iQue, Ltd. (simplified Chinese: 神游科技; traditional Chinese: 神遊科技; pinyin: Shényóu Kējì) is a Chinese video game/game localization and support development company located in Suzhou. It was founded as a joint venture between Wei Yen and Nintendo in 2002 as a Chinese video game console manufacturing company. The following year, the company released the iQue Player. The company had manufactured and distributed official Nintendo products for the mainland Chinese market under the iQue brand until 2018.
 | |
Native name | 神游科技 |
|---|---|
Romanized name | Shényóu Kējì |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | December 6, 2002[1] |
| Founder |
|
| Headquarters | Suzhou, China[2] |
Key people | Wei Yen (CEO) |
| Services | Software translation and localization Game development |
| Parent | Nintendo (2013–present) |
| Website | www |
iQue only released portable Nintendo games for 3DS XL, DS, Game Boy Advance, and Game Boy Advance SP. The iQue Player is the only home console available from the company in China. There were plans to release the Wii in all of China but when Satoru Iwata officially announced the release date for it on 20 September 2007, he said it would only be available in Hong Kong, under the Nintendo brand. The Nintendo DSi was released in China in December 2009 as iQue DSi. The Nintendo 3DS XL was released in China as iQue 3DS XL in December 2012.[3] By 2013, the company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nintendo.[4][5]
The company worked on the emulators for NES and Game Boy on Virtual Console for 3DS and Nintendo 64 for the Wii U in the beginning of the 2010s, while on Nintendo Switch, the company was responsible for the Nintendo 64 emulator for Nintendo Switch Online.[6]
By 2018, Nintendo had ceased any official distribution of older game consoles into mainland China under the iQue brand. Nintendo partnered with Tencent to bring the Nintendo Switch into the Chinese market at the end of 2019.[7] Since 2017, iQue continues operations by offering consumer support for any previously released products,[8] and translating and localizing new games released worldwide by Nintendo into simplified Chinese, while Nintendo Hong Kong does traditional Chinese.[9]
In 2019, iQue began to hire developers, along with programmers and testers, indicating that the company was transitioning into development to support game projects for Nintendo EPD.[10]
iQue Player edit
The iQue Player is a micro variant of a home video game console by iQue that plays ports of Nintendo 64 games. It was uniquely designed to bypass China's ban on home console products placed at the time. 14 games came out for the console. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask and a Traditional Chinese translation of Ocarina of Time were completed, but not released by iQue.
iQue Game Boy Advance edit
iQue Game Boy Advance edit
The iQue GBA is the Chinese version of the Game Boy Advance. It was released on 8 June 2004. 8 games have been released for the console.[11][12] 12 more games were planned, but cancelled after high piracy of the system.
| Western Title | Chinese Title | Pinyin | Release Date | Genre | Game Modes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wario Land 4 | 瓦力欧寻宝记 | Wǎlìōu Xúnbǎo Jì | June 2004[citation needed] | Platform | Single player |
| Super Mario Advance | 超级马力欧２ | Chāojí Mǎlìōu 2 | 30 June 2004[citation needed] | Platform | Single player, multiplayer (1–2) |
| Metroid: Zero Mission | 密特罗德：零点任务 | Mìtèluōdé: Língdiǎn Rènwù | 15 June 2005[citation needed] | Shooter | Single-Player |
| WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames! | 瓦力欧制造 | Wǎlìōu Zhìzào | 4 July 2005[citation needed] | Minigames | Single player |
| Metroid Fusion | 密特罗德 融合 | Mìtèluōdé Rónghé | 2 March 2006[citation needed] | Shooter | Single-Player |
| Yoshi's Island – Super Mario Advance 3 | 耀西岛 | Yàoxi Dǎo | 2 March 2006[citation needed] | Platform | Single-Player |
| Super Mario World – Super Mario Advance 2 | 超级马力欧世界 | Chāojí Mǎlìōu Shìjiè | 15 March 2006[citation needed] | Platform | Single-Player, Multi-Player |
| F-Zero Maximum Velocity | 极速F-ZERO未来赛车 | Jísù F-ZERO Wèilái Sàichē | August 2007[13] | Racing | Single-Player, Multi-Player (1–4) |
Cancelled Games edit
| Western Title | Chinese Title (Proposed) | Pinyin | Genre | Game Modes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advance Wars | 陆海空大战 | Lùhǎikōng Dàzhàn | Strategy | Single player, multiplayer (1–4) |
| Densetsu no Stafy | 斯塔非的传说 | Sītǎfēi de Chuánshuō | Platform | Single player |
| Densetsu no Stafy 2 | 斯塔非的传说2 | Sītǎfēi de Chuánshuō 2 | Platform | Single player |
| DK: King of Swing | 摇摆森喜刚 | Yáobǎi Sēn Xǐgāng | Puzzle | Single player |
| Famicom Mini Collection | 红白机合集 | Hóngbái Jīhéjí | Compilation | Single player |
| Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade | 火纹战记: 封印之剑 | Huǒwén Zhànjì: Fēngyìn Zhījiàn | Role-playing | Single player |
| Kuru Kuru Kuruin | 转转棒 | Zhuǎn Zhuǎn Bàng | Puzzle | Single player, multiplayer (1–4) |
| Kuruin Paradise | 转转棒天堂 | Zhuǎn Zhuǎn Bàng Tiāntáng | Puzzle | Single player, multiplayer (1–4) |
| Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga | 马力欧与路易吉RPG | Mǎlìōu Yǔ Lùyìjí RPG | Role-playing | Single player |
| Mario Kart: Super Circuit | 马力欧卡丁车超级赛道 | Mǎlìōu Kǎdīngchē Chāojí Sài Dào | Racing | Single player, multiplayer (1–4) |
| Polarium Advance | 通勤一笔 | Tōngqín Yī Bǐ | Puzzle | Single player |
| Tomato Adventure | 番茄酱王国大冒险 | Fānqié Jiàng Wángguó dà Màoxiǎn | Role-playing | Single player, multiplayer (1–2) |
iQue Game Boy SP edit
The iQue Game Boy SP is the Chinese version of the Game Boy Advance SP. It is the same as a regular Game Boy Advance SP but has an "iQue" logo on the top of the casing instead of "Nintendo". It plays Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games and has a rechargeable battery.[14] It was released in October 2004.[15]
iQue Game Boy Micro edit
The iQue Micro is the Chinese version of the Game Boy Micro, and the smallest of the iQue family. It plays Game Boy Advance games.[16] It was released in October 2005.[15]
iQue DS edit
iQue DS edit
The iQue DS is the Chinese version of the Nintendo DS. It was released on 23 July 2005. 6 games have been released for the console. It is the only version of the Nintendo DS to have a regional lockout, so iQue DS games cannot be played on Nintendo DS systems from other regions.[17] A Chinese version of Big Brain Academy was also planned, but cancelled. It appeared on the official iQue DS Lite trailer.[18] Games:[12]
| Western Title | Chinese Title | Pinyin | Release Date | Genre | Game Modes | Media |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polarium | 直感一笔 | Zhígǎn Yī Bǐ | 23 July 2005 | Puzzle | Single player, Multiplayer (1–2) | DS Game Card |
| WarioWare: Touched! | 摸摸瓦力欧制造 | Mō Mō Wǎlìōu Zhìzào | December 2005 | Minigames | Single player | DS Game Card |
| Yoshi Touch & Go | 摸摸耀西-云中漫步 | Mō Mō Yàoxi – Yún Zhōng Mànbù | 14 February 2006 | Platform | Single player, Multiplayer (1–2) | DS Game Card |
| Super Mario 64 DS | 神游马力欧DS | Shényóu Mǎlìōu DS | 21 June 2007 | Platform | Single player, Multiplayer (1–4) | DS Game Card |
| New Super Mario Bros. | New 超级马力欧兄弟 | New Chāojí Mǎlìōu Xiōngdì | 2 July 2009 | Platform | Single player, Multiplayer (1–4) | DS Game Card |
| Nintendogs | 任天狗狗 | Rèntiān Gǒu Gǒu | December 2009 | Simulation | Single player, Multiplayer (1–2) | Pre-installed on iQue DSi |
| Big Brain Academy | 大脑科学院 | Dànǎo kēxuéyuàn | Unreleased | Edutainment | Single player, Multiplayer (1–8) | Unknown |
iQue DS Lite edit
The iQue DS Lite is the Chinese version of the Nintendo DS Lite. It plays Nintendo DS games and it is smaller than the original DS and it has a brighter screen than the original DS.[19] It was released in June 2006.[15]
iQue DSi edit
The iQue DSi is the Chinese version of the Nintendo DSi. It has a camera and it plays both DS and DSiWare games. It also comes with Nintendogs pre-installed in the system. It was released in December 2009.[15]
iQue 3DS XL edit
The iQue 3DS XL is the Chinese Version of the Nintendo 3DS XL. It was the only version of the 3DS offered by iQue. Unlike the Nintendo 3DS XL from other regions, the iQue 3DS XL doesn't have a Nintendo eShop, save data can't be transferred from an iQue DSi to an iQue 3DS XL or between systems and iQue DSiWare can't be played on an iQue 3DS XL. Only 2 games have been released for the console and they were both preinstalled on every console made. No physical game cards were ever made.
Games:
| Western Title | Chinese Title | Pinyin | Release Date | Game Modes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario 3D Land | 超级马力欧 3D乐园 | Chāojí Mǎlìōu 3D Lèyuán | 7 December 2012 | Single-Player |
| Mario Kart 7 | 马力欧卡丁车7 | Mǎlìōu Kǎdīngchē 7 | 7 December 2012 | Single-Player, Multi-Player |
Due to the regional lockout, only games that provide simplified Chinese interface language can be used in iQue 3DS XL. Besides the two games listed above which were released by iQue, the following 14 games released by Nintendo Hong Kong and Nintendo Taiwan can also be used on this console and include a simplified Chinese interface language:
| Western Title | Chinese Title | Pinyin | Game Modes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D | 塞尔达传说 时光之笛 3D | Sàiěrdá Chuánshuō: Shíguāng zhī Dí 3D | Single-Player |
| Nintendogs + Cats | 任天狗狗+猫猫 | Rèntiān Gǒugou + Māomāo | Single-Player |
| Star Fox 64 3D | 星际火狐64 3D | Xīngjì Huǒhú 64 3D | Single-Player, Multi-Player |
| Mario Tennis Open | 马力欧网球 公开赛 | Mǎlìōu Wǎngqiú Gōngkāisài | Single-Player, Multi-Player |
| New Super Mario Bros. 2 | 新超级马力欧兄弟 2 | New Chāojí Mǎlìōu Xiōngdì 2 | Single-Player, Multi-Player |
| Brain Age: Concentration Training | 脑科学专家 川岛隆太博士监修 突破极限 脑的5分钟魔鬼锻炼 | Nǎokēxué Zhuānjiā Chuāndǎolóngtài Bóshì Jiānxiū Tūpò Jíxiàn Nǎo de 5 Fēnzhōng Móguǐ Duànliàn | Single-Player, Multi-Player |
| Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon | 路易吉洋馆2 | Lùyìjí Yángguǎn 2 | Single-Player, Multi-Player |
| Paper Mario: Sticker Star | 纸片马力欧 超级贴纸 | Zhǐpiàn Mǎlìōu Chāojí Tiēzhǐ | Single-Player |
| Pokémon Sun and Moon | 精灵宝可梦 太阳／月亮 | Jīnglíng Bǎokěmèng Tàiyáng / Yuèliang | Single-Player, Multi-Player |
| Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon | 精灵宝可梦 究极之日 ／究极之月 | Jīnglíng Bǎokěmèng Jiūjí-zhī Rì / Jiūjí-zhī Yuè | Single-Player. Multi-Player |
Comparison edit
| Software compatibility | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iQue Player | iQue GBA | iQue SP | iQue Micro | iQue DS | iQue DS Lite | iQue DSi | iQue 3DS XL | |
| iQue Player/N64 software |  |  | | | | | | |
| GB and GBC software | | | | | | | | |
| GBA software | | | | | | | | |
| DS software | | | | | | | | |
| 3DS software | | | | | | | | |
| Currently available | ||||||||
| Currently available | | | | | | | | |
| Software distribution | ||||||||
| Software distribution | iQue Depot Fugue Online | Retail | Retail | Retail | Retail | Retail | Retail DSi Ware | Retail |
References edit
- ^ "神游科技（中国）有限公司 – 天眼查" (in Chinese).
- ^ "tewaswork" (in Chinese). iQue. Archived from the original on 24 October 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
- ^ ""iQue 3DS XL" 今年12月发售". Ique.com. Archived from the original on 11 November 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
- ^ "Up-to-date listing of Nintendo subsidiaries". Nintendo Everything. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
- ^ "関係会社の状況" (PDF). Nintendo. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
- ^ luigiblood. "The oddities of Nintendo Switch Online retro service". Tumblr. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
- ^ "Nintendo Switch's Chinese Edition Only Supports Three Games". Hype Beast. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ Iggy (5 March 2018). "Official iQue Website Updated After 6 Years". NintendoSoup. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
- ^ Iggy (1 December 2017). "iQue Is Now Localizing Nintendo Switch Games Into Simplified Chinese". NintendoSoup. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
- ^ "工作 | iQue | 神游科技官方网站". Archived from the original on 4 March 2018.
- ^ "iQue Ltd". Ique.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
- ^ a b "iQue Ltd". Ique.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
- ^ "iQue Ltd". ique.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
2007年8月 iQue GBA 极速F-ZERO未来赛车
- ^ "iQue Ltd". ique.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d "iQue Ltd". ique.com. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
- ^ "Ique Game Boy Micro". Ique.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
- ^ "Touch!Ique Ds". Ique.com. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
- ^ "Introducing the iQue DS Lite". YouTube. 13 February 2018. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- ^ "Touch!Ique Ds". Ique.com. Archived from the original on 6 December 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
External links edit
- Official website (in Chinese)