Game studio

Konami

179 games in the catalogue ⏱ 1981–2025 33 platforms
Konami – obaly her studia

When you say Konami, retro players instantly get goosebumps from the organ tones in Count Dracula's castle, the memory of the brotherly commando duo mowing down aliens in Contra, or the legendary cheat code up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A. This Japanese company is one of the absolute pillars of the golden era of video games. It achieved what few managed: to create several genre-defining series at once, which to this day define what action, horror atmosphere, and storytelling in pixels should look like. For lovers of the classics, Konami is synonymous with craftsmanship honesty and music that burrows into your memory for life.

History

Konami was founded in 1969 in Osaka, Japan, when Kagemasa Kozuki established a business originally focused on the repair and rental of jukebox-type arcade machines. The name itself is a compound of the founders' names. The company entered the gaming industry in full at the end of the 1970s with arcade machines and soon scored its first big hits, such as the shooter Scramble (1981) and Frogger (1981).

The true legend, however, was born in the mid-1980s on the Nintendo console. In 1985 the shooter Gradius was released on the MSX and later on the NES, which helped define the genre of horizontal "shoot 'em up" games, and a year later the first Contra arrived in arcades. The year 1986 also brought the dark gem The Maze of Galious for MSX computers and, above all, the original Castlevania (1986/1987), in which the whip-wielding Simon Belmont set out against Dracula. On the NES, Konami also shone with the espionage Metal Gear (1987) and the charming Japanese game Kid Dracula.

The sixteen-bit era propelled the studio to the top. Super Castlevania IV (1991) on the SNES amazed with fluid whip controls and atmosphere, Contra III: The Alien Wars perfected run-and-gun action, and on the Sega Mega Drive gems such as Castlevania: Bloodlines, the brutal Contra: Hard Corps, and the playful Rocket Knight Adventures with the opossum Sparkster were created. Pocket versions of the classics headed to the handheld Game Boy – Castlevania: The Adventure, Operation C, Gradius: The Interstellar Assault, and the Robinson-esque Survival Kids. The PlayStation era was then crowned by the pair of strategic RPGs Suikoden I and II, which earned cult status among fans.

Key Figures

The face of modern Konami became Hideo Kojima, author of the Metal Gear series, who turned tactical action into a cinematic work of art with a deep story; his signature is also carried by the Game Boy Color title Metal Gear: Ghost Babel. The Castlevania series was fundamentally shaped by Koji Igarashi, who, together with the design of Symphony of the Night, set the direction of the later "metroidvania" installments, such as Aria of Sorrow and Circle of the Moon on the Game Boy Advance.

Konami, however, was also renowned for its music. The composing team Konami Kukeiha Club and figures such as Michiru Yamane, author of the unforgettable melodies of many Castlevanias, elevated game soundtracks to an artistic discipline. Distinctive humor and a singular style, in turn, were brought to games like Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon by the creators behind the zany series about the samurai hero Goemon.

Transformations and Transfers

After 2010, Konami underwent a noticeable transformation. The company increasingly shifted the focus of its business toward pachinko machines, mobile games, and the fitness sector, which caused unease among part of its fan base. The peak of the tension was 2015, when, after protracted disputes, the paths of Konami and Hideo Kojima parted. He subsequently founded the independent studio Kojima Productions, and an entire era said farewell to console Konami. Many creators of the classic series left over the years and founded their own projects – Koji Igarashi, for example, left the company and, via crowdfunding, created a spiritual successor to Castlevania.

The Present

Konami still exists in 2026 as one of the great Japanese entertainment companies and owns the rights to all its famous brands. In recent years it has been rediscovering the value of its heritage: it releases collector's collections of old games, among which Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (originally on the PSP) is not missing as part of retro bundles, and it has opened the door to remakes and to the returns of once-shelved series. Alongside video games, the company operates in arcade machines, sports, and a healthy lifestyle. For the retro community, however, Konami will forever remain the home of the Belmonts, the Contra brothers, and the sneaking Solid Snake – the creator of games that have passed the test of time and still rank among the best that eight-bit and sixteen-bit consoles offered.

Games by the studio (179)

  1. Gradius / Salamander · 1979

    A Konami duo that introduced the iconic power-up bar system and shaped the entire genre.

  2. Frogger · 1981

    Crossing a street and a river has never been this tense; a classic even non-gamers know.

  3. Scramble · 1981

    A cornerstone of horizontal shoot 'em ups; six distinct sections from caves to an enemy base.

  4. Time Pilot · 1982

    A multidirectional Konami shooter that sends the player across historical eras of aircraft.

  5. Antarctic Adventure · 1983

    A cute run across the ice by the penguin Penta; a catchy Konami hit from 1983.

  6. Gyruss · 1983

    A space shooter where the ship circles around the edge of the screen instead of the classic top-down view.

  7. Track & Field · 1983

    Button-mashing elevated to an Olympic discipline; the template for the entire athletics game genre.

  8. D-Day · 1984

    War action inspired by the invasion of Normandy; an advance along the coast under fire from several directions.

  9. Hyper Sports · 1984

    A sequel to Track & Field with eight Olympic events and frantic button-mashing.

  10. Gradius · 1985

    The Vic Viper and its faithful helpers; a revolutionary upgrade system that defined the genre for years.

  11. Konami's Soccer · 1985

    One of the first fast-paced soccer experiences on MSX, from the masters at Konami.

  12. Castlevania · 1986

    Gothic action; the third game adds branching and characters. Pillars of the genre.

  13. Knightmare · 1986

    A vertical shooter where, instead of a ship, the knight Popolon flies to rescue his beloved.

  14. Penguin Adventure · 1986

    A colorful platformer about a penguin, on which a young Hideo Kojima worked as a designer.

  15. Salamander · 1986

    Gradius's rebellious offshoot; alternates horizontal and vertical stretches through organic tunnels.

  16. The Goonies · 1986

    A platformer based on the film about a gang of kids hunting for pirate Willy's treasure.

  17. Vampire Killer (Castlevania MSX) · 1986

    The sister version of Castlevania for the MSX2; instead of a linear platformer, it offers freer exploration.

  18. WEC Le Mans 24 · 1986

    Arcade Le Mans racing with a moving cabin and day-to-night transitions during the race.

  19. Castlevania II: Simon's Quest · 1987

    A bold departure from the linear Castlevania; Simon Belmont in an open world full of choices.

  20. Contra (arcade) · 1987

    Konami's 1987 debut of the formula that made it famous: pure Rambo-style run & gun.

  21. Metal Gear · 1987

    The cornerstone of the stealth genre; here Kojima first showed that running away is better than fighting.

  22. Nemesis 2 / Gradius 2 · 1987

    MSX-exclusive entries in the famous Gradius series, with content you won't find anywhere else.

  23. The Maze of Galious · 1987

    A vast interconnected castle full of secrets - a metroidvania years before the term existed.

  24. Usas · 1987

    A Konami action platformer about treasure hunting, full of color and brisk movement.

  25. Blades of Steel · 1988

    Arcade hockey by Konami with an iconic digitized voice; flash over simulation.

  26. Life Force · 1988

    Konami reshaped Gradius into a biological nightmare: flying through the stomachs of a giant being.

  27. Parodius (MSX original) · 1988

    Gradius turned inside out - penguins dance instead of warships, but the core is an honest shmup.

  28. Super Contra · 1988

    The successor to the famous Contra goes for even more action, pace and end-of-level boss fights.

  29. Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse · 1989

    A prequel featuring Trevor Belmont against the mighty Dracula; the most technically advanced entry on NES.

  30. Castlevania: The Adventure · 1989

    A demanding classic; more a historical milestone than a smooth ride.

  31. Gradius III · 1989

    Původní arkádová verze bez ořezaných levelů, se sólovou obtížností naladěnou na mince.

  32. Motocross Maniacs · 1989

    Arcade motocross where the bike is balanced mid-jump by tilting, not simulated.

  33. Silent Service · 1989

    Ponorková válka v Pacifiku, zjednodušená pro ovladač a obývák.

  34. Space Manbow · 1989

    A Konami space shooter that surprises on the MSX2 with its agility and pace.

  35. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles · 1989

    Cowabunga! Four turtles beat down the Foot Clan with four players at once in this iconic beat 'em up.

  36. Aliens · 1990

    Dripping slime, a blinking motion tracker; a run & gun carrying the atmosphere of the Aliens film.

  37. Cyraid · 1990

    Vertical action blending gunfire with rescuing captured scientists scattered across the levels.

  38. Nemesis · 1990

    A pocket-sized Gradius with the iconic capsule system that gradually upgrades your ship and weapons.

  39. Snake's Revenge · 1990

    A Metal Gear sequel made without Kojima's knowledge; the series canon still avoids it today.

  40. Super C · 1990

    A direct sequel to Contra with another dose of ruthless run-and-gun shooting.

  41. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game · 1990

    A faithful home port of Konami's arcade beat-'em-up; one of the best licensed games on NES.

  42. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan · 1990

    One of the Game Boy's first licensed titles; the player switches between all four turtles.

  43. Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge · 1991

    Direct sequel to Adventure with smoother controls and fairer difficulty.

  44. GB

    Dragon Scroll: The Legend of Yamato Takeru · 1991

    A Konami JRPG inspired by the Japanese legend of Prince Yamato Takeru and his quest.

  45. Operation C · 1991

    Contra on a handheld that works better than it should.

  46. Parodius Da! · 1991

    A crazy parody of Konami's own games; a penguin or an octopus instead of a ship, dancing bosses.

  47. Sunset Riders · 1991

    A quartet of bounty hunters in the Wild West; a model run & gun for a group of friends on one cabinet.

  48. Super Castlevania IV · 1991

    An audiovisual showcase; a whip in eight directions.

  49. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time · 1991

    Čtyřhráčová arkáda, ze které se později stala slavná SNES hra.

  50. The Simpsons · 1991

    Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa kick villains around Springfield to rescue Maggie.

  51. Axelay · 1992

    Alternates pseudo-3D flight over a planet with side-scrolling; a technological showcase from Konami.

  52. Contra Force · 1992

    Přejmenovaná japonská hra, která si jen půjčila jméno Contra.

  53. Contra III: The Alien Wars · 1992

    The peak of run & gun on the SNES; intense.

  54. Gradius II · 1992

    A dream conversion of the arcade hit; the differences from the original are hard to spot.

  55. Gradius: The Interstellar Assault (Nemesis II) · 1992

    A classic shooter with a power-up bar; a treat for fans of the genre.

  56. Snatcher (CD, fan překlad) · 1992

    A cyberpunk noir adventure from Hideo Kojima; the CD version is considered the definitive edition.

  57. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project · 1992

    Unlike the second game, this one was made directly for NES and in many ways surpasses even the arcade original.

  58. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time · 1992

    A conversion of the great arcade beat 'em up that many fans consider even better.

  59. Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose · 1992

    Buster Bunny romps through a wild platformer based on the show; an underrated gem from Konami.

  60. X-Men · 1992

    Six players at once on one machine; Marvel's mutants in a perfect cooperative brawl.

  61. Akumajou Dracula · 1993

    Castlevania rebuilt from the ground up, long unavailable in the West; a larger castle.

  62. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (CD) · 1993

    The legendary CD entry that was long only whispered about in the West; the peak of classic Castlevania.

  63. Kid Dracula · 1993

    A lighthearted, funny Castlevania spin-off. A hidden Konami treasure.

  64. Nemesis '90 Kai · 1993

    A completely reworked Gradius exclusive to the X68000; rearranged stages and new sections.

  65. Pop'n TwinBee · 1993

    A cute shmup; co-op joy.

  66. Prince of Persia · 1993

    One hour to save the princess; a port of Jordan Mechner's famous cinematic platformer.

  67. Rocket Knight Adventures · 1993

    A Konami platformer with a rocket pack; brisk and clever.

  68. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters · 1993

    A shift from beat-'em-up brawling to a Street Fighter-style 2D fighting game.

  69. Castlevania: Bloodlines · 1994

    The only MD Castlevania; fast and stylish.

  70. Contra: Hard Corps · 1994

    Brutal run & gun with branching; for hardcore players.

  71. Lethal Enforcers · 1994

    An arcade light-gun shooter about a police officer; also playable with a real toy pistol.

  72. Policenauts · 1994

    Konami's sci-fi detective story about a policeman out of hibernation; the investigation leads to an organ trade.

  73. Sparkster · 1994

    A platformer with a rocket pack for quick bursts of flight and wall-bashing charges; a sequel to Rocket Knight.

  74. The Adventures of Batman & Robin · 1994

    A run & gun based on Batman: The Animated Series; brutal difficulty and stunning visuals.

  75. Castlevania: Dracula X · 1995

    Brought the story of Rondo of Blood to the West; Richter wields the whip alongside sub-weapons.

  76. Cave Noire · 1995

    Konami roguelike with procedurally generated caves; every descent is different.

  77. Crypt Killer · 1995

    A horror light-gun shooter with a grotesque touch; collecting keys breaks up the linear formula.

  78. International Superstar Soccer Deluxe · 1995

    The benchmark of 16-bit football from Konami; for many, still the best soccer game on SNES.

  79. Gokujou Parodius · 1996

    A comedic Gradius spin-off from Konami; parody characters and bosses spoofing other games.

  80. Suikoden I & II · 1996

    Collect 108 characters; the second game is often among the best JRPGs ever.

  81. Vandal Hearts · 1996

    One of the first tactical RPGs in the West; geysers of blood and turn-based battles on a grid.

  82. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night · 1997

    The game the metroidvania genre was named after; a castle full of secret passages.

  83. Gradius Gaiden · 1997

    Exclusive to Japan - seven stages where precision decides, not firepower.

  84. Dance Dance Revolution · 1998

    Tanečního fenoménu úplně první podoba – na herní podlaze, ne na gauči doma.

  85. Metal Gear Solid · 1998

    Kojima's stealth epic; a gripping thriller reflecting on nuclear weapons and war.

  86. Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon · 1998

    Zany action adventure; cult humor.

  87. Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness · 1999

    An expanded version of the series' first 3D entry, released the very same year.

  88. Gradius IV: Fukkatsu · 1999

    Návrat Vic Viperu po deseti letech, v době, kdy žánr už ustupoval 3D.

  89. ISS Pro Evolution · 1999

    Football from Konami for connoisseurs — realistic movement and tactics instead of licenses and flash.

  90. NBA In the Zone 2000 · 1999

    NBA-licensed basketball from Konami with a fast tempo suited to the handheld.

  91. NHL Blades of Steel 2000 · 1999

    Konami's fast arcade hockey classic; pace and physical play along the boards above all.

  92. Silent Hill · 1999

    A horror game built on fog, silence, and uncertainty of mind, not on blood around the corner.

  93. Silent Scope · 1999

    A cabinet with a real optical scope — a unique sniper concept in the light-gun genre.

  94. Survival Kids · 1999

    Island survival with crafting — a forerunner of modern survival games.

  95. Azure Dreams · 2000

    An unconventional RPG: the player raises monsters from eggs and climbs a procedural tower.

  96. Drummania · 2000

    Rubber pads and a bass drum pedal simulate a drum kit; the game punishes uneven hits.

  97. ESPN International Track & Field · 2000

    Athletics competition built on button-mashing for speed - a genre defined since the eighties.

  98. MAME

    GuitarFreaks 3rdMix · 2000

    A guitar replica with three buttons and a strum bar — a direct forerunner of the Guitar Hero concept.

  99. GBC

    Guru Logi Champ · 2000

    An unassuming puzzle game from Konami with dozens of levels of rising difficulty.

  100. International Superstar Soccer 2000 · 2000

    Konami's football rival to FIFA, adapted to the handheld's buttons and screen.

  101. Metal Gear: Ghost Babel · 2000

    A full-fledged stealth Metal Gear on a handheld; surprisingly rich.

  102. beatmania IIDX 8th style · 2001

    A DJ deck with a turntable and buttons; the turntable itself doubles as a note to scratch in rhythm.

  103. Castlevania Chronicles · 2001

    A remake of the first Castlevania from the Sharp X68000, one few outside Japan knew about.

  104. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon · 2001

    A GBA launch title and a full-blooded metroidvania in the style of Symphony of the Night.

  105. Gradius Galaxies · 2001

    The Gradius series' legendary power-up bar and uncompromising difficulty, shrunk down to fit in your pocket.

  106. Konami Krazy Racers · 2001

    A kart racer with characters from across Konami's series; a clear Mario Kart inspiration.

  107. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty · 2001

    Kojima's narrative audacity - after the famous prologue, the inexperienced Raiden takes over from Snake.

  108. Silent Hill 2 · 2001

    The peak of psychological horror; monsters as the embodiment of James's repressed guilt and fear.

  109. Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams · 2001

    An exclusive Xbox version of the psychological horror game with the bonus scenario Born from a Wish.

  110. X-Men: Reign of Apocalypse · 2001

    Wolverine, Cyclops and co. against the tyrant Apocalypse in a solidly crafted action platformer.

  111. Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance · 2002

    Two more excellent metroidvanias; together with Aria, the holy trinity.

  112. Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX · 2002

    A run-and-gun tribute to Contra III from the Super Nintendo, enhanced with new exclusive sections.

  113. Contra: Shattered Soldier · 2002

    The return of a legend with a darker sci-fi story and the same brutal difficulty.

  114. Dance Dance Revolution Extreme · 2002

    An arrow platform for dancing and exercising at the same time — an unusual combination of fun and physical activity.

  115. Konami Collector's Series: Arcade Advanced · 2002

    A compilation of Konami arcade classics — Gradius, Circus Charlie, Yie Ar Kung-Fu, and more.

  116. Suikoden III · 2002

    The bold Trinity Sight system depicts a single conflict from the perspective of three different heroes.

  117. Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories · 2002

    Card duels from the anime phenomenon packaged for the first time in a full RPG framework.

  118. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow · 2003

    The pinnacle of the GBA Castlevanias; the enemy-soul system is genius.

  119. Castlevania: Lament of Innocence · 2003

    The first fully 3D Castlevania; it founded the legend of the cursed Belmont bloodline.

  120. Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance · 2003

    An expanded version of Kojima's Sons of Liberty with content the PS2 version never had at all.

  121. Silent Hill 3 · 2003

    A direct sequel to the first game - Heather is the reincarnation of Alessa and the target of the Order cult.

  122. Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner · 2003

    Fast-paced mecha action produced under the supervision of Hideo Kojima, with an opening by studio Bones.

  123. International Superstar Soccer Advance · 2004

    Compact yet deep Konami football; team editing extends the game's lifespan.

  124. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater · 2004

    Considered by many the pinnacle of the series; a Soviet jungle, camouflage, and hunting for survival.

  125. Neo Contra · 2004

    A return to the top-down view and anime stylization; the new hero Jaguar in over-the-top battles.

  126. Shaman King: Master of Spirits · 2004

    Action RPG based on the anime; spirit allies bring different Furyoku fighting styles.

  127. Suikoden IV · 2004

    Chronologically the earliest Suikoden; gathering the 108 Stars of Destiny a generation before the first game.

  128. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus · 2004

    Continues with the Battle Nexus tournament from the series; you again switch between all four turtles.

  129. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness · 2005

    A 3D sequel in the series with a Devil Forging system for controlling demons.

  130. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow · 2005

    A sequel to Aria of Sorrow with the soul system; the first Castlevania on the Nintendo DS.

  131. Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin · 2006

    Two heroes jump through painted portraits into separate themed worlds.

  132. Gradius Collection · 2006

    A portable archive of the legendary shooter with its ingenious capsule power-up system.

  133. Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles · 2007

    A Rondo of Blood remake + bonuses (including the original SotN).

  134. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 · 2007

    A simplified but recognizable version of Konami's football series, with an emphasis on teamwork.

  135. Castlevania Judgment · 2008

    The Belmonts, Alucard, and Dracula face off in a 3D arena instead of exploring the castle.

  136. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia · 2008

    The darkest of the three DS Castlevania games; a glyph system replaces classic weapons and spells.

  137. Gradius ReBirth · 2008

    A WiiWare return of the legendary shmup series with pixel art and modern explosion effects.

  138. jubeat · 2008

    A 4×4 grid of illuminated panels instead of note lanes — a visually distinct concept.

  139. Contra ReBirth · 2009

    A WiiWare tribute to classic Contra; brutal difficulty where a single hit means death.

  140. Suikoden Tierkreis · 2009

    A standalone story in the spirit of Suikoden; a world divided by twelve signs and their runes.

  141. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled · 2009

    A 3D rebirth of the classic 90s beat-'em-up; the turtles smash Kraang goons and bosses at the end.

  142. Castlevania: Harmony of Despair · 2010

    A return to the series' metroidvania roots, but built for up to seven players in co-op at once.

  143. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 · 2010

    A pocket round of the famous battle with FIFA; football for connoisseurs, played with a feel for tempo.

  144. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D · 2011

    Konami's launch football title for the handheld; the ball behaves more elaborately than in arcade-style FIFA.

  145. Mobil

    eFootball PES · 2017

    Konami's football series on mobile, eternal rival of FIFA Mobile.

  146. Super Bomberman R · 2017

    The brand's return after years of silence; the principle unchanged since the 80s — bombs, grid, explosions.

  147. Metal Gear Survive · 2018

    Survival with crafting instead of espionage; created after Hideo Kojima left Konami.

  148. Contra: Rogue Corps · 2019

    The first entry in the series without side-scrolling; instead, a top-down view and grotesque twin-stick action.

  149. Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel · 2022

    A digital rules simulator for the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG with thousands of cards from the start of the game.

  150. Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 · 2023

    Five key entries in Konami's stealth series together in one package, including development materials.

  151. Silent Hill: The Short Message · 2024

    A short, intimate probe into guilt and mental anguish - an unusually personal psychological horror.

  152. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater · 2025

    A faithful remake of Kojima's classic about Naked Snake; camouflage, CQC, and cooking food in the jungle.

  153. Suikoden I&II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars · 2025

    Two cult JRPGs with over a hundred recruitable Stars of Destiny and your own fortress.