Shibuya Interactive Interview

This is the interview I did with Shibuya Interactive about the games they are producing, it's from late march or early april so some things may seem irrelevant and like old news, sorry! Also, I just put Shibuya: for the responses, each person is named in bold above there answers. Shibuya's website is HERE

Nayomie ETO (www.shibuyagame.fr)

Hooka: What made you decide to distribute the gp32 in france?

We are very interested about alternative gaming product like GP32,it's the first time that we meet a Korean handheld gaming system. With the GP32, you can play games, watch movie and listen MP3,it's great!

Hooka: Do you think that being the only online store that still has stock of the Black gamepark32's sets you apart from the rest?

Shibuya Game Store is an online store for collectors so, it's normal for us to have some rare item like black GP32

Sophie COSTE (Shibuya Interactive)

Hooka: What made you decide to start publishing games for the gp32?

Good relationship with Gamepark

Hooka: How are you planning to distribute the games? will they be boxed or will there be online downloads available?

It depends of the game, but we have plan for boxed and unboxed games

Hooka: Blue Angelo by Virtual Spagetti looks like an interesting game, what genre is it?

It's an action fighting game like Dracula x on Sega Saturn

Hooka: It looks like a castlevania symphony of the night style, is that a close comparison

Thank you very much for the comparison!

Hooka: How many characters are there or is it only the one?

Secret for the moment

Hooka: What kind of weapons will there be?

The main weapon is a stick but you'll find some secret skills

Hooka: How long of a game is it?

I can't reply this qestion for the moment

Hooka: Will there be a playable demo released?

The playable demo is available since Imagina (Monaco Show) but only for professional. The video will be broadcasted soon.

Hooka: When do you expect a final release?

For the gp32's european launch

Hooka: Most games on gp32 are in Korean, what languages will this one be in?

6 languages for the moment (English,French etc..)

Don Miguel (Shibuya Interactive / Famesoft)

Hooka: Famesofts Solitare Advanced looks like a nice title, do you know when it will be released?

Probably never cause of a very big problem with the main coder and designer... Sometimes some bad things happen..

Hooka: Could you give a list of the different card games that will be present in the first release?

There was the final version for GBA and it had 4 patience like games. GP32 Beta version had only 2 games made. We planned 10 patience like games.

Hooka: It was mentioned that there would be extra game packs available eventually, will they have to be bought or will they be free?

We planned to have both variants.

Hooka: What kind of game packs will there be?

Patience-like games only.

Hooka: Will there be a playable demo released?

Hooka: After playing for awhile will it run out of possible card configurations or is the dealing totally random?

Actually it was totally random. But now...

Hooka: Yoke-Yoke by famesoft is also another title you are going to publish, what is it about?

It is a puzzle game. You deal with some megnetic blocks and some special blocks. According to the game plot, the Buns is a family which run a sweets shop.

Hooka: How many characters will there be?

7 Characters. I don't count hidden ones.

Hooka: What languages are planned for this game?

French, Spanish, English, German, Italian, Korean and there's a possibility of adding Japanese. Having the fonts and translation we can add any other European language in no time.

Hooka: It says there will be multiplayer with the GP-Link, will it be a vs. mode of the normal game or a type of multiplayer mini game?

The VS mode is planned. You may play 4-players mode and select your current victim when it's possible.

Hooka: Will the Hidden comics be about the buns(main game characters)?

Our artist have made some the Buns comics for www.KomMissia.ru (It's the Russian-French-Japanese Comics Festival in Moscow, Russia)

The Buns comic is HERE although it's not in english

You can look at the comic. It has some main characters of the game. But the comic plot has no relations with the game plot.

Hooka: How Big is the Puzzle mode?

Puzzle mode will have about 20+ levels.

Hooka: What kind of secret game modes will there be, will they be based around the main game or will they be new mini games?

Some secret modes will be based on the normal ones with some modifications of their hardness. Without playing secret levels you won't be able to get new characters and go forth in the game. there won't be mini games. But there's a chance for some multiplayer mini action games. When you reveal the secret you can play it as many times as you want. But your partners should open the same secret games on their GP32.

Hooka: Will there be a playable demo released?

It is possible. With 1 game mode.

Hooka: When do you expect the official release?

In the Spring of 2004.

Sophie COSTE (Shibuya Interactive)

Hooka: What was the response to the gamepark32 at the salon du multimedia and Imagina 2004?

These two events were very good for us, during the salon du multimédia, Mr LEE (Vice CEO of Gamepark) met Mr BISCAY, (CEO of Shibuya International) and the understanding was very good. Lots of people came on our booth during these show,and Blue Angelo was showed to the professional (not press) in World premiere during Imagina. People are very interested about GP32 cause it's a multimedia reader!

Hooka: Would you be willing to publish other titles for other gamepark32 developers if the demand was there?

Of course!

Hooka: There were pics from the salon du multimedia of the external FLU kit installed in a gp32, do you know when the FLU kit might be available? The only other pics of it I've seen were computer renderings, it's nice to see it's actually been made, well atleast one :)

This external Kit should be available for the european launch (not exactly the same)

Hooka: Thanks for your time and I hope you didn't have too many troubles with this interview. Thank you for helping to bring more games to our excellent little handheld!

Thanks for your interest in our work

*Interview finished 03/03/04*