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C3 Exclusive Interview | Bandai Namco on Tamagotchi & Nintendo

on 20.10.2006 at 11:10 User Icon

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Bandai Namco on Tamagotchi & Nintendo
Interview by Adam Riley :: Thursday, 19th October, 2006

Tamagotchi was a craze that swept the world back in the early 1990s, with people eager to raise their own little virtual pets and look after them until inevitable death. Many thought we would never hear of Tamagotchi again after the hype died down. Now it has been turned into a fully-fledged videogame franchise, with its first version selling over a million on the DS in Japan alone and its sequel cracking over 500,000 units in a very short time recently. Cubed3 was lucky enough to catch up with Bandai Namco to chat about the series...

Cubed3: Please could you tell us a little bit about your background in the videogame Industry?

Ms. Sanae Honma, Producer: I started out in sales visiting various retailers across country when I first entered the company. I was in charge of setting up pop stands and in-store displays. Later, I moved on to work in promotions where I managed and planned various gaming events.

C3: Were any of the team for this game involved in the original Tamagotchi project?

Ms. Honma: Yes. Basically, Nana On-Sha was the main developers for Tamagotchi Connexion: Corner Shop, but we added Dimps this time to the project of Corner Shop 2. Together with Nana On-Sha, we received a lot of new input.

C3: Could you please explain to our readers how this DS version of Tamagotchi differs from the original idea of looking after a small, digitised animal?

Ms. Honma: The Tamagotchi toy allows you to raise a small digital character, but we took that feature out of the DS Tamagotchi game to focus on a bigger theme of the Tamagotchis. Utilising the keywords, "grown-up" and "dreams", we've included contents that would allow the player to grow and have fun with their Tamagotchis.

C3: In what way does the game take advantage of the DS's features? Were there any problems during development or aspects that had to be left out due to time constraints?

Ms. Honma: Since our target audiences are children, we had a difficult time deciding just how much we need to explain in regards to controls and gameplay. Since we didn't want the game to be too difficult to the point where kids would give up, we spent a lot of time incorporating the stylus in a type of intuitive, hands-on gameplay where players can literally tap away through the whole game. By the way, this is also where "puchi puchi" from the title came from.

(*Note* "Puchi puchi" is a Japanese onomatopoeia indicating a popping or tapping sound. The Japanese title of Tamagotchi Connexion: Corner Shop 2 is Tamagotchi no Puchi Puchi Omisechi Gohiki Ni.)

C3: The sequel to the million selling game is due for release in Japan soon. What will be added to this new version to differentiate it from the first DS game? Will gamers be able to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for multi-player fun?

Ms. Honma: In the first instalment, we included many shops that were geared towards a female audience, such as the Flower Shop and Accessory Shop. However, in Corner Shop 2, we went with a unisex approach and included shops such as the Gas Station and Sushi Bar in an attempt to target male users as well. However, looking at recent sales results, the male and female user ratio did not dramatically change at all. I think for the next time, we will just focus on creating the game with mainly the female audience in mind. As for Wi-Fi Connectivity, we felt that the usage of Wi-Fi is still not that wide spread amongst girls in our target age group, so we decided not to include the Wi-Fi feature this time.

C3: Considering the success you have had so far with the first DS game in Japan, will you aim to keep Tamagotchi on Nintendo systems, or will a multiplatform stance be taken instead?

Ms. Honma: Since the DS is still very popular amongst girls in our target age group, as well as the overall Japanese market, we are only considering developing for Nintendo's hardware at this time.　However, if other platforms prove to be popular in the future and if we can come up with an innovative concept to incorporate the unique features of that particular hardware, we would gladly consider the possibilities.

C3: What are your thoughts on Nintendo's Wii? Would you consider developing a new version of Tamagotchi for the system, and if yes, how do you think the unique control system and features such as WiiConnect24 could be implemented?

Ms. Honma: With all the unique features that the Nintendo Wii has to offer, I think the developers would definitely like to try out various ways to work with these new features. However, I believe utilising too many new features may complicate gameplay, causing a burden on casual users. For this reason, just like what we did with the DS version, we believe it is important to keep the simple, straight-forward controls in the Wii version as well. By the way, the Wii version will not be a part of the Corner Shop series and information on this has already been released in Japan. It will be a multiplayer party game featuring a board game theme.

C3: Other than Tamagotchi projects, what else are you currently working on, or will soon start work on?

Ms. Honma: Before working on the Tamagotchi projects, I was involved in titles mainly targeted at elementary school-aged girls, such as Futari ha Puricure and Cinnamon Roll. However, looking at the Japanese market recently, there seems to be a saturation of games targeted towards the female audience. In the future, I would also like to try working on titles aimed at a male audience.

C3: What games have taken your interest recently?

Ms. Honma: I tend to like games that fall into the simulation category. At the moment, I'm playing Derby Stallion on the PSP, as well as Animal Crossing: Wild World on the DS. I also reserved my copy of Pok

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jesusraz

Reply Quote #1

Prof. Layton 2 Hands-On & Another Code: R Review Now Live!

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Many thanks must go to Ms. Honma for doing the interview and a MASSIVE thank you to the lovely Rachel at Bandai Namco Japan for helping me get it all arranged Smilie

So the exclusive Wii Tamagotchi is NOTHING to do with the Connexion Corner DS games...interesting. And it seems like it won't be deviating from Nintendo for the time being!

Cubed3 Senior Editor :: Lead Writer :: News & Interviews Editor

on 19.10.2006 at 21:11

Reply Quote #2

Wishing for a new Rival Schools!

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Good stuff Smilie

Adam is the interview legend! Smilie

jb(at)cubed3.com

on 19.10.2006 at 21:21

jesusraz

Reply Quote #3

Prof. Layton 2 Hands-On & Another Code: R Review Now Live!

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I can't keep up with them all at the moment! Smilie

C3: Were any of the team for this game involved in the original Tamagotchi project?

Ms. Honma: Yes. Basically, Nana On-Sha was the main developers for Tamagotchi Connexion: Corner Shop, but we added Dimps this time to the project of Corner Shop 2. Together with Nana On-Sha, we received a lot of new input.

That's Dimps, the folks that worked on Sonic Rush on DS, if people weren't aware.

In the first instalment, we included many shops that were geared towards a female audience, such as the Flower Shop and Accessory Shop. However, in Corner Shop 2, we went with a unisex approach and included shops such as the Gas Station and Sushi Bar in an attempt to target male users as well. However, looking at recent sales results, the male and female user ratio did not dramatically change at all. I think for the next time, we will just focus on creating the game with mainly the female audience in mind.

Confirmation of a third DS game? I THINK SO! Smilie

Cubed3 Senior Editor :: Lead Writer :: News & Interviews Editor

on 19.10.2006 at 21:25

tiamat1990

Reply Quote #4

About to board my plane. Merry Christmas everyone!

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I guess it's official...Diamond is better than Pearl.

on 19.10.2006 at 22:12

jesusraz

Reply Quote #5

Prof. Layton 2 Hands-On & Another Code: R Review Now Live!

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It's strange how they tried to skew the second game (coming to the US in Dec) towards males more, but in Japan it made no difference! Smilie

Cubed3 Senior Editor :: Lead Writer :: News & Interviews Editor

on 19.10.2006 at 22:50

Zapp

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good intervew! i cant be bothered reading all of it now coz its too late and im tired... anyway how do you get these interviews with these people!!

BRAWL CODE:
"Dan~ 3566-2989-8366"

on 19.10.2006 at 22:57

jesusraz

Reply Quote #7

Prof. Layton 2 Hands-On & Another Code: R Review Now Live!

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Well, hopefully you do get chance to at least have another flick through, Smookin! Smilie

And in answer to your question 'a lot of damn hard work!' That's how! Smilie

But people also offer them to us from time-to-time as well...

Anyway, the fact that Tamagotchi is coming as a Wii launch game in Japan is definitely a positive thing, since it's a very hot property for Bandai Namco on Nintendo systems at the moment...

Cubed3 Senior Editor :: Lead Writer :: News & Interviews Editor

on 20.10.2006 at 16:28

Zapp

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Just read the intervew! very nice indeed.. happy to know that they will kepp this on DS and they regards the DS as the better console Smilie

but like he said this is more a girls game! but anyway it looks good!
well done

BRAWL CODE:
"Dan~ 3566-2989-8366"

on 20.10.2006 at 17:12

The Croft

Reply Quote #9

Who the fuck are you when you take that mask away ?

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yes Adam you truely are the interview king.

Good to see a third DS game and a Wii launch game hopefully this will lead ro more Namco support for all Nintendo platforms

Mike Gee of iZINE said, "...The Verve, as he [Richard Ashcroft] promised, had become the greatest band in the world. Most of the critics agreed with him. Most paid due homage. The Verve were no longer the question mark or the clich?They were the statement and the definition."

on 20.10.2006 at 22:51

jesusraz

Reply Quote #10

Prof. Layton 2 Hands-On & Another Code: R Review Now Live!

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Thanks Mr. Ashcroft - cheque's in the post Smilie

Namco Bandai has just announced its drumming series for the Wii, which is a nice surprise after just getting bongo games (in the form of Donkey Konga) on the GC.

Cubed3 Senior Editor :: Lead Writer :: News & Interviews Editor

on 20.10.2006 at 23:01

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