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{{Infobox company |
{{Infobox company |
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| − | + | |name = Micro Genius <br> 小天才 |
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| − | + | |image = File:Micro Genius logo.png |
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| − | + | |imagewidth = 250px |
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| + | |caption = Logo. |
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| − | + | |years = Late 1980s-mid 1990s (Famiclone production)<br>1991-94 (game development) |
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| − | + | |consoles = Famicom (and accessories for other consoles) |
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| − | | firstgame = ''Chinese Chess'' |
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| − | + | |firstgame = ''Chinese Chess'' |
|
| + | |lastgame = ''Journey to the West'' (?) |
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| − | + | |published = [[Idea-Tek]], [[Chengdu Tai Jing Da Dong Computer Co]], in-house development team (probably) |
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| − | + | |connected = [[Fuzhou Waixing Computer Science & Technology Co.,LTD]] |
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| − | }} |
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| − | + | |location = Taipai, Taiwan}}'''Micro Genius''' was a division of the Taiwanese company TXC Corp. best known for its [[Famiclone]]s, but which also developed and published a number of NES and Famicom games. |
|
| − | ==Famiclones== |
+ | == Famiclones == |
| ⚫ | |||
Micro Genius Famiclones included: |
Micro Genius Famiclones included: |
||
| + | * IQ-180 (Might have been unreleased?) |
||
| − | * IQ-201 |
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| + | * IQ-201 (Three models exists - Taiwanese one with a digital clock, International one lacking it and a colored one shown in the gallery below) |
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* IQ-301 |
* IQ-301 |
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* IQ-501 (first MG with detachable controllers; IQ-201 and 301 were hard-wired like the original Famicom) |
* IQ-501 (first MG with detachable controllers; IQ-201 and 301 were hard-wired like the original Famicom) |
||
* IQ-502 |
* IQ-502 |
||
| + | * IQ-503 (Same mold as the IQ-501 with the colors and branding similar to the IQ-201). |
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* IQ-701 (NES styled but top loading, released in both 60 and 72-pin versions) |
* IQ-701 (NES styled but top loading, released in both 60 and 72-pin versions) |
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| + | * IQ-801 (Appears to be a 1:1 clone of the NES with an added eject functionality) |
||
* IQ-901 (one of the first self-contained controller famiclones) |
* IQ-901 (one of the first self-contained controller famiclones) |
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* IQ-1000 (one wireless controller, unusual for the time, and one wired) |
* IQ-1000 (one wireless controller, unusual for the time, and one wired) |
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| + | * IQ-1001 (the console mold has some slight differences with the IQ-1000) |
||
| − | * IQ-2000 (two wireless controllers) |
+ | * IQ-2000 (identical to the IQ-1000, two wireless controllers) |
* MG-02 (Dendy Junior, also released with 'Micro Genius' label on front) |
* MG-02 (Dendy Junior, also released with 'Micro Genius' label on front) |
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| − | They were also released under different names in other parts of the world: for example, [[Steepler Ltd.|Steepler]]'s Dendy Classic 1 and 2 are based on the IQ-501 and IQ-502, while the IQ-502 was sold as a Pegasus in Poland, and both IQ-301 and IQ-501 were sold as Nichi-Man in Colombia. |
+ | They were also released under different names in other parts of the world: for example, [[Steepler Ltd.|Steepler]]'s Dendy Classic 1 and 2 are based on the IQ-501 and IQ-502, while the IQ-502 was sold as a Pegasus in Poland, and both IQ-301 and IQ-501 were sold as Nichi-Man in Colombia. Several Famiclones can still be found in Iran, imported in early 1990s. Because of this, the NES/Famicom in Iran is literally, mistakenly called "Micro". |
New "Micro Genius" products can still be found in Turkey, but these are rebranded generic Chinese Famiclones and LCD games and don't appear to be related to the original Micro Genius company. |
New "Micro Genius" products can still be found in Turkey, but these are rebranded generic Chinese Famiclones and LCD games and don't appear to be related to the original Micro Genius company. |
||
| − | ==Games== |
+ | == Games == |
Micro Genius published both its own original games and games previously released by [[Idea-Tek]]. The Idea-Tek games are identical to their original releases. |
Micro Genius published both its own original games and games previously released by [[Idea-Tek]]. The Idea-Tek games are identical to their original releases. |
||
| − | Some later original Micro Genius games were developed by the Chinese company [[Chengdu Tai Jing Da Dong Computer Co]], which also produced games including |
+ | Some later original Micro Genius games were developed by the Chinese company [[Chengdu Tai Jing Da Dong Computer Co]], which also produced games including [[Aladdin II (Famicom)|''Aladdin II'']] and ''[[Super Contra X]]'', and later became Waixing. |
| − | ===Re-released Idea-Tek games=== |
+ | === Re-released Idea-Tek games === |
| − | * |
+ | *''Bingo'', aka ''Xiao Ma Li'' (MGC-005) |
| − | * |
+ | *''Poke Block'', aka ''Stakk'm ''(MGC-012, MGC-004?) |
| − | * |
+ | *''Mahjong Block'' (same as ''Poke Block'', with a mahjong theme; released with added nudity as ''AV Dragon Mahjang'' by [[Hacker International]]) (MGC-008) |
| − | * |
+ | *''F-15 City War'' (MGC-006) |
| − | * |
+ | *''Puzzle'' (MGC-007) |
| − | * |
+ | *''Horses Racing'' (MGC-009; aka '91 Du Ma Racing, Enjoyable Horse Racing) |
| − | * |
+ | *''Volleyball'', aka ''Venice Beach Volleyball'' (MGC-010) |
| − | * |
+ | *''Tennis'', aka ''Rad Racket'' (MGC-011) |
===Original Micro Genius games=== |
===Original Micro Genius games=== |
||
| − | * |
+ | *''Qi Wang'' (''Chinese Chess''; some versions have the title misspelled as "Chinese Chese") (MGC-001) |
| + | *''Qi Wang II'' (MGC-016, can be seen on the box art of IQ-901 console; unreleased)<ref name=cah4e3>http://cah4e3.shedevr.org.ru/cartsbase.php</ref> |
||
| − | * |
+ | *''Creatom'' (MGC-003) |
| − | * |
+ | *[[Strike Wolf]] (MGC-014) |
| − | * |
+ | *''Policeman'' (MGC-015) |
| − | * |
+ | *''Thunder Warrior'' (MGC-017; also released by Gluk Video as ''Gluk the Thunder Warrior'', with their mascot replacing the main character) |
| − | * ''Journey to the West'' (developed by Tai Jing Da Dong; a sequel was later developed by Waixing) |
||
| − | * |
+ | *''Journey to the West'' (developed by Tai Jing Da Dong; a sequel was later developed by [[Fuzhou Waixing Computer Science & Technology Co.,LTD|Waixing]]) |
| + | *3-in-1 Supergun (MGC-024; probably developed by Tai Jing Da Dong?) |
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| ⚫ | |||
| + | |||
| + | == Gallery == |
||
| + | <gallery> |
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| ⚫ | |||
| + | microgenius1987-ad.jpg|Taiwanese ad from July 1987 for the IQ-180 and IQ-201. |
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| + | iq201-ad-asiansourceselectronics198712.png|Advertisement found in the December 1987 issue of Asian Sources Electronics. |
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| + | </gallery> |
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| + | |||
| + | == References == |
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| + | <references/> |
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| + | {{Companies}} |
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| + | [[Category:Companies from Taipei, Taiwan]] |
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[[Category:Publishers]] |
[[Category:Publishers]] |
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| − | [[Category: |
+ | [[Category:Developers]] |
| − | [[Category:Micro Genius]] |
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[[Category:Hardware]] |
[[Category:Hardware]] |
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[[Category:Hardware manufacturers]] |
[[Category:Hardware manufacturers]] |
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| − | [[Category: |
+ | [[Category:Famiclones]] |
| ⚫ | |||
Revision as of 21:59, 17 February 2020
Micro Genius was a division of the Taiwanese company TXC Corp. best known for its Famiclones, but which also developed and published a number of NES and Famicom games.
Famiclones
Micro Genius Famiclones included:
- IQ-180 (Might have been unreleased?)
- IQ-201 (Three models exists - Taiwanese one with a digital clock, International one lacking it and a colored one shown in the gallery below)
- IQ-301
- IQ-501 (first MG with detachable controllers; IQ-201 and 301 were hard-wired like the original Famicom)
- IQ-502
- IQ-503 (Same mold as the IQ-501 with the colors and branding similar to the IQ-201).
- IQ-701 (NES styled but top loading, released in both 60 and 72-pin versions)
- IQ-801 (Appears to be a 1:1 clone of the NES with an added eject functionality)
- IQ-901 (one of the first self-contained controller famiclones)
- IQ-1000 (one wireless controller, unusual for the time, and one wired)
- IQ-1001 (the console mold has some slight differences with the IQ-1000)
- IQ-2000 (identical to the IQ-1000, two wireless controllers)
- MG-02 (Dendy Junior, also released with 'Micro Genius' label on front)
They were also released under different names in other parts of the world: for example, Steepler's Dendy Classic 1 and 2 are based on the IQ-501 and IQ-502, while the IQ-502 was sold as a Pegasus in Poland, and both IQ-301 and IQ-501 were sold as Nichi-Man in Colombia. Several Famiclones can still be found in Iran, imported in early 1990s. Because of this, the NES/Famicom in Iran is literally, mistakenly called "Micro".
New "Micro Genius" products can still be found in Turkey, but these are rebranded generic Chinese Famiclones and LCD games and don't appear to be related to the original Micro Genius company.
Games
Micro Genius published both its own original games and games previously released by Idea-Tek. The Idea-Tek games are identical to their original releases.
Some later original Micro Genius games were developed by the Chinese company Chengdu Tai Jing Da Dong Computer Co, which also produced games including Aladdin II and Super Contra X, and later became Waixing.
Re-released Idea-Tek games
- Bingo, aka Xiao Ma Li (MGC-005)
- Poke Block, aka Stakk'm (MGC-012, MGC-004?)
- Mahjong Block (same as Poke Block, with a mahjong theme; released with added nudity as AV Dragon Mahjang by Hacker International) (MGC-008)
- F-15 City War (MGC-006)
- Puzzle (MGC-007)
- Horses Racing (MGC-009; aka '91 Du Ma Racing, Enjoyable Horse Racing)
- Volleyball, aka Venice Beach Volleyball (MGC-010)
- Tennis, aka Rad Racket (MGC-011)
Original Micro Genius games
- Qi Wang (Chinese Chess; some versions have the title misspelled as "Chinese Chese") (MGC-001)
- Qi Wang II (MGC-016, can be seen on the box art of IQ-901 console; unreleased)[1]
- Creatom (MGC-003)
- Strike Wolf (MGC-014)
- Policeman (MGC-015)
- Thunder Warrior (MGC-017; also released by Gluk Video as Gluk the Thunder Warrior, with their mascot replacing the main character)
- Journey to the West (developed by Tai Jing Da Dong; a sequel was later developed by Waixing)
- 3-in-1 Supergun (MGC-024; probably developed by Tai Jing Da Dong?)
Gallery
Micro Genius IQ-201.
Taiwanese ad from July 1987 for the IQ-180 and IQ-201.
Advertisement found in the December 1987 issue of Asian Sources Electronics.