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Posts with tag interview

A training game we could all use

A developer called Success probably knows a thing or two about achieving it. Luckily, they're planning on sharing some of those tips with you* via the newly announced Mensetsu no Tatsujin: Tenshoku-Hen, aka Interview Master. The training title is designed to help improve interview skills to assist in those looking for a job or attempting to switch careers. After you select your field of choice, a myriad of practice questions are offered up to give you go-getters a chance to hone your skills.

Most job-seekers have experienced at least one less-than-good interview in their work careers. We've had a few, uh, memorable experiences ourselves. This is definitely a training title we could have used over the years. On the fun scale, however, bartender training sounds a little more interesting.

*Unfortunately, as with many training games, "you" is probably limited to those who can speak and read Japanese. Cue fist-shaking!

Itagaki speaks with Joystiq

It's no secret that we love Tomonobu Itagaki. Just about every game he has been a part of creating has been excellent in our eyes. So, every time he speaks, we listen. That's just the way it goes. And his latest interview, with big poppa site Joystiq, is no exception.

Itagaki speaks about Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword and the choice to bring it to the DS. Apparently, he didn't do it because the DS sells like 24K gold hotcakes or because he believes it to be a superior system to the PSP (hint: he does), but because of his children. Yup, his kids wanted a game on the DS, so he obliged.

The remainder of the interview focuses on his other projects at the moment, which are for other platforms, but we suggest you read it anyway.

GeoWars producer chats up the game

Roger Carpenter, Sierra Entertainment producer, sat down with Modojo to discuss the Xbox Live port of Geometry Wars. They talk about all things, including the ability for DS owners to download a trial version of the game from the Wii (through the Wii game, natch), as well as the ability for the DS to download from another DS in the same manner. The remainder of the interview focuses more on adapting a bite-sized, $5 download into a much more fuller product, worthy of a higher price tag.

Any of you looking forward to this on the DS?


[Thanks, Cody!]

Final Fantasy IV developer interview

In celebration of the upcoming remake of Final Fantasy IV, Famitsu decided to remake a vintage interview with producer Tomoya Asano and director Takashi Tokita. No, we're kidding, it's a new interview, but we like giving Square Enix a hard time about remakery. We do that, and they take our money for games. It's an arrangement we have.

The developers discuss Yoshitaka Amano's remake of the logo, which is "really good." They also talk about the story, which Takashi Tokita is going back over: "16 years ago I was still a young man so I want to try and see if there's any parts that I feel my inexperience had a bad effect on or maybe I wasn't expressive enough at the time."

When asked why they decided to remake Final Fantasy IV after III, the two, in unison and without hesitation, yelled "CHA-CHING!" Okay, that didn't happen either.

[Via GoNintendo]

FFTA2: Preparing ourselves for disappointment

You'll find no truer supporters of the Final Fantasy Tactics franchise than the DS Fanboy staff. We've spent far too many hours with the PS1 and GBA titles to ever turn our backs to the series. Reading IGN's recent interview with Yuichi Murasawa, the director of Final Fantasy Tactics A2: The Sealed Grimoire, however, left us scratching our heads over Square Enix's handling of the upcoming SRPG. What was supposed to be a hype-building preview of the new FFTA game sounded more like a list of unimplemented features and expectations that the development team didn't meet.

FFTA's simplified, adolescent plot was one of the biggest complaints that FFT veterans had with the handheld sequel. The original game's story, in comparison, was rich with political intrigue and complex characters, enthralling players with its narrative. When asked about FFTA2's plot, Murasawa admitted that his team's goal was to once again "keep things light." Wonderful.

Though we've become accustomed to Square Enix's inadequate Nintendo WiFi support, what with Mario Hoops 3-on-3's promised-but-not-delivered online matches and Final Fantasy III's half-hearted MogNet, we were really hoping to see the FFT series' multiplayer mode expanded for internet play. According to the IGN interview, FFTA2 not only lacks online functionality, but waives the multiplayer system away altogether. Instead, we'll have a "feature that makes use of the local connection" to look forward to. Great.

The final insult lies in FFTA2's nonexistent touchscreen functionality. This feature seems perfect for the SRPG genre, enabling players to quickly maneuver units and navigate menus with a stylus, but Murasawa must not have found it to be essential. He offers this comfort towards the end of the interview, at least: "Of course, if there is ever an FTA3 [sic], we'll definitely think about it." Looking forward to it!

Comparing Square Enix's Japanese and US boxart


In a recent interview with 1UP, Square Enix's marketing communications manager gave us some insight on the process behind adapting Chocobo Tales' packaging for the US. We happen to prefer the Japanese version's modest artwork over North America's chaotic cover, but we understand that the company had a younger audience to appeal to and a different message it needed to convey.

We've collected DS covers from Square Enix's Japanese and US releases after the post break for you to compare and decide which one you like best. To its credit, the company hasn't completely mangled its DS boxarts so far (The same can't be said about Nintendo's bastardization of Hotel Dusk's cover). How do you feel about Children of Mana's simplified design? Does Final Fantasy 3's stripped packaging appeal to your western tastes? And do you agree with 1UP that publishers have been doing a better job with dressing their products?

Continue reading Comparing Square Enix's Japanese and US boxart

Everything you ever wanted to know about Zendoku

If you've heard that Zendoku is a fusion of sudoku and martial arts, you might have wondered why. We don't blame you; on the face, it certainly seems like an unusual combination, but Pocket Gamer's interview with Zendoku creator Martin Hollis reveals the inspiration behind this unusual puzzler, and much more as well. So what's the story? It's simple, really. "Sudoku needed some ninjas," Hollis said. Frankly, what doesn't need a ninja or six?

Now that the question of inspiration is out of the way, the next logical question is: how does one mix puzzles and action? In Zendoku -- which uses symbols, not numbers -- the puzzle board, if you will, is the field of combat. Completing a row, section, or column initiates an attack -- and those attacks are played out in microgames. It all sounds good on paper, but we'll have to give it a try to see if it's any fun in action. It may be promising, but sometimes you just want to finish the puzzle, you know?

Mizuguchi talks Meteos Disney Magic

This brisk Gamevideos interview with Rez, Space Channel 5, Lumines, and now Meteos: Disney Magic creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi is perfect for you if:
  • You're a huge Miz fanboy, and want to bask in his calm awesomeness
  • You don't know how Meteos works, or
  • You want to see some really great close-up videos of the new version in action
Mizuguchi discusses basic Meteos gameplay, the Brain Age/"hot dog" style orientation used in the Disney edition, and his own Disney love with an interviewer who doesn't seem to have ever heard of him and may not actually be that interested. At least she keeps her composure, which we would not be able to do, at all. Seriously, we love love love Mizuguchi and his work at Sega, UGA, and Q? Entertainment.

The video is after the post break.
[Via GoNintendo]

Continue reading Mizuguchi talks Meteos Disney Magic

DS got Miyamoto's wife into gaming, how about you?


During a rather lengthy interview with Talk Asia, Shigeru Miyamoto spoke all things gaming and all things Nintendo. Obviously, the interview focuses a bit more on Nintendo's new-comer to the console scene, the Wii, but he does mention the DS. In fact, he even goes to far as to say it is the only instrument that got his wife into gaming, stating "My wife does not play any kind of games. I have tried to make her interested with various games like Tetris, but she has never showed interest, until recently. But we're beginning to tear down the walls, starting with the Nintendo DS games."

That got us to thinking about what got people into games. Did the DS or any other handheld system get you into gaming, or have you always been a gamer and the DS just aided in that obsession?

Theme Park DS interview

He's a vampire.One of those wonderful joys that humans can't quite classify is building a really, really sweet roller coaster. Many games have provided for this need in the past, but now EA's promising Theme Park DS might allow us that satisfaction anywhere we so choose.

This in-depth interview reveals plans for country-themed parks, Wi-Fi visitation of other people's creations, a new negoiations feature, and more. Also included are some new screens and even a short little trailer.

Is anyone else oddly excited by this game? We plan to build an incomplete roller coaster, and make our friends repeatedly and wildly careen to their deaths at every opportunity. As any true gamer should.

Strategy grows up on the DS

UK site Pocket Gamer recently sat down for a pair of interviews with Sproing's Johanna Schober to discuss the upcoming DS strategy game Panzer Tactics, and the first subject on the table was Advance Wars. With Panzer Tactics, it seems Sproing set out to make a more "grown up" version of the beloved DS strategy title -- one with more depth and challenge, as well as a real historical setting, so that strategy fans would have something with a little more meat to balance against the fun of Advance Wars.

They also spent a little time discussing the online aspect of Panzer Tactics, which is easily one of the most exciting aspects of the forthcoming title. According to Schober, "The game allows you to narrow your search to certain map sizes or the amount of currency available. And before the game starts, you'll always see who you're playing with, so you can decide whether you want to enter that game or not." Further, there is a system in place to track those folks who so conveniently "disconnect" when they're not having the best game ever. That's sure to be a breath of fresh air in online DS gaming!

All the news on Panzer Tactics DS

With Panzer Tactics set to roll onto the DS this winter Nintendo site Cubed3 decided they needed the early details on the down and dirty. They sat down with CDV's Mario Kroll to get all the details on the historical strategy title, and Kroll had nothing but praise for Nintendo's handheld.

Most of the interview is given over to the push for historical accuracy. They originally wanted to include more than 350 units, but considering that some of the finer details are impossible to discern on the DS screen, and with system limitations, they cut the initial number down to about 150 unique units for the final game. They also discussed in depth how the development team worked to offer multiple solutions for dealing with those who cut and run rather than just taking a loss, and how the online component will function. For strategy fans, this is shaping up to be a must-have title.

A touching talk with Touch Detective's Jamie Ortiz

Joystiq's Ludwig Kietzmann sat down recently with Touch Detective's project lead, Jamie Ortiz, for a little hands-on. Or more likely just discussion, since we're pretty sure there's a court order floating around that keeps Ludwig at least twenty feet from everyone in the industry.

Among other topics, they discussed the challenges involved in translating a story-heavy game from Japanese into English and the changes that had to be made -- and how they tackled those challenges while remaining true to the original characters. They spent a little time exploring the art style as well, and Ortiz mentioned that the style is often compared to Tim Burton's work, but we prefer the comparison one of our readers here at DS Fanboy drew -- the style looks influenced by the work of Jhonen Vasquez, the brilliant and twisted mind behind Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Squee!, and Invader Zim.

And it seems we're not the only ones who think Funghi is somewhat questionable in shape, though the esteemed Mr. Ortiz did not seem to share our opinion. We'll leave it up to you to decide.

Sam and Max scope out the DS

It seems like just yesterday (or last week) that Telltale Games was begging for help in getting Nintendo to notice them, and now IGN is interviewing CEO Dan Connors about the possibility of bringing versions of their point-and-click adventure, Sam & Max, to both the DS and the Wii. How time flies!

For those unfamiliar with the dynamic duo, Sam and Max, an anthropomorphic dog and his "hyperactive rabbit thing" partner, first debuted in a comic book by Steve Purcell back in 1987. The pair are self-styled "freelance police" (see: private dicks) and have made cameo appearances in several LucasArts games while their creator was working there. They've also starred in their own games and television shows, as well as other comics. Recently, Telltale Games has been panting for notice by Nintendo, but did they bite off more than they can chew?

In discussing the possibility of a DS title, Connors expressed some apprehension. They love the DS at Telltale, he says (and we commend their impeccable taste), but for a small company, a project of that scope is somewhat daunting. The Wii would be easier to adapt for their style, Connors said, if only because it needs only one screen and DS games work best when they take full advantage of the handheld's capabilities. While we admire the sentiment, we hope they can grow with new support from Nintendo and manage to bring a new title to the DS.

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