Video System

Japanese video game developer known for the Aero Fighters (Sonic Wings) shoot 'em up series and F1 Grand Prix racing games.

Driving

Action

Sports

Racing

Founded

1984

HQ

Kyoto, Japan

Known for

Shooter / Racing / Sports

28

Games

1992–2004

Years

13

Platforms

$78.31

Ø CIB

-2.9%

24M change

About

Video System was a Japanese arcade and console game developer active from the 1980s to the early 2000s. The company is highly regarded for creating the Aero Fighters (Sonic Wings) series, including Aero Fighters 2 and Aero Fighters 3, as well as the F1 Grand Prix racing series and sports titles like Super Volley II. Following the release of Sonic Wings, several key developers left the company to form the shoot 'em up developer Psikyo.

The developer's success in the arcade market was heavily driven by proprietary hardware and SNK's Neo Geo platform. In the sports genre, Super Volley II (1992) advanced the company's earlier volleyball concepts with refined side-scrolling gameplay and international team selections. Concurrently, the studio secured a strong foothold in licensed racing simulations. F1 Grand Prix (1992) and its sequel F1 Grand Prix Part II (1993) delivered highly detailed Formula One representations, utilizing a top-down perspective that emphasized precise steering and pit-stop strategy before the franchise transitioned into 3D environments.

In the shoot 'em up arena, the release of Sonic Wings (1993) established a distinct formula of vertical-scrolling action characterized by quirky, playable pilots from different nations, each with unique aircraft and sub-weapons. This design philosophy carried over directly to the Neo Geo sequels Sonic Wings 2 (1994)—also known as Aero Fighters 2 (1993)—and Aero Fighters 3 (1993). These titles expanded the roster of eccentric characters, introduced branching level paths based on player performance, and featured cooperative multiplayer modes that cemented the franchise's legacy in arcade centers worldwide.