Game Market 1983

Chapter 235: Tokyo Game Show

After a few rounds of fist-pumping and shouting his battle cry, Negata-san, carrying a massive NEGA Saturn console model much larger than himself, revealed his presence.

At that moment, the students gathered in the small booth couldn't help but burst into giggles at the sight of his serious expression.

"Well then, I'll be off."

"Please, Negata-san! The future of our Saturn rests in your hands!"

"Understood, Yukawa-san. Leave it to me."

As Negata-san slightly bowed his head, the event staff, sporting an impressive grin, revealed his pearly whites.

"Hey, who's that guy?"

Glancing at the event staff, Suzuko leaned in, unintentionally catching my attention.

"Does the teacher know him?"

"Well... I don't personally know him, but he's quite famous."

"Really?"

Negata-san, or more appropriately, Negata Sanshiro, had made a pun using his name, carrying the Saturn model on his back...

And Yukawa-san, now an executive or at least a high-ranking official, was the face behind the promotion for the next-gen console, the final console, 'Illusion Cast,' for Saturn.

From the release of Illusion Cast until NEGA dropped out of the console market, he was one of the few who genuinely worked for NEGA.

As Negata Sanshiro pressed the power button on the Saturn enveloping him, powerful music started emanating from what everyone had perceived as a mere prop.

"Wait... was that a jukebox?"

Accompanied by a sound that reminded one of a "war cry," a somewhat absurd and weighty commercial played on various screens at the NEGA booth.

"A hymn dedicated to the gamers of Japan!"

"A man heads forth today along the path of entertainment!"

For those not taking gaming seriously,

make them realize it with their bodies!

Negata Sanshiro!

Negata Sanshiro!

Negata Satan Shiro! (NEGA Saturn, go!)

"Wait, what was that?"

"Did he just kick a baseball flying towards him?"

"And it was a home run..."

The pupils of the academy, fueled by a gulp of medicine, shook at the content of the commercial, professionally made yet somewhat absurd.

Once the anthem, 'NEGA Saturn Go,' reached its second verse, the interlude included Negata Sanshiro's narration.

"Young ones! Is there something you're dedicating yourself to earnestly?

Is there something you're fervently passionate about, risking your lives for?

Go forth with NEGA Saturn.

Until your fingers break!!!"

"Wait... is this saying to play games until your fingers break, even if you starve to death?"

...It felt incredibly cool in my younger years due to my middle school syndrome boosting it up, but seeing it firsthand now, it felt incredibly cheesy.

I felt like my fingers were curving backward from the cringe. But the male students around me, present at the booth, cheered for Negata-san as he passed by.

"Negata Sanshiro! Stay strong!"

"You're forever my Masked Rider!!!"

As he rushed towards the entrance, he turned around and waved at the students, swirling his body.

"Ohh~! That's right. Those supporting me, make sure to 'NEGA Saturn Go!'"

And shortly after, as he stepped outside, carrying the NEGA Saturn jukebox, almost as thick as a mattress, a tremendous cheer erupted from the people waiting outside.

"Whoa!! Masked Rider No. 1!"

"Whoa! What's that!?"

"You all! NEGA Saturn Go!"

Placing the massive Saturn pad connected to the jukebox on the ground, he began enthusiastically hitting the buttons of the controller with gusto.

As people who had been waiting idly in the event area observed his performance, they began cheering, sensing his passion and determination.

"Wow~! So passionate!! I can feel the dedication!!"

Phew... Seriously, enough. Honestly speaking, as he performed, it felt like my hands and feet were regressing. Looking at the external broadcasting cameras set up at NEGA's booth, I sighed softly.

"Why did that appearance seem so cool back when I was young...? Did the nostalgia gloss over it a bit too much?"

Having finished explaining the conference schedule briefly to Suzuko, I recalled a few entertaining Japanese commercials I had seen in the past.

"Come to think of it, the Fanta soda commercials were so fun..."

It had a different sense of humor compared to Korea, but among the commercials I'd seen in my childhood, the Fanta advertisements were the most memorable. With a sudden rush of memories, I chuckled and headed back to the Pentagon booth.

---

A while later, as the event alarms signaled the commencement of the exhibition, attendees flooded in from the six entrances.

"Where's the Pentagon booth?!"

"What are you saying? We have to go to where the conference starts first! To Sensony... to Sensony's booth, quickly!"

"Wow... the scale is immense. It's definitely on a different level from CES!"

The attendees entering the venue expressed admiration at the scale of the Tokyo Game Show, sporting happy smiles.

If expos showcased the future of human science to the general public, game shows were like a mecca for gamers, displaying all upcoming game information first.

The previously tranquil exhibition hall swiftly filled to the brim with attendees from all directions, leaving no space for even a moment's respite.

"I too wished to come to this Tokyo Game Show at least once in my middle school days..."

Yet, here I was, not just attending but participating in the Tokyo Game Show. Plus, preparing for the conference in the afternoon gave me a peculiar feeling.

Gamers who arrived at the Pentagon Soft were met with disappointment and anticipation as they gazed at the covered Pentagon area until the conference began at 1 PM.

"I came to see Dragon Emblem, but it's not time for the unveiling yet..."

At that moment, near the Pentagon booth, the Laon terminal installed nearby carried the voices of Kaori and Miyazaki.

"Virtual Idol. For those who desire Tokyo Game Show exclusive costumes, please use this terminal."

"Ah! Right, Virtual Idol. They had special outfits, didn't they!?"

"Let's grab them before the conference starts. If the line gets longer later, it'll take ages."

The reason why the crowd of gamers at the Pentagon event venue hadn't dispersed despite no events starting yet...

It was all thanks to the limited-time special costumes for the heroines of Virtual Idol.

They even gifted badges to the early visitorsa merchandise item for Virtual Idol. Occasionally, some users were seen lining up multiple times just to obtain all four heroines.

I briefly glanced at the staff assisting before the official conference and then adjusted my white cap before heading towards the Sensony booth.

As I made my way there, passing several third-party companies, the sheer number of attendees pushed me towards the Sensony booth, leaving me little chance to explore others.

"Wow! Iron Fist 2!"

The flagship game of Gear Station, praised by gamers for its powerful 3D graphics, was none other than 'Iron Fist.'

Though initially tagged as a derivative of Real Fighter upon its release, Iron Fist, in its second series, was showcasing a unique system of its own flawlessly.

From exhilarating aerial combos to an accessible 10-hit combo sequence for beginners, and characters brimming with about twice the charisma compared to Real Fighter...

While the overall graphics might have trailed behind Real Fighter, the newly ported 'Iron Fist 2' for Gear Station boasted a diverse range of modes, almost bordering on revolutionary.

Moreover, addressing the somewhat lackluster story mode from the arcade version, it now featured prologues and endings for all characters, evoking cheers from the users.

"It's amazing!"

"Isn't the Hurricane Kick just incredible? I find Iron Fist more fun and easier than Real Fighter."

"Right? The satisfaction of landing a perfect aerial combo is unbeatable."

Listening to the praises around, I stroked my chin lost in thought.

As much as I enjoyed RPGs and idol games, nothing beat a fighting game when it came to entertaining friends visiting over...

Suddenly, disgruntled voices behind me caught my attention.

"Why isn't this person moving forward?"

"Huh?"

"Come on, let's hurry up."

Huh? What's happening?

Turning to the dissatisfaction of the people, I found myself inadvertently pushed forward, standing in front of a demonstration unit. With a student holding a gray pad beside me, I reluctantly picked up the pad in front of me.

"Want to play for a bit?"

Gripping the pad with both hands, I focused on the screen, witnessing numerous fighters in action. The student next to me swiftly chose Kazuya as his character, and I, reminiscing briefly, opted for 'Baek Doo San,' a Korean character.

"Round 1! Fight!"

Whoosh!

Dodging Kazuya's aggressive start with a strong Wind God Fist, I maintained distance, observing his movements.

Though Baek Doo San wasn't considered a powerhouse in the Iron Fist series, he was a character with diverting techniques, such as the easy backdash and the flashy Taekwondo step.

"Wait, why is that person holding the pad like that?"

Ignoring the voices from behind, I adeptly began playing with both fingers, remembering forgotten skills as time passed. As I executed sidesteps and added the Flamingo to my moves, I won two consecutive rounds after a struggling start.

"If only Hwarang were here, it'd be easier..."

Throwing a smirk at my defeated opponent, I left the demo area.

Right at that moment, coinciding with the announcement of a new game for Gear Station, a computer-generated, stunningly beautiful woman appeared on a giant screen inside the Sensony booth.

And then, the intense breaking sound.

Vroom!

The users gathered in front of the Sensony booth were staring blankly at the screen as a sports car slid elegantly out of an outside corner on the track in a computer-generated spectacle, amidst gasps from the crowd.

During this gaming era, to compensate for the lack of polygonal expressions, CG videos were heavily utilized. The beautiful woman on screen, sporting a racing girl outfit akin to something from a motor show, was portrayed in CG rather than polygons.

Captivating the users with her looks reminiscent of a racing girl from a motor show, she went by the name 'Nagase Reiko,' featuring in 'Raging Racer 4,' acclaimed for its exhilarating drifting sequences among the various games released for Gear Station. Cheers started to echo among the users gathered at the Sensony booth, witnessing this historic opening sequence once again.

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