Overview
Part of the larger company Nippon Computer Systems, this is the team that has developed many of the company's well-known titles, such as Cho Aniki and Langrisser.
Latest Reviews of Masaya Games
Positively shocking
Confusion abounds with this one. This isn’t the same Shockman that was originally released for the TurboGrafx-16 back in 1991, which was a localisation of Japan's Shubibinman 2. This, Cyber Citizen Shockman, is a new 2023 translation of the original Shubibinman game from 1989; and frankly, that’s the most special thing about...
Mini Review Gynoug (Switch) - Switch Takes Another Fine Shmup Under Its Wing
Flappy bird[man]
It’s obvious from the moment you start Gynoug that this is another release from the same team that recently re-gifted the world Gleylancer, presenting players as it does with the same options using the same interface, just with a different Mega Drive shmup running underneath it all. This is great. As we mentioned in our other...
Review Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei (3DS)
Languid
With a string of well-loved strategy RPGs spanning the glory days of the Mega Drive, Super Famicom and Sega Saturn, Masaya's Langriser is a storied series. Its unique art style, large-scale battles and Germanic-inspired lore earned it a passionate following; now, nearly two decades after 1998's Langrisser V, Aksys has delivered a new entry...
Review Cybernator (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Run-n-gun in space
Konami's Cybernator isn't as well-known as run-and-gun titles such as Contra, but this SNES game is a quality offering with plenty of challenge, personality and replay value. The Virtual Console exists to let gamers relive (and experience for the first time) classic games, and Cybernator will be a breath of fresh air for anyone...
Review Ai Chō Aniki (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Possibly the maddest shooter of all time
Thanks to Nintendo making imports available on the Virtual Console, you've probably come across Chō Aniki: a shooter on the PC Engine in the same mold as Gradius and other side-scrollers, but with some rather unconventional enemies and a lot of muscles. You may be less familiar with this sequel, which was...
Review Gley Lancer (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
In the year 2025, a war breaks out between humans and a hostile alien race.
The Virtual Console certainly isn’t short of 2D shooters. We’ve seen some excellent (and not so excellent) examples of the genre come and go, but most of the games we’ve experienced so far are retro classics and will have been familiar to fans already. Gley Lancer, on...
Review Cho Aniki (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Idaten or Benten are celestial warriors who are out to bring an end to the tyrannical rule of the emperor of Planet Builder.
The Japanese are often accused of creating some seriously weird and wonderful videogames. While this reputation is often underserved (with games like Jet Set Willy, Western developers are just as guilty of producing bonkers...
Review Cybernator (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
Don't be a Cybernator hater
The Japanese have a real love for big robots that hasn't entirely crossed over into the West. Thankfully Cybernator (AKA: Assault Suit Valken) - a follow up to the Megadrive Assault Suit Leynos/Target Earth - made the jump from East to West and remains one of the more memorable SNES shooters. After the mission-based...
Review Double Dungeons (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Double the dungeons, but half of the fun!
Dungeon crawlers became quite popular back in the early 80's on many of the personal computers like the Commodore 64 and Apple II series of computers. I actually owned an Apple IIc computer and played many of the popular titles like the Wizardry and Bard's Tale series myself. It's probably the main reason...
The action in this racing game is viewed from above and features rotational controls.
Every once in awhile you come across a game that just makes you scratch your head and wonder what someone was thinking when they let a game like this actually get released. After the success of RC Pro-Am and Micro Machines on the NES, overhead racers began to gain...
Latest Masaya Articles
News NES Classic Battletoads Is Getting A Physical Re-Release, But Only In Japan
Columbus Circle is launching a new version today
Battletoads is one of Rare's most beloved games from the NES era. An attempt to create a media brand that could rival the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Battletoads mixed platforming with side-scrolling combat, and is famous for its unforgiving difficulty level. It spawned several sequels (including a...
News The Horrifically Brilliant Mega Drive Shmup 'Gynoug' Is Coming To Switch
Body horror
If you're a fan of classic Japanese shmups then you might be pleased to learn that Masaya's 1991 Mega Drive title Gynoug (Wings of Wor in the US) is coming to Switch, thanks to publisher Ratalaika Games. Boasting some truly amazing (and often horrifying) 2D pixel artwork by Satoshi Nakai and a fantastic Noriyuki Iwadare soundtrack,...
News Langrisser I & II Lands A 2020 Release Date In The West
Check out the changes
It has been confirmed that Langrisser I & II will launch on March 10th, 2020 in North America and March 13th in Europe, while Australia and New Zealand will get the game on March 20th. A double-pack which remasters two classic Mega Drive SPRGs from the '90s, this collection features new visuals and voice acting, as well as...
News One Of Retro Gaming's Most Collectable Shmups Is Getting A Cheap Reprint
No need to remortgage
If you're familiar with collecting rare Japanese retro games, then the name Advanced Busterhawk Gley Lancer will no doubt ring a bell. Released exclusively in Japan in 1992, this horizontally-scrolling shooter from Masaya barely caused a ripple in the west at the time of release – partly because it was never published in the...
Video Watch The Debut Trailer For The Remakes Of Langrisser I & II
Launches in Japan next February
Last month, Japanese publication Famitsu revealed the first two games in the tactical role-playing series Langrisser would be receiving remakes on the Nintendo Switch. As previously noted, both games include modern touches like enhanced visuals and voice acting. The debut trailer for Langrisser I & II on...
News Remakes Of Langrisser I And II Are Switch-Bound
Official announcement next week
The latest issue of Japanese publication Famitsu has revealed the first two entries in the tactical role-playing series Langrisser will be receiving Nintendo Switch remakes at some point in the near future. Langrisser I & II are being recreated from scratch, with new graphics and the intention to make the...
News Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei Dated For a 19th April Release in the West
Better watch out, Fire Emblem
You'd be forgiven if you've never heard of the game mentioned in the headline, as it's admittedly from a fairly niche franchise. Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei is the latest game in the Langrisser series, which evidently was Fire Emblem's biggest rival back in the day. Langrisser started on the Sega Mega Drive and had...
News Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei Confirmed For North American Release
Aksys Games is the company to thank
Aksys Games has revealed that it is bringing Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei to North America in Spring of next year. The turn-based strategy title is a reboot of the famous Langrisser series, which began life on the Sega Mega Drive many years ago. Developed by Extreme and Masaya, the 3DS release had a somewhat...
News Cybernator Creator Talks Destructible Environments, Cut Ideas And Missing Stages
Nonlinear stage progression was mooted at one point
Cybernator - or Assault Suits Valken as it is known in Japan - is one of the finest action titles on the SNES, boasting awesome visuals, inventive levels and one of the most authentic representations of military mecha yet seen in gaming. What's even more amazing is that the game was designed almost...
News Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei Is Hitting Japan This July With Limited Edition Goodies In Tow
"Legend Box" contains figures, CDs and an artbook
We recently reported that the classic strategy series Langrisser - known in the west as Warsong - is getting a new entry for the Nintendo 3DS. That title now has a final name - Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei - and a solid release window of
Fire Emblem's old rival deserves a second chance
As you dig yourself into Fire Emblem: Awakening’s monstrously addictive campaign, spare a thought for some of the other turn-based strategy RPGs which haven’t been given the chance to impress an entirely fresh generation of players. Like Langrisser, for example. Chances are, unless you really know...
News NES Classic Battletoads Is Getting A Physical Re-Release, But Only In Japan
Columbus Circle is launching a new version today
Battletoads is one of Rare's most beloved games from the NES era. An attempt to create a media brand that could rival the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Battletoads mixed platforming with side-scrolling combat, and is famous for its unforgiving difficulty level. It spawned several sequels (including a...
News The Horrifically Brilliant Mega Drive Shmup 'Gynoug' Is Coming To Switch
Body horror
If you're a fan of classic Japanese shmups then you might be pleased to learn that Masaya's 1991 Mega Drive title Gynoug (Wings of Wor in the US) is coming to Switch, thanks to publisher Ratalaika Games. Boasting some truly amazing (and often horrifying) 2D pixel artwork by Satoshi Nakai and a fantastic Noriyuki Iwadare soundtrack,...
News Langrisser I & II Lands A 2020 Release Date In The West
Check out the changes
It has been confirmed that Langrisser I & II will launch on March 10th, 2020 in North America and March 13th in Europe, while Australia and New Zealand will get the game on March 20th. A double-pack which remasters two classic Mega Drive SPRGs from the '90s, this collection features new visuals and voice acting, as well as...
News One Of Retro Gaming's Most Collectable Shmups Is Getting A Cheap Reprint
No need to remortgage
If you're familiar with collecting rare Japanese retro games, then the name Advanced Busterhawk Gley Lancer will no doubt ring a bell. Released exclusively in Japan in 1992, this horizontally-scrolling shooter from Masaya barely caused a ripple in the west at the time of release – partly because it was never published in the...
Video Watch The Debut Trailer For The Remakes Of Langrisser I & II
Launches in Japan next February
Last month, Japanese publication Famitsu revealed the first two games in the tactical role-playing series Langrisser would be receiving remakes on the Nintendo Switch. As previously noted, both games include modern touches like enhanced visuals and voice acting. The debut trailer for Langrisser I & II on...
News Remakes Of Langrisser I And II Are Switch-Bound
Official announcement next week
The latest issue of Japanese publication Famitsu has revealed the first two entries in the tactical role-playing series Langrisser will be receiving Nintendo Switch remakes at some point in the near future. Langrisser I & II are being recreated from scratch, with new graphics and the intention to make the...
News Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei Dated For a 19th April Release in the West
Better watch out, Fire Emblem
You'd be forgiven if you've never heard of the game mentioned in the headline, as it's admittedly from a fairly niche franchise. Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei is the latest game in the Langrisser series, which evidently was Fire Emblem's biggest rival back in the day. Langrisser started on the Sega Mega Drive and had...
News Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei Confirmed For North American Release
Aksys Games is the company to thank
Aksys Games has revealed that it is bringing Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei to North America in Spring of next year. The turn-based strategy title is a reboot of the famous Langrisser series, which began life on the Sega Mega Drive many years ago. Developed by Extreme and Masaya, the 3DS release had a somewhat...
News Cybernator Creator Talks Destructible Environments, Cut Ideas And Missing Stages
Nonlinear stage progression was mooted at one point
Cybernator - or Assault Suits Valken as it is known in Japan - is one of the finest action titles on the SNES, boasting awesome visuals, inventive levels and one of the most authentic representations of military mecha yet seen in gaming. What's even more amazing is that the game was designed almost...
News Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei Is Hitting Japan This July With Limited Edition Goodies In Tow
"Legend Box" contains figures, CDs and an artbook
We recently reported that the classic strategy series Langrisser - known in the west as Warsong - is getting a new entry for the Nintendo 3DS. That title now has a final name - Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei - and a solid release window of
Fire Emblem's old rival deserves a second chance
As you dig yourself into Fire Emblem: Awakening’s monstrously addictive campaign, spare a thought for some of the other turn-based strategy RPGs which haven’t been given the chance to impress an entirely fresh generation of players. Like Langrisser, for example. Chances are, unless you really know...