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Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Video games |
Founded | 2015 |
Headquarters | , United States |
Products | Bite the Bullet |
Number of employees | 24 |
Website | megacatstudios |
Mega Cat Studios is an American video game development and publishing company located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 2015 by James Deighan, Nick Mann, and Zack Manko.
Mega Cat develops and publishes games for modern platforms[ vague ] and VR (virtual reality) and physical copy games for video game consoles, such as the Sega Genesis and the Nintendo Entertainment System. The company also publishes physical releases for other retro developers, such as Old Towers by Retrosouls. [1]
Mega Cat was founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by James Deighan, Nick Mann and Zack Manko in 2015; they, alongside Nathaniel Wilson, Andrew Marsh, and Lauri Coderbrah produced the studio's first game, Almost Hero, for the Nintendo Entertainment System, which generally received a positive reception. [2] A major element of their business model of publishing new video games for "retro systems" has involved including a physical manual and case for each of their releases. [3] Founder James Deighan says that the studio has sought to "recreate that experience of being in the back of your mom’s van coming back from Hills [a department store], opening up the game and reading the instruction manual on the way home." [4]
In February 2017, Mega Cat published Coffee Crisis for the SEGA Genesis. [5] The game was their first to later receive a Windows port with enhanced features, such as additional modes, a procedurally generated roguelite modifier system, and improved graphics, and was later released on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. [6] The PC version of Coffee Crisis was published in conjunction with Zerouno Games.
To avoid having to bring in investors or otherwise raise funding early on in the studio's history, Mega Cat focused on a balancing contracted work for various brands while continuing work on their own IP. [7] The studio has done contract work for such clients as the Pittsburgh Pirates, [8] Devolver Digital, [9] and Columbia Records. [10]
The studio has run crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter for Coffee Crisis , Log Jammers [11] and Phantom Gear. [12] Prior to its crowdfunding campaign, Log Jammers had been an official selection of the 2018 Indie Megabooth and won both the "Best Digital Game Play" and the "Digital Game of the Year" award at Gameacon 2017. [13]
A number of the studio's games were featured as part of the Indie Megabooth, including the aforementioned Log Jammers as well as Little Medusa, Coffee Crisis, and Fork Parker's Crunch Out. [14]
In 2020, ten of the studio's published games were included in a cartridge for the Evercade gaming system. [15]
In 2024, it was announced that Mega Cat Studios is developing a reboot of Backyard Sports, a franchise originally owned by Humongous Entertainment, with Playground Productions as its publisher. [16]
Year | Title | Platform(s) | Developer(s) |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Almost Hero | Nintendo Entertainment System | Mega Cat Studios |
Dushlan | Peter McQuillan | ||
2017 | City Trouble | Den Kat Games | |
Coffee Crisis | Sega Genesis, Microsoft Windows | Mega Cat Studios | |
Log Jammers | Nintendo Entertainment System, Microsoft Windows | ||
Justice Duel | Nintendo Entertainment System | ||
Mega Marble World | Sega Genesis | ||
2018 | Little Medusa | Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis | |
Creepy Brawlers | Nintendo Entertainment System | ||
Creeping it Real | |||
Sitten Kitten | |||
Expedition | |||
Fork Parker's Crunch Out | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | Mega Cat Studios, Devolver Digital | |
2019 | Tänzer | Sega Genesis | Mikael Tillander |
Lucky Penguin | Nintendo Entertainment System | Lukasz Kur and Marcelo Barbosa | |
Old Towers | Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis | Mega Cat Studios, Retrosouls | |
Multidude | Nintendo Entertainment System | Retrosouls | |
Super Painter | |||
Machine Cave | Aeromangus | ||
Phantom Gear | Sega Genesis | Bits Rule Games | |
Billionaire Banshee | Nintendo Entertainment System | Breaking Games | |
2020 | Bite the Bullet | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch | Mega Cat Studios |
Lethal Wedding | Sega Genesis, Nintendo Switch | ||
Devwill Too MD | Sega Genesis | Manjana Team | |
Arkagis Revolution | Sik | ||
Misplaced | Retrosouls | ||
Yazzie | |||
GLUF | |||
Another Reigny Day | Microsoft Windows | Mega Cat Studios | |
Alpha King | |||
The Meating | Nintendo Entertainment System | ||
Romeow & Julicat | Sega Genesis | ||
2023 | Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood | Microsoft Windows | Mega Cat Studios [17] |
WrestleQuest | Mega Cat Studios, Skybound Games | ||
2024 | Five Nights at Freddy's: Into the Pit | Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | Mega Cat Studios [18] [19] |
Backyard Baseball '97 | Microsoft Windows |
Zero Wing is a 1989 side-scrolling shooter arcade video game developed by Toaplan and originally published in Japan by Namco and in North America by Williams Electronics. Controlling the ZIG space fighter craft, players assume the role of protagonist Trent in a last-ditch effort to overthrow the alien cyborg CATS. It was the eighth shoot 'em up game from Toaplan, and their fourteenth video game overall.
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20XX is an indie action platform video game developed by American indie studio Batterystaple Games. The early access version was released for Microsoft Windows on Steam on October 12, 2016, and in full on August 16, 2017. PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One versions were released in July 2018. A sequel, 30XX, was released on Steam Early Access on February 17, 2021, and in full on August 9, 2023.
ToeJam & Earl is an action game developed by Johnson Voorsanger Productions and published by Sega for the Genesis console. Released in 1991, it centers on ToeJam and Earl—alien rappers who have crash-landed on Earth. As they attempt to escape the planet, players assume the role of either character and collect pieces of their wrecked spacecraft. It references and parodies 1980s and early 90s urban culture and is set to a funk soundtrack. ToeJam & Earl's design was heavily influenced by the role-playing video game Rogue (1980) and derived various features from the game, such as the random generation of levels and items. As such, ToeJam & Earl is often considered to be an example of a roguelike game.
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse is a 1990 platform game developed and published by Sega and released for the Mega Drive/Genesis. An 8-bit version of the game was later released for the Master System and Game Gear. The game follows Mickey Mouse on a quest to save Minnie Mouse from the evil witch Mizrabel. It is the first game in Sega's Illusion video game series starring Mickey.
The Sega Genesis, known as the Mega Drive outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it in 1988 in Japan as the Mega Drive, and in 1989 in North America as the Genesis. In 1990, it was distributed as the Mega Drive by Virgin Mastertronic in Europe, Ozisoft in Australasia, and Tectoy in Brazil. In South Korea, it was distributed by Samsung Electronics as the Super Gam*Boy and later the Super Aladdin Boy.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 1992 platform game developed by Sega Technical Institute (STI) for the Sega Genesis. Players control Sonic as he attempts to stop Doctor Robotnik from stealing the Chaos Emeralds to power his space station. Like the first Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), players traverse side-scrolling levels at high speeds while collecting rings, defeating enemies, and fighting bosses. Sonic 2 introduces Sonic's sidekick Miles "Tails" Prower and features faster gameplay, larger levels, a multiplayer mode, and special stages featuring pre-rendered 3D graphics.
Barkley Shut Up and Jam! is a basketball video game originally developed and published by Accolade for the Sega Genesis on North America in March 1994 and later in Europe in April 1994. The game is the first entry in the Barkley Shut Up and Jam series, featuring former NBA MVP Charles Barkley prominently and as one of the playable characters.
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