Régis Monterrin
Founded in 1982 by the Stamper brothers, Rare is undoubtedly one of the most respected studios in the video game industry. Famous for its 18th century farm-manor, the Twycross company is behind the unforgettable and timeless works that have made its reputation .
At the end of the 1970s, Christopher Stamper, known as Chris, left Loughborough University with his diploma in hand. Passionate about programming, he convinces his younger brother Tim – whose real name is Timothy – to join him to work in the entertainment sector. Fascinated by arcade machines, they are hired by several companies (Associated Leisure, Zilec Electronics, etc.) specializing in the repair of terminals. As time passes, while putting the arcade machines back into service, the duo begins to make conversions of hits such as Space Invaders or Galaxian. With half a dozen adaptations, the "Stamper brothers" manage to forge links with renowned Japanese companies, such as Konami and SEGA, and give birth on October 29, 1982 to Ashby Computers & Graphics, Ltd. The young company, based in the small English town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, is actually a house adjoining that of their parents.
To launch the activity, Chris and Tim Stamper develop conversion kits for arcade machines, but the company fails to balance its books. Times are hard… Fortunately, they will find salvation in a new game, Jetpac , launched in 1983 under the label “Ultimate Play the Game”. Intended for the ZX Spectrum, the title made such a splash (300,000 copies were sold) that the Stampers began to use the name “Ultimate” to designate their company. In the wake of Jetpac, new productions are emerging and propelling Ultimate to the heights of success. The finish and quality of the edited programs become the hallmark of the Stamper brothers. Attentive to the smallest details, they abandon interviews in favor of their activity and manage to convince Nintendo – and in particular the president of the American branch, Minoru Arakawa – to work with them. To mark the break with ZX Spectrum games, and while continuing to develop the Ultimate label for support games, they are creating a new entity dedicated to the creation of softwareNES: Rare, Ltd, also known by the trade name Rareware. In 1986, the Ultimate brand was sold to US Gold and Rare moved to a farmhouse mansion in Twycross Park. The beginning of a long, very long story…
From Jetpac via Wizard & Warriors , RC Pro-Am , Cobra Triangle and Battletoads , to the legendary Donkey Kong Country trilogy or the imposing Killer Instinct , the author Régis Monterrin retraces in this first illustrated volume the mad ascent from the British studio – from 1983 to 1995 – via numerous unpublished interviews.
PUBLICATION DETAILS
LANGUAGE | BINDING | EDITION | ISBN | YEAR | PAGES |
French | Hardcover | 9782371880702 | 2019 | 288 |
OTHER NAMES
L'Histoire de Rare Vol. 1 - 1983-1996
TAGS
Authors: #RégisMonterrin
Publishers: #PixNLove (Pix 'N Love)
Languages: #French
Format: #Hardcover
Accessibility: N/A
Year: #Year2019
Genres: #EarlyYears #GeneralHistory #Interviews
Companies:
#Rare (Rare Ltd.)
Public Figures:
#AdrianSmith (Adrian Smith)
#ChrisStamper (Chris Stamper)
#EvelineNovakovic (Eveline Novakovic)
#GaryRichards (Gary Richards)
#GreggMayles (Gregg Mayles)
#KevinBayliss (Kevin Bayliss)
#MarkStevenson (Mark Stevenson)
#MartinWakeley (Martin Wakeley)
#SteveMayles (Steve Mayles)
#TimStamper (Tim Stamper)
Games:
#Battletoads (Battletoads)
#CobraTriangle (Cobra Triangle)
#DonkeyKong (Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble, Donkey Kong Land, Donkey Kong Land 2)
#Jetpac (Jetpac)
#KillerInstinct (Killer Instinct)
#RCProAm (RC Pro-Am)
#SolarJetman (Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship)
#WizardsAndWarriors (Wizards and Warriors)
Misc:
N/A