Ep. 400 - The Insert Credit Best Game Developer List

Insert Credit nominates and celebrates the greatest, most influential, and most personally beloved game development studios of all time. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

View the finalized list at insertcredit.com! (insertcredit.com/show/400)

Watch episodes with full video on YouTube (youtube.com/insertcreditshow)

Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums (forums.insertcredit.com)

SHOW NOTES:

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“Now bear my game podcast!” (mobygames.com/game/9744/shining-force-iii)

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ICOM Simulations (mobygames.com/company/330/rabid-entertainment-…)

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Video Game History Foundation (gamehistory.org)

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divorce

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Other Ocean (mobygames.com/company/9709/other-ocean-interac…)

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store.steampowered.com/app/1900250/Demonschool

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Chuck Mangione (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Mangione)

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flugelhorn

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Feels So Good (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feels_So_Good_(Chuck_Man…))

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‘King of the Hill’ Reboot (variety.com/2025/tv/news/king-of-the-hill-rebo…)

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Ozzy Osbourne (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozzy_Osbourne)

1: Brandon’s First Pick (08:00)

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Human Entertainment (mobygames.com/company/1940/human-entertainment…)

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Roger Corman (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Corman)

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Fantastic Four (1994) (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fantastic_Four_(unre…))

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Albert Pyun (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Pyun)

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Alien (1979) (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(film))

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Francis Ford Coppola (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Ford_Coppola)

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Sandlot (mobygames.com/company/9436/sandlot)

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Earth Defense Force series (mobygames.com/group/8735/earth-defense-force-c…)

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Spike Chunsoft (mobygames.com/company/38122/spike-chunsoft-inc)

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Nude Maker (mobygames.com/company/11574/nude-maker-co-ltd)

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Grasshopper Manufacture (mobygames.com/company/6774/grasshopper-manufac…)

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Fire Pro Wrestling series (mobygames.com/group/5418/fire-pro-wrestling-se…)

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Formation Soccer series (mobygames.com/group/10458/formation-soccer-ser…)

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Human Grand Prix series (mobygames.com/group/9088/f1-pole-position-huma…)

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Mizzurna Falls (mobygames.com/game/142021/mizzurna-falls)

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Grand Theft Auto III (mobygames.com/game/5189/grand-theft-auto-iii)

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Deadly Premonition (mobygames.com/game/46145/deadly-premonition)

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Clock Tower series (mobygames.com/group/469/clock-tower-series)

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Twilight Syndrome series (mobygames.com/group/9442/twilight-syndrome-uni…)

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The Firemen series (mobygames.com/group/14683/the-firemen-series)

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Suda51 (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goichi_Suda)

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Mechanized Attack (mobygames.com/game/27362/mechanized-attack)

2: Ash’s First Pick (12:29)

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Aggro Crab Games (mobygames.com/company/42473/aggro-crab-games)

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Going Under (mobygames.com/game/150646/going-under)

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Another Crab’s Treasure (mobygames.com/game/222844/another-crabs-treasure)

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Cult of the Lamb (mobygames.com/game/188798/cult-of-the-lamb)

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Devolver Digital (mobygames.com/company/15847/devolver-digital-inc)

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Peak (mobygames.com/game/243696/peak)

3: Frank’s First Pick (14:59)

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Bobby Kotick (polygon.com/22785524/blizzard-activision-lawsu…)

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activision

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari

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H.E.R.O. (mobygames.com/game/10150/hero)

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Pitfall! (mobygames.com/game/8793/pitfall)

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Barnstorming (mobygames.com/game/11026/barnstorming)

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Electronic Arts (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Arts)

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David Crane (mobygames.com/person/24639/david-crane)

4: Brandon’s Second Pick (19:05)

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Taito (mobygames.com/company/397/taito-corporation)

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Space Invaders (mobygames.com/game/8806/space-invaders)

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Cadash (mobygames.com/game/15986/cadash)

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Growl (mobygames.com/game/6661/growl)

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Darius (mobygames.com/game/22038/darius)

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Night Striker (mobygames.com/game/37647/night-striker)

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Sega Saturn (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Saturn)

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Darius Gaiden (mobygames.com/game/3339/darius-gaiden)

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Elevator Action Returns (mobygames.com/game/17195/elevator-action-ii)

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Landmaker (mobygames.com/game/47637/builders-block)

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Layer Section (mobygames.com/game/36903/galactic-attack)

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Cleopatra Fortune (mobygames.com/game/38545/cleopatras-fortune)

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Bubble Bobble (mobygames.com/game/787/bubble-bobble)

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Puzzle Bobble (mobygames.com/game/5518/bust-a-move)

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Lufia (mobygames.com/game/9980/lufia-the-fortress-of-…)

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Densha De Go (mobygames.com/game/28788/densha-de-go)

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Battle Gear (mobygames.com/game/29724/side-by-side-special)

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Gunbuster (mobygames.com/game/151487/operation-gunbuster)

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Bujingai: The Forsaken City (mobygames.com/game/15253/bujingai-the-forsaken…)

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10,000 Bullets (mobygames.com/game/61899/10000-bullets)

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Spac3 Invaders Extr3me (mobygames.com/game/34745/spac3-invaders-extr3me)

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Groove Coaster (mobygames.com/game/111419/groove-coaster)

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Square Enix (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_Enix)

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Gunslinger Stratos (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunslinger_Stratos)

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Taiko no Tatsujin (mobygames.com/game/62907/taiko-no-tatsujin-tat…)

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Bandai Namco Entertainment (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandai_Namco_Entertainment)

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Nintendo Entertainment System (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Entertainment_S…)

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Retronauts (retronauts.com)

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Operation Wolf (mobygames.com/game/3475/operation-wolf)

5: Ash’s Second Pick (24:39)

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Kaizen Game Works (mobygames.com/company/42348/kaizen-game-works-…)

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Paradise Killer (mobygames.com/game/150137/paradise-killer)

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Neon White (mobygames.com/game/186311/neon-white)

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Promise Mascot Agency (mobygames.com/game/240344/promise-mascot-agency)

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Ben Esposito (mobygames.com/person/545873/benjamin-esposito)

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Donut County (mobygames.com/game/112927/donut-county)

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Oli Clarke-Smith (mobygames.com/person/105679/oliver-clarke-smith)

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forums.insertcredit.com

6: Frank’s Second Pick (28:23)

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafuda

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Super Mario Bros. (mobygames.com/game/7298/super-mario-bros)

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Satoru Iwata (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satoru_Iwata)

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Wii Music (mobygames.com/game/84935/wii-music)

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Nintendo Labo (mobygames.com/group/14023/nintendo-labo-series)

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Donkey Kong Bananza (mobygames.com/game/245083/donkey-kong-bananza)

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John Romero (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Romero)

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konami

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubisoft

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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (mobygames.com/game/84595/the-legend-of-zelda-b…)

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Animal Crossing (mobygames.com/game/7256/animal-crossing)

7: Brandon’s Third Pick (34:43)

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The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past …