DS DEVELOPER TAKASHI TOKITA TALKS UP NINTENDO'S NEW HANDHELD SYSTEM
EGM: In the GBA version of Final Fantasy I & II, you included a customer survey asking which classic Square games fans would like to see on Nintendo DS. Why did you decide to let the fans vote? Will you really remake these games?
Takashi Tokita: We included a customer survey in FF I & II because we want to survey users... Recently, Square Enix [has been doing] marketing research [for] many games, to find out more about users. I cannot promise that every game that gets a lot of votes will be released, but I will give the survey special attention.
EGM: When you decide to remake one of these classic games, will you add Touch Screen, Dual Screen, and WiFi support?
Tokita: I don't think that every remake needs new DS functions, like Touch Screen, Dual Screen, and WiFi. I will not use these functions forcibly for remakes unless remakes really need these functions, because classic games have their own originality as old games. If I use DS functions forcibly for remakes, I will alter the originality of the classic games. Only if the DS functions make the classic games better, will I use these functions.
EGM: Which do you look forward to more: creating all-new DS game series or remaking existing ones?
Tokita: Basically, both are interesting. When I make new games, I enjoy trying something new. When I make remakes, I can learn many things from the classic games. But DS is a new hardware, so I want to try many new things.
EGM: FFXI has been very successful -- do you think Square would try to make a MMORPG for Nintendo DS?
Tokita: We are thinking about making multiplayer games through WiFi. I hope WiFi is going to be for beginners who have never played multiplayer games -- for example children. I think the most interesting thing is playing games with people. Human vs. human is the most exciting thing. I want beginners to experience the excitement of multiplayer games through WiFi.
EGM: What do you personally like about the Nintendo DS? What don't you like?
Tokita: I don't have any dislikes. I like that I can make both 2D and 3D games [with] DS. DS gives me the potential to create many ideas. But recently, there [have been] many games that have too much CG and 3D animation. I [don't] think every game [needs] CG and 3D animation. I don't want to make games that have unnecessary CG and 3D.
EGM: How is the development environment: is it easy to work with? Are you having fun working on games for it?
Tokita: I [don't] think it is so difficult to make games for DS. Actually, I don't care about whether it is difficult or not. I think the most important thing is to make good software, regardless if it is DS, PSP, PS2, GC, and so on.
EGM: Many people are talking about the Japanese game market being depressed...do you think that the DS and PSP can change things?
Tokita: The Japanese game market is going down. One of the reasons is that the Japanese economy has been in a depression for a long time. But yes, I think DS and PSP will change these situations. DS and PSP have much potential and make creators think. I should, no I must, change the depression working with DS and PSP.
