Another world Game Developers in Japan`s 1991

Saturday, February 22, 1992

Sawada, now a proud employee of ZAGE, was ecstatic as he brought home four brand-new games released that very day. Thanks to his position at the company, he had the privilege of purchasing the games directly from the office at a slight employee discount. However, ZAGE had a policy in place—each employee could only buy one copy of each game to prevent resellers from taking advantage of the system.

He eagerly purchased all the newest releases, which included Dragon Quest, Donkey Kong JR, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, and RC Pro-Am. His heart was set on playing Donkey Kong JR first. It was, after all, the sequel to the very first game he had ever played on ZEPS. The nostalgia hit him hard, and he couldn't wait to experience the next chapter in the saga.

"I can't wait to play Donkey Kong JR again!" he exclaimed, practically running home in excitement.

The moment he arrived home, he wasted no time setting everything up. He turned on his ZEPS console, connected it to the TV, and eagerly unboxed the Donkey Kong JR package. Inside the box, he found the usual items: the game cartridge, an instruction manual, ZEPS Volume 6—a flyer showcasing new and previous releases—and an expected black-and-gray Z Card. The card had an usual cryptic message written on it:

"When the plumber becomes unusually aggressive, you will see me."

Sawada raised an eyebrow. "When the plumber becomes unusually aggressive? Does that mean Mario is aggressive now? Wait… isn't he supposed to be the hero? Does this mean I can't play aggressively to meet Zabo-man?"

Confused but intrigued, he inserted the cartridge and booted up the game. To his shock, Mario wasn't the protagonist anymore—he was the villain! This time, the main character was a small ape, Donkey Kong's son, who was on a mission to rescue his father, who had been imprisoned by Mario.

"What?! Mario is the villain now? Hahaha, well, this is unexpected!" Sawada laughed, finding the twist amusing. Although he was part of the development team, he was still new at ZAGE and hadn't been involved in testing yet, making this a complete surprise for him.

Excited, he dove into the game. The core mechanics were different from the original Donkey Kong. The levels were now filled with a variety of new enemies, and Donkey Kong JR had to navigate through tricky platforming sections, dodging hazards and strategically moving across the stage.

Sawada quickly noticed the game was significantly harder than its predecessor. The enemies were relentless, requiring precision timing to evade. He found himself struggling against one particular enemy—a red crab that blocked his path repeatedly.

"DAMN! That red crab! What a load of bullshit!" he shouted, gripping his controller tightly.

Despite the challenge, Sawada appreciated the game's improved mechanics. His boss, Zaboru, had clearly put effort into refining the experience. Donkey Kong JR introduced new power-ups that helped balance the difficulty. There were light fruits that allowed Diddy Kong to jump higher and throwing weapons he could use to eliminate enemies from a distance.

After several frustrating attempts, he finally beat the first stage. The moment was cathartic—Diddy Kong landed a solid punch straight into Mario's face, knocking him back and freeing Donkey Kong from his chains.

"Haha! This is amazing! It actually feels great to punch Mario in the face for once! Hahaha!" Sawada laughed, relishing the role reversal.

Progressing Further

Encouraged by his victory, Sawada pressed forward. The next stage introduced even more challenges—moving platforms, vine-swinging mechanics, and enemies that required strategic planning to overcome. The game wasn't just harder; it was smarter. Each new level introduced fresh obstacles that kept the experience engaging.

Hours passed as Sawada lost himself in the game, completely absorbed by the adventure. He encountered new enemy types, including robotic turtles and flying koopas, each requiring different strategies to defeat. Some areas required split-second timing, while others challenged him to memorize movement patterns. It was a true test of patience and skill.

Eventually, he reached a particular stage where Mario, now furious, sent a relentless army of enemies after him. The screen was flooded with obstacles, making every movement critical. Sawada found himself sweating as he narrowly dodged incoming attacks, trying to outmaneuver Mario's cruel traps.

"Holy crap, this is insane! This shit!—it's brutal!" he muttered, gripping his controller as his heart pounded.

Then, suddenly, Mario's speed increased again! His attacks became relentless, moving at an almost impossible pace. Sawada braced himself, expecting another crushing defeat—until, out of nowhere, a black-coated figure with a gray helmet with shining blue visors appeared on the screen. The mysterious character leaped forward and landed a powerful punch squarely on Mario's face, sending him flying backward and stunned"

A message appeared on the screen in bold letters: "You Are Very Cool!"

Sawada burst into laughter. "Hahaha! It's Zabo-Man!" He had completely forgotten about the cryptic message on the Z Card. So this was what it meant—Zabo-Man would appear if Mario became unusually aggressive!

The unexpected cameo filled him with renewed excitement. After dozens of attempts, he finally managed to clear the strange level, feeling an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. The game was punishing, but it was also addicting and the soundtrack was very catchy. Every failure only made him more determined to push forward, eager to see what other surprises the game had in store.

To be continued…

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