Rest of March are doing well for ZAGE
Outside of video gas, Zaboru took a mont to ask his father, Zanichi, for advice on how he had proposed to his mother. Zanichi simply chuckled and said that he didn't overthink it—he just proposed to her quickly, with all his heart. Zaboru smiled, taking the ssage to heart. He made a quiet promise to himself that when the ti ca, he would propose to his girlfriend Ayumi the sa way—with sincerity and confidence.
Next, preparations for the Big 3 ani were going smoothly. All three shows were finalized and scheduled to premiere in early April. They would be airing on YaDo Subscription TV in Japan, and also on Nickelodeon Subscription TV in the United States, marking a significant international rollout for ZAGE's ani division.
This month, ZAGE released three new titles: GEX for PC, Dragon Quest IV for ZEPS 2, and Soulcalibur for arcades. Each ga represented a different genre and target audience, offering a strong variety in the March lineup and drawing excitent across the board.
First, for GEX on PC, the ga's cover art imdiately caught people's attention. It featured the cheeky green lizard striking a smug pose, dripping with attitude. The bold and humorous design sparked curiosity and buzz even before launch. The ga was developed by ZAGE USA, and from the start, it set itself apart with a unique personality and visual flair that made players want to know more.
Players loved it. One of the first things that stood out was the ga's graphics and sound—they were sharp, vibrant, and full of life, with smoother animation than many other titles at the ti. But perhaps the biggest reason for its appeal was the character himself. Gex wasn't just another generic, silent mascot. He constantly talked—cracking jokes, dropping pop culture and ga references, and frequently breaking the fourth wall.
Gex never shut up, and that gave him a distinct personality that set him apart from other ZAGE mascots. While so found it overwhelming, many players found it hilarious and refreshing. On PC, where higher-quality voice lines and sound playback were possible compared to cartridges, Gex's personality ca through even stronger, giving the character more presence and charm. It was this unique voice and tone that made GEX stand out in a crowded market of platforrs.
Players also enjoyed the the of dia Dinsion—each level represented a different type of television channel or genre: horror movies, cartoons, kung-fu shows, sci-fi, and so on. This gave the stages variety and a playful sense of parody. The player never knew what kind of setting Player'd jump into next, which kept the ga from feeling repetitive.
The platforming chanics themselves were solid and had a unique twist thanks to Gex's gecko abilities. He could climb walls, stick to certain surfaces, and tail-whip enemies. This added verticality and gave levels a different flow compared to the typical run-and-jump platforrs of the ti. Combined with hidden areas and collectibles, it gave completion-minded players reasons to explore.
In short, players enjoyed the GEX PC gas because they brought together reliable, slightly quirky platforming with a wisecracking mascot, a heavy dose of pop-culture parodies, and a clever gecko-thed gaplay hook. The humor leaned into cheeky, irreverent territory, giving the ga a tone that felt different—more self-aware and a little more "adult" than typical mascot platforrs. The combination of snappy one-liners, creative level thes, and gecko-based chanics made it stand out as both playful and distinctively bold.
The next ga is Dragon Quest 4 which is based on Dragon Quest 6 from Zaboru's previous life.
Dragon Quest has always held a special place in the hearts of JRPG fans and ZAGE loyalists alike. As the first-ever JRPG developed by ZAGE—and widely regarded as the first JRPG in the world—it carries imnse historical significance. Players have embraced the series not just for its legacy, but for its consistent quality and charm. Dragon Quest IV in particular stood out as an exceptionally well-crafted ga, further strengthening the series' reputation. Developed by ZAGE Osaka, it delivered everything fans loved about the franchise while introducing new ideas that elevated the experience even more.
One of the biggest reasons was the dual-world concept. Early in the ga players discover that there are two overlapping realms—the Real World and the Dream World—and players travel between them to progress the story. This chanic created a sense of mystery and discovery. Locations and characters often had counterparts or different states in the two worlds, so players loved piecing together how events in one realm affected the other. It felt like solving a giant puzzle spread across a massive, interconnected map.
Players also appreciated the story's tone. While still rooted in the lighthearted style Dragon Quest is known for, 4's plot introduced deeper thes of identity and mory. The hero and his companions literally have to recover their lost mories and powers, which ties into the ga's central the of discovering who players really are.
Another major draw was the class (job) system, which returned from Dragon Quest 3 but with more depth. After reaching a certain point in the story, characters could train in dozens of vocations—from basic ones like Warrior or Mage to hybrids and advanced classes. Mastering jobs unlocked powerful new skills, and combining certain jobs led to hidden, more powerful vocations. Players loved experinting with combinations to create unique party builds and strategies.
The ga's graphics and music also stood out. For a 16-bit RPG, it was beautiful, with richly detailed towns, colorful monster sprites, and parallax-scrolling overworlds that made the two realms feel alive. The ga soundtrack added grandeur and warmth to each location, making exploration even more morable.
Finally, Dragon Quest VI offered a huge amount of content. Beyond the main quest there were monster battles, mini-gas, a casino, optional dungeons, and secret bosses. This density of side activities gave players reasons to keep playing long after the main story, and it made the world feel full and alive.
The final ga released this month was another fighting title: Soulcalibur for arcades. As a fresh addition to ZAGE's already strong lineup of fighting gas, Soulcalibur introduced new chanics and a bold visual style that imdiately set it apart. It wasn't just another 3D brawler—it felt like the beginning of a new era in arcade combat. ZAGE already has many fighting gas but there's always another spot for newest fighting gas and Soulcalibur is a fresh take from 3d Arcades fighting gas.
First of All Soulcalibur offered ZAGE introduced the "8-way run," letting you hold the joystick to freely step or run in any direction around the arena. This made dodging and spacing feel natural—far more fluid than the sidesteps of ZAGE Tekken or other 3d fighting gas at the ti.
Next, Soulcalibur delivered an amazing performance for a 3D arcade ga. Its visuals were striking—featuring high-polygon character models, richly detailed backgrounds with dynamic elents, and buttery-smooth animation running at 60 fras per second. Combined with full motion-captured weapon movents, the ga felt more like a cinematic duel than a standard arcade fighter.
Although motion capture was still a relatively new developnt in gaming, ZAGE had been experinting with it for quite so ti. Their in-house motion capture studio, ZEN Tech, had already been refining this technology, and Soulcalibur beca one of its first major showcases. The results were impressive: character animations felt fluid and lifelike, and every weapon swing carried believable weight and montum.
The ga also utilized the proprietary ZAGE Unreal Engine, The overall result was a technical achievent that not only impressed fans but also raised the bar for what arcade visuals could look like in 1996.
Next ca the core chanic known as "True-Based Combat." Soulcalibur built its entire system around distinct weapon styles, giving each character a unique rhythm and playstyle. Reach, speed, and combo potential were directly tied to the type of weapon used—be it rapier, halberd, twin blades, or others—resulting in a dynamic that felt very different from bare-handed 3D fighters.
One of the standout features was the introduction of the "Guard Impact" system. Unlike traditional blocking, Guard Impact allowed players to perform high and low repels, as well as parries, to actively counter incoming attacks. This wasn't just a defensive tool—it created a sense of timing and mind gas, where precision mattered as much as aggression. Every successful deflection felt like a cinematic weapon clash, adding drama and intensity to each match. The chanic gave battles a thrilling back-and-forth montum that pushed players to master both offense and defense in equal asure.
And the Soulcalibur roster are really great first Soulcalibur introduce the original character from the ga
Astaroth – a massive golem-like warrior wielding a giant axe.
Cervantes – undead pirate fighting with a sword and a pistol-sword.
Edge Master – the mimic fighter who cycles through other characters' weapon styles.
Ivy (Isabella Valentine) – whip-sword specialist from England.
Kilik – staff-wielding monk trained in Ling-Sheng Su style.
Maxi – nunchaku master inspired by Bruce Lee's style.
Mitsurugi (Heishiro Mitsurugi) – wandering samurai with a katana.
Nightmare – demonic knight with the cursed Soul Edge.
Siegfried – the "human" knight counterpart to Nightmare, fighting with a zweihänder.
Sophitia – Greek holy warrior with sword and shield.
Taki – ninja wielding dual ninjatō.
Voldo – bizarre, contortionist guardian of Vercci's treasure, fighting with dual katars.
Xianghua (Chai Xianghua) – graceful Chinese fencer with a Chinese sword.
Aside from the core roster, Soulcalibur also featured several exciting guest characters. First was Yoshimitsu from ZAGE's Tekken series, bringing his signature unorthodox style and spinning attacks to the weapon-based arena. Next was Ryu Hayabusa from Ninja Gaiden, ard with his iconic Dragon Sword and lightning-fast ninja techniques. Rounding out the guest lineup was Kenshin Himura from ZAGE's Rurouni Kenshin ga, whose swift, reverse-blade swordsmanship added a unique flair to the combat. These guest appearances not only thrilled fans of the respective franchises but also gave Soulcalibur extra appeal across different gaming communities.
Overall, the Soulcalibur ga is a really good fighting ga and fighting ga enthusiasts really loved it.
Next on the agenda for the Tokyo Team, they were currently hard at work developing Beyond Oasis, aiming to et the April release deadline. The team was making steady progress, with both gaplay systems and visual assets coming together cohesively. In addition, Zaboru had officially assigned them their next major project—Super Mario RPG, slated for release in May. The goal was to blend classic RPG chanics with Mario's world in a way that felt fresh, accessible, and unforgettable.
The Osaka Team is currently focused on developing Hamtaro: Hams Hams United for the ZGB, targeting an April release. Alongside this, Zaboru has assigned them an additional project—a new JRPG spin-off of the Dragon Quest series titled Dragon Quest Monsters for ZGB This new title aims to blend traditional RPG chanics with creature-collection elents, offering a fresh experience within the familiar Dragon Quest universe.
As for ZAGE USA, they are currently focused on developing Command and Conquer: Red Alert for an April release, as well as Elder Scrolls III: Daggerfall. Zaboru has chosen to let the U.S. team concentrate solely on these two projects for now—they haven't been assigned any new tasks, at least not yet.
Aside from their ga developnt responsibilities, progress on the ZEPS 3 console is also moving forward steadily. While there's still a lot to be done, the current trajectory looks solid, with hardware testing and internal demos running smoothly.
And thats overall what happen in ZAGE in March 1996
To be continue
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