Irem

Japan Founded 1974 Website

Irem is a Japanese video game console developer and publisher, and formerly a developer and manufacturer of arcade games as well. The company has its headquarters in Hakusan, Ishikawa Prefecture. The company is probably best known for Moon Patrol, the famous scrolling shooter R-Type and the earliest beat 'em up, Kung-Fu Master. They have been a popular developer in Japan with games like Photoboy for the PC Engine and In the Hunt for the arcades, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, and PC. Irem is also known for making their arcade games extremely difficult, and most of them feature a dip switch that allows you to play a "no death mode" as a result, in order to allow gamers to be able to complete their tough games. As a result of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Irem canceled the majority of its remaining video game projects, including Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 4: Summer Memories and Poncotsu Roman Daikatsugeki Bumpy Trot 2. Irem re-focused to become primarily a slot-machine and pachinko developer, the industry it was in before turning to video games. Its video game division was dissolved in April 2011 and many Irem designers, including producer Kazuma Kujo, gathered to form a new company called Granzella to continue creating games.

Irem at a Glance

Irem is a Japanese publisher and developer founded in 1974 that has released 108 titles on PlayPile. The company operated as an active video game studio from 1980 until its video game division dissolved in April 2011. Since then, the organization has returned to its roots in the slot machine and pachinko industry. Their catalog includes games across multiple genres, with a heavy emphasis on shooters, arcade action, and platformers. They developed 30 shooter titles and 29 arcade games during their peak years. The output of the company changed significantly over time. Irem produced 32 games in the 1980s and reached its highest volume in the 1990s with 49 releases. Activity dropped to 19 games in the 2000s before falling sharply to just two titles in the 2010s. The company has only three new entries from the 2020s, including Spelunker HD Deluxe and Irem Collection: Volume 3. Their platform focus shifted from arcade cabinets, which hosted 40 of their games, to home consoles like the Family Computer and PlayStation series. Quality trends for Irem show a generally solid reputation with some notable highs. Out of 27 rated titles, the average score sits at 69.4. Five games achieved great ratings above 80, while 17 others earned good scores between 60 and 79. The catalog includes only five mixed-rated titles and no poor ones. R-Type Leo from 1992 holds the top spot with 85 points, followed closely by Spelunker HD Deluxe at 84.5. Steambot Chronicles and other entries in the R-Type franchise also performed well for players on PlayStation systems. Despite their strong history, the company faced a major turning point after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. They canceled most remaining video game projects during this period. Key staff members left to form Granzella, leaving Irem with very limited modern video game output. Recent releases like Undercover Cops: Collector's Edition show they still work on games occasionally, but their primary business focus remains on pachinko machines. Their legacy includes famous titles like Moon Patrol and Kung-Fu Master, though their current presence in the video game space is minimal compared to their prolific 1990s era.

108

Total Games

69.4

Avg Rating

1980

First Release

2025

Latest Release