Banpresto
| Banpresto | |
|---|---|
| |
| Founded | April 1977[?] |
| Defunct | March 31, 2008[?] |
| First Super Mario game | Būbū Mario |
| Final Super Mario game | Super Mario Attack |
| Final president | Shuichiro Nishiya |
Banpresto Co., Ltd. (Japanese: 株式会社バンプレスト, "Kabushiki-gaisha Banpuresuto") was a Japanese video game developer, toy manufacturer, and amusement park operator. Founded in 1977 as Hoei International Co., Ltd, it was renamed to Coreland Technology in 1982 and became a contractor company for other developers, such as Sega. Bandai majority-acquired the company in 1989 and renamed it Banpresto, becoming Bandai's arcade division and focusing heavily on character licenses such as Gundam and Sailor Moon. Banpresto is best known for creating the Super Robot Wars series of tactical RPGs. In 2006, Banpresto became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings, and in 2008 it was folded into Bandai Namco Entertainment (then Namco Bandai Games). Banpresto's toy and merchandiser game divisions was spun-off into a separate company of the same name, which produced model figures and toys for mechanical prize-winning machines. In 2019, it was folded into Bandai Spirits, with Banpresto now being used as a brand for Bandai's arcade game prizes.
Banpresto created the arcade games Būbū Mario (1993), Mario Undōkai (1993), and Super Mario Attack (1996), which were redemption games targeted towards children. The company has also produced a wide variety of Mario toys, apparel, household goods and plushes, most of which were produced for Japanese UFO catchers and other merchandiser machines. Some of these toys were released outside Japan by other companies, such as PopCo Entertainment.
Mario plushies
Super Mario World sets
1991
1992
Back of the Koopa Paratroopa plushie
1993 Super Mario World Christmas set
Santa Mario
Reindeer Luigi
Angel Princess Peach
Stocking Yoshi
1993 Super Mario Kart set
Mario
Princess Peach
Yoshi
1993 Super Mario All-Stars set
Yoshi wearing a crown
1994 Taffeta Super Mario World set
Mario
Luigi
Yoshi
1995 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island set
Green Yoshi
Pink Yoshi
Light Blue Yoshi
Yellow Yoshi
Purple Yoshi
Red Yoshi
Orange Yoshi
Blue Yoshi
1996 Taffeta hammer set
Mario
Luigi
Yoshi and Baby Mario, from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Donkey Kong, from the Donkey Kong Country series
Diddy Kong, from the Donkey Kong Country series
1996 Super Mario 64 set
Bowser
1999 Mario Party set
Mario holding a Power Star
Larger plushie of Mario holding a Power Star
Yoshi holding a Coin
Larger plushie of Yoshi holding a Coin
Donkey Kong holding red and white flags from Shy Guy Says
Bowser holding a white flag with a Star symbol
