![]() ![]() Source: MobyGamesįollowing graduation, Takahashi applied for a position at Namco. Only the battle sequence indicated in this picture constituted a major genre evolution. It is interesting that Tales of Phantasia should come under particular criticism by Takahashi, since much of the JRPG template had been well-established in the early 1980s by Wizardryand Ultima. Many enthusiasts had been overjoyed by the greater palette of mechanics and visuals made possible by 32-bit and 64-bit consoles like the PlayStation and Nintendo 64, but Takahashi believed that this evolution compromised the simple joy and accessibility associated with the medium’s earliest decades. By the time he entered Musashino Art University in 1995 to pursue a career in sculpture, though, he had lost his interest in video games. 1975) had grown up playing Namco arcade games in Kitakyūshū, Japan during the 1980s. Though perhaps simplistic from a modern perspective, games like 1994’s Tekken required a much greater command of virtual space and character inputs than any Namco classic of the 1980s. The growing complexity of these offerings would be something of a sore spot for art student Keita Takahashi, however. Namco produced hit after hit, whether in the fighting genre (1994’s Tekken and 1998’s Soul Calibur), the racing genre (1993’s Ridge Racer), or the role-playing game genre (1995’s Tales of Phantasia). ![]() Source: Old Classic Retro Gamingīy the 1990s, the studio had followed market trends and moved away from simple arcade games in favor of more complex home console software though they still tended to develop arcade releases first through the early 1990s, console ports often followed shortly thereafter and proved more commercially successful. More details on Namco’s early history are available in Franchise Festival #30: Ridge Racer. By the middle of the 1980s, Namco had become the preeminent name in arcade entertainment through classic titles like Galaxian (1979), Pac-Man (1981), and Dig Dug (1982). Namco was founded in 1955 as amusements manufacturer Nakamura Seisakusho and would go on to create many of the most popular video games of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Where multiple years are identified, the first represents Japan and the latter represents North America unless otherwise indicated. Gamasutra‘s coverage of Keita Takahashi’s illuminating 2009 Game Developers Conference presentation is also recommended. I strongly recommend the book to anyone looking for deeper insight into the visionary Keita Takahashi to be honest, it’s equally fascinating for its peek behind the curtain at Japanese game development trends at the turn of the millennium. Hall’s unparalleled Boss Fight Books #17: Katamari Damacy (2018). Much of the Background and Katamari Damacy sections of this article owe a heavy debt to L.E. Please consider supporting that website, as its volunteers tirelessly catalog key information and art assets for an often ephemeral medium. Cover art, unless otherwise noted, is from MobyGames. This week we will be rolling up the bits and pieces of Katamari‘s history. Welcome back to Franchise Festival, where we explore and discuss noteworthy video game series from the last four decades.
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