokyo/Kanda office was once called Jack & The Beanstalk. It was even seen on a lobby sign in an issue of 64Dream in 1997. What was it? A lost 64DD game or the team behind Pokemon Snap? Unseen64 wrote an article about it here: www.unseen64.net/2010/10/29/j...
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
The planned demolition of Nintendo's Tokyo office (est. 1961) is complete (image via GameLabo_sansai on X). It's unknown what will be built on this property and if Nintendo has even held on to it or sold it. Here's a list of its former tenants, services and events from over the years.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
TV Asahi once had a weekend news program called "News Station". Composer Toshiyuki Honda created this jazzy opening theme titled "Good Evening" for the show. It was released on CD in 1989 and even performed live on the program. I never thought I'd hear a cool catchy city pop TV news theme.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
A whole archive of CTW back issues does exist? This was something I was looking for several years ago in the search for SEGA game release dates in Europe. However, bad news, its successor MCV and other publications were "pulped" by the publisher: www.linkedin.com/posts/stuart...
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
The cool thing about physical media? You can include that media in the inside hardcover of a video game history book. Like when this publisher in Japan put a Sega Dreamcast compilation of Yu Suzuki's arcade games in Game Works Vol. 1 back in 2002.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
I was going through notes and found an email from KOEI-TECMO that sheds some light on the 1981 arcade game "PLEIADS". The idea for the game came from TECMO founder Akihito Kakihara but the programming was outsourced. They claim it has no connection to "Phoenix" but it could have the same programmer.
Yoshihito Kakihara - Founder of TECMO.  He passed away on July 18th, 2006.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
If you are dissatisfied with PlayStation halting the production of physical game discs, write and address your concerns to the SONY GROUP Board of Directors. Put your thoughts into a polite and respectful one-page typed letter to the SONY Group in Japan. See image below. Spread the word. Repost.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Walking through Target this morning. Was not expecting to see Tecmo Bowl: The Board Game. 😲
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Even cats love physical media. After much consideration he has chosen Y’s The Vanished Omens for the SEGA Master System as his favorite. #caturday
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
A 1996 SQUARE recruitment ad featuring various tidy workstations at their Tokyo Arco Tower offices. A lot of Macintosh Quadra 700's, a Quadra 800/Workgroup Server 80, Digital Celebris GL-5133-ST's, (SGI) Indigo2. Looks like someone was a fan of Fatal Fury Special and Macross 7.
Via:  週刊ファミ通 1996年02月16日号 no. 374
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
I found a side-by-side 1996 Data East advertisement for their cancelled basketball game Air Walkers, which reveals their overseas marketing department renamed it Data East's B-Ball for outside Japan (as seen at their AM booth) . The ad on the right appears to be for arcade operators in South Korea.
 [Monthly Coin Journal] Vol. 21 No. 9 (September 1996)Gamest 0182
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
1996: Game center in Japan, featuring Prop Cycle, Alpine Surfer, Alpine Racer (Namco), Side By Side (Taito), Exciting Boat Race (SEGA) and many SEGA Versus City candy cabs. Advertised and owned at the time by River Service Company. Monthly Coin Journal, 9/96.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
The CAPCOM Matsubara Plant in Osaka - 1991/1992 making arcade boards. This CAPCOM Matsubara, Osaka plant was opened in May 1989, closed August 1995. Why the closure? CAPCOM combined both the Matsubara and Hirano plants into a larger facility in Ueno City, Mie Japan in 1994. 2/2
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
The former CAPCOM Hirano Plant in Osaka, opened in Feb 1992, closed Dec 1996. The CAPCOM name was still on the awning in 2010. This was also a Service Center location printed in CAPCOM SFC game manuals. This plant and the CAPCOM Matsubara Plant (see image, video in reply) are almost identical. 1/2
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
The old JALECO office in Tokyo, known in 1982 as Japan Leisure Company, the company opened this office on May 15th, 1982. The company would move out in 1988 but would keep this space as a service center. JALECO opened a new head office in 1988 and with it came a new JALECO logo.
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John Andersen @johnandersen.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Many people might recognize this. #IREM
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