ACS

ACS Softworks Co., Ltd., also known as simply ACS is a Japanese publisher of video games. Founded in 1984 by Katsuyuki Tabata as Amazing Creations Co., Ltd., the company later officially changed its name to ACS in 1988.

ACS currently owns several development studios for their games such as the ACS Tokyo and Osaka Studios, as well as Orange Soft, and is best known for its fighting game franchises, Fight or Die, Code Chronos, Sentoki and Crisis Moon.

ACS once served as the Japanese distributor for In-Verse games following the success of their crossover Cross Code: Project Ultimate Versus Battle. In exchange, its subsidiary Shiny Star Games distributes ACS' games in the European PAL region. In December of 2016, after filing for bankrupcy, ACS bought In-Verse and its assets, but has shown no interest in reviving their franchises out of respect for its original owner, Pauly-Kun.

ACS also currently holds the video game license for the professional wrestling company Ring of Honor, creating the annual Ring of Honor: Unchained series.

Their most recent title is Tokyo R.E.D..

Arcade Systems
ACS has also made arcade boards for its games, the latest being the System 202: ENDYMION.
 * ACS Lion System (2D) (1989-1994)
 * ACS Tiger System (2D) (1994-2002)
 * ACS Dragon System (3D) (1995-1999)
 * ACS System 200 (2D/3D) (2000-2008)
 * ACS System 201 (2D/3D) (2005-2012)
 * ACS System 202: ENDYMION (2D/3D) (2010-present)

Games
This is a list of games created by ACS Softworks through the years. Some of ACS' older games were rereleased as downloadable titles on the Samsung Zeo's LIVEPLAY Store.

Released from 1985-1989

 * Star Command (Shoot 'em up) (1985; Arcade (Dedicated Hardware), Various consoles)
 * Spunky the Squirrel (2D Platformer) (1986; Arcade (Dedicated Hardware), Various consoles)
 * Kumite (2D Fighting Game) (1987; Arcade (Dedicated Hardware), Various consoles)
 * Star Command II (Shoot 'em up) (1987; Arcade (Dedicated Hardware), Various consoles)
 * Bloxx (Puzzle game) (1988; Arcade (Dedicated Hardware, Various consoles)
 * Spunky Returns! (2D Platformer) (1988; Arcade (Dedicated Hardware, Various consoles)
 * Bloxx2 (Puzzle game) (1989; Arcade (ACS Lion System), Various consoles)

Released from 1990-1999

 * Spunky the Squirrel's Great Adventure  ( 2D Platformer )  (1990; Arcade (ACS Lion System), Various consoles)
 * Urban Warriors (Beat 'em Up) (1990; Arcade (ACS Lion System), Various consoles)
 * Ring Kings (Wrestling Game) (1991; Arcade (ACS Lion System), SNES, Sega Genesis)
 * Urban Warriors 2 (Beat 'em Up) (1991; Arcade (ACS Lion System), SNES, Sega Genesis)
 * Fighting Champions (2D Fighting Game ) (1992; Arcade (ACS Lion System), SNES, Sega Genesis, TurboGrafx-16, Samsung Zeo)
 * Fighting Champions II (2D Fighting Game )  (1993; Arcade (ACS Lion System), SNES, Sega Genesis, Samsung Zeo)
 * Fighting Champions II DASH  (2D Fighting Game ) (1994; Arcade (ACS Tiger System), 3DO, Samsung Zeo)
 * Blazin' Wheels: Super High-Speed Racing (Racing game) (1995; Arcade (ACS Dragon System)
 * Star Command 3D (Shoot 'em up) (1995; Arcade (ACS Dragon System)
 * Fighting Champions III  (2D Fighting Game ) (1995; Arcade (ACS Tiger System), PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Samsung Zeo)
 * Legendary Blades (3D Fighting Game ) (1996; Arcade (ACS Dragon System), PlayStation)
 * Gunblazers: Shoot on Sight (Light Gun Shooter Game ) (1997;  Arcade (ACS Dragon System), PlayStation)
 * Sentoki: The Strongest Warrior (3D Fighting Game) (1997; Arcade (ACS Dragon System), PlayStation, Samsung Zeo)
 * Virtual Sports: Baseball: Home Run Hitters (Baseball Game)  (1997; Arcade (ACS Dragon System)
 * Virtual Sports: Basketball: Hardcourt Heroes (Basketball Game) (1997; Arcade (ACS Dragon System)
 * Virtual Sports: Boxing: Knights of Knockout (Boxing Game)  (1997; Arcade (ACS Dragon System)
 * Virtual Sports: Soccer: Kick-Off Kaisers (Soccer Game) (1997; Arcade (ACS Dragon System)
 * Virtual Sports: Tennis: Racket Smashers (Tennis Game)  (1997; Arcade (ACS Dragon System)
 * fade.  ( Survival Horror Game ) (1998; PlayStation)
 * Fighting Champions Dimensions (3D Fighting Game) (1998; Arcade (ACS Dragon System), PlayStation, Samsung Zeo)
 * Night Trigger (Light Gun Shooter Game ) (1997;  Arcade (ACS Dragon System), PlayStation)
 * Fight or Die (2D Fighting Game) (1999; Arcade (ACS Tiger System), PlayStation, Dreamcast, Samsung Zeo)
 * Legendary Blades II: The Fated Battle (3D Fighting Game ) (1999;  Arcade (ACS Dragon System), PlayStation)
 * Tsuchimikado: The Rise of Onmyoji (Role Playing Game) (1999; PlayStation)

Released from 2000-2009

 * Blazin' Wheels 2000 (Racing game ) (2000; Arcade (ACS System 200)
 * fade. II   ( Survival Horror Game ) (2000; PlayStation 2, Dreamcast)
 * Gunblazers 2: The Shootout (Light Gun Shooter Game ) (2000;  Arcade (ACS System 200), PlayStation 2)
 * Sentoki 2 (3D Fighting Game) (2000; Arcade (ACS System 200), PlayStation 2, Samsung Zeo)
 * Fight or Die II: As Daylight Dies (2D Fighting Game) (2001; Arcade (ACS System 200), PlayStation 2, Samsung Zeo)
 * Night Trigger II  ( Light Gun Shooter Game ) (2001;  Arcade (ACS System 200), PlayStation 2)
 * The Butterfly Halls (Visual Novel) (2002; PC)
 * Legendary Blades Tri (3D Fighting Game ) (2002; Arcade (ACS System 200), PlayStation 2)
 * Fight or Die 3: Fatal Vengeance (2D Fighting Game) (2003; Arcade (ACS System 200), PlayStation 2, XBox, Gamecube, Samsung Zeo)
 * Sentoki 3 (3D Fighting Game) (2003; Arcade (ACS System 200), PlayStation 2, XBox, Gamecube, Samsung Zeo)
 * Blazin' Wheels III: The Ultimate Grand Prix (2004; Arcade (ACS System 201)
 * Gakuen Hearts (Dating Sim) (2004; PC)
 * Gunlblazers 3 ( Light Gun Shooter Game ) (2004;  Arcade (ACS System 201)
 * Night Trigger III (Light Gun Shooter Game ) (2005;  Arcade (ACS System 201)
 * Sentoki 3 Final Tuned (3D Fighting Game) (2005; Arcade (ACS System 200)
 * Gakuen Hearts UPPER (Dating Sim) (2005; PC)
 * Code Chronos (2D Fighting Game) (2006; Arcade (ACS System 201), PlayStation 3, XBox 360, Samsung Zeo)
 * Code Chronos One-X (2D Fighting Game) (2007; Arcade (ACS System 201)
 * Gakuen Hearts Gaiden: Ayumi no Densetsu (Otome Game) (2008; Nintendo DS)
 * Legendary Blades: Ressurection (2008; Arcade (ACS System 201), PlayStation, Nintendo Wii)
 * Code Chronos: Eve of Destruction (2D Fighting Game) (2009; Arcade (ACS System 201), PlayStation 3, XBox 360, Samsung Zeo)

Released from 2010-present

 * Blazin' Wheels 4 (2010; Arcade (ACS System 202: ENDYMION)
 * Sentoki 4 (3D Fighting Game) (2010; Arcade (ACS System 202: ENDYMION), PlayStation 3, XBox 360, Samsung Zeo)
 * Crisis Moon: The Bloody Symphony (2D Fighting Game) (2011; Arcade (ACS System 202: ENDYMION), PlayStation 3, XBox 360, PlayStation Portable, Samsung Zeo, PC)
 * Sentoki 4: EVO (3D Fighting Game) (2011; Arcade (ACS System 202: ENDYMION), PlayStation 3, XBox 360, Samsung Zeo)
 * ACS x GameCom: Clash of Two Universes (2D Fighting Game) (2012; Arcade (ACS System 201++), PlayStation 3, XBox 360, Samsung Zeo, GigaCom)
 * Sentoki 4: Final Edition (3D Fighting Game) (2013; Arcade (ACS System 202: ENDYMION)
 * Crisis Moon II: The Hollow Eclipse (2D Fighting Game) (2013; Arcade (ACS System 202: ENDYMION), ,  PlayStation 3, XBox 360, Nintendo Wii U, PlayStation Vita, Samsung Zeo, PC)
 * The Adventures of Spunky the Squirrel!: Trouble in the Tree Kingdom (3D Platformer) (2013; Samsung Zeo)
 * Half*Dead (Survival Horror Game) (2014; Samsung Zeo)
 * Rockstar Heroes (Rhythm Game) (2014; Samsung Zeo)
 * The Adventures of Spunky the Squirrel! 2: Back With A Vengeance (3D Platformer) (2014; Samsung Zeo)
 * The Adventures of Spunky the Squirrel! 3: Around the Herd (3D Platformer) (2014; Samsung Zeo)
 * Half*Dead II (Survival Horror Game) (2015; Samsung Zeo)
 * Crisis Moon III (2D Fighting Game) (2015; Arcade (ACS System 202: ENDYMION), PlayStation 4, XBox ONE, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii U Samsung Zeo, PC)
 * The Adventures of Spunky the Squirrel!: The Wrath of Dr. Complex (3D Platformer) (2015; Samsung Zeo)
 * Cross Code: Project Ultimate Versus Battle (2.5D Fighting Game) (2015; Arcade (System 202: ENDYMION) Samsung Zeo, GigaCom, Wii U XBox ONE, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita)
 * Kadokawa Shoten Superstar CrossBattle (2D Fighting Game) (2015; Arcade (System 202: ENDYMION), Samsung Zeo)
 * Crisis Moon III EVOLVE (2D Fighting Game ) (2016; Arcade (ACS System 202: ENDYMION),  PlayStation 4, XBox ONE, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita, iOS, Android, Samsung Zeo, PC)
 * Cross Code-X2: Project Unlimited Versus Battle (2.5D Fighting Game) (2016; Arcade (System 202: ENDYMION) Samsung Zeo, Wii U, XBox ONE, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita)
 * Combat Angels: Summon of Gods (2016;Arcade  (ACS System 202: ENDYMION),  XBox ONE, PlayStation 4, Samsung Zeo)
 * Ring of Honor: Unchained 2017 (Wrestling Game) (2016; XBox ONE, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Samsung Zeo)
 * Tokyo R.E.D (Beat 'em Up) (2016; Arcade (ACS System 202: ENDYMION),  XBox ONE, PlayStation 4, Samsung Zeo )

Upcoming games

 * Sentoki 5 (3D Fighting Game) (TBA; Arcade (ACS System 203: ATLANTIS)

Crossover Apperances
ACS' characters have also crossed over with other companies.
 * Dimension Bellum: Chaos of Three Worlds  ( 2.5D Fighting Game ) [Crossover project with Team Clarent Project and In-Verse]
 * In-Verse All-Stars Versus (Action RPG)  [Crossover project with In-Verse and Red Productions]
 * The FEAST Saga: Fight it Out! -2nd Sign-  ( 2.5D Fighting Game ) [Crossover project with In-Verse]
 * Cross Royale: Clash of Shattered Fates  ( 2.5D Fighting Game ) [Crossover project with SBEntertainment, In-Verse, Team Clarent Project, Multisoft and Red Productions] (TBA)

Expanded Merchandise

 * Crisis Moon (manga) (Ongoing manga series based on the video game series of the same name. Published by Kadokawa Shoten)
 * Crisis Moon: Symphony of the Hollow (24-episode anime series based on the first two games in the Crisis Moon series. Animation by J.C.Staff)
 * Crisis Moon: Pact-zer0 (Light novel series based on events predating the first Crisis Moon)
 * Fight or Die OVA (Two-episode anime OVA based on the first two games in the Crisis Moon series. Animation by J.C.Staff)
 * Gakuen Hearts (20-episode anime series based on the first Gakuen Hearts game. Animation by J.C.Staff)

Trivia

 * ACS means "Amazing Creations", which was the company's old name during its early days from 1984 to 1988.
 * The company's slogan is "Come Join the Fun!", which appears in various ACS-related products.
 * In ACS arcade games starting with Sentoki, the words usually flash on the top left or right corner of the screen, when the player side is left with a credit (or a controller) and unattended (e.g. PRESS P2 START BUTTON/COME JOIN THE FUN!)
 * ACS-related anouncements are usually appeneded with the words "ACS: COME JOIN THE FUN! ;)", usually near the end.
 * ACS' CEO Katsuyuki Tabata used to be best friends with In-Verse's owner Pauly-kun. This strong bond carried on for years until December of 2016, when In-Verse had filed for bankrupcy and ACS bought the rights to the company and their various franchises.
 * ACS' least well-recieved game is 2008's Legendary Blades: Ressurection, which was lambasted for its poor gameplay implementations, dated graphics and a controversy surrounding one of the characters that caused the game to be pulled out of stores and rerelased to remove the offensive imagery.