Romstar

An American video game publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, known for distributing arcade and console games.

Sports

Simulation

Action

Founded

1984

HQ

Torrance, United States

Known for

Arcade / Action / Shooter

11

Games

1989–1996

Years

4

Platforms

$53.18

Ø CIB

-11.2%

24M change

About

Romstar was a prominent distributor and publisher of arcade games and console ports in North America. The company published several notable titles for the NES and Game Boy, including Championship Bowling, World Bowling, Rally Bike, Magic Darts, and Mr. Chin's Gourmet Paradise. They were also responsible for releasing the shoot 'em up Twin Eagle and the block-breaker Thunder and Lightning.

Established in 1984 by former Taito America employee Takahito Yasumuller, the publisher carved out a niche by licensing Japanese arcade titles for the North American market. Many of these partnerships involved developers like Seta, Athena, and Visco, translating into localized console ports.

The company's 1989 release of the helicopter shoot 'em up Twin Eagle in arcades, followed by its 1991 Nintendo Entertainment System port, showcased this localization strategy. Similarly, Romstar collaborated with Athena to bring sports simulations to home consoles, releasing Championship Bowling for the NES in 1989 and its portable counterpart, World Bowling, for the Game Boy in 1990. Seta-developed titles formed a core part of the lineup, including the quirky Game Boy platformer Mr. Chin's Gourmet Paradise in 1990 and the NES sports title Magic Darts in 1991. The publisher also targeted the arcade-to-home market with Visco's block-breaking game Thunder and Lightning and Toaplan's motorcycle racer Rally Bike in 1990. These releases defined the company's catalog before it ceased operations in the mid-1990s.