Another world Game Developers in Japan`s 1991-Chapter 285 - 254 Akechi and Ayumi Games ready to submit!

Friday 18 April 1992

Zaboru continued working on his project, feeling energized by the success of ZAGE's latest advertisement campaign. The April ad had left Sonaya reeling, forcing them to tone down their once-aggressive marketing tactics. Instead of the bold claims of being "the superior console," their new campaign was subdued, barely more than a generic showcase of their upcoming games. The shift in tone was undeniable—ZAGE had rattled them.

But Zaboru had no time to dwell on Sonaya's struggles. ZAGE's April releases were progressing steadily, and while he was already brainstorming the May lineup, a more immediate matter had come up. Akechi and Ayumi had both informed him that their respective games were ready for review, and they wanted his personal feedback. Excited to see their progress, he agreed to help them. The prospect of playing fresh, innovative games from developers he trusted was something that always excited him.

Not long after, Ayumi, Akechi, and Kazu—the head engineer of Akaishidan—arrived at ZAGE headquarters. Zaboru led them to the testing room, where he would personally playtest their games. While his dedicated review team would conduct more extensive evaluations later, Zaboru wanted to get a firsthand look at what they had created. If all went well, the final review results would be available by Tuesday. Both Akechi and Ayumi had opted to publish and manufacture their games independently, meaning they would only need to pay for 20ZEPS chips for the manufacture and a small percentage of sales of 5% to publish their games on ZEPS.

Ayumi was the first to step forward, her eyes shining with excitement as she handed Zaboru the game Cartridge. "Zabo! Here's my game! I've been working on it for months, and you've helped me so much along the way! Please test it!"

Zaboru smiled and nodded before booting up the game. The title screen appeared: Ultimate Bunny Race! The menu options displayed "Play," and as soon as he selected it, an 8-bit cutscene played, introducing the world of B-Unny Planet. It was a vibrant, sports-driven society where bunny people thrived on competitive racing. The different rabbit races had unique elemental abilities:

Flame Rabbit Race: FlaunnyWater Rabbit Race: WatunnyWind Rabbit Race: WinunnyThunder Rabbit Race: ThuunnyRock Rabbit Race: Rockunny

A legendary group of bunnies existed, possessing all five elements, making them the ultimate racers. The lore was charming and lighthearted, fitting for a fast-paced racing game.

The character selection screen appeared, displaying ten racers, five of which were unlocked:

Flann (Flaunny)

Anna (Watunny)

Kierr (Winunny)

Barrnie (Thuunny)

Gobo (Rockunny)

Zaboru selected Flann, and the game began. The gameplay was reminiscent of Excitebike but with a unique twist—racing was done on foot, with characters dashing, jumping over obstacles, and utilizing elemental abilities. Flann's special move, Flame Burst, allowed her to dash forward, leaving a trail of fire that burned opponents who crossed it. The courses were dynamic, featuring hazards, ramps, and special orbs that activated boosts or defensive skills. Weather conditions even changed dynamically, affecting the terrain and movement speed.

Zaboru was genuinely impressed. The game was fluid, intuitive, and—most importantly—fun. He found himself smiling as he expertly navigated the tracks. The level variety kept the gameplay fresh, from forest trails to icy tundras, each offering its own set of challenges. After a few intense rounds, he set the controller down and turned to Ayumi, beaming. "This is a fantastic game. You've really refined it well, Ayumi. I'm proud of you." He then patted her head.

Ayumi blushed at the praise, giggling as Zaboru patted her head. "Hehe, glad you liked it!"

Next was Akechi's turn. He confidently handed Zaboru the controller. "Alright, Zaboru. This is A.M.N: Agents Mutant Ninja. I took inspiration from a lot of your games while making this. I think you'll be surprised."

Zaboru raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the game's title and artwork. The character selection featured three distinct figures: a bulky shirtless warrior, a sleek black-clad modern ninja, and a man in a black suit with a high-tech helmet.

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"Hoo, what are you cooking, Akechi-san, Kazu-san?" Zaboru asked with a grin.

"You'll see," Akechi smirked.

The game began with an 8-bit cinematic introducing the story. The Demonic Cult Kimanatsu had successfully summoned monstrous entities from the Manatsu Realm, threatening to destroy humanity. In response, a secret organization known as Akaishidan was formed to hunt and exorcise these creatures. The organization's three strongest agents were introduced:

Saburou: A master ninja Practicioner of Ancient Ninjutsu and wielding the Shichou-Ken, a holy sword capable of destroying Manatsumono creatures easily.Freedrick: A U.S. agent specializing in advanced technology, equipped with a frequency gun that could shatter the demonic forces.Madarip: An ancient warrior that was Sealed by Kimanatsu Cult in the past whose mutated DNA made him physically superior, possessing overwhelming strength and endurance.

The gameplay was an action platformer with a twist. The ability to switch characters on the fly gave it a strategic element reminiscent of G.I. Joe games in his previous life. Saburou was agile and excellent in combat, Freedrick could bypass security doors and attack from a distance, and Madarip, though slow, had incredible durability and could lift heavy objects to solve environmental puzzles or throw them to enemies. .

Zaboru played through the first few stages, quickly getting absorbed into the game's mechanics. It was well-balanced, with each character feeling distinct yet essential for progression. The level design was particularly impressive, requiring players to use all three characters strategically. For instance, certain platforms were positioned too high for Saburou to reach on his own, necessitating Madarip's strength to move a giant crate into position, creating a makeshift pathway. Some areas featured hidden mechanical switches obscured behind heavy obstacles, requiring Madarip to lift and relocate them before Freedrick could bypass the electronic locks and disable security barriers. Additionally, the bosses are incredibly creative, requiring unique strategies to defeat. The first boss, for instance, is a towering armored demon covered in thick, impervious plating. The only way to damage him is by utilizing Madarip's immense strength to hurl a massive boulder at him. However, the challenge lies in the fact that the boss continuously fires explosive projectiles in unpredictable patterns, forcing player to use Saburou to nimbly dodge the onslaught. To make matters more intense, the required boulder is locked behind a reinforced gate, which can only be accessed by Freedrick's hacking expertise. Once Freedrick successfully disables the security mechanism, player need to change to Madarip and must quickly lift and launch the boulder before the demon retaliates.

He put down the controller after beating the first boss and turned to Akechi and Kazu. "You really outdid yourselves with this one. This game is fantastic—better than I expected. I can already tell it'll be a hit."

Akechi grinned, while Kazu blushed at the praise. "I owe a lot of it to you, Zaboru," Akechi admitted. "I studied Final Fight and Z-Man for how to create unique characters with distinct abilities. I took cues from Metal Gear and Ninja Gaiden for the stealth and combat elements. And the puzzle-platforming mechanics? Those came from Super Mario Bros. 2."

Zaboru chuckled. "That's exactly how game development should be. Taking inspiration and refining ideas into something new. I love it. Keep doing this, and we'll have a gaming industry filled with amazing titles."

Kazu was visibly moved. He thought 'Zaboru-san... you really care about the industry, don't you? You're not just making games—you're making a future for gaming. Truly my idol! GOD OF VIDEO GAMES!' Kazu fanboying Zaboru like usual..

With that, he turned back to the testing room's schedule. "My review team will go over your games in detail. Expect full feedback by next week. Any issues with that?"

Akechi and Ayumi shook their heads. Ayumi then chimed "Nope! We'll wait for the results."

With that, they left, and Zaboru returned to work.

To be continued.

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