If you're interested in learning about SNK's pre-fighting game era, Shmuplations' latest article is guaranteed to entice you. The site has translated an article from NeoGeo freak magazine which focuses on Toshiyuki Nakai, a former planner and designer who joined the company in 1983. Nakai talks about various subjects from developing Joyful Road to being one of the men inside SNK's mascot character G-Mantle. Hit the link for the full interview.
http://shmuplations.com/snkorigins/
Sample excerpts--
Psycho Soldier became famous as the singing video game,Ebut the truth is, we had used speech synthesis long before that, in a number of different games: the side-scrolling STG Vanguard from 1980, then in Fantasy in 1981, and again in Victory Road (the Ikari Warriors sequel) in 1986. This time someone proposed lets have singing in this game!E and the game turned into this very weird thing where the heroine sings while she fightsEWe had idol Kaori Shimizu sing the song for us. I remember putting her face on the advertisements we created for Psycho Soldier.
One thing I remember from the marketing for the release of the Neo Geo was G-Mantle, the old mascot character. In commercials we used a real celebrity talent, but for events and the like, one of us would have to dress up in that costume. I did my stint too, of course. (laughs) And let me tell you: in the summer, it was hotter than hell inside that get-up! It was awful, standing there in the heat, drenched in sweat, handing out Neo Geo flyers on the street. Also, for safety reasons, we took shifts wearing the costume, and when you switched youd have someone elses sticky sweat all over you. It was disgusting. (laughs)
Thanks to Loona for the news.
Reflex Tester
