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Chuanpu Technology (Chinese: 川普科技股份有限公司), also operating under the English names Jumbo Team, Jumbo, Jumbo Technology, and Jam Port, was an unlicensed game developer based in Taichung City, Taiwan that were founded in 1992 and were active during the early and mid 90s. They are known to have developed games for the original Game Boy and Sega Mega Drive, the RPGs they developed for the latter system being the games they are more well known for.
Chuanpu appears to have been somehow connected to Gamtec, as the two companies often shared staff members, fonts (although these were taken from the DOS program PCPaint) and sometimes the Shikinjoh and Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair sound engines. Chuanpu closed in 1996 due to the decline of 16-bit consoles and the rise of 32-bit gaming.[1] However, many former staff members remained in the games industry and are credited in games such as those released by Vast Fame.
Many of Chuanpu's Mega Drive games were published in China by Li Cheng; this company would later go on to publish certain Vast Fame games in the country.
Staff List
Original staff (1992? - 1996)
- Yongzhang Lin (林永章) - Supervisor. They were also a supervisor at Gamtec during the 1990s.
- Bizhi Lin (林碧智) - Main director for Chuanpu's games, notably directing the Mega Drive game Barver Battle Saga. Appears to have joined Never Ending Soft Team around Chuanpu's closure.
- Ziyi Lin (林姿宜) - Mainly did art and script planning, notably taking on an art design role for Ghost Hunter. They are also credited in the unlicensed Game Boy game Fire Dragon (which is connected to Chuanpu) as "Tzy Yi Lin".
- Hulian Wu (巫慧蘭) - Programmer for Chuanpu, who would notably act as a planner and tester for Ya-Se Chuan Shuo and provide testing for Barver Battle Saga. The only Chuanpu-related game they are known to have programmed is the Mega Drive game Smart Mouse.
- Jianhua Cui (崔建華) - Programmer for Chuanpu. At some point, they would become the director of Never Ending Soft Team, who would notably provide the battle engines for Chuanpu's Mega Drive RPGs. For these games in particular, Jianhua Cui is typically credited as "TSUI-ChienHua" for the battle engine within the code. Their only credit in a non-RPG game by Chuanpu is on Ghost Hunter for program design.
- Jianzhong Zhang (張建中) - Credited in Ya-Se Chuan Shuo for map and battle graphics. They would also receive "Battle Mapping" and "Map System" credits in Barver Battle Saga, although what these titles are meant to imply is unclear.
- Minghuang Lin (林明晃) - Lead programmer for Chuanpu who would notably be credited in Barver Battle Saga.
- Minqi Guo (郭旻奇) - Planner and tester for Chuanpu. Their most notable work is on Barver Battle Saga for planning, map design, and testing.
- Yafang Wang (王雅芳) - Main tester for Chuanpu. They would notably do testing for Barver Battle Saga.
- Yueyu Lin (林月瑜) - Credited in Ya-Se Chuan Shuo and Barver Battle Saga for map art and "Map System" respectively. They would additionally be credited as a tester for both games.
- Zhiyuan Wu (巫志遠) - Notably worked on animation and map design for Barver Battle Saga.
Link Dragon staff (1993)
The following is a list of staff members only known to have been credited in Chuanpu's 1993 Mega Drive game Link Dragon. The listed people are among the earliest known Chuanpu staff, and it is unknown if they worked for the company before or after the production of this game.
- "Jin Yuan Chen" - Credited in Link Dragon for programming, story, and sound. Their non-romanized Chinese name is currently unclear.
- Weilu Cheng (鄭維禄) - Director and story planner for Link Dragon. He would also direct and make sound effects for Gamtec's Mega Drive game Super Tank War. He would later work for AV artisan.
- Xueren Song (宋學仁) - Credited in Link Dragon for graphics and story. He would also work on graphics for Gamtec's Mega Drive game Super Tank War as well as for AV artisan as an assistant artist on Funny World + Balloon Boy. He would later join Super Game's Taiwanese division in 1995 to work on graphics.
Freelance composers
- Yishen Liao/Han Min Liao (廖益伸/廖漢民) - Main composer for Chuanpu, with his work for the company going as far back as 1993 for Link Dragon, where he is credited as "Han Min Lioa" (a typo of a common alias believed to be for Yishen Liao, Hanmin Liao). He would compose the music in most of Chuanpu's games, including Ghost Hunter, Super Big 2, and Barver Battle Saga. He would also compose music for the Chuanpu-connected games Smart Mouse and the Game Boy Fire Dragon game.
Others
- Zhenxin Zhu (朱貞信) - While Zhu was primarily an artist for Gamtec during Chuanpu's run, she would appear in the Special Thanks section of the credits for Ya Se Chuan Shuo. She would also be credited for graphic work in the Chuanpu-connected Game Boy game Fire Dragon as "Rhyoga Ju". While unconfirmed, she may have also done the art for Chuanpu's Game Boy game Top Secret and the Chuanpu-connected game Story of Lasama.
- Guiwen Zhangliao (張廖貴文) - Producer for Ghost Hunter.
- Junying Lin (林浚瑩) - Only known to have worked on art design for the Chuanpu-connected game Smart Mouse.
- Lixu Xiao (蕭力修) - Their only known work for Chuanpu is on Ya-Se Chuan Shuo for animation, map art, and testing.
- Shujan Yu (余淑娟) - Appears to have started doing work for Chuanpu in 1994. Their only known work is doing script planning for Ghost Hunter and the Chuanpu-connected game Smart Mouse.
- Tingan Lin (林庭安) - Their only known work for Chuanpu is on Ya-Se Chuan Shuo for sound effects.
- Wangyuan Wu (巫忘遠) - Their only known work for Chuanpu is on Ya-Se Chuan Shuo for animation and map design.
- Xuefen Lin (林雪芬) - Credited as a music co-writer for Ghost Hunter.
- Yuehuang Lin (林玥晃) - Their only known work for Chuanpu is on Ya-Se Chuan Shuo for testing.
- Zhiwang Lin (林志旺) - Their only known credit in a Chuanpu game is as a special thanks in Ya-Se Chuan Shuo. It is unknown if they worked for Chuanpu prior to or after this game's release.
Games
As Jumbo Team/Jumbo
Sega Mega Drive
- Link Dragon (龍行天下) (1993) - Also named 龍 (Long) on the title screen. A Snake clone featuring a dragon that eats a certain number of fireballs in each level to grow longer and reveal a door that advances the game to the next level. Published by Songtly. The copyright screen credits Songtly and Jumbo Team.
- Ghost Hunter (抓鬼大師) (1994) - Buster Brothers/Pang clone. Published by Senchi Technology. A Chinese version was released, as well as an English version that credits Senchi Technology by their full name.[2] The copyright screen credits Senchi Technology and Jumbo.
- 16 Tiles Mahjong (十六張麻將) (1994 or later) - Adult mahjong game. Graphics for the Chinese and English names of Chuanpu presented in a similar style to the Senchi Technology copyright screen in Ghost Hunter are present in the ROM - the Chinese graphics make up Chuanpu Technology's Chinese name and the English name refers to them as Jumbo Technology. Graphics for a "©JUMBO 1994" copyright notice (which appear in Ghost Hunter) are also present in the ROM. Details on its original release are currently unknown.
Game Boy
- Top Secret (最高機密) (1993) - Maze game. Credited to Songtly and Jumbo on the logo screen and title screen (Songtly is exclusively called Sonling on the latter). Originally released as a standalone cartridge. The game would later receive a re-release by Gowin on December 1998 as Lost Trips, or Losing Trip on the title screen, with updated copyrights and logos for Gowin. A version of Top Secret would be included on two multicarts released by Vast Fame in 2002: the Silver Version 12-in-1 and Shishang Chaoqiang RPG + Gedou + Yizhi Ban Zuhe Ka 18 in 1 (史上超強RPG+格鬥+益智版組合卡18in1).
As Chuanpu
All games known to have been produced by Chuanpu after phasing out use of the Jumbo name were released for the Sega Mega Drive.
Screenshots of Shu Zi Fang Kuai.
- Ya-Se Chuan Shuo: The Story of Arthur (1995) - a.k.a. Di Guo Wang Chao.
- Barver Battle Saga: Tai Kong Zhan Shi (1996) - a.k.a. Final Fantasy, Brave Battle Saga: The Magic Warrior, and The Space Fighter. Original release was possibly published by Ka Sheng in 1996.
- Feng Shen Ying Jie Zhuan (1996) - a.k.a. Feng Shen Bang. Published in Taiwan by Huang Jia Technology Co., Ltd. (皇家科技股份有限公司).
- Shu Zi Fang Kuai (數字方塊) - Puzzle game. Credits Chuanpu as Jam Port on the title screen.
- Shui Hu Zhuan - Published in Taiwan by Huang Jia Technology Co., Ltd.
- Super Big 2 (黑桃2) - Published in Taiwan by King Tec. The credits at the end of the game list known Chuanpu staff and Chuanpu are credited by their full Chinese company name for producing the game on the "The End" screen. A related SNES game that uses the same general gameplay concept and contains adult content, titled 超級大老二 in Chinese, would also be released in Taiwan, although this game does not have any direct connection to Chuanpu.
Unconfirmed
Game Boy
- Magic Ball (1992) - Originally released as a pack-in game for the Game Fighter, a DMG Game Boy clone. Ending sequence has a 1992 copyright notice attributed to Syntek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. The game was likely produced under Gamtec as the gameplay concept is also present in two other Taiwan-produced games connected to them: Mini Golf on the Gamate and Ball Story on the Famicom. Further releases of the game would be handled by Gowin starting in 1993, with additional releases in 1998 and the early 2000s. The sound driver as well as sound effects from this game would later be reused in Top Secret. The game would later be included on three multicarts released by Vast Fame circa 2002: Gold Version 12-in-1 (金版中文RPG戰略+動作+益智12in1), Silver Version 12-in-1, and Shishang Chaoqiang RPG + Gedou + Yizhi Ban Zuhe Ka 18 in 1 (史上超強RPG+格鬥+益智版組合卡18in1).
- Prince Yeh Rude (1992) - Originally released as a pack-in game for the Game Fighter, a DMG Game Boy clone. Ending sequence has a 1992 copyright notice attributed to Syntek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. This game and Magic Ball are connected to each other and were likely produced under Gamtec. Further releases of the game would be handled by Gowin starting in 1993, with additional releases in 1998 and the early 2000s. A version of this game would later be included on two multicarts released by Vast Fame circa 2002: Gold Version 12-in-1 and Shishang Chaoqiang RPG + Gedou + Yizhi Ban Zuhe Ka 18 in 1.
- Fire Dragon (瓜瓜火龍) (199?) - Based on the Mega Drive game Link Dragon. This version adds a timer in levels and uses renditions of music from the Mega Drive game. The credits list Lin Ziyi as "Tzy Yi Lin" for graphic work. This game was released by Gowin on December 1998. A prerelease version of the game was included on three multicarts released by Vast Fame circa 2002: Gold Version 12-in-1, Silver Version 12-in-1, and Shishang Chaoqiang RPG + Gedou + Yizhi Ban Zuhe Ka 18 in 1. The name on the title screen of the prerelease version is the same as the name on the box of the Mega Drive version, 龍行天下. Pre-Gowin releases of this game are currently not confirmed to exist.
- Story of Lasama (拉薩瑪傳奇) (199?) - Platforming game loosely based off of Super Mario Land. Initially released by Gowin in 1993. Some of the music tracks in the game are renditions of songs from Top Secret. A pre-Gowin version is believed to exist.
Sega Mega Drive
- Smart Mouse (unconfirmed, but likely)
Possible connections
These games share large numbers of credits with known Chuanpu games, but are credited to another company.
- Shui Hu Feng Yun Zhuan (Never Ending Soft Team)
- Tun Shi Tian Di III (Conquering the World 3)
Gallery
Jumbo logo from the 1993 Game Boy game Top Secret.
Trivia
- 川普 (Chuānpǔ) is the preferred Chinese renderings of the name "Trump" in Taiwan.
- Many of Chuanpu's Mega Drive games contain hidden text crediting the battle system to Tsui ChienHua of Never Ending Soft Team.[3]