"That's exactly why our team has to be the one to do it!" Oba refused to back down, leaning forward with both hands planted firmly on the table. "When it comes to the action engine and combat feel of Super Shinobi 2, no one in all of Sega—no, the entire industry—understands it better than we do! We'll avoid all those fluffy RPG stats Bandai uses, and we won't touch gacha cards! We're going to make the most hardcore, authentic 2D side-scrolling action game!"
Tianchang pointed at the sketches, his words coming out in a rapid-fire blur, his eyes burning with a fanatical light. "The story will start with Goku meeting Bulma in the mountains and go all the way to defeating the original King Piccolo! Collecting the Dragon Balls, competing in the World's Strongest Martial Arts Tournament, destroying the Red Ribbon Army! Every single one of those blood-pumping, classic battles from the original manga will be recreated with the highest-quality action levels! The Power Pole's extending hitboxes, the Flying Nimbus's dash mechanics—it'll all be authentic, with every punch and kick landing with a satisfying thud!"
Oguchi Hisao's eyes swept quickly over the level designs on the paper.
He had to admit, Oba's skill in action level design was exceptional. Even from rough sketches, one could see the ingenious use of verticality and the strategic placement of enemies.
But—
"Purely single-player action levels," Oguchi Hisao said, looking up with his usual cold gaze. "Oba, you still haven't grasped the tone the Managing Director set. It's the same old problem: how do we use infrared communication? Where's the social aspect? This new handheld isn't a deserted island for you to just show off your single-player action design."
Oba froze, his face flushing red.
His team was full of hardcore action game fanatics who had gone off the deep end. Their minds were constantly churning with "hit-frame data," "invincibility frames," and "hit stun." They were indeed completely out of touch with the commercial logic of online social features and viral marketing.
"We could... we could add a versus mode," Oba ventured, his confidence clearly wavering. "Take a few of the bosses from the main game and let two players fight each other. Or maybe a speedrun leaderboard where they can exchange scores via infrared... see who clears the game faster..."
Oguchi Hisao pushed the sketches back without a hint of mercy and shook his head.
"Too thin. Players will get bored of that kind of multiplayer after a few rounds. It won't create any social stickiness. A pitch like this can't support the launch-title prestige of a top-tier IP like Dragon Ball. Take it back and think it over."
Oba's patience snapped. Veins bulged on his forehead as he reached out to push the sketches back, desperate to argue his case.
Just then, a slender, powerful hand clamped down on the papers, holding them firmly in place.
Takuya Nakayama, who had been silently sipping his iced Americano, pulled the sketches in front of him. He flipped through a few pages, and a spark of recognition lit up his eyes. He saw the shadow of Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure, a game he knew from his past life to have been a critical hit on the GBA. A plan formed in his mind.
"Oba," Takuya said, leaning back in his chair. His fingers tapped the paper in a rhythmic beat, the soft thuds echoing sharply in the silent conference room. "Tell me: what is your team—the same team that made Super Shinobi—most proud of? What are you best at?"
Oba blinked, confused by the Managing Director's sudden change in tone, but he straightened his back and answered with pride, "Action design! Hitbox logic! And an absolutely unbeatable sense of impact!"
"Then why are you boxing yourselves into a traditional level-based game?" Takuya flicked his wrist, sending the sketches drifting back to the center of the table. "The idea you mentioned—adding a battle mode—is the right direction, but you're thinking too small. It's too conservative, too timid."
The conference room fell completely silent. Even Oguchi Hisao turned his head, everyone waiting for Takuya Nakayama to speak.
"Sega has just taken over Bandai's Game Division, and countless eyes outside are waiting to see us fail. They think Bandai's previous anime adaptations were just cash grabs—reskinned games designed to scam players. They think Sega will follow the same path just to recoup their investment quickly." Takuya Nakayama slowly straightened his posture, his eyes instantly taking on a predatory intensity. "We will use this first Dragon Ball game to shut the mouths of those unscrupulous media outlets and competitors for good! We must give the players an absolute surprise. Let them know that when a top-tier IP comes into Sega's hands, it will be completely transformed!"
Oba swallowed nervously, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Managing Director, are you saying—"
"The side-scrolling action-platformer is just the flesh and skin of this game. It's the vehicle for players to experience the story and relive the emotions of the original manga. For this part, stick to the original plan and maintain your highest standards. It needs to be simple to pick up, yet possess enough hardcore skill depth."
Takuya Nakayama raised a finger, his gaze burning as he fixed it on Oba.
"But that's just the foundation. After the first playthrough—or rather, when New Game Plus is unlocked—I want you to hide a complete, full-fledged fighting game mode with genuine competitive depth inside! That is the true backbone of this game!"
Oba's eyes widened, his pupils trembling.
"And not just Goku," Takuya continued, relentlessly raising the stakes. "Krillin, Master Roshi, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Mercenary Tao, the Black Officer from the Red Ribbon Army—every major character from the story must be a playable fighter! Twenty characters! The playable roster must start at twenty characters minimum!"
"And you can't just give the characters away. To unlock different characters, players will need to use specific figures in New Game Plus, or even meet harsh conditions like no-damage runs or time limits in certain levels, or even trigger special story-related events!"
A collective gasp of shock swept through the conference room.
"Over twenty characters?! You want over twenty fighting-game characters in an action-adventure game?!"
"Not just playable, but absolutely distinct with competitive depth," Takuya Nakayama's voice boomed through the conference room, each word striking the producers like a hammer blow. "Every single character must have their own unique combat system and hitboxes! Light attacks, heavy attacks, special moves, launchers, aerial combos, and ultimate finishers!"
"Master Roshi's Kamehameha and Tien Shinhan's Dodon Ray must have completely different startup and recovery frames! Mercenary Tao's Pillar Flight and Goku's Flying Nimbus need to offer distinct mobility options! After a launcher, I want to see combos—I want the kind of frame-perfect, move-and-timing mind games you find in The King of Fighters!"
Oba's forehead instantly broke out in a dense layer of cold sweat.
This isn't just 'adding a versus mode.'
This is cramming an entire, massive-scale fighting game into an action-adventure title!
For the price of one action game, you're throwing in a high-quality fighting game for free!
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