As the rest of January unfolded, a flurry of activity surrounded ZAGE, especially with the release of another batch of 10 third-party gas. These titles ca from a diverse range of studios, so based in Japan and others hailing from the USA. For ZAGE, this release marked a significant push in showcasing what the ZEPS 3 console could offer beyond first-party titles. While not all gas landed perfectly with every player, the overall lineup left a strong impression on Zaboru.
What stood out most to him wasn't necessarily groundbreaking innovation in each title, but rather the honest effort by each studio to maintain their identity and present sothing true to their creative voice. Zaboru appreciated that. Even if so players expressed disappointnt or felt the gas didn't fully et expectations, Zaboru understood that such reactions were inevitable — especially in a growing and competitive market. What mattered to him was that each ga tried to be itself, not just another copy of a successful formula.
He saw value in that kind of creative courage. From his perspective, the full set of 10 titles made for a solid and respectable lineup. He had his own detailed thoughts about each ga, insights he considered important, but for now, he chose to keep them to himself. There would be ti later to share his deeper analysis — maybe once the fan reactions had settled and the market began to show clearer signals of where things were headed because he know how much impact his comnt will be if he decide to public it.
The 10 gas are
Elentos From BANZ Studio - Japan
OkamiMan = Buriko Soft - Japan
D.K.W(Demos-Kamos-Wilgos) = Pearl Glass Studio USA
Brick Racer = GU-HA! Japan
IT'S A THIEF! = Try usa
Greadou = Limos USA
Divine Spears - Akuregoz = Triangle Soft Japan
Secret Agent : Wilson = Hollow Red USA
Ultimate Fishing = Wasanebo Japan
4 hands Warrior = Akaishidan.
First of all, BANZ is one of ZAGE's more established third-party developers, having previously submitted multiple titles for earlier ZEPS consoles. This new entry marks their first title developed specifically for the ZEPS 3, and they didn't hold back. As expected, they leaned into their expertise — shoot 'em up gas — and delivered a title that fits their signature style while also embracing new chanics made possible by the upgraded hardware.
The ga, simply titled Elentos, centers on a space marine piloting a customizable spaceship powered by "Elentos" — particles imbued with elental forces such as Fire, Wind, Ice, Earth, Lightning, and more. The twist lies in the player's ability to mix and match these elents in real ti during combat to create powerful hybrid attacks. For example, combining Fire and Wind produces a blazing vortex, while Ice and Earth generate a freezing crystal shield. The dynamic system allows for deep experintation and varied playstyles, sothing rarely seen in the genre.
The visual presentation is striking, with detailed space backgrounds, fluid ship animations, and large, screen-filling bosses that test both reflexes and tactical thinking. The level design is tight and fast-paced, gradually increasing in difficulty while rewarding players who master the elental system.
Zaboru himself was deeply impressed, even going so far as to say the ga surpasses ZAGE Star Fox 64, one of the flagship titles released for the ZEPS 3. That's no small praise. He noted that Elentos feels like a natural evolution of the shoot 'em up genre — blending arcade-style action with layered chanics that encourage both Luck , skill and creativity.
In typical BANZ fashion, the ga oozes polish and confidence. It's fast, flashy, and deeply satisfying to play. For Zaboru, this title represents one of the strongest openings for ZEPS 3 third-party releases, and he quietly hopes the studio continues expanding on this formula in the future.
The next ga is one that many players considered downright weird — but for Zaboru, it was weird in the best possible way. That ga is Okami-Man by Buriko Soft, a developer known for their obsession with wolves and werewolf lore. It seems they finally decided to go all-in on their favorite the, and the result is one of the strangest yet most charming gas Zaboru has played in a while.
Okami-Man is a 3D beat-'em-up ga with a twist: the main character, Ou Kami, can transform into a werewolf during combat. But the transformation isn't just your typical growling and fur-sprouting — it's a full-on henshin sequence straight out of a Kan Rider show, complete with flashy animation, over-the-top poses, and even a dramatic soundtrack that kicks in every ti. It's ridiculous. It's glorious. And it made Zaboru laugh out loud the first ti he saw it.
Gaplay-wise, it's surprisingly solid. The combat feels satisfying, and as players progress through the ga, Ou Kami unlocks a variety of skills in both his human and wolf forms. There's a light RPG elent as well — players can customize the appearance of Ou Kami's werewolf form, adjusting fur color, armor pieces, and even the howl sound effect. The level design features a mix of urban alleys, forest ruins, and bizarre dream-like arenas that only add to the ga's surreal tone.
Adding another strange but oddly charming twist, the ga includes a romance subplot. The female lead, Kamiyu, is romantically interested in Ou Kami — but only when he's in his werewolf form. This peculiar love dynamic plays out in humorous and dramatic ways throughout the ga, adding to its surreal tone and giving players even more reason to shake their heads — or smile — at Buriko Soft's unorthodox storytelling.
While the majority of players found the ga too odd for their tastes — citing the bizarre character animations, clunky UI, and overly dramatic tone — Zaboru saw sothing special. To him, Okami-Man wasn't just weird for the sake of being weird. It had heart. It had vision. And it had the guts to be different.
Zaboru didn't want the market to beco overrun with safe choices and uninspired clones of successful titles. He valued experintation — even if it ant a ga ca off as strange or niche. To him, it was better to try sothing bold and different than to play it safe and forgettable. That's why he respected developers who leaned into their weirdness and fully committed to their ideas, no matter how unconventional.
Buriko Soft had done exactly that with Okami-Man. They embraced the absurd, stayed true to their quirky identity, and poured their vision into the ga. It wasn't trying to be anything else — it was proudly its own bizarre creation. Zaboru found the experience refreshingly absurd and genuinely fun. Sure, it gave him a good laugh, but more importantly, it left him wanting more. He was already looking forward to seeing what kind of madness Buriko would co up with next.
Zaboru gave Okami-Man his full approval. Absurd or not, it was a ga that stayed true to itself — and that, in his eyes, made it worth celebrating.
Then cos D.K.W, a title nad after its trio of main characters: Demos, Kamos, and Wilgos. They're a team of adventurers, each with distinct traits that define their role in both gaplay and story. Demos is the small and agile one — fast on his feet but lacking in strength. He's the team's go-to for tight spaces and quick movent. Kamos, on the other hand, is the muscle. He has a big, powerful build and excels in brute force, able to lift heavy objects and smash obstacles, though he's a bit slow and not exactly the brightest. Finally, there's Wilgos, a magician who serves as the team's strategist and leader. He brings knowledge of magic and handles ranged attacks, as well as unlocking puzzles using magical runes.
The ga's structure plays heavily into this dynamic. It draws inspiration from classic team-based platforrs, combining puzzle-solving with action and exploration. Fans of ZAGE's Banjo and Kazooie gas on the ZEPS 3 will feel right at ho, though D.K.W. also takes clear influence from earlier titles like ZAGE: Lost Viking on ZEPS 2 and A.M.N. (Agent Mutant Ninja) by Akaishidan from ZEPS 1. Those gas also revolved around character collaboration, but D.K.W. takes the idea further by fleshing out each character's abilities and deepening their integration into level design. The result is a gaplay experience that feels both familiar and freshly evolved.
Demos is a small, nimble man with quick reflexes and a compact build that makes him perfect for slipping through tight spaces and navigating narrow puzzle sections. Players will often rely on him to explore hidden corners of the level, crawl through small holes, and activate hard-to-reach switches. His role may not be about strength, but his agility and mobility are essential to the team's success.
Kamos, in contrast, is the team's powerhouse. With his massive fra and incredible strength, he can smash through walls, lift heavy objects, and deliver powerful lee attacks that clear enemies in a single swing. His brute-force approach balances well against Demos's speed, though his slow movent and lower intelligence often require players to use him more deliberately in the right situations.
Then there's Wilgos, the intellectual and magical expert of the trio. As a magician, he's capable of ranged attacks using spells, and he also plays a vital role in solving the ga's magical puzzles — especially the intricate Runic Puzzles that appear throughout each level. Players will need to rely on his knowledge of magic symbols and pattern recognition to progress through more complex sections.
The overall design of the ga does a great job of encouraging players to switch between characters, leveraging their strengths to solve increasingly challenging puzzles and platforming segnts. The synergy between characters isn't just functional — it's fun and rewarding. Zaboru found himself constantly engaged by the need to think through problems using each character's unique toolkit.
Despite being Pearl Glass Studio's first release, the ga feels incredibly polished. It draws clear inspiration from ZAGE Other gas, but pushes the genre forward with its team-based chanics and layered level design. Zaboru was genuinely impressed. He appreciated how the developers weren't just copying what ca before — they were expanding on it, adding depth and originality to a beloved format. For a debut title, it's a strong start and a promising sign of what Pearl Glass Studio might achieve in the future.
Next up is a truly bizarre, chaotic, and unexpectedly hilarious racing ga titled Brick Racer! from GU-HA!, a brand-new studio hailing from Japan. As the na suggests, instead of cars, players race using literal bricks — brightly colored, blocky bricks with wheels attached to them. Each type of brick cos with its own unique set of stats, including Speed, Acceleration, Turning ability, and Durability. While it might sound like a silly gimmick, the variety and depth in brick customization actually adds a surprising amount of strategy to each race.
The gaplay is fast-paced and able to switch between POV over the the top or just seeing the brick. One of the standout chanics involves collisions: when players crash into each other, their bricks physically chip and break apart, depending on the force of impact. But there's a twist — players can press the R1 button to activate a feature called "HARD MODE." When activated, their brick temporarily becos ultra-dense and resistant to damage. If they slam into another brick while in HARD MODE, they'll usually co out on top, damaging their opponent's brick instead. However, if both players activate HARD MODE and collide, the result is an unpredictable explosion of physics — both bricks violently bounce off each other, sotis even ricocheting off the track entirely, sending racers flying into chaotic, laugh-out-loud scenarios. When in HARD MODE, the brick slows down significantly, which ans players need to rely more on timing, spatial awareness, and quick reflexes to use it effectively. It becos a strategic trade-off — do you sacrifice speed for defense, or take a risk by staying fast and vulnerable? This chanic not only adds a layer of depth to the gaplay but also challenges players to stay sharp and think on their feet during every chaotic race.
Stages themselves are wild and inventive, ranging from construction yards to floating city highways, with ramps, loops, and hazards that fit the absurd the. GU-HA! clearly leaned into the chaos with confidence, embracing their ga's ridiculous concept and pushing it to the limit. The ga doesn't take itself seriously — and that's exactly what makes it fun.
Zaboru got quite a few laughs during his ti with Brick Racer!. The absurdity of watching bricks smash into each other at high speed while players try to outmaneuver one another through twisty, unpredictable tracks gave him genuine joy. But even beyond the humor, the racing itself was solid, responsive, and surprisingly polished for a debut title.
He wholeheartedly approved the ga. To him, Brick Racer! was proof that fresh ideas, no matter how weird they sound on paper, can deliver sothing morable — especially when executed with creativity and confidence. GU-HA! may be a new studio, but they've certainly arrived with a bang.
Next is another unexpected gem from a new U.S.-based studio called Try, and their ga IT'S A THIEF! offers a quirky and fast-paced experience that quickly caught Zaboru's attention. At first glance, the ga shares similarities with ZAGE Pepsiman due to its endless running and obstacle-dodging core, but IT'S A THIEF! sets itself apart with a fresh concept and clever execution. The main character is — as the title suggests — a thief, and the player's main objective is to escape relentless pursuit from ard guards hot on their trail.
What makes the ga especially thrilling is its dynamic pacing. The cara angles constantly shift for dramatic effect, from behind-the-back views to side-scrolling monts and even top-down segnts during high-intensity sequences. The sense of motion is exhilarating, and every chase feels uniquely tense. Players must expertly jump, slide, wall-run, and weave through a variety of hazards including market stalls, alleyway dumpsters, rooftop gaps, and sudden construction sites. Behind them, a group of shouting guards with batons, dogs, or even jetpacks in later levels, make sure the pressure never lets up.
One of the ga's standout chanics is its use of alternate routes. Throughout each level, players can discover multiple shortcuts, but these aren't just casual side paths — they demand skill to pull off. Many involve tid jumps, mid-air dodges, or reactive button inputs to successfully navigate. While these paths offer trendous speed boosts, they punish mistid moves harshly, often sending players tumbling into hazards or back into the clutches of their pursuers. It creates a thrilling risk-versus-reward balance that keeps every run exciting.
Visually, IT'S A THIEF! stands out as well. It uses a 2D art style layered into a 3D environnt, creating a stylish, comic-book-ets-arcade look. The backgrounds are bustling with detail, and the animations are sharp and expressive. The soundtrack, filled with funky percussion and high-tempo tracks, complents the high-energy gaplay perfectly.
Zaboru particularly admired the ga's originality. While it borrowed elents from existing Pepsiman endless runners, it reimagined them in ways that made the experience feel fresh and engaging. He found himself laughing at the exaggerated animations and smiling through each chaotic run, fully imrsed in the ga's blend of action and humor.
Zaboru approved this ga because in his previous life, he'd seen the genre of Endless runner burn out quickly. But here, in this tiline, with developers like Try taking risks and delivering bold, creative twists, maybe the genre still had a long run ahead of it.
To be continue
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