tgs-2011
Latest
Suda 51 wants Grasshopper Manufacture to be like real grasshoppers
Grasshopper Manufacture revealed a major change in its development strategy during the Tokyo Game Show this year. Of the eight different games on display, the majority were downloadable titles, including high-profile titles like Sine Mora, Black Knight Sword and Diabolical Pitch. During the show, we managed to snag some time with Grasshopper's CEO, Goichi Suda, more commonly known as Suda 51. During our chat, we discussed Grasshopper's new direction, Sdatcher and even the possibility of a collaboration between Grasshopper and Kojima Productions. Suda's ultimate goal? For Grasshopper Manufacture to become more like actual grasshoppers.
Preview: Sine Mora and Black Knight Sword
PSN/XBLA titles Sine Mora and Black Knight Sword are the result of a new partnership between Grasshopper Manufacture and Hungarian studio Digital Reality. Of course, both games are strange, though only one of them is strange in the familiar Grasshopper Manufacture milieu. Both of them strongly suggest that this is a worthwhile collaboration. Sine Mora is a traditional side-scrolling shooter, developed by Digital Reality with assistance from GHM. "The art direction, sound design, music by Akira Yamaoka, it's all coming from Grasshopper," explained Digital Reality creative Theodore Reiker. "Digital Reality, we have a ten-member-strong team making the programming, the 3D modeling, and the game design." That art style is a steampunk-esque world of big, complicated machines, airships, and squat, gunmetal-colored planes against skies of bright Sega blue. It was originally a much darker game, but Reiker explained that Grasshopper and Digital Reality eventually came to a "consensus" that the game should look like Studio Ghibli's Porco Rosso.
The 3DS's Renegade remake is, thankfully, better than Renegade
When news came out that Million, a company made up of people who worked on River City Ransom and the other games in the Kunio-kun series, would remake the first game in said series, I found it bittersweet in the extreme(s). On the one hand, I like Kunio games a bunch; on the other hand, Renegade is not among the Kunio games I like a bunch, because I'm a reasonable human being. Here's a capsule summary of my impressions: Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-Kun Special is not flawless, but it is better than original version. Which means it's at least playable now.
How ViviTouch could change rumble technology
Rumble technology is something that we often take for granted. The simple vibration technology has been built into most video game controllers for several years now and, for many, what was once a novelty in the N64 days is now a foregone conclusion that we often don't even notice. Indeed, often the only moment I notice my controller rumbling is when I set it on the coffee table to grab a drink, only to hear it loudly clatter during a cutscene. By and large, rumble hasn't changed very much over the years, and generally relies on simple motors. Now, Artificial Muscle, a subsidiary of Bayer MaterialScience – no relation to Aperture Science, as far as we know – has created ViviTouch, and introduced a new wrinkle in rumble technology: Fidelity.
Haunt house: a visit with NanaOn-Sha
Just before TGS this year, I paid a visit to NanaOn-Sha's small studio in Tokyo's Aoyama neighborhood. The majority of the tiny studio is the meeting and testing room seen in our gallery below, where I spoke to founder Masaya Matsuura and director of development Dewi Tanner, and played a demo of the studio's upcoming XBLA game, Haunt. Despite the relatively cozy surroundings, there's room for an impressive array of Parappa and Um Jammer Lammy merchandise. Was the Lammy pillow really something that was marketed? And just outside the door, there's (barely) room for all the awards NanaOn-Sha's games have received. Improbably, there's also room for a bathtub in the small studio, something that Matsuura told me has been useful in the impossibly hot and humid summer Tokyo's experienced. "Especially this summer," he noted, "Japan has difficulty using electric power" as a result of conservation efforts following the March earthquake. They offered to let me use the bathtub, but there will unfortunately be no Joystiq review, as I declined. Past the break, Matsuura and Tanner speak about their studio, partnerships with Western companies, Haunt, and not baths.%Gallery-134204%
Army Corps of Hell: Pikminocalypse
Before the PlayStation Vita finally launches, you're going to hear a lot of people referring to Army Corps of Hell as being "like Pikmin." That's precisely how the game is being pitched. When I sat down to try the handheld title at TGS, I was told that it was essentially "Pikmin for adults." Having spent a sizable amount of time with the game, I'm more inclined to think of it as "Pikmin for adolescent boys who like to doodle on their Trapper Keepers." Which isn't a bad thing.
Rhythm Thief lifts from all the right places
The first thing I played at TGS was also one of the games I was most curious about: Sega's 3DS rhythm game Rhythm Thief & The Emperor's Treasure. I'm a fan of music games, especially those that use musical gameplay to tell an original story, like Parappa the Rapper or Gitaroo-Man. Rhythm Thief stands as a sort of fusion of this kind of "narrative music game" and Rhythm Heaven, combining the persistent storytelling of the former with the wacky variety of the latter, with some of the style of Elite Beat Agents. Which is a circuitous way of saying "this is really the kind of game I like." I'm not convinced it'll be a true classic like those others, but it has the right inspirations, at least.%Gallery-132026%
TGS 2011: Cosplayers suffer for their art
Every year, many of Japan's biggest game and anime fans put incredible time, effort and money into creating detailed costumes of their favorite characters. Then, in September, they don those costumes ... and cram themselves into the most crowded, humid place on Earth, a corridor between two halls of the Tokyo Game Show. Seriously, we were wearing regular non-costume clothes and we were sweating at all times. Join us in celebrating talent, commitment, and unhealthy zeal of these brave cosplayers by perusing our gallery of TGS 2011 cosplay. You'll see that, in Japan, people like the Yakuza games enough to dress up like its characters! Kind of amazing! %Gallery-134659% [Photos by Heidi Kemps]
The Joystiq Show - Suda 51, TGS 2011 Wrap-up
It's time to say goodbye to the Tokyo Game Show. TGS 2011 proved to be the biggest and most attended yet, and while the guys spilled the details of what they saw at the show in the two previous specials, this one is all about the Japan experience. You love hearing about Japan craziness, right? Richard, JC and Ben share a few stories about their time spent wandering the concrete jungle of Tokyo, and then it's on to an interview with Suda 51. And with that, we set our sights on TGS 2012. Part 1 (12:00) - TGS/Japan reflections Part 2 (23:06) - Interview: Suda 51 - Grasshopper Manufacture Inc Get the podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast in iTunes [Zune] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace [RSS] Add the Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Hosts: Richard Mitchell (@SenseiRAM), Ben Gilbert (@BigBossBGilbert) and JC Fletcher (@jcfletcher) Guest: Goichi Suda (@suda_51 - Grasshopper Manufature Inc) Producer: Jonathan Downin (@jonathandownin - Game Thing Daily) Music: Bust This Bust That by Professor Kliq Stream the show after the break.
Haunt preview: Spirited entertainment [update]
During a visit to NanaOn-Sha's Tokyo headquarters, I had the opportunity to try Haunt, the company's new XBLA Kinect game. And despite the superficial, high-level similarity to Rise of Nightmares -- both are "scary" Kinect games in which you can walk around freely -- Haunt couldn't be a more different experience. NanaOn-Sha founder Masaya Matsuura classified it as more of a "haunted house" experience. Think Casper. Think profoundly charming. The Haunt demo begins on rails, on a cart guided down a railway like a haunted house ride, but that's just to ease you into the game. And, like any good haunted house, as you're slowly clack-clacking your way through the halls, spooooooky ghosts and skellingtons jump out to scare you. You dodge and avoid taking damage by moving your body to one side.%Gallery-134582%
Video: Joystiq vs TGS 2011
The Tokyo Game Show is over and done but, thanks partly to some serious jetlag, we'll be trickling out a few more articles here and there over the coming days. Watch a new Joystiq "versus" video as we once again part ways with the Land of the Rising Sun. [Music: "Airbrushed" (Live at WFMU) by Anamanaguchi]
Ni no Kuni (PS3) preview: In the Pig City
Not that I expected it to, but a year after my first demo, I'm delighted to report that Ni no Kuni still looks completely gorgeous. The graphics don't seem incredibly impressive from a technical perspective -- they're actually pretty simple -- but effective use of cel-shading and good old-fashioned art design have combined to convincingly deliver the experience of wandering around in a Studio Ghibli world.
Final Fantasy XIII-2: Paradigm slightly shifted
Let's get something out of the way: I haven't played Final Fantasy XIII. Not one minute. That said, I'm fairly confident in saying that Final Fantasy XIII-2 doesn't dramatically alter the foundation laid down by XIII. I'm also very confident in saying that grasping the complexities of XIII-2's combat system during my brief play session at TGS was daunting, to say the least. Thankfully, there are only a few new wrinkles for XIII vets to absorb. Namely, there's more to explore, more ways to fight and more ... uh, time rifts to discover.
Tokyo Game Show 2011 draws largest crowd ever as show floor continues to shrink
Though shrinking booth sizes and publishers entirely skipping this year's event characterized the Tokyo Game Show, it saw its highest attendance numbers ever in 2011, according to the event's organizers. Over four days, the event drew 222,668 visitors, averaging 85K people on the two public days and 26K on the two "industry" days. TGS grew by 15,021 visitors in 2011 (3.25 percent), with each of its four days seeing individual growth as well. The next show has been scheduled for 2012, and will take place from September 20 through September 23, once again at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan. We'll be on-site for breaking news, liveblogs, and, of course, videos of Rappies. We've also got our usual list of ... alternative statistics after the break.
Xseed publishing Vanillaware's online RPG 'Grand Knights History'
XSEED has picked up Vanillaware's recent PSP release, the turn-based RPG Grand Knights History, with the intention to publish it in both UMD and digital releases this winter. Rising Star Games will publish it in Europe at an unspecified time. Vanillaware, if you can't quite place the name, is the developer of absurdly pretty 2D games like Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Odin Sphere, and the upcoming Dragon's Crown. Grand Knights History depicts a war between three European-style nations, Union, Avalon, and Logres. Players choose one of the factions, recruit teams of soldiers, and face off against the other two armies in battles that take place over 30 hours. Each team member is fully customizable. During TGS, I spoke with producer Yoshifumi Hashimoto, from development partner and publisher Marvelous, who explained the unique online functionality of this title -- the part that he thinks will help appeal to western audiences. "The way it works is you have these four parties online," composed from within a group of 32 characters you've built. "When you're online, you can take direct control of one of these; the other three will battle automatically. The other three parties are synced up to the server. But if you can't get online, all four will fight on their own." While the online play is seen as a feature to draw in western players, the choice of gameplay system displays what seems to be a uniquely Japanese view. "The reason this was chosen: we did Muramasa: The Demon Blade with Vanillaware previously," Hashimoto said, "an action game. Some people are good at action, and some people are not. So with this game -- everybody can play a turn-based battle, and so every player will be able to get through the story and see the end, which is what we wanted."%Gallery-134648%
Fine fanservice in Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy
People give Square Enix trouble for Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy, saying that the graphics are too simple and the gameplay too limited for a retail 3DS game. To those people, I say whatever. Well, I might (conditionally) agree on the second point. But mostly, whatever. Even if it is a simple implementation, it's a game that the series has needed basically since the beginning: a celebration of its memorable music. Plus, it's super cute! And fun to play!
We don't object to this Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright trailer one bit
Sure, it's all in Japanese. And sure, we're not really sure what's going on as a result, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the latest trailer for Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright on Nintendo 3DS. No plans exist for a US release yet, but Level 5 gives us hope with its recent news about Ni no Kuni. Layton next, please!
Inafune's next game was ready to show at TGS, but he wasn't
Ex-Capcom head of production Keiji Inafune has announced a couple of social titles in development at his company Comcept, and some form of involvement in a female dating sim for PSP, but he's yet to speak about anything in the console realm from his other company, Intercept. He had plans to show off his first console title since leaving Capcom in late 2010 at this year's Tokyo Game Show. So, what happened? "We decided not to," he told me this past weekend. "As for titles which aren't social games," he noted, it would be "very, very soon." He specifically pointed out that his company already had work ready to show, but due to the crowded space, he decided against it. "By the time you guys get back to North America, we might have something releasing," he said. When I told him we'd be flying back the following Monday, September 19, he just laughed and added, "That's a bit too soon, it's going to be a little longer."
Mad Catz fully responsible for relaunch of Rock Band 3
When Mad Catz re-releases Rock Band 3 this holiday, it'll be acting as sole financier on the Xbox 360-only publishing deal. "They're actually doing the retail distribution as well as marketing support, etc. They're acting as de facto publisher for the title," Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos explained to me in an interview session late last week at the Tokyo Game Show. That makes Rock Band 3 one of the first retail Xbox 360 game to be published by Mad Catz, a long-time peripheral manufacturer who is now getting into publishing on Microsoft's console. The company's second title, appropriately named War Wings: Hell Catz, is due to arrive on PCs some time in 2012. It has yet to be announced for the Xbox 360. Additionally, Mad Catz has a rugby title due out later this year. Rigopulos also noted that the relaunch is aimed at a variety of people, from new audiences who haven't ever played a Rock Band title, to "people who are still playing Rock Band 2 or Guitar Hero players who haven't even entered the genre yet." Rock Band 3 will relaunch with Mad Catz branding and peripherals for the Xbox 360 some time this holiday season.
Inafune asked to keep working on canned Mega Man projects post-Capcom; Capcom declined
When Mega Man co-creator and former head of production at Capcom Keiji Inafune vacated his long-held position late last year, it was unclear what would happen with the two projects he had just fought to get going -- a long-awaited sequel in the Mega Man Legends series and an ambitious XBLA/PSN Mega Man mashup title. Despite a brief period of support from his former employer, the two games were eventually canceled. Inafune, however, was still fighting for the games after his employment ended. "I really wanted to finish those two projects, especially Legends," Inafune told me in an interview this past weekend at the Tokyo Game Show. "It's really up to Capcom to let me do it or not, and for the moment I don't think they're gonna let me do it," he resignedly added. Apparently after leaving his position at his former employer, he requested to continue working on the project in some capacity as a contractor. Cacpom, however, wasn't interested in that idea. But rather than directly blame Capcom for canceling the two projects -- he's not into pointing fingers, as we already know -- Inafune spoke to his struggle even getting them going.
