Takuya took his last sip of the drink, as Ito Ryoji vanishes behind the glass door of the café.
Then he stood up, with no intention of lingering.
***
In an apartment inside a room, distinct from the one he had woken up to a few days ago.
Takuya Nakayama could be seen sitting in front of a cube box with a crispy rapid fired sound. His palms slightly sweaty from the long hours of repeated actions.
Pale green characters lit up word by word, then line by line.
The color, a product of the limiting machines, which was considered good for 1987, but an antique relic for the modern Takuya.
I can't wrap my thoughts around it, I can vividly remember all my experience related to gaming. Must've been quite the geek, possibly older, considering all these random facts and the long time range it covers. But why can't I remember anything else. He thought
Well, sure enough, just because he was an avid gamer didn't mean he could start creating one, even simple ones. But the previous Takuya had left a solid foundation from years of studies.
The characters in the computer were the logical building blocks of a simple falling, rotating and clearing actions. The core of Tetris.
This simple yet endlessly magical game is his first choice.
His request to Ryoji was mainly a legal actions. To to let SEGA know the need to acquire the copyright from the Soviet Union.
While that's true, he wouldn't spent his time idly waiting for vague news even from a close senior, especially in an era of uncertainties.
Just the original is not enough Takuya thought
I need something more impactful, on a large scale, to shake up those conservatives in SEGA, and Father.
In his mind an image formed. One where with every two lines cleared, an unbreakable grey obstacle rise from the bottom of the opponent's screen. Also known as 'Garbage Lines'.
This can transform the solo puzzle game to an arena full of variables and confrontation!
***
A few days later, an MS-DOS version of Tetris which included a basic mode and the innovative Versus mode, began to take shape.
He tested it repeatedly, clearing blocks, creating 'Garbage' for the virtual opponent. Which he then adjusted to balance the difficulty and started debugging, ensuring a bug-free and smooth experience.
While he was immersing in the process the doorbell rang.
When he saw the person opposite the door, his heart leapt along with a queasy feeling.
…I didn't think she'd be back at this time. Is this guilt I'm feeling
Takuya thought, seeing the warm smile of the other person with a gift-wrapped box in her hand.
His sister, Saiko Nakayama, who was in United States.
"When did you arrive, Saiko-nee?" He said as he fetched the box from his sister.
She took off her shoes "It hadn't been long, I came when I heard you were going to develop games at SEGA, from Dad. I knew you were holed up in here."
She walked into the room and said "You got a girlfriend? Takuya."
"Haha, no. Just thought I'd tidy up for any unexpected guest."
"Heh, guess you're still growing after all."
Then the falling monochromatic blocks on the screen immediately caught her eyes.
"Is this one of your games?"
"Hmm, a...little project," Takuya said, "a game from the Soviet caught my eye, so I've been tinkering with it. Wanna try? I've added a 2-player mode."
"Mmm, let's see what you've been holing up for."
She said, trying to indulge her brother. Then, clumsily operated the keyboard under Takuya's guidance.
The blocks moved awkwardly, rotating, and falling, occasionally clearing one or two lines.
Her initial intention turned to engrossment.
However, after a few rounds, her engrossment turned into a mix of frustration, focus, and an unwavering commitment, so much so that she forgot to mention the gift she'd brought.
…
"One more round! I won't lose this time."
He felt relived, watching his sister completely immersed.
Reaffirming that great games do cross boundaries and eras.
***
"See you Takuya, and thanks for the dinner!" said Saiko Nakayama with content.
Takuya sat by the balcony, admiring the dark night sky, and the shining stars it contains.
However, soon enough he is reminded of the giant shadow that Nintendo's Famicom cast over the home console market.
The classic mechanics of Super Mario Bros. were a textbook example for side-scrolling games of this era. Overshadowing all competitors.
SEGA's SG-1000 and subsequent Mark II and III, though they tried hard to catch up, were too powerless in such a market.
Even Tetris, if pushed rashly would be like throwing a precious treasure into a bottomless pit. Quality alone doesn't guarantee instant success after all, or SEGA can be the next Atari's parent company with their Pong. Having to sell before achieving success.
However, just like how Pong gained massive success, Tetris can find its first home at the arcade market.
Although equally challenging, SEGA had deep roots in the arcade sector, with branches scattered across the country. Gaining significant advantages both technically and in distribution channels.
They are the most effective promotional fronts and testing ground after all.
A successful arcade game could bring in not only cash flow and reputation but can also refine core gameplay, buildup word of mouth, and increase the IP's value.
Using one, or even several, stunning arcade games could reignite players' enthusiasm for SEGA.
If all goes as planned, when the Mega Drive release next year, these arcade tested titles, boasting a large fanbase, would be the most solid and reliable first-party launch titles!
This is the safest and most effective strategy. If combined with new games that can fully showcase the 16-bit console's capabilities, then the foundation for market dominance would be laid.
But what kind of games to develop next?
Puzzle games already had Tetris as a trump card; perhaps... something more fitting for an arcade atmosphere, more 'hardcore,' and more capable of showcasing SEGA's technical prowess?
Takuya tapped the tabletop unconsciously, processing and searching for games in the vast ocean of memories like a high end CPU.