History Creator / Rare

** In the mid 200s Rare teamed up with Creator/{{4KidsEntertainment}} with the intent to create television shows and toylines based on their [=IPs=], including ''Banjo'', ''Jet Force Gemini'', ''Perfect Dark'', and ''Viva Piñata''. Only the last one managed to receive a cartoon before 4Kids' financial woes led to their bankruptcy.

** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongLand2''[[/index]]
** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongLandIII'' and its [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]] Game Boy Color port, ''Donkey Kong GB: Dinky Kong & Dixie Kong''[[index]]

** In the mid 200s Rare teamed up with Creator/{{4KidsEntertainment}} with the intent to create television shows and toylines based on their IPs, including ''Banjo'', ''Jet Force Gemini'', ''Perfect Dark'', and ''Viva Piñata''. Only the last one managed to receive a cartoon before 4Kids' financial woes led to their bankruptcy.

* BritishHumour: Well they are a British company, after all. It's particularly visible in their Platform/Nintendo64 platformers, which have a good deal of snark and BlackComedy to go along with the improved storytelling capabilities of UsefulNotes/TheFifthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames.

* ''Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off Road'' (NES version)

* CommonKnowledge: Rare briefly changed their name to "Rareware" from the mid-1990s up until its purchase by Microsoft. While the company did business using the trademark "Rareware", releasing their games under it, the company's actual name remained "Rare" throughout this entire period.

Now releasing names under the trademark of "Rareware", the company released ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1'' in 1994, which became the best-selling game for the system behind only ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', and the ape would get additional games throughout the SNES's lifespan. The company would hit their stride come the Platform/Nintendo64, where they became well-known for such games as ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'', ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini'', ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'', ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'', ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'', (and subsequently its sequel ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie''), ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', and ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay''.

Under Microsoft, however, Rare would make games that received mixed-to-positive critical reception, with most becoming financial disappointments to varying degrees. Fans would come to feel that the UK-based developer had lost some of the magic it had when under Nintendo, and this sentiment would only become stronger over time, with the departure of Chris and Tim Stamper in 2007 not helping. Following the fan backlash towards and commercial failure of ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooieNutsAndBolts'', Rare would find themselves tasked with making sports games solely for the Platform/Xbox360's Kinect peripheral. ''Kinect Sports'' ended up being the most successful game produced by the developer in years, leading to a similarly successful sequel, but a failed third entry on the Platform/XboxOne.

[[http://rare.co.uk Rare Ltd.]] (formerly Rareware) is a [[UsefulNotes/TheMidlands Twycross]]-based (though they started in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, also in Leicestershire) [[VideoGames video game]] development company founded by Chris and Tim Stamper in [[TheEighties 1982]]. They're famous for their pioneering of sophisticated technology to make video games, the sheer amount of {{double entendre}}s, [[UrbanLegendOfZelda the idiosyncratic little mysteries they weave into their games that leave gamers pondering for decades,]] and their media-shy nature.

Now renamed Rareware, the company released ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1'' in 1994, which became the best-selling game for the system behind only ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', and the ape would get additional games throughout the SNES's lifespan. The company would hit their stride come the Platform/Nintendo64, where they became well-known for such games as ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'', ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini'', ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'', ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'', ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'', (and subsequently its sequel ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie''), ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', and ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay''.

Early during the Platform/NintendoGameCube's life, however, a big change was on the horizon. While in the midst of producing ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'', Rareware began looking for potential companies to fully buy out the studio, to help offset the rising costs of game development. With Nintendo surprisingly refusing to acquire the studio, the Stamper brothers found themselves being bought by [[Creator/XboxGameStudios Microsoft]], who had recently entered the console video game market and had been courting the developer for some time. The deal closed in late 2002 after Creator/{{Activision}} failed to make a better offer, and Rareware (now named "Rare" once more) was now a first-party developer for the Platform/{{Xbox}}. Rare retained ownership over their own characters and properties in the change, while Microsoft granted Rare permission to continue producing games for Nintendo handhelds if they so wished. For their part, Nintendo ''did'' [[DiscardAndDraw actually end up acquiring a Western game developer that same year after all]] -- the American Creator/RetroStudios.

* CompilationRerelease: ''Rare Replay'' for the Xbox One was a release of thirty titles they were well known for. For licencing reasons, this naturally excluded their ''[[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry Donkey]] [[VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing Kong]]'' [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong64 games]] or ''VideoGame/GoldenEye'' (prior to its' UpdatedRerelease, which owners of the digital version of ''Rare Replay'' can [[DownloadableContent download for free]]).

While the company attained most of their early fame (as "Ultimate Play the Game") through their games on the 1980s home computers such as UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum, UsefulNotes/Commodore64 and UsefulNotes/{{MSX}}, they are best known for their work with Creator/{{Nintendo}}. In 1985, the Stamper brothers figured out how to reverse-engineer an interesting new video game console from Japan known as the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem Famicom]]. Nintendo was so impressed that they gave them the budget to produce titles for the system, which they proceeded to do to the tune of around sixty games under the new name "Rare" (having sold the "Ultimate" brand). While this period brought about games like ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}'', it would be the UsefulNotes/{{SNES}}-era where they'd find the start of their biggest wind of fame and success. Their subsequent experiments with the new technology once again managed to impress Nintendo, with the Japanese company now buying a 25% stake in the company (which would eventually grow to 49%) and giving Rare the option to work with one of their characters. They chose Donkey Kong, a once popular character that had fallen by the wayside in the face of ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros''' popularity, believing that they could revitalize the character and make him relevant once more.

Now renamed Rareware, the company released ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1'' in 1994, which became the best-selling game for the system behind only ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', and the ape would get additional games throughout the SNES's lifespan. The company would hit their stride come the UsefulNotes/Nintendo64, where they became well-known for such games as ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'', ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini'', ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'', ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'', ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'', (and subsequently its sequel ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie''), ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', and ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay''.

Early during the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube's life, however, a big change was on the horizon. While in the midst of producing ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'', Rareware began looking for potential companies to fully buy out the studio, to help offset the rising costs of game development. With Nintendo surprisingly refusing to acquire the studio, the Stamper brothers found themselves being bought by [[Creator/XboxGameStudios Microsoft]], who had recently entered the console video game market and had been courting the developer for some time. The deal closed in late 2002 after Creator/{{Activision}} failed to make a better offer, and Rareware (now named "Rare" once more) was now a first-party developer for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}. Rare retained ownership over their own characters and properties in the change, while Microsoft granted Rare permission to continue producing games for Nintendo handhelds if they so wished. For their part, Nintendo ''did'' [[DiscardAndDraw actually end up acquiring a Western game developer that same year after all]] -- the American Creator/RetroStudios.

Under Microsoft, however, Rare would make games that received mixed-to-positive critical reception, with most becoming financial disappointments to varying degrees. Fans would come to feel that the UK-based developer had lost some of the magic it had when under Nintendo, and this sentiment would only become stronger over time, with the departure of Chris and Tim Stamper in 2007 not helping. Following the fan backlash towards and commercial failure of ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooieNutsAndBolts'', Rare would find themselves tasked with making sports games solely for the UsefulNotes/Xbox360's Kinect peripheral. ''Kinect Sports'' ended up being the most successful game produced by the developer in years, leading to a similarly successful sequel, but a failed third entry on the UsefulNotes/XboxOne.

* ''The Amazing ComicBook/SpiderMan'' (UsefulNotes/GameBoy LicensedGame)

* BritishHumour: Well they are a British company, after all. It's particularly visible in their UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 platformers, which have a good deal of snark and BlackComedy to go along with the improved storytelling capabilities of UsefulNotes/TheFifthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames.

* FollowTheLeader: It cannot be denied that Rare had a tendency to play to the trends, exploring the same genres and tropes as other games, usually from Nintendo, that had recently been successful. ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1'' followed ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' and ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2''. ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' followed ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''. ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'' followed ''VideoGame/MarioKart''. ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'' followed ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1992''. This was evident even before ''Donkey Kong Country'' as ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}'' followed the ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' craze. While they have been making an effort to avoid this during their Microsoft years, the Xbox Live Avatars blatantly imitate [[UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} Miis]].

-->-- '''Rare describing themselves on their website'''.

** ''Donkey Kong Land 2''[[/index]]
** ''Donkey Kong Land III'' and its [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]] Game Boy Color port, ''Donkey Kong GB: Dinky Kong & Dixie Kong''[[index]]

Early during the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube's life, however, a big change was on the horizon. While in the midst of producing ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'', Rareware began looking for potential companies to fully buy out the studio, to help offset the rising costs of game development. With Nintendo surprisingly refusing to acquire the studio, the Stamper brothers found themselves being bought by [[Creator/XboxGameStudios Microsoft]], who had recently entered the console video game market and had been courting the developer for some time. The deal closed in late 2002 after Creator/{{Activision}} failed to make a better offer, and Rareware (now named "Rare" once more) was now a first-party developer for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}. Rare retained ownership over their own characters and properties in the change, while Microsoft granted Rare permission to continue producing games for Nintendo handhelds if they so wished. For their part, Nintendo ''did'' [[DiscardAndDraw actually end up acquiring a Western game developer that same year after all]]--the American Creator/RetroStudios, and would follow that up two decades later with the Canadian Creator/NextLevelGames.

By this point, several key employees had left Rare to form the indie company Playtonic Games and make [[SpiritualSuccessor the kind of games Rare used to be famous for in the N64 era]]--their first game, ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'', would release in 2017 to mixed-to-positive reviews. In addition, while Rare properties would be utilized at this time, it would be other companies playing with the characters, such as Creator/DoubleHelixGames with ''Killer Instinct''. However, ''VideoGame/SeaOfThieves'', while receiving mixed critical reception, received positive audience reception and was a financial success.

** ''VideoGame/Knight Lore''

** ''Knight Lore''

-->''Over thirty years of laughs and cheers!''

While the company attained most of their early fame (as "Ultimate Play the Game") through their games on the 1980s home computers such as UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum, UsefulNotes/Commodore64 and UsefulNotes/{{MSX}}, they are best known for their work with Creator/{{Nintendo}}. In 1985, the Stamper brothers figured out how to reverse-engineer an interesting new video game console from Japan known as the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem Famicom]]. Nintendo was so impressed that they gave them the budget to produce titles for the system, which they proceeded to do to the tune of around sixty games under the new name "Rare" (having sold the "Ultimate" brand). While this period brought about games like ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}'', it would be the UsefulNotes/{{SNES}}-era where they'd find the start of their biggest wind of fame and success. Their subsequent experiments with the new technology once again managed to impress Nintendo, with the Japanese company now buying a 25% stake in the company (which would eventually grow to 49%) and giving Rare the option to work with one of their characters. They chose Donkey Kong, a once popular character that had fallen by the wayside in the face of ''Franchise/SuperMario'''s popularity, believing that they could revitalize the character and make him relevant once more.

** ''Donkey Kong Land''

Early during the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube's life, however, a big change was on the horizon. While in the midst of producing ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'', Rareware began looking for potential companies to fully buy out the studio, to help offset the rising costs of game development. With Nintendo surprisingly refusing to acquire the studio, the Stamper brothers found themselves being bought by [[Creator/XboxGameStudios Microsoft]], who had recently entered the console video game market and had been courting the developer for some time. The deal closed in late 2002 after Creator/{{Activision}} failed to make a better offer, and Rareware (now named "Rare" once more) was now a first-party developer for the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}. Rare retained ownership over their own characters and properties in the change, while Microsoft granted Rare permission to continue producing games for Nintendo handhelds if they so wished. For their part, Nintendo ''did'' [[DiscardAndDraw actually end up acquiring a Western game developer that same year after all]]--the American Creator/RetroStudios.