In the summer of 2022, fans were delighted by the collaboration between Crayon Shin-chan and Millennium Kitchen’s My Summer Vacation series in a game titled Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation -The Endless Seven-Day Journey-. The success of this crossover led to the upcoming sequel, Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town, which recently won an Excellence Award for Visual Arts at CEDEC 2024.
In a recent interview, Neos’ Akira Nagashima shared insights into the development process of the game. The collaboration with Kaz Ayabe on the first game came about after the success of their mobile game Otetsudai Daisakusen. The goal was to create a game that both kids and adults could enjoy, leading to the unique concept of the game.
The team working on Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town consisted of about 150 people, including staff dedicated to scenario, graphics, cinematics, programs, art, music, and support. The game was a fusion of the original landscape in Nagashima’s memories and various entertainment works that influenced him.
One key lesson learned from the first game was to avoid telling too many ‘lies’ in the game’s setting and story. The team aimed to create a parallel world within the everyday world where Shin-chan lives, maintaining a sense of authenticity.
Translating the anime visuals to a 3D game environment presented challenges, but the team used cel-shaded 3D models animated with unique motion control technology to achieve the desired effect. The game’s performance on the Switch was optimized to replicate the texture of a TV anime, with a frame rate of around 30fps chosen for the best visual experience.
Nagashima finds the Shin-chan character and his world appealing due to the characters’ honest values and carefree way of life. He hopes to continue working on similar formats in the future and has ideas ready for other titles beyond Shin-chan.
Working on mobile and console games has shown Nagashima the difference between the platforms, likening it to TV and movies. While mobile games offer quick gameplay experiences, console games provide a more immersive and personalized experience based on preferences.
In his spare time, Nagashima enjoys playing games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is set to launch on Switch eShop on 24th October, promising an exciting gaming experience for fans of the series.
