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Chapter 575: Rest of March
🕑 Added 2025-08-12 01:55:37 +0000 UTCAfter sealing the deal with Park Woojin of Red Falcon, Zaboru continued the rest of March alongside ZAGE.
First, Zaboru, accompanied by Park Woojin and his girlfriend Ayumi, officially visited the Red Falcon offices in Korea. The visit was cordial and productive, and Zaboru left with a strong sense of confidence in Red Falcon’s operations and leadership. During his stay, he took the opportunity to study the video game markets in both Korea and China firsthand. What he saw concerned him: the once-thriving arcade scene in these countries was clearly in decline, with fewer active venues and dwindling foot traffic this Mainly because of Lacks ZAGE Video game Arcade Machine or ZAS in there . For Zaboru, this wasn’t just an observation—it was a challenge he felt compelled to address. Revitalizing the arcade industry would not only breathe new life into local gaming culture but also strengthen ZAGE’s presence in the region. He envisioned a network of modern, inviting arcade stores under the Red Falcon brand, equipped with both ZAGE hits and to attract players of all ages. Park Woojin expressed confidence that he could lead this initiative, drawing on his knowledge of local markets and business networks. Trusting his capability and enthusiasm, Zaboru formally entrusted the project to him, marking it as one of ZAGE’s key regional growth strategies.
Next, Zaboru fulfilled his promise to Ayumi by taking her on a series of thoughtful and memorable dates across both Korea and China. They explored bustling city streets, visited serene temples, and enjoyed local delicacies together, savoring every moment of their time abroad. The laughter and shared experiences brought them closer, creating memories that neither would soon forget. All the while, Zaboru was quietly working on a meaningful gift for Ayumi’s upcoming birthday in April, determined to make it something that would surprise her and reflect how much he valued their bond.
As for video games, ZAGE released two games this time: Civilization and Dragon Quest 3.
Civilization was created by the ZAGE USA team and garnered much interest from ZAGE PC fans. One of the biggest reasons players adored Civ was its depth and variety. There were plenty of civilizations to choose from, plenty of units, buildings, and technologies, which meant every playthrough could feel completely different. The game also introduced an isometric map view, making the world feel more alive and easier to navigate.
The diplomacy system was advanced, allowing for alliances, trade deals, and complex relationships with AI civilizations. Players enjoyed the fact that victory wasn’t just about military conquest—you could win through science by launching a spaceship to Alpha Centauri, through cultural dominance, or by being the last civilization standing.
The game’s city management was also deeper and more rewarding. Balancing food, production, and trade, while keeping citizens happy and preventing pollution, felt like an engaging puzzle. Players also loved the satisfaction of seeing small villages grow into sprawling, modern metropolises.
Another beloved feature was the scenario and customization tools, which let players create their own maps, historical campaigns, and even fantasy worlds. This added nearly infinite replayability.
Most importantly, players loved it because Civilization had that magical, time-vanishing quality—you’d sit down intending to play for just 30 minutes, only to look up and realize that entire hours had slipped away. It wove together long-term planning, short-term tactical decisions, and the intoxicating thrill of shaping the course of history. The blend of strategy, discovery, and immersion created a uniquely satisfying loop that made players promise themselves “just one more turn,” again and again. It was this hypnotic rhythm, paired with the sense of personal accomplishment in watching your civilization rise from humble beginnings to global dominance, that cemented its status as one of the most addictive and beloved strategy games.
As for Dragon Quest 3: Hand of the Heavenly Bride, Zaboru decided to base it on Dragon Quest 5 from his previous life. This game was developed by the Tokyo team, whose members poured an incredible amount of care into every detail.
It captured the hearts of many JRPG fans because, rather than centering solely on a single quest, Dragon Quest 3 invited players to journey with the Hero from childhood through the trials and triumphs of adulthood. Over the course of the game, players experienced deeply personal milestones—losing loved ones, building friendships, gaining strength, finding love and marrying, and eventually adventuring alongside their own children. This sweeping, multi-generational narrative gave the story a rare emotional resonance, making players feel not only like they were guiding a character but truly living that character’s life. The pacing, character development, and sense of time passing all worked together to create an experience that felt intimate and epic at the same time.
Another groundbreaking feature was the monster recruitment system. For the first time in the series, players could befriend certain monsters they fought in battle, nurture them, train them, and incorporate them into their party. While the Shin Megami Tensei series—another ZAGE RPG—had already explored a similar mechanic, its inclusion here brought a fresh layer of depth and massive replay value to Dragon Quest. This feature encouraged endless experimentation, as players mixed and matched different monster lineups, developed personal favorites, and built unique strategies around their strengths. Over time, many even grew emotionally attached to these digital allies, treating them like treasured companions. It was almost like Pokémon for the Dragon Quest series, but with the Dragon Quest world-building, making each recruited monster feel like a genuine part of the hero’s journey.
As for the gameplay itself, it remained one of the most solid and polished JRPG experiences these days . Its balance of strategic turn-based battles, meaningful exploration, and heartfelt storytelling kept players hooked from start to finish. Many fans cherished the Dragon Quest franchise not only because it was the first ZAGE RPG ever released, marking the company’s bold entry into the genre, but also because of the timeless charm and depth it brought to the adventure. With Dragon Quest 3, that admiration deepened—this installment felt like a perfected formula, a game that honored the series’ roots while expanding its scope in ways that made it feel both familiar and refreshingly new.
Next, for the ZAGE USA team, Zaboru—just as he had previously envisioned—was determined to create another standout fighting game. The project would become Guilty Gear, a title he intended to elevate to the highest standards of quality. Zaboru emphasized not only crisp and responsive gameplay but also a distinctive visual style, memorable characters, and a soundtrack that would energize every match. His goal was to craft a fighting game that feels like "Anime" . With careful planning and meticulous oversight, he targeted an end-of-April release, confident that the finished product would leave a lasting impression on both arcade and home console players.
For another significant long-term task, Zaboru tasked the ZAGE USA team with creating a brand-new 3D first-person shooter, which he decided to call Quake. This ambitious project would serve not only as a high-profile title in ZAGE’s portfolio but also as the debut platform for their new Unreal Engine, which right now was still in active development. Zaboru outlined a preliminary development window of three months, aiming for completion by the end of June. However, he made it clear to the team that quality came first—if the scope demanded more time, the deadline could be extended to ensure that Quake launched as a polished, groundbreaking experience.
As for ZAGE Osaka, Zaboru still to let them the focused task of developing Ninja Gaiden 3, allowing the team to pour all of their energy into perfecting the intense combat, level design, and cinematic flair the series was known for.
Meanwhile, the Tokyo branch, with Tamagotchi nearly complete, found themselves with extra bandwidth. Zaboru, never one to let talent go idle, gave them not one but two fresh assignments. The first was a colorful, fast-paced racing title for ZEPS: Mario Kart. Given the comparatively smaller scope of the project, he estimated two months would be enough, targeting a May release to capitalize on early summer excitement. The plan was to make it a fun, pick-up-and-play experience, perfect for both casual gamers and competitive players.
The second challenge was far more ambitious: Breath of Fire, a full-fledged JRPG. Here, Zaboru had already prepared a draft of the story, central characters, and gameplay systems, ensuring the team could jump straight into development without delays. He allotted the same two-month window, though he knew that for a role-playing game, this was aggressive—yet he trusted the Tokyo team’s efficiency and creativity.
And now, it’s early April, and ZAGE is ready to release its newest product to the world: Tamagotchi: Digimon.
To be continued
