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Princess Maker

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Princess Maker
MSX2 cover art
GenresSocial simulation, Raising simulation
DevelopersGainax
GeneX
CFK
PublishersGainax
CyberFront
CFK
PlatformsPC-98, MSX2, MS-DOS, FM Towns Marty, PC Engine, Saturn, 3DO, Mac, PlayStation, X68000, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Windows, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo Switch, Mobile phones
First releasePrincess Maker
May 24, 1991
Latest releasePrincess Maker: Children of Revelation
July 3, 2025

Princess Maker (プリンセスメーカー) is a series of social simulation bishōjo games where the player must act as a parental figure and raise a young girl. The series was produced by the video game and anime production company Gainax. The first Princess Maker, while popular enough to be translated into Chinese, was never released in the United States. Princess Maker 2 was translated by SoftEgg for a North American release, but this release was cancelled because publisher Intracorp went bankrupt. Princess Maker 3, Princess Maker 4, and Princess Maker 5 have subsequently been released, as did several spin-off games. The series has been translated and released in Korea (Fujitsu) and Taiwan (Kingformation). An English release of Princess Maker 2 was attempted in mid-90s, but it resulted in failure, and no games in this series were released in English until Princess Maker 2 Refine in 2016.[1] Petite Princess Yucie, an anime series loosely based on the third game but with characters from all previous games, ran for 26 episodes in 2002–2003.

The series had sold 200,000 copies by 1996,[2] and exceeded 1 million by 2005.[3]

Main series

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Princess Maker

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Princess Maker is a child-raising simulation game set in a medieval fantasy world. The player takes the role of a hero who has saved the kingdom and is entrusted with raising an orphaned girl.[4] The girl dreams of becoming a princess, and the player is responsible for guiding her upbringing from ages 10 to 18. Through the player's decisions, her future branches into many possible paths, reflecting the game's central theme that her destiny depends on how she is raised.[4]

Princess Maker was priced at ¥14,800 at the time of release,[5] equivalent to $110 in 1991 US dollars, which corresponds to $254 in 2024 dollars after accounting for inflation.

Gameplay

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The player is in charge of a war orphan, Maria, after defeating an evil demon. This game is similar to Princess Maker 2, but one cannot give pocket money to the daughter, and in this version, the player can send the daughter to town to view the people's opinions of her. The wardrobe is also much larger than the sequel. There are four sets of clothing for each season. These clothes change after aging. Therefore, there are about 28 sets of clothing the daughter can wear over the years. The Harvest Festival has a Combat Tournament and a Miss Kingdom Contest. If the daughter succeeds, her popularity will rise. There are 74 possible endings, ranging from humble jobs such as a soldier or a mason, to prestigious jobs such as Archbishop or Prime Minister, to "dark side" jobs such as prostitute or crime lord. In addition, numerous factors decide whether or not the daughter is successful at her job, whom she marries, and whether she has children of her own.

Development

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The concept for Princess Maker was developed at Gainax under the proposal of Toshio Okada and the direction and visual design of Takami Akai.[6]

According to a 2018 interview with DenfamiNicoGamer [jp], Okada proposed creating a game that would make the player cry.[6] Akai responded by framing the project as a character-raising simulation, which would emphasize emotional attachment and long-term growth instead of more conventional gameplay elements.[6]

A key design goal was allowing the daughter's personality and future to branch naturally based on player decisions, rather than forcing a single correct outcome.[6]

Influences explicitly referenced during development included simulation games such as SimCity and AquaZone. Adventure, puzzle, and combat elements were considered but ultimately subordinated to the central raising system.[6]

The developers felt that raising a girl inside a computer could feel "dangerous" if presented directly, so they relocated the concept to a fantasy setting. They explicitly compared this framing to The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, citing Kaguya-hime as a model.[6]

Akai explained that the age range of 10 to 18 years old was selected intentionally. He stated that if the girl were younger, the game would become pure childcare and would not be playable, while starting at around 18 years old would turn the game into a dating simulation rather than a child-raising game.[7]

Release history

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The original Princess Maker was first released for the PC-9801 on 24 May 1991, and later received numerous ports across Japanese computer and console platforms. Although the core gameplay remained consistent, versions differed in visual presentation, system adjustments, and the inclusion of voiced dialogue.[8]

An IBM PC version was released on 13 December 1991, faithfully reproducing the PC-9801 content despite the platform's relatively small user base in Japan.[8]

The MSX2 version followed on 31 May 1992 and was notable for being the first entry in the series to feature voiced dialogue for the daughter character, performed by Chisa Yokoyama. It is one of the later commercial releases for the MSX2, contributing to its rarity.[8] Recording was constrained by the MSX2's technical limits, with dialogue delivered in short clips lasting only a few seconds.[9] At the time, game voice acting was often discouraged within the voice acting industry, and Yokoyama was advised to avoid such roles to preserve her public image; nevertheless, she chose to accept the part.[9]

There is a fan-made English and Spanish translation for the normal MSX version.[10]

The series was also adapted for console hardware. Princess Maker 1 was released for the PC Engine CD-ROM² on 13 January 1995, featuring voiced dialogue, an official guidebook, and a bundled drama CD.[8]

A version for the Sharp X68000 was announced for release in January 1997 as a mail-order exclusive.[8] The release was reportedly limited to 500 copies and employed an unusual copy-protection method in which purchaser information was embedded in the game data, making resale or unauthorized copying impractical.[11]

Princess Maker was not selected for English localization in the 1990s due to platform constraints. According to Tim Trzepacz of SoftEgg, one contributing factor was that the game was not available in a DOS/V format, which was required by Western publishers for localization at the time.[12] Although an IBM PC release existed for limited systems such as the Teradrive, it was not considered suitable for English translation.[12]

A revised edition titled Princess Maker Refine was announced by Gainax in November 2002. The Refine Version changed in-game graphics from the original 16-color palette to 32,000-color visuals, and all voice audio was newly recorded. The daughter character was voiced by Kyoko Tsuruno, replacing the earlier recordings.[13] The Refine Edition is out for the PlayStation 2 as well as Windows.

A mobile phone version of Princess Maker, titled Princess Maker i, was released in the early 2000s through TinMachine, Inc. for Japanese feature phones. TinMachine also offered related mobile-exclusive titles, including a poker game featuring characters from the Princess Maker series.[14]

Reception

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Famitsu magazine's Reader Cross Review gave the PC Engine version of the game an 8 out of 10.[15]

Princess Maker 2

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Main article: Princess Maker 2

The second game in the series, Princess Maker 2, was released in 1993.

Princess Maker: Legend of Another World

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This 1995 game shares many similarities with Princess Maker 2 and was released for the Super NES by Takara.[16] Unlike the other games, the daughter does not have a default name, but is named Melody Blue in Go! Go! Princess.

Princess Maker 3: Fairy Tales Come True

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Gameplay

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In Princess Maker 3, the daughter is a young faery who desires to become a human princess. The player's task is to help her reach adulthood. In this version, everything said to the player's daughter and done will help determine the daughter's attitude, social status, and outlook on life. Unlike the previous game, the player has a chance to choose between six occupations. The occupation determines the player's social status in the kingdom, cash at hand, and the amount of yearly wage. The occupation will also affect various factors in the main character, starting with the attitude with which she begins. Along these lines, unlike the previous games where she was either happy, sick, or rebellious, the daughter's attitude can range from happy, to average, to worried, to spoiled. Her attitude will be determined based on both the player's job starting off (Merchant, Performer, Fallen Nobleman, Priest, Retired Knight, and Bard) and how well she is treated by the player during the game. There are 60 endings in this game ranging from the typical ones like General and Hero, to some more distinctive like Gambler and Freelancer. There are also many "magical" endings, with not only the princess ending, but princess of darkness, cats, etc. She can also marry a variety of people.

The player's daughter has a number of courses and jobs available, just like in Princess Maker 2. The courses to enhance her status include regular school, ballet class or church. All courses, save for church and fasting sessions, will challenge the daughter with a test/exam based on her status and how long she has dedicated herself to the course. The result of the test/exam will be directly proportional to the daughter's status. Once the result is announced, her reaction will depend on her overall status. The daughter's reactions vary, and it may or may not have effect on status for better or for worse. For all courses with test/exam, the daughter will have an opportunity to encounter her "rival" depending on the player's status related to the course. All courses, save for church and fasting sessions, will offer a unique rival female character. If the status related to the course is high enough, the rival may offer her friendship. Once the friendship is forged, the rival character will bring present on the character's birthday that would boost up some of her status depending on what kind of gift it is. They also would occasionally visit the player's daughter and hang out, which reduces her stress level and boosts certain personality status. School course is rather unusual as she may get a scholarship offer depending on her academic status.

Development and release

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Released in 1997, this game was originally revealed in 1994 for a summer 1995 release on PlayStation.[17] It was then unnumbered and called Princess Maker: Faery Tales Come True.

Development of Fairy Tales Come True began in earnest in October 1994, when the production staff was formally assembled. Although the title was announced around the launch period of the PlayStation, development extended for more than two years. According to Takami Akai, the game was originally planned as a comparatively small-scale project intended to take approximately ten months to complete and to occupy a position among early PlayStation releases.[18]

Development was prolonged by changes in the production structure and the decision to produce a Princess Maker title for the PlayStation before the game's concept was fully defined, leading to later course corrections and delays.[18]

Akai wrote the game's scenario himself, which accounted for most of the development workload, while artwork duties were partially delegated to staff, with Akai still drawing most character illustrations and staff handling backgrounds and costume variations.[18]

Princess Maker: Fairy Tales Come True was publicly unveiled at Tokyo Game Show 1996. The game features narration by Maria Kawamura as the Fairy Queen, with the daughter character voiced by Yukana Nogami.[19]

The game was released for the PlayStation, Windows, Dreamcast (as a collection with Princess Maker 2) and Sega Saturn. In 2019, the HD remake of the game was released on Nintendo Switch and PC.

Reception

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Princess Maker 3 was released on January 24, 1997, and achieved strong initial commercial performance, ranking first in weekly sales during its release week.[6] However, the following week saw the release of Final Fantasy VII, which quickly overwhelmed the market and came to dominate both sales charts and media coverage.[6] Developers involved later reflected that the timing of the release made it difficult for the game to maintain long-term visibility.[6]

Princess Maker 4

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Unlike past installments, Princess Maker 4 was developed by GeneX, although Takami Akai (original series creator) remained on hand as a supervisor. This time, character illustrations were handled by Tenhiro Naoto, the creator of Sister Princess. It was released in 2005 on the PlayStation 2.

Structurally, Princess Maker 4 draws much inspiration from Princess Maker 2, although an adventure mode does not exist anymore. As with PM3, full voiceovers have been recorded, including contributions from famous voice actors like Sakurai Takahiro (Prince Sharul/Charles). PM4 is highly drama-oriented. Throughout the game, there are various event scenes that offer clues about the player's daughter's past, not to mention the war between humans and non-humans and her demonic roots. This is probably what differentiates it the most from previous PM games. Another change is that most of the vice-related jobs are less "adult-oriented" as it is impossible for the daughter to receive less reputable jobs such as Cabaret Dancing or as an assassin.

The story begins when the player, a soldier, falls in love with a mysterious woman. However, she disappears, only to be found by him a few years later. She hands him the child, whose default name is Patricia, along with Cube the butler, and so his quest to fatherhood begins.

A Japanese PC version of Princess Maker 4 was released on July 28, 2006. It contains many more endings and events compared to the original.[20] A PlayStation Portable version of Princess Maker 4 was released in Japan on October 12, 2006. A Nintendo DS version of it was released with a few more endings and "extras" not released in the PC version. These extras are, like ending galleries, only accessible after finishing the first ending and credit sequence.

Earlier, there was an entirely different Princess Maker 4 in the works. Under development at Ninelives, the game was to take place in modern Tokyo rather than the medieval world featured in the final game. This project was eventually abandoned due to Akai's health issues. However, the concept went on to be the basis of Princess Maker 5, including the modern Japan setting and the fact that Cube can transform himself into a dog.

Princess Maker 5

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Main article: Princess Maker 5

Princess Maker 5 released for Windows in 2007.

Princess Maker: Children of Revelation

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Princess Maker: Children of Revelation was released into early access on Steam on July 3, 2025.[21] Developed by D-ZARD under a licensing agreement with Yonago Gainax,[22] it is the first mainline Princess Maker game to be released since Princess Maker 5 in 2007. D-ZARD expects to fully release the game in the first half of 2026.[23]

The player's daughter is Karen Daidoji, who previously appeared as the protagonist of Princess Maker Q.[21]

The project originated from fan activity within the Korean studio and reflects the continued popularity of the series in South Korea, where Princess Maker 2 achieved broad recognition beyond niche audiences.[24]

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  • Princess Maker: Legend of Another World: a Super Famicom title released on 15 December 1995. This entry featured an original science fiction setting and protagonist, while retaining a growth system largely based on Princess Maker 2, with combat redesigned as an action-based system.[8]
  • Princess Maker Pocket Daisakusen, a puzzle game using Princess Maker characters.
  • Princess Maker Go! Go! Princess, a board game using Princess Maker characters.
  • Princess Maker Q, a quiz adventure game using Princess Maker characters.
  • Princess Maker Social, an online version of Princess Maker developed by MGAME Korea.[25]
  • Princess Maker for KAKAO, a mobile app version of Princess Maker featuring previous characters and clothes.[26] Originally released in South Korea and Japan on May 2, 2014 and September 18, 2015 respectively, the game has ended service since April 30, 2022.
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Music releases

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Several official soundtrack arrangement albums were released for titles in the Princess Maker series. The arrangements were handled by members of the original game music staff, including Masahiro Kajiwara [jp].[8]

The first album, Princess Maker, was released on 21 June 1992, and features full arrangements of all 14 tracks from the game in picture CD format. Princess Maker 2 followed on 21 February 1995, containing arranged versions of 12 background music tracks from the game. A third album, Princess Maker: Yumemiru Yōsei, was released on 4 September 1996, and includes a mini drama featuring voice actress Yukana Nogami.[8]

Manga adaptations

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The Princess Maker series was adapted into manga on several occasions. Kimiko Higuchi, the wife of Takami Akai, played a prominent role in these adaptations.[8]

Published manga works include Princess Maker (released 22 June 1993 by ASCII Comics), another Princess Maker volume released by Wani Books on 10 October 1995, and Princess Maker: Yumemiru Yōsei, published by Futabasha on 28 December 1996. Additionally, Ganbare! Princess-chan, a related manga by Kimiko Higuchi, was released on 25 May 1995.[8]

Anime

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Main article: Petite Princess Yucie

The anime Petite Princess Yucie is loosely based on all the Princess Maker games, has the character of Cube from Princess Maker 2 appearing as Yucie's steward in the anime, looking nearly identical in style and design to how he appears in the game. Yucie herself looks almost identical to the character of Lisa from Princess Maker 3, including the hairstyle and unusually large forehead. The final "villain" of the anime shares the appearance of Maria, the daughter from Princess Maker 1. Ket Shi the demon cat, a minor villain in one episode, is also from Princess Maker 2, although in the game he is the god of the Wildcat tribe, and can be helpful to the player rather than harmful. Other characters in Petite Princess Yucie can undoubtedly also be found in other Princess Maker games.

Books and collectibles

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Several official strategy guides were published for the Princess Maker series, primarily by ASCII and related publishers, including guides for later console releases.[8]

Official character figures for the Princess Maker series were reportedly limited. One notable release was a resin garage kit titled Princess Maker 2 Girl, produced at 1/8 scale and released in August 1995.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Princess Maker 2 Refine coming to PC via Steam in English on October 3". Gematsu. September 22, 2016. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  2. ^ Coleman, Joseph (April 6, 1996). "Game lets men be 'virtual dads'". Fairbanks Daily News Miner. p. 8.
  3. ^ "ティンマシン、900/901 シリーズ向け育成ゲーム『プリンセスメーカー2』を配信" (PDF). TinMachine, Inc. February 14, 2005. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  4. ^ a b "プリンセスメーカー for IBM-PC/AT". GAINAX Co., LTD. Archived from the original on October 18, 1996. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  5. ^ "プリンセスメーカー". Technopolis. 117: 104. May 1992.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i "【田中圭一連載:プリンセスメーカー編】「プレイヤーを泣かそう」岡田斗司夫の発案に赤井孝美が出した答え。それは、"みんなちがってみんないい"感動できる育成シミュレーターだった【若ゲのいたり】". 電ファミニコゲーマー – ゲーム (in Japanese). March 1, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  7. ^ "育児経験者のよもやま話". ログアウト [Log Out]. No. 1. 1992.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "G'sミュージアム Vol.6 プリンセスメーカー". Dengeki G's Engine (10): 107–111. March 1997.
  9. ^ a b "横山智佐 自分の声によって ゲームの色が変わってくる という面白さ". MSX MAGAZINE 永久保存版. 3: 64–67. May 12, 2005.
  10. ^ "Princess Maker (1992, MSX2, MSX2+, Turbo-R, Microcabin) | Generation MSX". Generation-msx.nl. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  11. ^ "恐怖!!最強のコピー対策". コロころ...レトロゲーム ホビー日記 (in Japanese). June 24, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  12. ^ a b "Nuriko's Interview with Tim Trzepacz". Nuriko’s Princess Maker Nexus. Archived from the original on June 6, 2001.
  13. ^ "誕生から12年！『プリンセスメーカーリファイン版』の発売日が決定!!". 電撃オンライン. November 7, 2002. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  14. ^ "ティンマシン / プリンセスメーカーi". TinMachine.co.jp. Archived from the original on October 22, 2004.
  15. ^ 読者クロスレビュー – プリンセスメーカー1. Weekly Famitsu. No.323. Pg.39. February 24, 1995.
  16. ^ "Review: Princess Maker – Legend of Another World (Super Nintendo)". Nintendo Life. June 19, 2009. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  17. ^ "Upcoming titles for the PS-X". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 60 (published July 1994). 1994.
  18. ^ a b c "娘の生みの親『ゆめみる妖精』を聞く 赤井孝美氏に". 電擊PlayStation. 39: 22–23. January 31, 1997.
  19. ^ "東京ゲームショー'96で期待の新ソフト 「プリンセスメーカー ゆめみる妖精｣が 注目を集めました！！". GAINAX Co., LTD. Archived from the original on October 18, 1996.
  20. ^ "ITmedia +D Games：もう一度PCで娘を育てる――「プリンセスメーカー4」完全移植で発売". Plusd.itmedia.co.jp. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  21. ^ a b Stenbuck, Kite (July 4, 2025). "Princess Maker: Children of Revelation launches for PC via Steam Early Access". RPG Site. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  22. ^ Romano, Sal (January 30, 2024). "Korean studio D-ZARD developing new Princess Maker game starring Karen". Gematsu. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  23. ^ Lada, Jenni (July 28, 2025). "Preview: Princess Maker: Children of Revelation Starts With a Solid Foundation". Siliconera. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  24. ^ "［インタビュー］プリメのファンアートを描いてたら，赤井孝美氏に刺さった。「プリンセスメーカー Children of Revelation」". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). October 7, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
  25. ^ "日韩合作 网游《美少女梦工厂OL》将开发_网络游戏新闻_17173.com中国游戏第一门户站". News.17173.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  26. ^ "프린세스메이커 for Kakao". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
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Fansites and community resources

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