Engine Software


Engine Software is a Dutch video game developer, located in Doetinchem, Netherlands, which specializes in handheld video games and digital platforms. They have also developed middleware for the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS.
Engine Software was founded in 1995, and with that is the oldest game developer in the Netherlands still in business. They have worked on developing games for the Super NES, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Pocket PC, PC, digiBlast, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo 3DS.
Part of the development work that the firm does is supporting other game developers, collaborating with other developers on a larger platform penetration strategy, and working with publishers and licensors to create games based on licensed properties.

History

Engine Software BV was founded in 1995 by several friends who met and worked together previously in the active Dutch demo scene for the MSX home computer. After seeing their first game, developed for the Super NES, unreleased, the company was asked by fellow game developer Vicarious Visions to support them in the development of several Game Boy Color games. The relation between Vicarious Visions and Engine Software lasted another generation of handheld consoles, the Game Boy Advance, after which the companies each went their own way. Engine Software still often works or has worked with other developers, most notably A2M, 1st Playable Productions, and PopCap Games. In 2011 the studio switched from being a handheld developer to a full multi-platform development studio developing games for iPad, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PlayStation Vita. In 2012 Engine Software was signed by 505 Games to bring the highly rated indie title Terraria to consoles, followed by a Vita release of the same game in December 2013.

Software

Game Boy Color

Game Boy Advance

Nintendo DS

Nintendo 3DS

Wii / WiiWare

Nintendo Switch

PlayStation Portable

PlayStation Vita

PlayStation 3

PlayStation 4

Xbox 360

PC

OS X

Middleware

The Engine Software Music Replayer is a piece of music sequencer middleware, developed by Engine Software. It was developed for use on the Game Boy Advance, and later reproduced in a version for use on the Nintendo DS. It was licensed to many other developers for both platforms.

Key staff

Engine Software is run by Ivo Wubbels and Ruud van de Moosdijk, both founders of the company in 1995. Other key figures within the company include Senior producer Jeroen Schmitz also one of the founders of the company, Lead Technology programmer Jan-Lieuwe Koopmans who created the Music Replayer, and composer Bart Roijmans who scored almost all of Engine Software's games.