0 v E RSTO R
le COVERSTORY
Taito: the
the pride
pride and
and the
the product
Taito:
product
''We're back.
back. We're
We're back
back with
with
"We're
the best
best product
product in
in the
the
the
marketplace."
marketplace."
national shortage
shortage of
of 100-yen
l 00-yen coins
coins is
is
national
said to to have
have concluded
concluded that
that the
the coins
coins
said
were
being
used
to
play
Spflce
were being used to play Space
lnvflders.
Invaders.
Tai to America
America began
began
Taito
manufacturing
in
1979 and
and completed
completed
hat's
Rick
Rochetti
speaking.
He's
the
sales
manager
at
hat's Rick Rochetti speaking. He's the sales manager at
manufacturing in 1979
its
first
made-in-America
video
game,
Tai
to
America,
and
he
exemplifies
the
kind
of
pride
and
its
first
made-in-America
video
game,
Taito America, and he exemplifies the kind of pride and
Qix,
in
1981.
When
the
industry
began
drive
that
defines
Tai
to
America
in
1987.
drive that defines Taito America in 1987.
Qix, in 1981. When the industry began
tightening
its
belt
a
few
years
later,
Tai
to
America
has
been
doing
business
for
about
14
years
now.
Taito America has been doing business for about 14 years now.
tightening its belt a few years later,
however, Taito
Tai to America
America did,
did, too.
too. It
lt
was March
March 1973
1973 when
when the
the company
company opened
opened its
its doors,
doors, and
and
however,
It lt was
licensed
games
rather
than
build
soon
after,
it
began
licensing
video
games
like
J1I
Basketball
and
soon after, it began licensing video games like TV Basketball and licensed games rather than build
them--Memetron's
Mflt Mania,
Mf//Jifl, for
for
Speed Race.
Race.
Paul Moriarity
Moriarity
them
-- Memetron's Mat
Speed
Paul
example,
and
Romstar's
Arkanoid
In
1978,
its
Japanese
parent
company,
Tai
to
Corporation,
example, and Romstar's Arkanoid.
In 1978, its Japanese parent company, Taito Corporation,
It's 1987,
1987, though,
though, and
and Taito
Tai to America
America wants
wants everyone
everyone to
to know
know
created Space
Space Invaders,
/Jm1ders, the
the long-running
long-running game
game that's
that's probably
probably
It's
created
that
it's
back.
And
with
games
like
Dflriusand Rastan,
Rflstfln, it it intends
intends
been
played
by
as
many
people
as
any
other
game
in
the
history
that
it's
back.
And
with
games
like
Dariusand
been played by as many people as any other game in the history
reestablish its
its reputation
reputation as
as one
one of
of the
the finest
finest game-makers
game-makers in
in
coin-op amusements.
amusements. The
The game
game inspired
inspired books,
books, songs,
songs, and
and
to to reestablish
of of coin-op
the
U
.S.A
.
fan
clubs.
lt
was
so
popular
that
a
Japanese
investigation
into
a
the
U.S.A.
fan clubs. It was so popular that a Japanese investigation into a
T
T
O
T
AI
T
O
Taito's first
first made-in-America
made-in-America video
video game.
game.
Taito's
10 PLAY
PLAY METER/April
METER/ April 1987
1987
10