Creator / Irem

International Rental Electronics Machines, otherwise known as Irem, is a Japanese video game console developer and publisher, and formerly a developer and manufacturer of arcade games as well. The company has its headquarters in Hakusan, Ishikawa Prefecture.

The company is probably best known for Moon Patrol, the famous scrolling shooter R-Type and the earliest beat 'em up, Kung Fu Master. They have been a popular developer in Japan, with games like Gekibo: Gekisha Boy for the TurboGrafx-16 and In the Hunt for the arcades, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, and PC. Irem is also known for making their arcade games extremely difficult, and most of them feature a dip switch that allows you to play a "no death mode" as a result, in order to allow gamers to be able to complete their tough games.

Irem stopped making arcade games when the original company went bankrupt in 1994, after which some of their employees went to Nazca and Banpresto; a new corporation named Irem Software Engineering was organized three years later.

As a result of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Irem canceled the majority of its remaining video game projects, including Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 4: Summer Memories and Poncotsu Roman Daikatsugeki Bumpy Trot 2. Irem re-focused to become primarily a slot-machine and pachinko developer, the industry it was in before turning to video games. Its video game division was dissolved in April 2011 and many Irem designers, including producer Kazuma Kujo, gathered to form a new company called Granzella to reclaim Irem's video game IP and continue making video games. Since then, Irem is pretty much In Name Only, focused on developing Pachinko and Pachi-slot machines and adaptations.

Irem games with TV Tropes pages:

• Blade Master
• Bomberman (arcade version)
• Deadly Towers
• Disaster Report
• Dragon Breed
• Fire Barrel
• Gekibo: Gekisha Boy
• The Guardian Legend (developed by Compile, published by Irem)
• The Gun Force duology
• Hammerin' Harry
• In the Hunt
• Kickle Cubicle
• Kid Niki: Radical Ninja
• Kung Fu Master
• Lethal Thunder
• Lode Runner (arcade version)
• Metal Storm
• Moon Patrol
• Mystic Riders
• Ninja Baseball Bat Man
• Ninja Spirit
• Rocky Rodent
• R-Type
• Spelunker (arcade and NES versions)
• Steambot Chronicles
• Tropical Angel
• Undercover Cops
• Vigilante
• World War III (known as Red Alert, not the Westwood title)
• Zettai Zetsumei Toshi

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