Game Market 1983

Chapter 7

Chapter 2 part 3: Toy Company

“Really? What parts do you think need fixing?”

“First, you need to get rid of this Stop Animation technology from this LCD screen . Also, in order to enjoy a variety of games, you have to utilize a more flexible display that could handle movement, and you need to implement a cartridge system . For example…”

I took a notebook out of my backpack and started sketching with a pencil . It was exactly the design for the GamBoy that would be released by Mintendo in 1989 . Mr . Gunpei’s mouth gaped wider and wider as he saw my sketch for the GamBoy .

“W-Wait… What’s this huge space behind the LCD display for?”

“It’s for the cartridges . ”

“Ah, then this bottom part would have the power button and the speakers . The controllers are similar to the Family console released last week… Ah? Why are the buttons not flat and diagonal?”

“This is what I felt when I was playing the Game & Watch . I noticed that it would be easier to use a diagonal arrangement rather than a leveled one . I often had many experiences with pressing the wrong buttons . ”

“So that was the case…”

“For the new model, after the Game & Watch, I think this shape would do well . ”

“So it’s a ratio of 4:3 between the LCD display and the game cartridge… Do you think many games would come out for this? Mintendo isn’t that big of a company . Not all employees can be hung up on game development… If they made this device, wouldn’t they have to consistently produce new games for a few years, at the very least?”

“Mintendo would only have to produce a few iconic games like Donkey Kom . When this device gets as many sales as the Game & Watch, other companies would rush in to make the games . ”

“Ah, so what you’re thinking is…”

“Of course, they should collect the royalties from these companies . They should take about half of the software sales…”

“Ah~!!”

Mr . Gunpei exclaimed in astonishment and slapped his knees . He could not close his mouth . He was analyzing my sketch while stealthily wiping cold sweat off of his face . It was expected because the idea from the sketch was no different from seeing the exact invention that he would invent in the future .

“It’s amazing…”

Getting half of the sales revenue from the companies that made games were not that much different from direct profit . Additionally, since no one was in the mobile game making industry, any price that the company called for would be the market price .

Preempting before the competition developed for the market was that important . From the 90s onwards, NEGA and Banzai started competing with mobile devices . Additionally, judging from today, the birth of the device that originally would have been released in 89 could come out faster?

As we were heading to Kyoto, we talked a lot about the new mobile console and grew pretty close . Mr . Gunpei was greatly shocked by the fact that I was Korean . He must have thought that I was Japanese because of my impeccable accent .

-Our next terminal is Shin Osaka . We will be arriving at the Shin Osaka station soon .

As the train was nearing the destination, Mr . Gunpei looked at me with a greatly reluctant expression and asked me .

“Kang-kun, if you’re staying at Kyoto, where would you be?”

“I don’t know . I plan to temporarily stay at a hotel and go sight-seeing for a bit . There was nothing in particular to see at Tokyo; however, I heard there were a lot of eateries in Osaka, so I’m excited by the idea of visiting those eateries . ”

“Really? The people in Osaka are friendly, and there are a lot of delicious things to eat for sure . By the way… When you find a hotel, can you give a call to this number?”

I received the business card that Mr . Gunpei handed to me and blankly stared at his face . Yes, there has to be a bit of pretending from me here as well . Mr . Gunpei was brightly grinning as he saw my reaction .

“Actually, I’m the the inventor of that Game & Watch, Niseko Gunpei . I’ve realized a lot of points while talking with you today . I want to absolutely meet with Kang-kun again . Our company is located in Kyoto so please contact me when you feel comfortable . ”

“Ah, I couldn’t recognize Mr . Niseko himself; I don’t know if I made a grave mistake . ”

“Not at all . In contrast, it was a big stroke of luck for me to meet Kang-kun . I ate the delicious chicken lunch too~ haha . ”

“Then I will contact you in the near future . ”

“I’ll wait for you . ”

“Alright, then~”

We gave farewells to each other, and we walked away towards our own destination . I escaped the hot afternoon sun that was shining down upon the Osaka station by riding a taxi and moved to the hotel that I’ve already sent my luggage to .

I’ve lived here for over a month, yet my bank account of 20 billion Yen haven’t decreased at all . Just the interest from the deposit in the bank was like a stream of money that was keeping my account from ever drying up .

Ah~ I can’t wait until credit cards are invented .

I’m tired as hell carrying this raw cash around .

&

-Wang~ Wang~ Wang~ Wang~

(TL: Cry of the cicada)

‘Aish… so noisy . Let me sleep…’

-Wang~~ Wang Wang~ Wang~

These damned cicada bastards .

I, who was lying on my bed, subsequently woke up and kicked the blankets .

This was one summer in August 17th, 1983 .

This season was truly the apex out of the temperatures of the year . Thankfully, the hotel that I was staying in was built not long ago so ACs were installed in every room .

I, who thoroughly enjoyed sightseeing the Nara, Kobe, and Kyoto districts, in the meantime, took out the business card of a certain person from my wallet and looked at it .

“I enjoyed everything that need to be enjoyed for the past month . Now, should I start off by giving a call?”

I held, in my hands, the business card that I received from Mr . Gunpei, and I turned the dials on the telephone . Along with the ‘Dudududu’ sound, the numbers that were written on the dial returned to its original position . After a bit of waiting, a polite voice of a woman picked up the phone .

“Thank you for calling, this is Mintendo’s mobile game development department . ”

“Ah, excuse me . Is Mr . Niseko Gunpei available?”

“Yes Mr . Niseko is currently here, who should I say this is?”

“He’ll recognize me if you say a Korean student Kang Junhyuk is on the line for him . ”

“Okay, please wait for a moment…”

As I tapped the wooden table out of boredom, a satisfying noise rung in the room . And, after a while, I heard the fired up voice of Mr . Gunpei . His tone was full of excitement .

“Kang-kun!? Is that you? This guy, why are you calling now? Do you know how much I’ve waited for you?”

I mean, that was my decision . I would lack the weight if I called in the day after meeting .

“Have you been well? I contacted you a little late because I was sightseeing . ”

“Where are you right now?”

“I’m currently staying at a Rikuten hotel near the Nihonbashi Osaka district . ”

“That’s great . I was planning to travel to Osaka tomorrow for work anyways; can you meet me tomorrow?”

“Let’s do that . Where do you want to meet?”

“Can you tell me the contact information of your hotel? I’ll contact you before I arrive . ”

“Yes, alright . ”

&

Next morning, as I finished my breakfast and returned to my room, a call from the front desk was waiting for me . It was from Mr . Niseko Gunpei .

“Kang-kun, I plan to arrive in an hour . Is the time alright?”

“Yes, where do you want to meet?”

“You don’t have to worry about the place . I’m going to your hotel right now . ”

“What!?”

“After I received the call from you yesterday, I couldn’t sleep at all . I was anticipating what would happen when two geniuses meet today . ”

Two geniuses? Is someone coming with him? An hour later, I sat down in the hotel lobby and waited for Mr . Gunpei . Like the punctual people they were, a little later, two men came out of the taxi that stopped in front of the hotel . One was Mr . Gunpei, who I was already familiar with, and following him, was a man that looked to be in his early 30s who came in to the hotel with Mr . Gunpei .

“Kang-kun~!!”

“Mr . Niseko~ Have you been well?”

“It’s a relief that you look healthy . So, did you have fun sightseeing in Osaka?”

“Yes, as expected there were more things to see than in Tokyo . Who is the person next to you?”

“Ah, that’s right . Yo, Kumamoto, say hello . This is the youth from the train that I’ve been telling you about . ”

“How are you? My name is Kumamoto Shigeru . ”

“Kumamoto Shigeru!?”

As I unconsciously yelled his name out, Mr . Kumamoto asked me with a puzzled expression .

“Do you perhaps know me?”

“Ah, I’m sorry . This is the first time seeing you, but aren’t you the creator of Donkey Kom?”

“Yes, that’s right . So you enjoyed Donkey Kom? Thank you very much . ”

I lightly shook the hand that Mr . Kumamoto offered . I didn’t know that I would meet the legendary world famous director this fast? I thought it would be hard to meet him until I at least got into Mintendo; however, to think that Mr . Gunpei would bring him here to meet me .

Kumamoto Shigeru; even a person who isn’t familiar with games would still know the plumber Super Marigee with the mustache . On top of that, works like Karin’s Legend, Animal town, Fox Star, etc… would all be born by this person in the future .

“I’m called Kang Junhyuk . Nice to meet you, Mr . Kumamoto . ”

“Gunpei told me that I HAD to see you, so I followed him; I don’t know if we’re disturbing you by suddenly meeting like this, though . ”

Mr . Kumamoto Shigeru was 62 year old in 2015, where I was living before, and he had a rather hardened image; however, meeting him in 1983, he was a fiery young man in his 20s .

“Now~let’s not talk here and move somewhere else . It’s a bit early, but how does dinner together sound?”

“Yes, let’s do that . ”

We exited the hotel and went into another nearby hotel . After ordering a simple meal, I started a conversation with Mr . Kumamoto with a smile .

“I heard that Donkey Kom was incredibly popular in the american arcade market, congratulations . ”

“I didn’t know that my game would be successful to that extent . The American Mintendo branch requested a Rom Board that they would use in their game centers . I had nothing to do at the time, so I made the game…”

That story, I knew it too .

In 1983, Mintendo was going to debouch in the american gaming industry, and they needed a new Rom file to be used in the game center . However, the ‘We should not invest man-power into something that may or may not make profit’ mentality led Kumamoto, in the game development department, to not have much work .

He majored in engineering, which was completely different from programming, and he was able to make a character and implement DOTs by himself . Thus, he developed the theme of a King Kong saving a damsel in distress with simple levels .

That game instantly caught on fire as soon as it entered the american market, and it sparked a new hope in the arcade market that was beginning to decline . And, from that, the character Marigee, who was in the Donkey Kom game, developed into the Marigee brothers .

And the year 1985… When Super Marigee was introduced to the Family console, they moved on from the arcade industry and started focusing solely on consoles to play at home .

Mintendo started their business with the belief that 1 genius was better than 100 crooks, and that genius was the young man standing in front me .