Friday 11 August 1997.
As Diablo 2 wrapped up development and Zaboru finished assigning follow-up tasks to his Team Tempest, he decided to return to Japan for a short while. His return marked a shift in focus as the official development of Tenchu by the ZAGE Japan division—Team IZAN—was entering its final phase. Unlike typical ZAGE release schedules, this particular launch was happening unusually early in the month. Tomorrow, Saturday, 12 August 1997, Tenchu would be officially released.
The reason behind this timing was strategic: Tenchu was launching alongside Diablo 2, allowing players to experience both titles concurrently. Zaboru envisioned a dual-impact release weekend that would dominate player attention across multiple genres—action-stealth with Tenchu and dark fantasy RPG with Diablo 2.
Not long after, Zaboru held a celebratory event with Team IZAN to honor the completion of Tenchu. The atmosphere was electric—cheers filled the air, laughter echoed through the halls, and the entire team was in high spirits. It was a rare and well-deserved moment of relief and camaraderie. Team members shared food, drinks, and stories of late-night coding marathons and last-minute breakthroughs. Everyone knew they had accomplished something great, and the pride in their work showed on their faces.
Employees were not only excited about what they had created, but also eager about the promised bonuses, which had become a ZAGE tradition following successful project completions. The room buzzed with both gratitude and motivation, as many whispered among themselves about what might come next.
After the celebration died down and the music faded out, Zaboru gathered with Team IZAN's top leadership—Satoru Iwata and Eiji Aonuma. Together, they walked through the halls of the ZAGE TOWER, eventually arriving at the meeting room where Zaboru would present their next mission. The energy hadn't faded—it had simply shifted, from the joy of success to the anticipation of a new challenge ahead.
"Okay everyone, thank you for being here today," Zaboru began, his tone warm and energized. "Once again, I want to congratulate Team IZAN for delivering their task flawlessly. Your leadership, dedication, and attention to detail made this possible." He smiled proudly, scanning the room before continuing.
"But as we all know, we're ZAGE. And if there's one thing we never do, it's idle. If we're standing still, then we're no longer ZAGE—that's the truth." He paused for emphasis, then held up a thick presentation folder. "With that said, I've brought you the concept for our next game. It's here, and I'm excited to show you where we're headed next."
Zaboru then handed out a folder to each participant seated around the table. As they opened them, they quickly noticed the title of the game printed on the cover: "Mario Party." A few eyebrows raised at the name—it was catchy, playful, and immediately sparked curiosity. It didn't sound like a traditional Mario title, and that intrigued them.
"First of all," Zaboru began with a smile, "this is not a sequel to Mario 64. It's something entirely different—this is a brand-new game concept." He waited for a moment as the participants leaned in, now more engaged. "This game will be a multiplayer-based experience designed for up to four players to enjoy together."
The room stirred with interest as team members began flipping through the folders, scanning the concept art, game mechanics, and sample mini-game outlines. Zaboru continued, pacing slightly as he spoke with growing excitement. "It's going to be a party game at its core—lighthearted, competitive, and full of surprises. Think of it as a celebration of the Mario universe, brought to life in a way we haven't done before."
"Basically, the game plays like a digital board game featuring Mario and his friends—Mario, Luigi, and others. Up to four players take turns rolling dice, moving across themed game boards, collecting coins and Stars, and competing in mini-games after each round. The main objective is simple: collect the most Stars before the game ends and emerge as the winner," Zaboru explained with a confident smile.
He continued with enthusiasm, "Yes, at its heart, this game is a collection of mini-games—but not just a few. We're planning to include more than 50 mini-games in the initial release alone. And it doesn't stop there—each round presents a random mini-game, selected through a dice-based draw system. The variety keeps things fresh, unpredictable, and exciting every single time."
Zaboru paced slowly as the team leaned in closer. "What makes this project really unique," he added, "is the diversity of the mini-game formats. We'll have 4-player free-for-alls, 2-vs-2 team battles, and 1-vs-3 challenges. This setup ensures that every player stays involved, every round matters, and the game evolves constantly based on interactions."
He paused, letting the concept sink in, then flashed a sly grin. "It's the kind of game that can flourish friendships... or end them."
Everyone in the room was buzzing with excitement, their curiosity fully ignited. They were eager to learn more, and Zaboru, noticing the energy in the room, addressed them with a warm smile. "Obviously, I already have plenty of mini-games planned for the title," he said. "But I want to make it clear—I'm absolutely open to your ideas as well. If you have fun or creative mini-game concepts, bring them forward. This is a team effort."
That statement lit a fire in the group. Eyes widened, people exchanged glances, and notebooks flipped open.
Zaboru continued, his tone still energetic, "I plan to release this game in December for ZEPS 3. The timing is no coincidence—this is a holiday title. It's the kind of game you play with your family, with friends over a break, or at a party. It's about joy, surprise, and a little bit of chaos—just what the holidays need."
He glanced around the room, taking in the enthusiasm. "Anyway," he said with a slight chuckle, "are there any questions, thoughts, or ideas you'd like to throw out right now? Let's hear them."
Eiji Aonuma raised his hand first. "Zaboru-san, will the boards have different themes and mechanics, like traps or shortcuts?"
Zaboru nodded. "Absolutely Eiji-san. Each board will have a unique theme and its own set of events—some helpful, some... not so much. There will be shortcuts, hazards, and even NPCs that change the flow of the game. Think of it as an evolving playground."
Satoru Iwata leaned forward. "Are the mini-games going to be tied to the board theme, or totally random?"
"Good question," Zaboru replied. "Some will be tied to the board theme, especially special events or boss mini-games, but most will be random. That way, the pacing never feels stale."
Hiroshi Nakagawa one of lead engineer chimed in next. "What about solo play? Will there be AI options if someone doesn't have three other players?"
"Yes," Zaboru said confidently. "We'll include adaptive AI opponents with varying difficulties, so solo players can still enjoy the full experience."
Eiji Aonuma raised a curious point again . "Will players be able to sabotage each other? Like using items to block paths or steal stars?"
Zaboru chuckled. "Oh yes, definitely. There will be items—some helpful, some chaotic. Stealing coins, swapping places, blocking progress—it's all part of the fun. We want this game to be full of surprises."
Satoru Iwata added, "And what about game length? Can we choose short or long sessions?"
"Yes, Satoru-san" Zaboru replied. "You'll be able to choose how many turns you want before the game starts—so you can play a quick session or a full-blown competition. Flexibility is key."
Hiroshi Grinned . "This sounds like really fun."
Zaboru grinned. "That's the goal."
After the Q&A session, Zaboru smiled, clearly pleased with the team's engagement and enthusiasm. He thanked everyone once more for their contributions and officially concluded the meeting. With a renewed sense of momentum in the air, he returned to his office to begin organizing the next steps and continue working as usual before he went back to US
To be continue