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Publisher
Also Developer
Tengen Inc.
An American video game publisher and developer founded in 1987 as a console software division of Atari Games.
Action
Puzzle
Driving
Racing
Simulation
About
Tengen was created by Atari Games to bypass Nintendo's restrictive licensing policies for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The company is famous for releasing unlicensed NES cartridges in distinctive black shells, leading to a major legal battle with Nintendo. Tengen also ported and published popular Atari arcade games to various home consoles.
The company secured rights to Namco's library, leading to home releases of Pac-Man (1984) and Pac-Man [Tengen] (1987). During its initial phase as a licensed Nintendo developer, it produced Gauntlet (1987), which saw distribution in standard grey shells as Gauntlet [Gray Cart] (1987). Tengen's catalog also intersected with early console sports titles, including various editions of Baseball (1983), Baseball (1985), Baseball [5 Screw] (1985), and Baseball (1986).
Beyond the 8-bit console market, the publisher expanded its reach to Sega platforms, delivering ports for the Genesis, Game Gear, and Master System. Notable Sega releases included Shinobi, Space Harrier, and Klax. The company also developed for the TurboGrafx-16 and Atari Lynx. Following the acquisition of parent company Atari Games by WMS Industries, and later Time Warner, the brand was consolidated under Time Warner Interactive in 1994, effectively ending the use of the Tengen name.
Key People
Randy Broweleit
Founder / President
Dennis Wood
General Counsel / Incorporator
John H. L. (John) H. L.
Executive Producer
Connections
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Platforms (14)
By decade (2)
Genres (8)
Developers (31)
Settings (5)
Mechanics (9)
Perspectives (5)
Characters (2)
Games featuring Tengen Inc. (52)
Include special editions
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