Yuji Naka, the designer behind Sonic the Hedgehog, Nights, and Burning Rangers, doesn’t get mentioned much around the gaming campfire these days. The infamous leader behind Sonic Team’s salad days has all but disappeared from game design since Sega left the console making business. His last full title, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, was released on Gamecube back in 2003, and since he left Sega to form his own independent studio, Prope, back in 2006, no one’s known what Naka’s been doing with himself. That is, aside from not being involved with Sega’s Wii-fying of Naka’s babies Nights, Sonic, and, soon, Samba de Amigo.
Well, that’s all changing in seventeen days. Prope has opened a website teasing that, in seventeen days, they will reveal their very first game. Said game will be published by Sega. It will also, apparently, be penguin accessible. That’s right, there are no screens, no hint of a platform, no title, no genre. Nothing. But, according to the site, penguins will be able to play this game. It’s been long-rumored that Naka and Prope have been working on a project for Wii, so I wouldn’t be too surprised to see this mystery game announced for Nintendo’s box come Tokyo Game Show (which starts, conveniently, in seventeen days.)
The devoted 61FPS reader may recall that I said something fairly ribald about Mr. Naka a couple of weeks back. Alright, fine, I said, “Fuck Yuji Naka!” Just like my man Peter Moore. But it was a jest. I adore Yuji Naka’s games and long to see him start making insanely satisfying games like Chu Chu Rocket again. Color me anxious for the reveal.
Much love to NeoGAF user Stormbringer for the tip.
Related links:
Tales of The Focus Group: Peter Moore Takes No Guff
Surprise of the Week: Sega Releases a Good Game
9/9/99 9 Years Later