rpg_maker
Table of Contents
RPG Maker
RPG Tsukūru (RPGツクール),1) translated as RPG Maker, is a series of game development programs that are often published under ASCII, Enterbrain, or Kadokawa.2) The programs are Japanese in origin, but it has amassed a sizable international cult following.
Main releases
The series has released programs for numerous platforms, including consoles and handhelds, but this article mainly focuses on the 'major' titles for Microsoft Windows as these are what people are familiar with. Most of these can be legally purchased from digital storefronts (e.g. Komodo Plaza, Steam, etc.) and routinely go on sale. Naturally, be warned that compatibility issues may emerge when using older engines.
| Title | Abbr. | Release date | Download | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RPG Maker 95 RPGツクール95 | RM95 | 1997-03-28 | • Likely named after Windows 95. • Doesn't run well on a modern computer. |
|
| RPG Maker 2000 RPGツクール2000 | RM2k 2k | 2000-04-05 | Steam | • The classic! 16-bit and tiny sprites! • Sadly, it's the least intuitive of the bunch. • If you're making an RPG, use RM2k3. |
| RPG Maker 2003 RPGツクール2003 | RM2k3 2k3 | 2002-12-18 | Official Steam |
|
| RPG Maker XP RPGツクールXP | RMXP XP | 2004-07-22 | Official Steam | • The first 32-bit entry with Ruby. • I am not a fan of 'Pokémon Essentials'. |
| RPG Maker VX RPGツクールVX | RMVX VX | 2007-12-27 | Official Steam | • Avoid this. You want VX Ace instead. |
| RPG Maker VX Ace RPGツクールVX Ace | RMVXA VXA | 2011-12-15 | Official Steam | • RPG Maker VX, with improvements. • This was everywhere in the early 2010s. |
| RPG Maker MV RPGツクールMV | RMMV MV | 2015-12-17 | Official Steam | • First major cross-platform entries. • JavaScript has replaced Ruby. • As a result, you can find tons of assets. |
| RPG Maker MZ RPGツクールMZ | RMMZ MZ | 2020-08-20 | Official Steam |
List of select games
This section contains a select list of games, developed in one of these aforementioned engines, alongside the initial or full release year if documented.3) It's meant to be a 'works you might've heard of' sort of thing, so it'll sound 'mainstream' to nerds. This is not a 'personal' recommendation list. I don't have that much free time, and I'm not running a 'surreal RPG Maker horror' YouTube channel here.
RPG Maker 95 (1997)
RPG Maker 2000 (2000)
[2000]Hanayome no Kanmuri4)[2000]Don's Adventures (2000-08-20)[2003]Kumi to Kuma[2007]Yume 2kki (2007-05-26)[2008]Towelket: One More Time 3 (2008-02-XX)[2008]Violated Heroine (2008-03-13)[2009]Touhou Seiboroku (2009-02-15)[2009]Ryona Saga (2009-04-11)[2009].flow (2009-05-27)[2010]Toilet in Wonderland (2010-12-25?)[2010]7th Stand User (2010-12-25)[2011]Paranormal Syndrome (2011-10-23)[2012]Ib (original) (2012-02-27)[2012]Tsugu no Hi (original) (2012-12-22)[2013]Yanderella (2013-08-29)[2016]End Roll (2016-06-02)[2020]Tower of Hanoi (2020-11-06)[2021]As Usual. (2021-03-01)
RPG Maker 2003 (2002)
[2004]Yume Nikki (2004-06-26)[2009]Mother: Cognitive Dissonance (2009-05-09)[2012]Touhou-A-Live (2012-06-01)[2012]Very Pink Game (2012-11-17)[2013]Pen Pals (2013-01-07)[2013]Pom Gets Wi-Fi (2013-08-12)[2014]OneShot (original) (2014-06-30)[2016]The Huntress of the Hollow (2016-09-09)[2018]Cell of Empireo (2018-05-23)
RPG Maker XP (2004)
[2014]Kuro Senpai (original) (2014-03-18)[2016]OneShot (remake) (2016-12-08)
RPG Maker VX (2007)
[2012]The Witch's House (original) (2012-10-03)[2013]Chloé's Requiem (2013-10-02)[2014]Utopia (2014-06-13)[2014]Fantasy Maiden's Odd Hideout (2014-08-09)[2015]Hello Charlotte (2015-06-17)[2016]Asadoke no Majo (2016-07-22)[2018]Changed (2018-04-04)
RPG Maker VX Ace (2011)
[2013]Butsunen Sekai (2013-09-07)[2014]Dreaming Mary (2014-04-17)[2014]Five Nights at Fuckboy's (2014-11-XX)[2014]Lisa: The Painful (2014-12-15)[2016]Zeno (original) (2016-05-04)[2016]Enkon Wiegenlied (2016-07-08)[2016]Pocket Mirror (original) (2016-07-22)[2017]Black Souls (2017-07-30)[2018]Black Souls II (2018-11-10)[2021]Zeno (remake) (2021-02-05)[2024]HorrorVale (2024-10-01)
RPG Maker MV (2015)
[2016]Kuro Senpai (remake) (2016-11-22)[2017]Ruthless Smile (2017-07-28)[2018]Heartbeat (2018-12-12)[2020]Dweller's Empty Path (2020-07-10)[2020]Tsugu no Hi (remake) (2020-08-08)[2021]Cute Can Be Broken (2021-03-03)[2021]Kanbyou Gakari (2021-07-05)[2021]Nina Aquila: Legal Eagle (2021-07-09)[2022]Ib (remake) (2022-04-11)[2023]Kanji de GO! (2023-05-24)[2023]Dead Plate (2023-11-06)[2024]The Aquarium Does Not Dance (2024-02-15)
RPG Maker MZ (2020)
[2021]Ann (2021-08-26)[2023]Pocket Mirror (remake) (2023-05-18)
Notes
- You can legally sell games that were made in an RPG Maker engine, as long as you've purchased the respective license. Just remain wary of copyright infringement if you decide to go commercial.
- There used to be an official 'amateur game contest' called Contest Park from 1994 to 2008, which did boost the popularity of RPG Maker in Japan, though the engine was not a requirement.
- In the past, English translations of the older RPG Maker engines were unofficial and 'technically illegal', but certain names like KanjiHack, Don Miguel, and RPG Advocate would float around.
- Most of the games developed in RPG Maker XP or newer may be encrypted. Some people might mad if you talk about 'decrypting', no matter the reason, so keep that in mind.
See also
- WOLF RPG Editor - A free alternative from the Celestial Silfade Story developer.
External links
- RPG Maker Official (EN) - The official website for RPG Maker, formerly housed at 'tkool.jp'.
- RPG Maker Web - The semi-official English website for RPG Maker.
- Easy RPG Player - The alternative launcher for games made in RPG Maker 2000 and 2003, since it can be a hassle to troubleshoot why the 'RPG_RT.exe' file isn't working as intended.
- RPG Tsukuru on Niconico Encyclopedia
- RPG Tsukuru on Pixiv Encyclopedia
1)
The term 'tsukūru' (ツクール) is a portmanteau of 'tsukuru' (作る, lit. “make/create”) and 'tsūru' (ツール, lit. “tool”) as it was part of the Tsukūru series, thus the original 'tkool.jp' domain, before it rebranded to the Maker series in 2022. Historically, 'RPG Tsukūru' was awkwardly translated as 'RPG Tkool' by official sources, and there was a popular misconception that it was a pun on 'school' (スクール, sukūru).
2)
The series was originally created by ASCII Corporation, who gave it to the Enterbrain division. The company was then merged into Kadokawa, who originally gave it to the Kadokawa Games division until it was divested, then it was moved over to the Gotcha Gotcha Games division in the 2022 rebrand.
3)
A significant portion of RPG Maker games may continue to receive updates to this date and some of these have never entered a 'full release' state, forcing me to use their 'initial release' year if necessary. This is further complicated by games which technically released in installments spanning years.
4)
Hanayome no Kanmuri (花嫁の冠, lit. “Bridal Crown”) is one of the sample games that ASCII packaged with RPG Maker 2000. It's usually described as a simple RPG, with way too much effort put into it.
5)
The original, award-winning Corpse Party for the PC-98 was made in “RPG Tsukūru Dante98” in 1996, while Corpse Party: Rebuild is a fan-made remaster made in “RPG Maker XP” in 2011. The game's official remakes (available on numerous platforms) are technically an enhanced reboot, not made in any RPG Maker engine, thus creating a need for a recreation in an RPG Maker engine.
rpg_maker.txt · Last modified: by namelessrumia