Chapter 165: February Game Release Progress

Wednesday, January 29, 1992

Zaboru was as busy as ever, overseeing the next batch of game releases from ZAGE. The former pachinko parlor beside the main office, which he had recently acquired from Akechi, was already undergoing renovations. The cleanup process was progressing smoothly, and if everything went according to plan, the new office space would be ready for operations within two weeks—one week for cleaning and another for setting up the workspace. This expansion was crucial for ZAGE's future growth, and Zaboru knew that having a more spacious and structured work environment would boost productivity tremendously.

With the new office nearing completion, Zaboru had his hands full managing the February game releases. He had already assigned tasks to Yuna, the ZEPS Development Head, and Yugo, the Quality Control Head, ensuring that everything was on schedule for the release of four major titles:

Dragon QuestAlex Kidd in Miracle WorldRC Pro-AMDonkey Kong Jr.

Each game had its own development challenges, but Zaboru had a clear vision for their improvements.

For Dragon Quest, he focused on enhancing the original gameplay. The core mechanics remained the same, but he introduced a dedicated equipment section, inventory improvements, and better game balance. His goal was to modernize the experience without drastically changing its essence. Additionally, minor tweaks were made to the enemy difficulty scaling and in-game economy, ensuring a smoother experience for both casual and hardcore players.

For Alex Kidd in Miracle World and Donkey Kong Jr., the improvements were subtle yet effective—gameplay tweaks, improved animations, and refined level designs to make them more engaging for new players. For Alex Kidd, he adjusted some of the controls and hit detection, making movements more fluid and responsive.

However, RC Pro-AM was were Zaboru's creativity truly shined. Instead of using standard remote-controlled cars like in the original, he replaced them with Mini 4WD cars. The game would allow players to customize their Mini 4WDs with different body kits, engines, and tires while still controlling them like remote-controlled cars. This would introduce a layer of strategy as players would have to adjust their setups based on track conditions and opponent behavior.

"This is going to be amazing. RC Pro-AM with Mini 4WD? Players will love it," Zaboru smirked, already picturing how the game would captivate players. Though he wasn't planning on introducing a story-driven Mini 4WD anime-style game yet, the thought lingered in his mind for future projects. Perhaps, down the line, a dedicated Mini 4WD racing with Anime stories could be a hit.

Zaboru set the official release date for February 22, 1992, giving his team less than a month to finalize everything. He also saw this as a crucial test to see if current ZAGE could handle producing four games simultaneously—a significant milestone for the company.

After some time, he walked over to Yugo, who was deeply focused on testing and adjusting game mechanics. Yugo's work ethic, while eccentric, was unmatched. He always approached game testing with a mixture of scientific precision and chaotic excitement, often pushing mechanics to their absolute limits just to see if anything would break, and if he broke something he usually knew and was able to fix it.

"Yugo," Zaboru called out.

Yugo, still staring at his screen, responded, "Yes, Boss-sama? What's wrong?"

Zaboru smiled. "Next month, we're focusing on your game. It'll be our April release."

Yugo froze in place, turning to Zaboru as if he had just seen a ghost. Then, within seconds, he grinned maniacally and jumped at Zaboru, wrapping his arms around him in excitement.

"Thank you, Boss-sama! Thank you! You're the best!"

Zaboru, struggling to free himself, sighed. "Let me go, Yugo!"

Yugo chuckled, releasing his grip. "Oops! Got carried away." He then returned to his work with renewed enthusiasm, clearly motivated by the news. Zaboru couldn't help but smirk—he loved seeing his employees passionate about their work.

As Zaboru walked back to his office, his mind was already filled with bigger plans. ZAGE was expanding fast, and he needed to start thinking long-term.

"I need to start hiring more people once the new building is ready next week. Our team is growing, and soon, we'll need even more space."

His eyes scanned the cityscape beyond the office windows. He knew ZAGE wouldn't stay in this building forever. The company was growing rapidly, and in the coming years, he envisioned something much grander.

"There's no way ZAGE can stay confined here. Someday, we'll need our own skyscraper."

His grin widened as another bold idea struck him.

"Maybe even a ZAGE-themed amusement park? Imagine a place filled with attractions based on our games… a place where people can experience gaming in an entirely new way."

His mind was brimming with endless possibilities. Perhaps even collaborations with other industries—merchandising, movies, and even ZAGE-branded technology like handheld consoles or personal computers.

The thought of seeing millions of people enjoying his creations in various forms beyond just games excited him. He wanted to push the industry forward in ways never seen before.

But for now, he knew he had to take things one step at a time.

His next immediate focus was ensuring the February games were polished to perfection. Releasing four titles at once was no small feat, and he needed to prove to the industry that ZAGE was capable of producing high-quality content at an ambitious pace.

Smirking, he returned to his desk, ready to dive back into work, knowing that ZAGE's future was only just beginning.

To be continued...

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