Tantalus Media
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Parent Keywords Studios (85%; 2019; 2021–present) | | |
Website | tantalus |
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Tantalus Media (formerly Tantalus Entertainment and Tantalus Interactive) is an Australian video game developer based in Melbourne. It was founded in 1994 by programmers Andrew Bailey and Trevor Nuridin.[1] Since its inception, Tantalus has developed almost 100 games and has won multiple game awards.[2] In March 2021, Keywords Studios acquired 85% of Tantalus Media for US$46.8 million.[3]
History
Initially, Tantalus ported games from the
In the mid-1990s, Tantalus was partly owned by UK developer
CRIS (Character Render Interactive System) was developed by CTO Andrew Bailey following discussions with studio producers Stephen Handbury and Arthur Kakouris for use on the Game Boy Advance (GBA). Using a unique procedure, it was able to render 3D mesh on the handheld system. CRIS was used mainly in the 2003 GBA title Top Gear Rally.[7] Tantalus won 'Best Game' at the 2003 Australian Game Developer Awards in Melbourne.[8]
In addition to licensed video games, the developer released two original titles, Trickstar and Black Market Bowling. In 2005, Tantalus' had two prominent original IP titles that did not manage to attract publisher interest. Metal Shell was developed into a playable demo, originally a vehicle shoot-'em-up on the PlayStation 2 in 2003. In 2005, new concepts and a short promotional video were developed in-house by the art team, and shown at E3 that year it was promoted as a Battlefield 1942-type game, set in the future. However, the 2003 promotional video was seen by players of the Toronto-based game's producer, Longbow Digital Arts 'Trademarks' tank combat and racing game, and several issues were flagged up, leading to graphical comparisons drawn in a side-by-side fashion; they were incredibly alike, in one case down to exact sprite design. Tom Crago was contacted directly on the issue and denied any inference of copying Trademarks, despite Tantalus holding all of Treadmarks' source material.[9]
Anaka was first pitched as a
The developer's best-performing title was the 2007 girl's horse-riding simulator Pony Friends for the Nintendo DS, which sold more than 1 million copies, making it the largest-selling single-format game developed in Australia.[
During the last half of 2009 Tantalus Media closed its Brisbane office, while also making much of the staff in the Melbourne office redundant. During the first half of 2010, the company was reduced to a staff of under 18, at a time when many Australian development studios were closing.[12] In the decade since Tantalus briefly re-branded to Straight Right, relocated its entire studio and underwent a number of changes which despite keeping the business branding of 'Tantalus'.
Games
Developer
- Stargate (SNES – 1995)
- Area 51 (Saturn, PS, PC – 1995)
- Wipeout (Saturn – 1996)
- Krazy Ivan (PS, Saturn, PC – 1996)
- Manx TT Super Bike (Saturn, PC – 1997)
- Wipeout 2097 (Saturn – 1997)
- The House of the Dead (Saturn, PC – 1998)
- South Park Rally (DC, N64, PS, PC – 1999)
- Mary-Kate and Ashley Winners Circle (Acclaim – 2001)
- Equestriad 2001 (Midas)
- ATV: Quad Power Racing (PS, GBA – 2002)
- Woody Woodpecker in Crazy Castle 5 (GBA – 2002)
- Monster Truck Madness (GBA – 2003)
- Men in Black II: Alien Escape (GameCube – 2003)
- Unreal II: The Awakening (Xbox – 2003)
- Top Gear Rally (GBA – 2003)
- The Polar Express (GBA – 2004)
- The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius: Attack of the Twonkies (GBA – 2004)
- SpongeBob SquarePants: The Yellow Avenger (DS – 2005, PSP – 2006)
- Trick Star (GBA – 2006)
- MX vs. ATV: On the Edge(PSP – 2006)
- Cars Mater-National Championship (GBA, DS – 2007)
- MX vs. ATV: Untamed(DS, PSP – 2007)
- Pony Friends (DS – 2007)
- The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon (DS – 2008)
- Pony Friends 2 (Wii, DS, PC – 2009)
- MX vs. ATV Reflex (PSP, DS – 2009)
- Cars Race-O-Rama (PSP, DS – 2009)
- Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (DS – 2010)
- Megamind (video game)(PSP, DS – 2010)
- Super Speed Machines (DS – 2010)
- Ben 10: Galactic Racing (DS – 2011)
- Shift 2: Unleashed (iOS – 2011)
- Funky Barn (3DS, Wii U – 2012)
- Pony Trails (iOS – 2012, Android – 2015)
- Mass Effect 3: Special Edition(Wii U – 2012)
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut(Wii U – 2013)
- Zombi (PS4, Xbox One, PC – 2015)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (Wii U – 2016)[13]
- Sonic Mania (Nintendo Switch – 2017)
- Rime (Nintendo Switch – 2017)
- Cities: Skylines (PS4, Xbox One, Windows 10 - 2017 Nintendo Switch – 2018)
- Age of Empires: Definitive Edition(Microsoft Windows – 2018)
- Stellaris: Console Edition (PS4, Xbox One – 2019)
- Jupiter & Mars (PS4 – 2019)
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (Microsoft Windows – 2019)[14]
- Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition (Microsoft Windows – 2020)
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (Nintendo Switch – 2021)[15]
Developed under Black Market Games
- AMF Bowling 2004 – Black Market Games (Xbox – 2003)
- Black Market Bowling – Black Market Games (PS2 – 2005)
- Heat Shield – Black Market Games (iOS – 2009)
References
- ^ O'Brien, Lucy (29 August 2016). "The Amazing Survival Story of Tantalus, The Studio That Ports Your Favourite Games". IGN. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
- ^ "Keywords Studios acquires 85% interest in Tantalus Media for up to $46.8 million - NewsnReleases". 18 March 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
- GamesIndustry.biz. Archivedfrom the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
- Emap International Limited. p. 14.
- ^ ""Tantalus Media pty ltd"". Archived from the original on 3 April 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ^ ""Sydney Morning Herald Screenplay: Developer Dreams"". Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
- ^ "Top Gear Rally". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011.
- ^ "Top Gear Rally Award". Archived from the original on 6 July 2011.
- ^ "Metal Shell". Archived from the original on 28 March 2011. "Trademarks" Archived 14 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Anaka on NickToons". Archived from the original on 28 March 2011.
- ^ "Sydney Morning Herald: Local Hero". 22 May 2008. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
- ^ "IGN editorial on the state of the Australian Games Industry | tsumea". Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
- ^ "In Real Life A HD Remake Of Twilight Princess Is Being Developed In Australia". kotaku.co.au. 12 November 2015. Archived from the original on 13 November 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
- ^ Wright, Steve (19 June 2019). "Aussie devs Wicked Witch, Tantalus working on Age of Empires 2". Stevivor. Archived from the original on 29 August 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^ "Aussie developers Tantalus return to Hyrule with Skyward Sword HD". Vooks. 14 July 2021. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.