Old Man's Reminiscences - Episode 85: 'The Days I Was Hooked on the Famicom'

I heard the news that game creator Yuji Horii will be receiving a decoration this autumn (The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays). This is being noted as a groundbreaking event for the gaming industry as well.

When you think of Mr. Horii, you immediately think of Dragon Quest, the creator of a game that has now become a massive global hit. He is a legend, alongside character designer Akira Toriyama.

The massive boom of Dragon Quest (DQ) simultaneously helped popularize the Family Computer (Famicom) in many ordinary households and caused the gaming population, especially among children, to surge.

It is no exaggeration to say that the children who were deeply hooked on the world of DQ grew up to become creators who produced new gaming culture one after another, building the current golden age of gaming.

Since these are an old man's reminiscences, let me write about myself as well.

When the Famicom was released, I was already a working adult. I thought it was a toy for children, but perhaps one of the reasons I bought one was because of DQ.

At the time, the third installment of the DQ series became an unprecedented hit, with lines forming even before it went on sale. I bought it after the boom had settled down a bit, but I immediately got hooked on the DQ world.

I did feel that Mr. Toriyama's illustrations were for children, but the role-playing game system, where the protagonists grow through battle, was perfect for me.

And above all, I was greatly captivated by the depth and drama of the DQ world that Mr. Horii created, and I enjoyed the game without ever getting bored until I defeated the final boss. Thanks to that, I stayed up quite late, though (laughs).

Another Famicom game by Mr. Horii that I cannot forget is the adventure game 'Hokkaido Chain Murder: Okhotsk ni Kiyu'. It is a game built upon a wonderful scenario that could be called the true essence of Mr. Horii.

Triggered by the fact that the victim of a murder at Tokyo's Harumi Pier was from Hokkaido, the detective protagonists solve the mystery of a series of murders while traveling through cities and famous tourist spots in Hokkaido. The final act was a series of dramatic developments.

When I was playing the game, I had never been to Hokkaido, so it stirred up a sense of wanderlust for the places that appeared in the game, such as Lake Mashu, Lake Kussharo, Lake Akan, Kushiro, Utoro, the Shiretoko Five Lakes, Kitahama, Abashiri, and Monbetsu.

I never dreamed that ten years later, I would end up visiting almost all of those tourist spots and cities (loud laughter).

Once again, Yuji Horii, congratulations on receiving your decoration!

★ Michael Oz's Book PR: This is a book that looks back on the later years of my career as a company employee and derives lessons on how to live a 'second life'!