On the same day, Saturday 1 February 2000, while Hironobu Sakaguchi was brainstorming his next ZGBA game inspired by Golden Sun, a very different situation was unfolding at the ZUSUGA offices. Zanki Zagashira was currently inside one of the company's research laboratories together with the core development team of ZUSUGA. Not long ago, ZUSUGA had proudly owned the most powerful handheld system on the market—the Reborn 16—but that pride had begun to fade after the arrival of ZGBA.
After the ZGBA released on January 1, 2000, Zanki immediately ordered several ZGBA units along with all 21 launch titles in bulk. His intention was simple: he wanted his hardware engineers and development teams to carefully study and "research" the system. Over the past month the company had dedicated a large portion of its internal resources to analyzing the ZGBA hardware and its game lineup. Now the research period was finally over, and it was time for Zanki to hear the results of everything his teams had discovered.
Zanki arrived at the office despite all the noise surrounding ZAGE's new websites and online platforms. For most executives this would have been the hottest topic of the industry, but Zanki could not care about it right now. At the moment he needed answers from his developers far more than news about internet services. His attention was focused elsewhere, because ZUSUGA was currently working together with Apple on a collaborative console project that was planned to release in 2001. That project alone was already consuming a large portion of his time and energy, so he had temporarily ignored everything else happening in the market.
However, the release of the ZGBA had forced him to take this matter seriously. No matter how busy he was with the Apple collaboration, understanding the technology and strategy behind ZAGE's new handheld had become unavoidable.
Zanki had now arrived at the research laboratory and immediately called for two of the most important people in the room. The first was Tao Furuo, the head game‑development engineer of ZUSUGA, a developer known for his deep understanding of gameplay systems and software architecture. The second was Hitanaka Katsura, the head hardware engineer responsible for analyzing competing devices and designing new chip layouts for the company.
Both of them were considered extremely talented within ZUSUGA, which was exactly why Zanki had personally assigned them to study the ZGBA. For the past month the two engineers and their teams had been dissecting the handheld system, analyzing its components, reverse‑engineering parts of its architecture, and carefully studying all twenty‑one launch games released alongside it.
Now Zanki was finally here to hear what they had discovered.
Zanki began speaking as he folded his arms across his chest. "So I assume the two of you have completed your research on the ZGBA after studying it for a whole month. Tao, you analyzed the games that ZAGE released, right? Out of those twenty‑one launch titles there must be plenty of cash‑grab games, correct? Some weak ones, some rushed ones. I mean, it's obvious—releasing twenty‑one games at the launch of a console is a marketing strategy. No company could realistically produce that many high‑quality titles at the same time, especially when they are also busy with other projects."
He paced slowly across the laboratory floor as he continued talking, his shoes echoing lightly against the tiled surface of the lab.
"So there must be some trash among those games. Some filler titles meant just to pad the launch lineup," he said with certainty. "That's definitely how the strategy works. A few strong titles, a few average ones, and the rest just there to fill the shelf."
He gave a short scoff. "If that's the case, then we can absolutely copy this strategy. Flood the market with games when our next handheld releases. Quantity alone can create momentum."
Zanki then stopped pacing and turned to face Tao directly, his expression sharp and impatient.
"Go ahead and give me a short review of each one," he said. "I cleared my schedule for this, so I have plenty of time today."
To Zanki, the conclusion felt obvious. Twenty‑one launch titles for a handheld console was already absurd enough by itself. The idea that all of them could somehow be high quality sounded even more ridiculous.
Even if the company behind it was ZAGE, he simply refused to believe they could pull off something like that. At best, a handful of them might be good while the rest were just clever marketing disguising mediocrity.
Tao fidgeted for a moment before forcing himself to speak. "Actually, boss… it's the complete opposite of what you expect. Every game in this launch lineup is very distinct from the others, and the overall quality is… honestly insane. All of them are fun to play, and even critics are saying the same thing: every title feels well‑made and the lineup has incredible variety. The only unusual thing is Pokémon releasing as two versions, but that's something ZAGE often does and the two versions are basically one game with small differences.
"But the other titles are where things get really surprising. For example, Golden Sun is a brand‑new RPG IP and it feels almost like a full ZEPS‑3 console game running on a handheld. The scale of the world, the story presentation, the spell animations, even the puzzles in the dungeons… it shows just how powerful the ZGBA really is.
"Then there's Advance Wars. That game feels completely new. It's basically a strategy war simulation—almost like an RTS—but redesigned perfectly for a handheld system. The maps, unit positioning, and turn‑based combat make it extremely addictive.
"Drill Dozer is another one that surprised us. The core mechanic revolves around a drilling machine that the player uses to move, attack, and solve puzzles. The level design is very tight and creative, and the gameplay constantly introduces new ideas so it never becomes repetitive.
"Gunstar Super Heroes is also impressive. The gameplay feels like a combination of Mega Man and Castlevania—fast action, precise controls, and huge boss fights. Even though both Mega Man and Castlevania are franchises related to ZAGE, this game still feels unique with its own identity.
"Then there's Rhythm Tengoku, which might be the most unusual one in the lineup. It's a rhythm game like ZAGE arcade Guitar Hero built around timing and music, but the gameplay concepts are extremely creative. Each stage introduces a completely new rhythm challenge, and it's surprisingly addictive once you start playing.
"And finally there's V‑Rally. Honestly… the graphics in that game are unbelievable for a handheld. The cars, the tracks, the speed effects—it almost looks like a ZEPS‑3 racing game squeezed into a portable system. The physics and handling are also very solid."
Tao swallowed nervously before finishing his explanation. "In short… none of these feel like filler games. Each one has its own identity, and each one shows a different strength of the ZGBA hardware."
Zanki frowned, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists, but he forced himself to stay calm. "Go on… what about the sequels?"
Tao sighed and continued. "As for the sequels… they're just as strong. Metroid Fusion feels like exactly what Metroid fans have been asking for. It's basically a more refined and intense version of Super Metroid from the ZEPS‑2 era. The atmosphere is darker, the movement is smoother, and the tension of exploring the station keeps players constantly on edge.
"Then there's Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. This one really impressed us. The 2D sprite movement is incredibly smooth, the combat feels responsive, and the story is surprisingly strong. The new soul‑collection system adds a huge amount of customization to the gameplay, letting players experiment with many different abilities.
"Fire Emblem: Blazing Blade is also a big step forward for the series. If this is what an evolved Fire Emblem from the ZEPS‑2 generation looks like, then it's a very good evolution. The tactical battles are deeper, the character writing is stronger, and the campaign feels much more cinematic.
"Then we have The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. This one takes a fresh approach to Zelda gameplay. The shrinking mechanic lets players explore environments from completely different perspectives, and the art style is colorful and charming. It feels perfectly suited for the ZGBA.
"Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire… honestly, I don't even need to explain this one. It's already the most talked‑about game in the world right now. New monsters, a new region, and improved battle systems. It's dominating the market.
"Next is Yoshi's Island: Super Mario World 3. This is a very unique Mario game because players control Yoshi while Baby Mario rides along. It's somewhat like a remake of Super Mario World 2 from the ZEPS‑2 era, but it adds new stages, mechanics, and much more content. It works incredibly well on the handheld.
"Then there's Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. It's an adventure RPG starring Mario and Luigi together, and the humor in the dialogue is fantastic. The combat uses timing‑based mechanics, which makes battles feel interactive instead of just menu‑driven.
"WarioWare INC Mega Micro games is another surprising title. It's built around many of tiny mini‑games called Micro Games that last only a few seconds each. The concept sounds simple, but it becomes incredibly addictive because players constantly face new absurd challenges.
"After that there's EarthBound: Mother 3. This one is very strange in the best way possible. The story is emotional, weird, and sometimes even dark, but the writing is extremely memorable. It's the kind of game people talk about long after they finish it.
"Kirby and the Amazing Mirror and Sonic Advance are also extremely polished. Kirby focuses on exploration and cooperative gameplay across a large interconnected world, while Sonic Advance delivers exactly what fans want—fast, smooth platforming with great level design.
"Then there's Shantae Advance, which brings the character back with improved visuals and much bigger areas to explore. The animation work is excellent and the platforming mechanics feel very fluid.
"F‑ZERO Maximum continues the high‑speed racing legacy of the ZEPS‑2 game. The sense of speed is incredible for a handheld, and the track design pushes players to master precise control.
"And finally there's Metal Slug Advance, which adapts the famous ZAGE arcade shooter into handheld form. The action is still chaotic and explosive, but they added new systems like rescuing soldiers and collecting cards, giving the gameplay more depth."
Tao inhaled slowly before answering. "Honestly… all of them are solid releases. There isn't a single weak link among them."
Zanki's face immediately turned pale. He grabbed his head with both hands as if trying to process what he had just heard. "How… how are they able to do this?" he muttered in disbelief. "How are we supposed to fight something like this?"
He suddenly turned toward Hitanaka. "Hitanaka, at least tell me the hardware is something we can replicate… right?"
Hitanaka scratched the back of his head with an uneasy expression. "Unfortunately, boss… we can't. The ZGBA is honestly insane. They're selling it for around 11,000 yen and I still cannot understand how they aren't losing money on each unit."
He gestured toward the dismantled ZGBA parts lying on the research table.
"The architecture is unbelievably well designed. The processor, the GPU, the memory management, the battery efficiency… everything is aligned so seamlessly that it almost feels unnatural. Usually when we analyze hardware we can find compromises—areas where cost cutting or design shortcuts exist."
He shook his head slowly.
"But here… I can't find a single obvious flaw. It's like every component was designed to work perfectly with the others. The power consumption is balanced, the performance output is optimized, and even the heat management is unusually stable."
Hitanaka sighed.
"Honestly, boss… the engineering behind this handheld feels almost like witchcraft. I still can't understand how ZAGE managed to achieve this level of integration."
Zanki's eyes widened as a dull headache began pounding behind his temples. The more he listened to the reports, the clearer the reality became—ZAGE was truly a monster of the industry. For the first time he could understand exactly what Sonaya had been feeling all these years while fighting ZAGE in the home console market. Back then Sonaya had been forced to compete directly against ZEPS systems, and everyone in the industry knew how overwhelming that competition could be. Starting from Zanki Leadership ZUSUGA had avoided that battlefield by focusing on handheld devices instead, building the Reborn 16 and dominating that segment while ZAGE had not yet pushed seriously into handheld development.
But now everything had changed. The arrival of the ZGBA shattered the balance that ZUSUGA had relied on. The moment ZAGE entered the handheld market with full force, the gap in capability became painfully obvious. The Reborn 16, once praised as the most powerful handheld system available, suddenly looked outdated almost overnight.
The sales reports made the situation even worse. Reborn 16 game sales had collapsed drastically—dropping nearly four hundred percent compared to the months before the ZGBA launched. Retailers were shifting shelf space, developers were reconsidering their partnerships, and players were flocking to the new ZGBA ecosystem.
To Zanki, it felt like watching the ground beneath his company slowly crumble. The frustration building inside his chest was almost unbearable.
Zanki then said "We should steal their talent… but why does f*cking ZAGE employee really hard to sway Dammit!" Zanki smacked the table in frustration, the sound echoing across the laboratory as several tools rattled from the impact. Normally this kind of strategy would be simple for him. Zanki possessed a rare ability known as "Voice Persuasion," one of the inherited powers of the Zagashira bloodline. Through subtle control of tone, rhythm, and emotional pressure in his voice, he could influence people's thoughts and decisions without them even realizing it. In negotiations, recruitment talks, and corporate meetings, this power had always given him a terrifying advantage. Most people eventually bent to his will once he began speaking seriously. Yet somehow every time he tried to approach ZAGE employees, the ability simply failed to work. They behaved as if they were completely immune to his influence. Zanki could not understand it at all, and that mystery only made his anger worse. For the first time in years, the power he had always relied on felt completely useless—and Zanki didn't know why. He assumed that its because some kind of Inteferrance of Zaboru powers that can completly repel his ability.
Then Tao said something that sounded almost outrageous. "Um… boss, do you know that the head of the IZAN developer team at ZAGE used to be one of our lead game developers?" Zanki's eyes widened immediately. "Huh? What do you mean by that?"
Tao scratched his head awkwardly before continuing. "Well… his name is Shinji Mikami. Years ago he was working here as one of our most promising developers and he become lead of ZUSUGA Video games sectors. But he was fired by the previous CEO—your brother, Zukechi Zagashira." Tao hesitated for a moment before explaining further. "Back then our first home console, the ZUSUGA Gen‑1, failed badly in the market. But honestly… it wasn't really Mikami‑san's fault. At that time ZUSUGA was openly attacking ZAGE in the console market, and then the ZEPS‑2 released. Once that happened, the Gen‑1 system quickly disappeared from relevance."
Tao exhaled slowly. "Zukechi blamed Mikami for the failure and dismissed him from the company. But not long after that… Zaboru recruited him. From what we gathered, Mikami joined ZAGE's development structure and eventually became the head of their IZAN development team." Tao paused before finishing quietly. "So… in a way, boss… one of ZAGE's strongest developers used to be one of ours."
Zanki couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Shinji Mikami…?" he repeated slowly. Of course he knew that name. In the last few years Mikami had become extremely famous in the industry for directing several successful games under ZAGE. Hearing that such a developer had once worked under ZUSUGA felt almost unbelievable.
Suddenly Zanki exploded with anger.
"DAMN IT, ZUKECHI! You useless fool!" he shouted, slamming his fist against the table again. "How could you fire someone that talented just because of your own incompetence?"
The headache pounding in his head grew even worse. Losing talented engineers to competitors was bad enough—but realizing that one of ZAGE's strongest developers had once belonged to his own company was almost unbearable.
Zanki forced himself to calm down and took a deep breath before speaking again.
"I want to talk to this Shinji Mikami," he said firmly. "If he was once part of ZUSUGA, then maybe we still have a chance. I will personally offer him the opportunity to return and lead our development teams."
He turned to Tao and Hitanaka with a sharp look.
"Meanwhile, the two of you will continue analyzing the ZGBA and its games. I want every detail documented. And start preparing concepts for our next handheld device immediately. We cannot afford to fall further behind."
The two engineers nodded quickly, understanding the urgency of the situation.
As for Zanki, he immediately returned to his office and began drafting an offer for Shinji Mikami. This time it would be a genuine proposal—one based on respect and opportunity, not manipulation through his Voice Persuasion ability. Zanki knew that if he wanted to compete with ZAGE, he would need real talent… not tricks.
To be continue
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