These are the guys and gals behind our favorite games. They're the programmers, artists, musicians, writers and creative visionaries who bring a game concept to life, fill them with beautiful graphics and sound and create engaging gameplay.
It would be easy to fill a list with the heavy hitters like Nintendo, Naughty Dog and Rockstar North, I'm going to focus primarily on smaller developers that create the types of niche games that I get hooked on. So let's dig in!
#5 Rare
Who knew that the company that planted its flag with skiing game Slolom on the NES would become one of the greatest developers of all time? While they're a shadow of their former selves in 2018, their days developing for Nintendo consoles cranked out some truly classic titles.
Notable titles: Battletoads, Killer Instinct, Donkey Kong Country, Viva Pinata, Banjo Kazooie.
#4 Treasure
A studio comprised of ex-Konami employees, Treasure came out of the gate swinging with games that put their competitors to shame. Leading with the classic Gunstar Heroes, this studio quickly made a name for
Notable titles: Gunstar Heroes, Sin and Punishment, Guardian Heroes, Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga.
#3 WayForward
One of the trailblazers of the 2D revival, WayForward cranks out a lot of games (many based on licenses), but the quality they crank out so frequently is truly impressive.
Notable titles: Shantae, Contra 4, DuckTales Remastered, A Boy and his Blob.
#2 Vanillaware
With highly distinctive and unparalleled 2D artwork, few developers games are so instantly recognizable. Their games not only look amazing, but have wonderful gameplay as well.
Notable titles: Odin Sphere, Muramasa The Demon Blade, Dragons Crown.
#1 Platinum Games
One of the best and most underappreciated development studios in Japan, Platinum has created some truly amazing and highly refined games with gorgeous visuals and highly refined gameplay.
Notable titles: Bayonetta 1-3, Wonderful 101, Vanquish, MadWorld, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Transformers: Devastation.