John Szczepaniak - The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers Volume 3

This digital book was redesigned from the print edition of The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers 3. Due to the complex magazine-style layouts found in the print edition, some material had to be sacrificed so it could fit into the digital format. As a result several images and footnotes were lost. This was inevitable due to the extremely limited way that Kindle functions. It would be impossible to replicate them exactly. If you enjoy the text contained within, please consider getting the print edition for the full experience. Examples of a complex layout, such as this one, are impossible on Kindle.

The

Untold History

of

Japanese Game Developers

Volume 3

By

John Szczepaniak

Published by SMG SZCZEPANIAK

Copyright 2018 by J.W. Szczepaniak

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner, except for brief quotations in a review.

The images reproduced in this book are printed under the banner of fair use as supplemental visuals to support critical and historical writing. All images (in-game screens, photo scans, posters, etc.) contained herein are copyright of their respective rights holder.

In-game images, where not taken by the author, and not attributed elsewhere, are courtesy of:

Hardcore Gaming 101 and MobyGames, used with permission.

All interviewee photographs are courtesy of Nicolas Datiche unless otherwise stated. http://www.nicolasdatiche.com/

Digital Edition: January 2021

To my brother,

Well done on the PhD,

celebration in Switzerland?

Selected Contents

Three forewords for Volume 3: Darran Jones, Casey Loe, Kurt Kalata

Author's introduction & acknowledgements

Yoshio KIYA interview

Legendary programmer who helped shape the early Japanese computer games industry. Detailed history of Falcom and its games, including creation of Legacy of the Wizard for NES, Dragon Slayer , Xanadu , Sorcerian , and the splitting off of company Quintet. World exclusive revelation on where Falcom sourced material for its in-game stories.

Henk ROGERS interview

No talk of Tetris - instead a look at the life of one of Japan's most influential developers. The creation of The Black Onyx and how it helped define the RPG genre, mind-blowing revelations about wild parties, corporate betrayal by Koei, and working with Hiroshi YAMAUCHI. (OK... There's a tiny question on Tetris for Virtual Boy.) Memorial for Allan SCARFF.

Professor Hiroshi ISHIKAWA interview

A follow-up to the interview in the last volume, with fresh information on Kagirinaki Tatakai and Brain Breaker , how the Enix game programming contests worked, plus meeting Yuji HORII. Also how machine AI will someday enslave us all!

Tecno Soft, Compile, Fupac, and 8ing chapter

The biggest chapter in the book, covering four major developers. Details on the origin, workings, and closure of Tecno Soft, Compile, and Fupac, also a look at Raizing / 8ing. Covering the origins of the survival horror and RTS genres, evolution of shmups, the Zanac series, secret messages hidden in games, the MSX range and Compile's Disc Station magazines, Compile's mascot Randar, how the company was developing an adaptation of The Last Starfighter movie, the Crush pinball series and Gunhed , Shadowrun on Mega CD, a face-off between the PC Engine and Famicom's sound capabilities, creation of Golvellius and how it was remade for a TV soap opera, plus PC-FX game development including Zeroigar , the only PC-FX shmup! There are also the design documents for MUSHA and Guardian Legend ! Plus Tecno Soft's phone line, Thunder Force V on Mega Drive, and more! Plus unreleased games! Memorial for Tomio OZONO.

Yuichi TOYAMA

Kenichi YOKOH

Mitsuakira TATSUTA

Takayuki HIRONO

Satoshi FUJISHIMA

Naosuke ARAI

Athena chapter

This seldom-discussed developer was responsible not only for the Dezaemon "make-your-own-shooter" series, but also Japan's prestigious celebrity-endorsed Kiwame mahjong series. Features detailed looks at the company origins, creation and localisation of BioMetal on SNES, plus Dezaemon , Kiwame , and a profile on Corpse Party dev Makoto KEDOUIN.

Bill SWARTZ & Kelly ROGERS

Aziz HINOSHITA

Manabu YAMANA interview

Detailed look at early Rambo licenses and the companies involved, history of Japanese computers including unreleased 3D graphics hardware for PC-98, followed by a run-through of life at Chunsoft and working on the Dragon Quest series, its localisation into Dragon Warrior , the perception of head/body ratio preferences in America, and the origin of the "Sound Novel" genre with Otogirisou . Personal recollections of meeting Hiroshi YAMAUCHI and memorial page.

Hidenori SHIBAO interview

A life and career writing strategy books (including for Super Monkey Daibouken !), being a journalist, game designer, and dabbling in movie scripts. Detailed insight into Japanese games media. Working for Enix; the development of Paladin's Quest , Lennus II , Legend of Legaia , and the FEAR . Writing the screenplay to the movie adaptation of Otogirisou .

Squaresoft chapter

Covering the company's history from the early 1980s up to the present. Movie licenses like Alien 2 on MSX and Famicom, working alongside Hironobu SAKAGUCHI, creating Famicom music, the racist imagery in that infamous Square no Tom Sawyer game, plus developing Hanjuku Hero , Final Fantasy IV (including evolution of the series), Live-a-Live (with office sketch!), Chrono Trigger , and Parasite Eve . Memorials for Hiro ISONO and Akia SAKAI. Followed by a bonus interview with Nasir GEBELLI, courtesy of John ROMERO, with revelations on Square's earliest days! Final interview covers localisation at Square, the Enix merger, and lots of Front Mission trivia.

Takashi TOKITA

Nasir GEBELLI

Aziz HINOSHITA

Kouichi YOTSUI interview

Second part of the interview which started in Volume 1. Detailed look at Strider (with office map of Capcom!), Nostalgia 1907 (explanation on the Takeru vending machine!), Chatan Yarakuu Shanku , Cannon Dancer , and Suzuki Bakuhatsu . Lots of rare photos from Capcom's early days. Memorial for Masahiko "Patariro" KUROKAWA.

Toshinari OKA interview

Wild stories from Konami's home computer department, including laser tag in the mountains with Hideo Kojima and hurtling around Kobe on a motorbike - bags of beef bowels in tow! Stories from the making of Vampire Killer , Parodius , and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake , plus Konami's rare Picno hardware. Office maps, comics, and plenty of tech-talk!

Sega / Arzest chapter

Sega's early electro-mechanical days to the Dreamcast. Games like Samurai and Deep Scan , Zaxxon and an investigation of Ikegami Tsushinki (with response from its director of engineering!), detailed examinations of Flicky , Fantasy Zone , and Out Run , with never seen before VHS tapes! Moonwalker for arcades and Sakura Taisen 's creation. Mini-interviews with Yoshiki KAWASAKI, of Flicky , and Kunihiro SHIRAHATA of Deep Fear . Second interview reveals the designer of Alex Kidd for arcades, and goes in-depth on arcade Shinobi and its spiritual successor Crack Down . Tetris for Genesis and mini-interview with Steve HANAWA, who brought Tetris and Columns to Sega. Naoto OHSHIMA discusses Sonic the Hedgehog , the unreleased Sonic Crackers , Michael Jackson on Sonic 3 , and time travel. Manabu KUSUNOKI talks Panzer Dragoon and French artist Moebius. Kotaro HAYASHIDA has his face revealed, discussing Chainbit and Pit Pot , the creation of Alex Kidd (it was meant to be Dragon Ball !), Phantasy Star , and Zillion . Unreleased games including a GTA clone, and the untold histories of Chieko AOKI and Miki MORIMOTO. Bits on Shining Force and Landstalker . Rieko KODAMA details Phantasy Star I and IV , plus Skies of Arcadia . Memorials for Shinya NISHIGAKI and Satoru IWATA.