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Rare has a long and detailed history which stretches back into the early history of Computer and Video Games. The organization now known as Rare Ltd was founded in 1982 by brothers Tim and Chris Stamper as a company called Ashby Computers and Graphics Limited (ACG) and published games under the name Ultimate Play the Game. They started creating games in the 8-bit era for all platforms when they released such popular games as Jetpac. The "Ultimate" name and catalog was sold in 1985 to U.S. Gold to prevent a buyout of the whole company.
The Stamper brothers then started creating games under the name "Rare: Designs on the Future" which was changed to RareWare, and then later shortened to simply "Rare". Rare continued to have success with its titles but began to focus solely on the extremely popular NES platform. In 1995 Rare entered an exclusive publishing agreement with Nintendo to develop games for their consoles, namely the upcoming Nintendo 64. Rare achieved great critical acclaim for N64 titles such as Goldeneye 007, Perfect Dark and Banjo-Kazooie.
In 2002 Rare was acquired by Microsoft to develop games on their Xbox platform, for a reported sum of $377 million. Rare was later moved on the become one of the flagship developers for Microsoft's new Xbox 360 console with the creation of two launch titles, Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo: Elements of Power. On 2 January 2007 Chris and Tim the original founders left the company in order to pursue other opportunities. The company continues under the leadership of Creative Director Gregg Mayles and Studio Director Mark Betteridge.
Dragonskulle (C64)
Jetpac (BBC, SPEC, VC20)
Lunar Jetman (BBC, SPEC)
Pssst (SPEC)
Tranz Am (SPEC)
Knight Lore (BBC, CPC, FDS, MSX, SPEC)
Sabre Wulf (BBC, C64, CPC, SPEC)
The Staff of Karnath (C64)
Underwurlde (C64, SPEC)
Blackwyche (C64)
Imhotep (C64)
Nightshade (BBC, C64, CPC, MSX, SPEC)
Outlaws (C64)
Cosmic Battlezones (BBC)
Cyberun (CPC, MSX, SPEC)
Gunfright (CPC, MSX, SPEC)
Pentagram (MSX, SPEC)
Bubbler (CPC, MSK, SPEC)
California Games (NES port)
Martianoids (CPC, SPEC)
Slalom (NES)
Wizards & Warriors (NES)
Anticipation (NES)
Cabal (NES port)
Jeopardy! (NES)
Jeopardy! Junior Edition (NES)
R.C. Pro-Am (NES)
Sesame Street: 1-2-3 (NES)
Wheel of Fortune (NES)
Captain Skyhawk (NES)
Cobra Triangle (NES)
Hollywood Squares (NES)
Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II (NES)
John Elway's Quarterback (NES)
Jordan vs. Bird: One on One (NES)
Marble Madness (NES port)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (NES)
Sesame Street: A-B-C (NES)
Sesame Street: A-B-C & 1-2-3 (NES)
Silent Service (NES port)
Taboo: The Sixth Sense (NES)
Time Lord (NES)
Wheel of Fortune: Junior Edition (NES)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (NES)
World Games (NES)
WWF WrestleMania (NES)
The Amazing Spider-Man (GB)
Arch Rivals (NES port)
Double Dare (NES)
High Speed (NES port)
Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off Road (NES port)
Jeopardy! 25th Anniversary Edition (NES)
NARC (NES port)
Pin-Bot (NES port)
Snake Rattle 'n' Roll (GEN, NES)
Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warship (NES)
Super Glove Ball (NES)
Wheel of Fortune: Family Edition (NES)
Wizards & Warriors Chapter X: The Fortress of Fear (GB)
WWF WrestleMania Challenge (NES)
Battletoads (AMI, ARC, CD32, GB, GEN, GG, NES)
Beetlejuice (GB, NES)
Digger T. Rock: Legend of the Lost City (NES)
Sid Meier's Pirates! (NES port)
Sneaky Snakes (GB)
Super R.C. Pro-Am (GBC)
WWF Superstars (GB)
Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat (NES)
R.C. Pro-Am II (NES)
Wizards & Warriors III (NES)
Battletoads & Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team (NES, GEN, SNES, SMS)
Battletoads in Battlemainiacs (SNES, SMS)
Battletoads in Ragnarok's World (GB)
X The Ball (ARC)
Donkey Kong Country (GBA, GBC, SNES, WSHP)
Killer Instinct (ARC, GB, SNES)
Monster Max (GB)
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest (GBA, SNES, WSHP)
Donkey Kong Land (GB)
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (GBA, SNES, WSHP)
Donkey Kong Land 2 (GB)
Ken Griffey, Jr.'s Winning Run (SNES)
Killer Instinct 2 (ARC)
Killer Instinct Gold (N64)
Blast Corps (N64)
Diddy Kong Racing (N64)
Donkey Kong Land III (GB, GBC)
GoldenEye 007 (N64)
Banjo-Kazooie (N64)
Conker's Pocket Tales (GBC)
Donkey Kong 64 (N64)
Jet Force Gemini (N64)
Mickey's Racing Adventure (GBC)
Banjo-Tooie (N64)
Mickey's Speedway USA (GBC, N64)
Perfect Dark (GBC, N64)
Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64)
Star Fox Adventures (GC)
Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge (GBA)
Grabbed by the Ghoulies (XBOX)
It's Mr. Pants (GBA)
Sabre Wulf (GBA)
Banjo-Pilot (GBA)
Conker: Live & Reloaded (XBOX)
Kameo: Elements of Power (X360)
Perfect Dark Zero (X360)
Viva Pinata (PC, X360)
Diddy Kong Racing DS (DS)
Jetpac Refuelled (XBLM)
Banjo-Kazooie (XBLM)
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (X360)
Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise (DS)
Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise (X360)
Banjo-Tooie (XBLM)
Rare Ltd. is an English game developer, based in Leicestershire and is most famous for titles such as Donkey Kong Country, Goldeneye, and Perfect Dark.
Overview
Rare has a long and detailed history which stretches back into the early history of Computer and Video Games. The organization now known as Rare Ltd was founded in 1982 by brothers Tim and Chris Stamper as a company called Ashby Computers and Graphics Limited (ACG) and published games under the name Ultimate Play the Game. They started creating games in the 8-bit era for all platforms when they released such popular games as Jetpac. The "Ultimate" name and catalog was sold in 1985 to U.S. Gold to prevent a buyout of the whole company.
The Stamper brothers then started creating games under the name "Rare: Designs on the Future" which was changed to RareWare, and then later shortened to simply "Rare". Rare continued to have success with its titles but began to focus solely on the extremely popular NES platform. In 1995 Rare entered an exclusive publishing agreement with Nintendo to develop games for their consoles, namely the upcoming Nintendo 64. Rare achieved great critical acclaim for N64 titles such as Goldeneye 007, Perfect Dark and Banjo-Kazooie.
In 2002 Rare was acquired by Microsoft to develop games on their Xbox platform, for a reported sum of $377 million. Rare was later moved on the become one of the flagship developers for Microsoft's new Xbox 360 console with the creation of two launch titles, Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo: Elements of Power. On 2 January 2007 Chris and Tim the original founders left the company in order to pursue other opportunities. The company continues under the leadership of Creative Director Gregg Mayles and Studio Director Mark Betteridge.
Game Chronology
1983
Atic Atac (BBC, SPEC) Cookie (SPEC)Dragonskulle (C64)
Jetpac (BBC, SPEC, VC20)
Lunar Jetman (BBC, SPEC)
Pssst (SPEC)
Tranz Am (SPEC)
1984
Entombed (C64)Knight Lore (BBC, CPC, FDS, MSX, SPEC)
Sabre Wulf (BBC, C64, CPC, SPEC)
The Staff of Karnath (C64)
Underwurlde (C64, SPEC)
1985
Alien 8 (BBC, CPC, MSX, SPEC)Blackwyche (C64)
Imhotep (C64)
Nightshade (BBC, C64, CPC, MSX, SPEC)
Outlaws (C64)
1986
Cosmic Battlezones (BBC)
Cyberun (CPC, MSX, SPEC)
Gunfright (CPC, MSX, SPEC)
Pentagram (MSX, SPEC)
1987
Bubbler (CPC, MSK, SPEC)
California Games (NES port)
Martianoids (CPC, SPEC)
Slalom (NES)
Wizards & Warriors (NES)
1988
Anticipation (NES)
Cabal (NES port)
Jeopardy! (NES)
Jeopardy! Junior Edition (NES)
R.C. Pro-Am (NES)
Sesame Street: 1-2-3 (NES)
Wheel of Fortune (NES)
1989
Captain Skyhawk (NES)
Cobra Triangle (NES)
Hollywood Squares (NES)
Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II (NES)
John Elway's Quarterback (NES)
Jordan vs. Bird: One on One (NES)
Marble Madness (NES port)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (NES)
Sesame Street: A-B-C (NES)
Sesame Street: A-B-C & 1-2-3 (NES)
Silent Service (NES port)
Taboo: The Sixth Sense (NES)
Time Lord (NES)
Wheel of Fortune: Junior Edition (NES)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (NES)
World Games (NES)
WWF WrestleMania (NES)
1990
The Amazing Spider-Man (GB)
Arch Rivals (NES port)
Double Dare (NES)
High Speed (NES port)
Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off Road (NES port)
Jeopardy! 25th Anniversary Edition (NES)
NARC (NES port)
Pin-Bot (NES port)
Snake Rattle 'n' Roll (GEN, NES)
Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warship (NES)
Super Glove Ball (NES)
Wheel of Fortune: Family Edition (NES)
Wizards & Warriors Chapter X: The Fortress of Fear (GB)
WWF WrestleMania Challenge (NES)
1991
Battletoads (AMI, ARC, CD32, GB, GEN, GG, NES)
Beetlejuice (GB, NES)
Digger T. Rock: Legend of the Lost City (NES)
Sid Meier's Pirates! (NES port)
Sneaky Snakes (GB)
Super R.C. Pro-Am (GBC)
WWF Superstars (GB)
1992
Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat (NES)
R.C. Pro-Am II (NES)
Wizards & Warriors III (NES)
1993
Battletoads & Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team (NES, GEN, SNES, SMS)
Battletoads in Battlemainiacs (SNES, SMS)
Battletoads in Ragnarok's World (GB)
X The Ball (ARC)
1994
Company bought by Nintendo.Donkey Kong Country (GBA, GBC, SNES, WSHP)
Killer Instinct (ARC, GB, SNES)
Monster Max (GB)
1995
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest (GBA, SNES, WSHP)
Donkey Kong Land (GB)
1996
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (GBA, SNES, WSHP)
Donkey Kong Land 2 (GB)
Ken Griffey, Jr.'s Winning Run (SNES)
Killer Instinct 2 (ARC)
Killer Instinct Gold (N64)
1997
Blast Corps (N64)
Diddy Kong Racing (N64)
Donkey Kong Land III (GB, GBC)
GoldenEye 007 (N64)
1998
Banjo-Kazooie (N64)
1999
Conker's Pocket Tales (GBC)
Donkey Kong 64 (N64)
Jet Force Gemini (N64)
Mickey's Racing Adventure (GBC)
2000
Banjo-Tooie (N64)
Mickey's Speedway USA (GBC, N64)
Perfect Dark (GBC, N64)
2001
Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64)
2002
Company bought by Microsoft.Star Fox Adventures (GC)
2003
Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge (GBA)
Grabbed by the Ghoulies (XBOX)
2004
It's Mr. Pants (GBA)
Sabre Wulf (GBA)
2005
Banjo-Pilot (GBA)
Conker: Live & Reloaded (XBOX)
Kameo: Elements of Power (X360)
Perfect Dark Zero (X360)
2006
Viva Pinata (PC, X360)
2007
Founders Chris and Tim Stamper left the company.Diddy Kong Racing DS (DS)
Jetpac Refuelled (XBLM)
2008
Banjo-Kazooie (XBLM)
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (X360)
Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise (DS)
Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise (X360)
2009
Banjo-Tooie (XBLM)
Photographic Headquarters Tour
Aerial View
Main Entrance
Summer View
Main Corridor
Winter View
| Company Name | Rare, Ltd. |
| Street Address | Manor Park |
| City | Twycross |
| State | Leicestershire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Website | http://www.rareware.com/ |
| Contact Email | |
| Phone Number | |
| Date Founded | Jan. 1, 1982 |
| Count of Games Published | 21 |
| Count of Games Developed | 95 |
| Aliases |
|
Diddy Kong first in Donkey Kong Country |
9
|
|
Donkey Kong first in Donkey Kong Jr. |
9
|
|
King K. Rool first in Donkey Kong Country |
7
|
|
Squawks the Parrot first in Donkey Kong Country |
6
|
|
Enguarde the Swordfish first in Donkey Kong Country |
6
|
|
Mr. Pants first in Jet Force Gemini |
6
|
|
Jetman first in Jetpac |
6
|
|
Banjo first in Diddy Kong Racing |
6
|
|
Cranky Kong first in Donkey Kong Country |
5
|
|
Joanna Dark first in Perfect Dark |
5
|
| See all » |
