Monday, April 14, 1992
After a successful week following the release of ZAGE POWER!, Zaboru was ready to finalize the much-anticipated April game lineup. This month's six-title release was shaping up to be one of the most exciting yet. The momentum was strong, with fans eagerly awaiting what ZAGE would deliver next. Retailers had already placed massive orders, and the hype surrounding these releases had only grown stronger thanks to the magazine's exclusive previews.
Mega Man 2 was first on the list. This was one of the few games Zaboru considered a nearly perfect NES game in his previous life, and he had no intention of making major alterations. However, given that charge attacks had already been introduced in the Z-Man Sentai games, he decided to implement the feature in this version. It would add an extra layer of strategy without compromising the game's core identity. Aside from adjusting a few stages to refine the difficulty curve and make the experience closer to what he remembered, Zaboru planned to leave the game largely intact. To ensure everything felt right, he spent additional time testing level designs, adjusting enemy placement, and refining AI behavior to make sure Mega Man 2 would surpass the expectations of both first Megaman fans and new players alike.
Tetris required little effort. The game was already a masterpiece. All he had to do was ensure the controls felt tight and the visuals were crisp. He added a multiplayer mode where players could compete for the highest score, making it an instant party favorite. There was no need for any drastic changes—Tetris was timeless. To enhance its appeal, Zaboru introduced a ranking system where players could unlock cosmetic changes to the background and music based on their high scores. It was a minor addition, but one that would encourage replayability and high-score chases among competitive players.
Base Wars, on the other hand, was where Zaboru let loose. He had always loved the concept of goofy ah robots playing baseball, and this time, he wanted to take it to absurd new heights. While keeping the core gameplay from his previous world's version, he planned to add outrageous elements—alien invasions, cyborg umpires, and special moves that defied all logic. He wasn't even concerned about whether the game would be a commercial success. This was purely about having fun and pushing creativity to its limits. He also expanded the customization system, allowing players to modify and upgrade their robotic players between matches, giving the game a light RPG element that would add strategic depth beyond simple arcade action.
Koro-Cool was Yugo's passion project. Zaboru had worked closely with him to polish every aspect of the game, offering guidance while allowing Yugo's vision to shine through. Yugo's dedication was evident—he even stayed late to continue refining his work, only to be scolded by his twin sister, Yuna, who headed the ZAGE game development department. As head of quality control, Yugo wanted every detail to be flawless. Zaboru admired his commitment and reassured him that the game was already shaping up to be something special. This was one of the few original titles not based on anything from his previous world, and that made it all the more exciting. Wanting to ensure Koro-Cool had the best possible launch, Zaboru decided to allocate additional resources for promotional campaigns and a strategy guide within ZAGE POWER!
Phantasy Star brought a refreshing change to the RPG lineup. Instead of the traditional fantasy tropes of rescuing princesses or slaying demon kings, this was a galactic space adventure. It added diversity to ZEPS's RPG offerings, proving that the genre could go beyond medieval settings. The deep lore and turn-based combat gave players something unique to sink their teeth into. Zaboru had a deep appreciation for sci-fi RPGs and ensured the translation was handled with extra care to avoid localization issues that had plagued past RPG releases. To make the experience more immersive.
Last on the list was Aladdin. Zaboru had no interest in recreating the official NES Aladdin game from his previous world, which had been lackluster. Instead, he took inspiration from a surprisingly well-made SNES-to-NES bootleg demake that, ironically, outperformed the official release. He planned to use that as a foundation while tweaking the story and gameplay to improve the experience significantly. This was going to be his personal take on what an 8-bit Aladdin should have been.
Satisfied with his progress, Zaboru leaned back and allowed himself a brief moment of rest. The next step was producing a small TV ad to promote the April releases. It wasn't just about advertising the games—it was about taking another jab at Sonaya. He smirked at the thought. The script was already being drafted, and he made sure that it subtly mocked Sonaya's outdated game lineup while highlighting ZAGE's superiority. He knew that competition would only grow fiercer, but that only fueled his determination to stay ahead.
"I wonder how Sonaya is holding up right now? And those former ZAGE employees who left for Sonaya for higher salaries... I wonder if they're regretting their decision yet?"
With a chuckle, he turned back to his work, more motivated than ever to keep pushing ZAGE forward.
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