Old School Gamer Magazine chats with the solo developer of “The Adventure of Magical Girl,” 自由の渡り鳥, AKA Windward Birds, who lets us know what inspired his old-school 2D JRPG and how anime played a huge influence on the development process.
Learn more about the game here.
Old School Gamer Magazine: How was this game born?
Windward Birds: This game was created from some of the supplemental details from my previous game, “The Legend of Bean.”
Old School Gamer Magazine: What was development like?
Windward Birds: In “The Legend of Bean,” there’s a part of the map that is not open, which was formed in my mind and a story like this derived from it.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What makes this game special?
Windward Birds: Three adorable girls and a joyous story.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What games influenced this one the most?
Windward Birds: That would only be the previous “The Legend of Bean.” When I watch Japanese cartoons, I often see some lovely girls acting in ways that make people do not know whether to laugh or to cry, who are really cute and make me feel cheerful. I want to convey these kinds of joyous stories in games.
Old School Gamer Magazine: Any fun stories or wild moments during development?
Windward Birds: During development, I myself was often teased by the plot, which was very fascinating. There were always so many interesting ideas. But I had to end up working round the clock in order to catch up with the scheduled release date.
Old School Gamer Magazine: Do you think preserving older gameplay mechanics in new games is important?
Windward Birds: I think different players hold different views toward game mechanics. I’m really fond of old game mechanics.
Old School Gamer Magazine: Who will enjoy this game the most?
Windward Birds: I can’t guarantee anything. But I really like these kinds of games. Maybe people who prefer Japanese animation like me will be fond of this game.
Old School Gamer Magazine: Bottom Line, why must someone play this game?
Windward Birds: One of the characteristics of this game is that it brings happiness to players, but it will also have players burst out laughing.
Old School Gamer Magazine:How do you want this game to be remembered?
Windward Birds: That it will allow people to experience the ease of watching Japanese animation through playing games.
Old School Gamer Magazine: What’s next?
Next, I will focus on developing an RPG game that integrates Western wilderness and fantasy. Tentatively named “Wild Ranger: Gun X Dragon.”
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Patrick Hickey Jr. is the author of the book, “The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult and Classic Video Game Developers,” from McFarland And Company. Featuring interviews with the creators of 36 popular video games–including Deus Ex, NHLPA 93, Night Trap, Mortal Kombat, Wasteland and NBA Jam–the book gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of some of the most influential and iconic (and sometimes forgotten) games of all time. Recounting endless hours of painstaking development, the challenges of working with mega-publishers and the uncertainties of public reception, the interviewees reveal the creative processes that produced some of gaming’s classic titles.
Patrick Hickey, Jr., is the founder and editor-in-chief of ReviewFix.com and a lecturer of English and journalism at Kingsborough Community College, in Brooklyn, New York. Over the past decade, his video game coverage has been featured in national ad campaigns by top publishers the likes of Nintendo, Deep Silver, Disney and EA Sports. His book series, "The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult and Classic Game Developers," from McFarland and Company, has earned praise from Forbes, Huffington Post, The New York Daily News and MSG Networks. He is also a former editor at NBC and National Video Games Writer at the late-Examiner.com
