Minus World

The work and leisure of Guilty Gear’s Ishiwatari Daisuke

Posted on Aug 15, 2016 by ollie

Arc System Works veteran and producer of the Guilty Gear series Ishiwatari Daisuke takes centre stage in the second of Toco Toco‘s special game creator-focused series, a window into both the careers and personal lives of some of Japan’s most talented gaming industry personalities.

Throught the video we’re given a tour of Ishiwatari’s work environment, meeting his fellow creator and producer of the BlazBlue series Toshimichi Mori, as well as learning about the pair’s ethic towards game creation. The video then follows Ishiwatari as he partakes in one of his favourite pastimes, walking, explaining how he uses this thinking time and the way it influences his work, as well as how the landscapes and architecture of Yokohama’s Minato Mirai area invoke memories of his childhood in South Africa.

Be sure to check out more of Toco Toco’s Japanese creator videos on their YouTube channel, and keep an eye on their Twitter feed for updates and exclusive giveaways.

Posted in People, Posts, Video | Tagged Arc System Works, Fighting Games, Guilty Gear, Japan, People, Toco Toco, Video | 1 Comment

Programmable Series – Know Your Limits

Posted on Aug 15, 2016 by Chemical Taint

Your concept is coming together and designs are falling into place – now it’s time to start implementing your game designs into something tangible. Having a hardware target in mind is a great start, but the important questions begin to build from there. Can that hardware handle your game? Do you need to support additional peripherals? Is the play intuitive on that hardware? What if you want to port to other platforms later on? As these questions pile up you’ll need to focus on the limitations of the hardware, software, and even your design.

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Currently, computers and mobile phones are the most common platforms that games are released for. This is likely because they are considered the easiest and most cost-effective to develop for. Many games of the past and even console exclusives were developed on computers and then migrated over to their ultimate console destination. Additionally, with the ease of digital distribution, this makes the most financial sense, especially for independent and small development studios. Reducing production costs allows for funds to be distributed to other aspects of a game’s development and by removing the variable of physical media, the cost of a game to both publishers and consumers can be drastically cut – if you plan to release a physical version of your game then you’ll need to consider these costs early on in development.

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Posted in Features, Posts, Programmable Series | Tagged Features, Game Development, Indie, Indie Developer, Indie Games, Programmable Series | 1 Comment

STREAM ANNOUNCEMENT – Super Mario Advance 4 e-Reader Showcase

Posted on Aug 12, 2016 by ollie

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Join us today for a live stream taking a look at an under-appreciated part of GBA Mario remake Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 unavailable in Europe until its Virtual Console re-release – the e-Reader exclusive levels, which throw Super Mario Bros. 3 convention out of the window, mixing and matching parts of various 2D Mario games to create an intriguing experience.

We’ll be going live at 4.00pm UK time and spend a couple of hours challenging a handful of the stages World-e has to offer, so feel free to subscribe to our Twitch channel and Twitter feed to make sure you don’t miss upcoming announcements and reminders about when to tune in.

Posted in Posts, Site Announcement, Stream Announcement, Video | Leave a comment

Fashion, food and fighting – Splatoon gets real in HITEYE’s Shibuya guide fanzine

Posted on Aug 8, 2016 by ollie

A new project from RAW-Fi is putting a stylish, Splatoon-inspired spin on your ordinary city guidebook. Embracing Nintendo’s squid/kid phenomenon head on, HITEYE‘s latest edition compiles the hottest locales in Shibuya – the area of Tokyo which inspired Splatoon‘s ‘Booyah Base’ hubworld – within a full-colour zine that aims to portray the district’s style and culture from the perspective of Splatoon‘s Inklings.

Be it the best places to fill up on tasty seafood, the city’s slickest styles and where to find them, or even the local weapons-of-choice for enacting your own turf wars – ink and squid transformations not included – HITEYE has you covered. Words and pictures from the resident designers, artists and writers within Shibuya’s creative coterie help bring together a chic look at a popular part of Japan from a different perspective, one which captures the trendy cultural spirit of Splatoon that has helped transform it from a fledgeling concept to a firm favourite amongst players young and old.

Unfortunately, getting hold of a copy may be no easy feat – the zine is releasing seemingly exclusively at this summer’s Comiket, which begins in a few days time, and whether or not it’ll be reprinted or available after the event is yet to be seen. We can only hope that those who won’t be in attendance will still get a shot at exploring Shibuya with a little help from a guide that’s shaping up to be worthy of even the freshest Inkling.

Be sure to take a look at the official webpage for HITEYE, where you can find out more about the inspiration behind this brilliant concept, as well as find out where to get yourself a copy should you be in the area.

Posted in Fashion, Food, Posts | Tagged Fan Works, Fashion, Food, Japan, Magazine, Nintendo, Splatoon, Zine | 1 Comment

Robotic Akira from Virtua Fighter perhaps the most terrifying thing to walk the earth

Posted on Aug 8, 2016 by ollie

When people talk about the supposedly impending ‘rise of the machines’, in which the technology we have created turns against us and rules over us with an iron, circuit-filled fist, it’s unlikely the thought that said machines will be practicing martial artists has crossed many a paranoid mind. It’s even less likely that machines donning Sega Saturn consoles on their backs would be expected to lead the charge, but if robot building fanatic Holypong‘s custom-made Akira Yuki fighting robot is anything to go by, this could very much be the case.

Based on the recently released polygonal Virtua Fighter Figmas and crafted using scaled-up, 3D printed parts, Holypong’s creation can not only take up a game-accurate fighting stance, but deliver multiple different styles of punches and movements. Whilst this particular robot is arguably ten years too early to consider any plans for world domination, it’s amazing that something of its complexity can be constructed by a single person.

For those with a liking for all things mechanical, more bizarre robot creations can be observed over at Holypong’s YouTube channel, where his robot army seems to be gradually increasing in numbers by the day…

Posted in Posts, Video | Tagged Fan Works, Fighting Games, Japan, Sega, Sega Saturn, Virtua Fighter | 1 Comment

An hour of dojin games from Comiket 90

Posted on Aug 8, 2016 by ollie

Edelweiss are back with their latest dojin and indie game trailer compilation video straight from Comic Market, the world’s largest self-published works fair held in Tokyo twice a year, which reaches its 90th instalment this summer.

Featuring more than an hour’s worth of trailers and footage from games across a plethora of genres, there’s more than likely to be something that takes your fancy amongst the selection – why not take some time to sit back and enjoy what Japan’s hobbyists and independent creative minds have to offer.

Posted in Posts, Video | Tagged Comiket, Dojin, Indie, Indie Games, Japan, Video | Leave a comment

Minus World Reading List – July 2016

Posted on Aug 2, 2016 by ollie

Nintendo have been known to take a particularly secretive approach to their internal dealings, to the extent that very few have seen the inside of their headquarters, in person or in photographs. This clip from the 1994 French documentary Otaku, which did the rounds on social media last month, throws this notion out of the window, giving us a clear yet dated window into the workspaces and environment of Nintendo employees, including Shigeru Miyamoto, as well as the attitudes and history of the company. There are quite a few cool things you might spot on Miyamoto’s desk if you pay close attention, although honestly I was expecting it to be more cluttered!

The chances are, you’ve never heard of Jake McPake. I certainly hadn’t up until very recently, yet his story is one that felt familiar, and you very likely might feel the same way. In a heartwarming piece from ex-Official Nintendo Magazine and CVG writer Chris Scullion, we learn of the origins and escapades of Jake McPake, a character created in his youth through AKI‘s WWF Wrestlemania 2000 for N64 who would carry on with him through every game with a character creator mode, rising to the top at any activity he attempted, be it football and hockey in EA sports games, or becoming the President of the United States in Saints Row.

I can completely relate to Scullion’s story, especially when it comes to wrestling and open-world games – the never-ending blood feud between ‘Switzerman’ (the human Swiss flag, naturally) and his son ‘Switzerman Jr.’ will likely rage on for many more WWE games to come, long past its origin in 2006 or so. It’s very easy to become attached to character creator-made characters, to the extent that games with the option to play as your own creation simply don’t feel right without them. I like to think that Jake McPake still has a long career of sport-playing and adventuring ahead of him.

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Posted in Features, Reading List | Tagged Features, Reading List | Leave a comment

Spend the day in Tokyo with SUDA51

Posted on Aug 1, 2016 by ollie

French web-series Toco Toco, which takes a look at Japanese culture through the eyes of the country’s creative minds, is back with a series of brand-new, new-look episodes focusing specifically on game creators. Leading the line-up is Goichi Suda, known more widely as ‘SUDA51’, who takes us on a tour of his regular haunts in Tokyo.

CEO of Grasshopper Manufacture and a former designer at Human Entertainment, he best known for his work on the likes of Fire Pro Wrestling and No More Heroes as well as cult favourites such as killer7 and Flower, Sun and Rain. The video provides some brilliant insight into Suda’s lifestyle and background, showing us not only where he works, but the places he visits to unwind and the surprising ways in which they have influenced his work and career.

Be sure to check out the Toco Toco YouTube channel and Twitter page to make sure you don’t miss out on future episodes.

Posted in People, Places, Posts, Video | Tagged Japan, People, SUDA51, Toco Toco, Video | 1 Comment

The sights, sounds and tastes of the Kirby Café

Posted on Jul 30, 2016 by ollie

By now it has become well-known on social media that next month, three Japanese cities will play host to a pop-up café themed around Nintendo’s resident eating specialist Kirby. Focused on offering a far cuter experience than in your average café, the Kirby Café will be serving up a whole host of goodies, edible and otherwise, which are sure to excite any Kirby fan.

From sweet treats modelled after the pink puffball himself to more subtle delights mixing the distinct visual flair of Dreamland’s colourful residents with appetising delicacies, it’s clear that a meticulous level of detail has been put into bringing this idea together, one that will most likely lend itself well to a memorable café experience. As well as Kirby cuisine, a selection of exclusive merchandise will be available to purchase, including fashion items, stationary and even home furnishings.

Also recently unveiled, along with a number of visuals and promotional images on Twitter (pictured above), is a special soundtrack assembled for the three Kirby Café locations, two of which will feature a café and shop (Tokyo and Osaka) whilst the other (Nagoya) simply featuring the merchandise selection. Samples of all 12 tracks, which put a light, jazzy spin on a number of iconic pieces of music from Kirby history, can be heard on the official website, with a CD available to purchase on location to bring the sounds home with you.

If you want to learn more about the café, see sneak peaks of the dishes on offer, and if you’re in Japan, find out when you can experience it for yourself, be sure to take a look at the official website and Twitter page. Don’t forget to take in the spectacular design spread across the website – the attention to detail is very impressive!

Posted in Food, Merchandise, Posts | Tagged Food, Japan, Kirby, Merchandise, Nintendo | Leave a comment

Branching Paths – A captivating journey through Japan’s indie game scene

Posted on Jul 29, 2016 by ollie

In the last decade or so, indie games have become a big deal. The people and teams who work to create their own unique gaming experiences, as well as the culture surrounding them, have caught the attention of gamers, media and publishers alike around the world, proving that with modern day development and distribution methods, great games can come from unlikely places.

However, whilst renowned for being the birthplace of many present day video game companies, as well as some of the most iconic and revered franchises in entertainment, let alone gaming history, indie gaming is viewed from a different perspective in Japan. Arguably less prolific than its international counterparts and with full recognition by the press and wider gaming community yet to reach its peak, those who choose to pursue a career in independent game creation are destined to walk an unfamiliar yet thoroughly exciting path. Branching Paths, a feature-length documentary from Anne Ferrero, seeks to chart this journey, looking at the people, places, culture and stories that come together to create Japan’s indie game scene.

The film follows Ferrero’s two year experience with the Japanese indie scene, meeting and charting developers of a variety of backgrounds, from hardened industry veterans such as Keiji Inafune and Koji ‘IGA’ Igarashi, to the likes of university graduate Ojiro Fumoto, creator of the critically acclaimed Downwell – this creates a diverse and thought-provoking perspective by demonstrating the varying approaches to indie development in Japan, sharing the thoughts of those who are new to game development as well as those whose careers have fortuitously taken them in this direction. As well as Japanese developers, the film also takes the time to hear from western indie devs working with or in Japan, contemplating their thoughts on the surprising contrast between Japanese and western attitudes to the indie movement, as well as their involvement in bringing Japanese indie games to a wider, international audience.

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