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Sachen

Taiwan Founded 1988

Sachen (聖謙企業股份有限公司), also known as Thin Chen Enterprise, Commin (on handheld games only) was a Taiwanese developer and publisher of unlicensed games for the NES/Famicom, Game Boy and Mega Drive/Genesis, and licensed games for the Mega Duck and Supervision handhelds. Sachen started activities in late 1988. In 1989 they released their first game, Jovial Race which was developped by a branch named Joy Van. At the end of 1989, Sachen and Joy Van merged and all subsequent games were credited to Thin Chen Enterprises or Sachen. Around 1992-3, the company started to focus on other consoles than the Famicom such as the Mega Duck and the Game Boy. Sachen stopped actively developing games around 1995-6, but a group of ex-Sachen staff continued to develop games for other publishers after this point. From 1999-2002 Sachen released four new Game Boy Color games (three of which were NES ports) which would be their final new releases. Sachen ceased activities in early 2007. While most of Sachen's early games were original, albeit sometimes derivative, some of their later releases were unauthorised ports (such as Super Pang, Super Pang II, Gaiapolis and Mei Shao Nu Meng Gong Chang) or used assets of existing games (Samurai Spirits, Mahjong Academy, Rocman X).

Sachen at a Glance

If you are browsing PlayPile looking for information on Sachen, you will find a Taiwanese company founded in 1988 that operated until early 2007. This publisher and developer released 31 games across three decades, with the vast majority appearing in the 1990s. Their output was heavily concentrated on older hardware, specifically the Family Computer which hosted 15 titles, followed by handheld platforms like the Mega Duck, Game Boy, Watara Supervision, and Nintendo Entertainment System. The company began releasing games in 1989 with Jovial Race before merging with Joy Van later that year. For the first few years, Sachen focused on original titles, though some were derivative. Around 1992 or 1993, the focus shifted toward consoles like the Mega Duck and Game Boy. By the mid-1990s, active development slowed significantly, with only one game released in the entire 2000s decade. Their final releases occurred between 1999 and 2002 on the Game Boy Color, which included three ports of NES games. Genre diversity was limited throughout their history. Puzzle games made up the largest category with 10 releases, followed by Card & Board Games, Platformers, and Arcade titles at three each. Other genres like Shooter, Strategy, and Simulator appeared only once or twice. Specific titles from their catalog include Q-Boy from 1994, Rocman X from 1995, and Huge Insect from December 2001. Many of their later games were unlicensed ports or used assets from existing properties without authorization. Titles like Super Pang II, Gaiapolis, Mei Shao Nu Meng Gong Chang, and Rocman X fall into this category. The quality of Sachen's work shows a clear decline over time. While early efforts were original, the company eventually relied on unauthorized adaptations that often lacked polish. Their catalog is small by industry standards, and their reliance on unlicensed ports for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy suggests a focus on quick releases rather than high-quality production values. The data indicates they were not known for innovation or consistent excellence, but rather for filling niche markets with borrowed assets during the peak of 90s handheld gaming.

31
Total Games
Avg Rating
1989
First Release
2001
Latest Release

Genre Breakdown

Puzzle
38%
Card & Board Game
12%
Platform
12%
Arcade
12%
Adventure
8%

Platform Spread

Family Computer
15
Mega Duck/Cougar Boy
7
Game Boy
6
Game Boy Color
5
Watara/QuickShot Supervision
5

Release Timeline

1980s
3
1990s
25
2000s
1