D3 Publisher is a Japanese video game publisher, founded in 1992. In 2009, Namco Bandai Games became majority owner of the company (owning 95% of its shares) and later bought the rest out the following year, spinning off as a separate entity under Namco Bandai Holdings. In addition to its flagship Simple series of budget games, D3 Publisher also licenses Nickelodeon as video games among other licensing agreements with Cartoon Network, Barbie, Disney, Monster High, American Girl, Scooby-Doo, DreamWorks Animation, Universal Studios and Bratz.
D3 Publisher also had a US branch, D3 Go! (formerly D3 Publisher of America). This branch is mostly dedicated to publishing mobile games, although a statement released mentions that they'll also localize D3 games made in Japan from time to time. In June 2022, D3 Go! was acquired by Digital Bros (parent of 505 Games).
Notable Partners:
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Sandlot: Creator of D3's flagship series, Earth Defense Force.
- Tamsoft: Creator of D3's other flagship series, Onechanbara.
- Vicious Cycle Software: An American developer formerly owned by D3. It was sold to American publisher Little Orbit in 2014.
Notable works published:
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Simple 1500 Series
- Vol. 75: The Double Shooting: RayStorm × RayCrisis — A compilation of RayStorm and RayCrisis
Simple 2000 series
A series of budget games for the PlayStation 2. The name is derived from the fact that they often were simple in design and from price the games were sold at 2000 yen. Arranged in alphabetical order with the most recognizable romanization or translated Japanese title, volume number and any eventual EU/US title.
- Vol. 31: The Earth Defense Force — Released in 2003 in Japan, the game puts you in the role of a soldier in Japan's Kaiju Defense Force to fight off an alien invasion by shooting down gigantic bugs. The game was later released in Europe in 2004 as Monster Attack.
- Vol. 81: The Earth Defense Force 2 — Released in 2005 in Japan and a sequel to The Earth Defense Force. It was later released in Europe as Global Defence Force in 2007.
- Vol.39: Boku no Machi Zukuri: Machi-ing Maker++ — Original published by Media Factory in 2001 before becoming part of the Simple 2000 series in 2003. It was published by Natsume as Metropolismania in the US in 2002.
- Vol.121: Machi-ing Maker 2: Zoku Boku no Machi Zukuri — Released in 2006 in Japan. It was picked up by Natsume for a North American release in 2007.
- Vol. 50: The Daibijin (AKA Demolition Girl) — Released in 2004 in Japan. Players take on the role of a member of Japan's air force who must subdue a bikini-clad young woman who has been brainwashed and turned into a giantess by alien invaders.
- Vol. 55: The Catfight: Onna Neko Densetsu (AKA Fighting Angels)
- Vol. 61: The OneeChanbara — Released in 2004, it featured scantly-clad babes hacking up zombies. It was released in Europe as Zombie Zone.
- Vol.80: The OneeChanpuru ~ The Onechan Special Chapter ~ — Released in Japan in 2007 as an updated re-release of the original. It was released in Europe as Zombie Hunters (also know as Zombie Zone: Other Side).
- Vol. 90: The OneeChanbara 2 — A sequel to the original game.
- Vol.101: The OneeChampon ~ The Onechan 2 Special Chapter ~ — An updated re-release to the game above.
- Simple 2000 Vol. 78: The Great Space War — Released in 2005 in Japan and 2006 in Europe under the title Space War Attack. You play as a pilot of the "Anti Alien Airforce", fighting against giant monsters, bugs and other nasties.
- Vol. 91: The All*Star Kakutou Matsuri (AKA All Star Fighters)
- Vol. 95: The Zombie vs. Kyukyusha (AKA Zombie Virus) — Released in 2005 in Japan. Players drive around a zombie-infested city in a souped-up, heavily-armored ambulance, running down the living dead and rescuing survivors before they succumb to the infection.
Other
- Bullet Girls Phantasia (PS4, PSV, and later, PC) — The third game in the Bullet Girls series.
- Coraline
- darkSector
- Dead Head Fred
- Earth Defense Force 2017 — A sequel to The Earth Defense Force 2.
- Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon — Spin-off title developed by Vicious Cycle Software.
- Earth Defense Force 2025 — A direct sequel to Earth Defense Force 2017.
- Earth Defense Force 5 — Another reboot of the 2017 title set in 2022 instead.
- Earth Defense Force 6 — A direct sequel to Earth Defense Force 5.
- Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
- Matt Hazard: Blood Bath & Beyond
- Maglam Lord
- Matching Maker DS
- Matching Maker 3 x Tousouchuu
- Matching Maker 4
- Omega Labyrinth Life
- Onechanbara: Bikini Samurai Squad — Titled Oneechanbara Vortex in Japan. Xbox 360 version.
- Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers — Titled Oneechanbara Vortex in Japan. Wii version.
- Onechanbara Special - PSP spin-off.
- Onechanbara Z: Kagura - Sequel to Vortex.
- Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
- Puzzle Quest: Galactrix
- Puzzle Quest 2 (PC, Xbox Live Arcade and Nintendo DS versions co-published by Namco)
- Marvel Puzzle Quest
- Samurai Maiden
- Storm Lover - A PSP/PSV Otome Game.
- Work Time Fun (North American publisher)
- Yeah! You Want "Those Games," Right? So Here You Go! Now, Let's See You Clear Them!
