Chapter 641 Rest of January 1996.

In January, ZAGE released two new titles for the ZEPS2 console: Super Mario World 2, developed by ZAGE Tokyo, and Kirby’s Dream Land 2, produced by ZAGE Osaka. Both games showcased the technical and creative strengths of their respective teams and set a strong tone for the company’s early-year lineup.

Following the release of these two games, Zaboru assigned additional projects to the ZAGE Osaka team. In parallel with the ongoing development of the ZEPS 3 console, both ZAGE Tokyo and Osaka were tasked with producing new titles. ZAGE Tokyo was progressing steadily on Final Fantasy 4 for the ZEPS 2, aiming for a polished and story-rich experience. Meanwhile, the Osaka team was hard at work on Street Fighter 3, targeting a February release. Looking ahead to March, ZAGE Tokyo was also preparing Arcade Soulcalibur, aiming to deliver a fast-paced, weapon-based fighting game that would complement the action-heavy lineup for early 1996.

Zaboru assigned ZAGE Osaka to begin development on Dragon Quest 4, a project inspired by Dragon Quest 6 from his previous world. The goal was to reimagine its key elements while tailoring the game for the current hardware capabilities of the ZEPS2. The project was slated for a March release, giving the Osaka team just enough time to polish the gameplay and presentation while staying true to the legacy of the Dragon Quest series.

Player Reactions for Super Mario World 2 are sold well even though the story and gameplay itself are really unexpected for the player because it felt like a completely fresh take on the Mario formula rather than just a standard sequel. Instead of racing through levels as Mario, Player played as Yoshi, tasked with safely carrying Baby Mario to the end of each stage. This change gave the game a nurturing, almost protective feel, adding a new kind of tension. The moment Baby Mario floated away in his bubble and that frantic timer started, players felt a rush to rescue him—a very different kind of “damage” mechanic that made every hit exciting and nerve-wracking.

Another reason for its appeal was the egg-throwing system, which added a layer of skill and creativity. Players could swallow enemies to turn them into eggs, then aim and throw those eggs to hit switches, knock out distant enemies, or discover hidden areas. Combined with Yoshi’s flutter jump, which let Player stay in the air a little longer, this made the platforming feel looser and more playful than the tight, fast jumps of other Mario games. These mechanics gave levels more depth, turning them into puzzles as much as obstacle courses.

The game’s visual style also stood out. Yoshi’s Island looked like a moving picture book, with crayon-like backgrounds, bold outlines, and lively animations. In the era that many developers are trying their best to create a realistic environment in this game ZAGE leaned into a bright, hand-drawn aesthetic that made the game instantly recognizable. It wasn’t just pretty; the visuals made the world feel warm and inviting, matching the more whimsical tone of the gameplay.

On top of that, the game rewarded exploration and mastery. Each level was packed with hidden flowers, red coins, and stars that contributed to a 100% completion score. Players who liked to poke into every corner found secrets everywhere, and completionists were challenged to perfect every stage. This replayability gave Yoshi’s Island a long life even after players had “beaten” the main story.

Finally, the boss battles and transformations brought variety and surprise. Kamek’s magic turning ordinary creatures into giant bosses made each encounter feel special, and morph bubbles that turned Yoshi into a helicopter, submarine, or mole kept the gameplay fresh. All of these elements combined into a game that felt inventive, charming, and full of personality—something different yet unmistakably Mario game of ZAGE. 

Next is another notable title: Kirby’s Dream Land 2. Inspired by Kirby’s Dream Land 3 from Zaboru’s previous life, the game quickly resonated with players—largely due to its charming, hand-drawn art style, reminiscent of Super Mario World 2. The pastel color palette, soft outlines, and sketchbook-like visuals gave it a warm, whimsical tone that stood out in the sea of polished digital graphics.

Another big draw was the return and expansion of animal friends. Rick the hamster, Kine the fish, and Coo , Nago the cat, Pitch the bird, and Chuchu the octopus. Each friend changed how Kirby’s copy abilities worked—sometimes drastically—allowing players to experiment with dozens of ability/partner combinations. This system made exploring levels more dynamic and gave every stage multiple ways to play.

Players also loved the addition of puzzle-like heart star objectives. Every stage had a hidden goal or character to help, and earning the heart star required figuring out the right ability or partner to bring. This mechanic gave the levels more purpose than just reaching the end, and it rewarded exploration and problem-solving. Collecting all the heart stars was necessary to unlock the game’s true final boss and ending, giving completionists a satisfying challenge.

Co-op play added to the fun. A second player could jump in as Gooey, Kirby’s blob-like friend, who had his own movement and could copy abilities too. This made it one of the few ZEPS 2 platformers that let two people play simultaneously in a non-competitive way. It turned the lighthearted stages into a shared adventure and made solving puzzles and tackling bosses more engaging.

Finally, the boss fights and hidden ending gave the game a memorable punch. The regular bosses were inventive and tied into the game’s cute-yet-odd tone, but the true final boss, Zero, was unexpectedly dark and intense, contrasting sharply with the cheerful graphics. This twist added a layer of mystery and made the game feel like it had more beneath the surface.

As for the USA team, Zaboru assigned them to focus on two key titles: Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Carmageddon, both slated for release in February. In addition to those, he added another task—developing a new PC platformer called GEX, targeted for a March release. Originally a console-first release title in his previous life, Zaboru decided to reimagine GEX as a PC-first experience in this world.

Next, Zaboru began planning sequels for several major anime franchises: Sailor Moon, Gundam, Let's & Go!!, and Pokémon. All of these projects would be handled by YaDo, which had significantly expanded its production capabilities. Thanks to its own subscription channel and some additional manpower that ZAGE just acquired like Tatsunoko and Green Leaf already fully operational under ZAGE’s umbrella—YaDo could easily divide its teams and manage multiple large-scale anime projects at once.

The animation staff was especially enthusiastic. Not only were they given more creative freedom, but they were also compensated generously. Even when overtime was required, the pay remained excellent. This combination of fair treatment, ambitious projects, and strong leadership kept morale high and production quality consistent across the board.

This development stirred tension with TV Tokyo. Before the launch of the YaDo subscription channel, ZAGE had relied heavily on TV Tokyo as its primary broadcaster for anime content. However, with YaDo now running its own platform—fully owned and operated by ZAGE—the dynamic had shifted dramatically. TV Tokyo executives, alarmed by the loss of exclusive content and viewership, urgently requested a meeting with Zaboru. They were clearly unsettled by ZAGE’s growing independence and feared losing their long-standing partnership altogether.

Now at the start of February, TV Tokyo Higher up is asking for meetings with Zaboru.

To be continue