Ever since Apple Arcade launched, SEGA has been an fascinating supporter of the service. We’ve seen new unique video games, App Retailer Greats, and even (form of) multi-platform launches like with the return of Samba de Amigo. After a brand-new unique Sonic recreation, SEGA’s latest Apple Arcade launch is Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop () out now. Forward of this launch, I had an opportunity to speak to Mizuki Hosoyamada from SEGA who has labored on Sonic, Billy Hatcher, and Puyo Puyo video games through the years to debate Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop, the Puyo Puyo collection, plans for the sport, potential ports, his favourite video games, and much more.
TouchArcade (TA): Inform us slightly bit about your self and what you do at SEGA.
Mizuki Hosoyamada (MH): I joined SEGA’s Sonic Workforce in 2002 and from there labored as a planner, director, and reviewer of motion video games, equivalent to these within the Sonic collection. For the previous 18 years, I’ve been director and producer for Puyo Puyo titles; and now, in my function as common producer of the Puyo Puyo collection, I handle the “Puyo Puyo” IP as a complete, in addition to title manufacturing, recreation design and reviewing.
(Editor’s observe: He then listed the video games he has labored on)
- Billy Hatcher and the Big Egg
- Sonic Battle
- Sonic Mega Assortment Plus
- Sonic Gems Assortment
- Puyo Puyo! fifteenth Anniversary
- Puyo Puyo7
- Puyo Puyo!! twentieth Anniversary
- Puyo Puyo!! Quest
- Puyo Puyo Tetris
- Puyo Puyo!! Contact
- Puyo Puyo Chronicle
- Puyo Puyo Champions
- Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
- Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop
TouchArcade (TA): For lots of newer followers, Puyo Puyo Tetris on Change and PS4 was the primary foremost recreation we had within the West. How has it been for you seeing the Puyo Puyo franchise develop a lot within the West because you began engaged on it a few years in the past?
MH: When engaged on porting and reviewing older titles within the Sonic collection, I bought to see what made the video games so well-known and well-liked in The West, and whereas Sonic followers have been conversant in Dr.Robotnik’s Imply Bean Machine, they nonetheless didn’t find out about Puyo Puyo, so I may inform that Puyo Puyo wasn’t very well-known in The West. Feeling that the gameplay and the sport’s setting deserved extra of an viewers, I labored on the event and launch of Puyo Puyo Tetris in Japan, incomes an opportunity to extend the IP’s impression in The West. Realizing that the Puyo Puyo consciousness elevated, and in addition figuring out that there are various ardent followers makes me very comfortable.
TA: Since then, we had Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 arrive concurrently on a number of platforms worldwide, and it was glorious. I purchased it on all 4 platforms and have performed it an excessive amount of. What learnings from the unique did you’re taking into this recreation?
MH: For the discharge of Puyo Puyo Tetris, we first wanted to create Tetris characters and fundamental guidelines, which meant it was troublesome to get all of our concepts into the sport. When making Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, we launched a number of options for gamers of the unique to get pleasure from, in addition to listened to suggestions from these gamers whereas creating the sport, permitting us to create a fuller title. Followers of the unique talked about they have been happy to see sure characters return, with the 2 new characters Marle and Squares proving to be well-liked.
TA: Inform us slightly bit about how Sonic bought into Puyo Puyo Tetris 2.
MH: The principle purpose is that many Puyo Puyo Tetris followers are additionally followers of Sonic, and we heard many requests regarding a Sonic look. On prime of that, our SEGA of America employees additionally steered to incorporate him within the recreation as a shock. As soon as we bought the okay from the Sonic group, we went forward and carried out him. By the way, lots of people who’ve expertise engaged on Sonic video games－myself included－work on the Puyo Puyo group, so in a means the Sonic Workforce is the Puyo Puyo Workforce. Additionally, one more reason why we have now Sonic-esque Puyo skins is as a result of we work proper subsequent to the Sonic Workforce in the identical studio.
TA: The Puyo Puyo collection has had many video games throughout consoles and cellular platforms through the years. You’ve labored on a number of titles, music, and extra for the collection. Which has been your favourite to this point?
MH: In fact, I’ve an affection for all titles I labored on, proper from my first, Puyo Puyo (fifteenth Anniversary). Nevertheless, I like to recommend our newest recreation Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop essentially the most. When designing a brand new recreation, we all the time put all of the data we obtained from earlier video games into it and on prime of that, we have been capable of create it for the most recent gadgets. We all the time purpose to make every new recreation higher than the final, so we might find it irresistible in the event you performed our newest one first!
TA: Now, I wish to talk about Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop, the upcoming Apple Arcade unique. What led to bringing a brand-new Puyo Puyo worldwide on Apple Arcade somewhat than different platforms?
MH: A number of SEGA titles can be found on Apple Arcade, and through our conversations, releasing a Puyo Puyo recreation for Apple Arcade got here up, too, additionally because of the great reception of video games like Puyo Puyo Tetris and the recognition of the collection within the esports group. As a non free-to-play service, Apple Arcade’s enterprise mannequin allowed us additional room for creativity. Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop introduces a compelling narrative for followers to get pleasure from, so we have now been very comfortable to work along with Apple to deliver Puyo Puyo to a world viewers!
TA: Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop additionally contains a new narrative with characters from throughout the Puyo Puyo video games. Are you able to inform us slightly bit concerning the story and whether or not it’s going to be entry level into the collection for newcomers?
MH: The story was designed in order that new gamers can dive proper in, and it begins with Amitie waking up after listening to a voice in her goals. The identical members who labored on the narrative for Puyo Puyo Tetris and different video games labored on the narrative for this title, which is absolutely voiced in English and Japanese. We’d love so that you can test it out!
TA: How was it engaged on contact, controller, and different enter strategies for Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop? What impressed the brand new photograph mode in Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop?
MH: The sport’s controls have been made with the iPhone and iPad contact screens in thoughts, however has additionally been optimized for tvOS and MAC. It additionally helps quite a lot of controls, so hopefully you will discover the suitable management system for you. You can even play at house together with your favourite Bluetooth controller after which use the display immediately when you’re out and about.
Almost about the Picture Mode, we examined the same mode beforehand, however that is the primary recreation to see it carried out. As the sport is on iPad and iPhone, we predict gamers could have a good time having the ability to share the sport’s content material with one another, so hopefully they offer it a attempt!
TA: The App Retailer mentions that extra characters and guidelines shall be added in updates. Would you contemplate Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop a whole expertise with content material similar to a foremost console title proper now?
MH: Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop has much more content material than a console launch. You may even see information you wouldn’t usually see inside the sport, equivalent to character birthdays, and so forth, making it good for newer gamers.
TA: Are there plans to deliver different SEGA properties into Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop like House Channel 5, Like a Dragon, Sakura Wars, and so forth?
MH: We have now no plans at current character-wise, however the recreation does characteristic particular Puyo designs, equivalent to Sonic from Sonic the Hedgehog and the Morolians from House Channel 5.
TA: SEGA appears to have an excellent relationship with Apple and has six video games on Apple Arcade. Was Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop all the time deliberate to be made for Apple Arcade from the beginning? Are there plans to deliver it elsewhere sooner or later?
MH: SEGA and Apple have a fantastic working relationship, releasing Puyo Puyo Fever for Mac, Puyo Puyo Fever Contact for iPhone, and now Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop completely for Apple Arcade.
TA: What ought to we count on in relation to the music in Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop: new preparations, new songs, or older tracks?
MH: You may stay up for each new songs and preparations of older ones. Our promotional trailer contains a remix of a Puyo Puyo Solar track, which followers appear to be having fun with.
TA: The English collection brand is used for the sport even in Japan. It seems like that is the primary time that has occurred. Was Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop designed with the worldwide market in thoughts?
MH: Sure, up till now the Japanese and worldwide logos did often differ, however the Sonic IP has all the time aimed toward a world viewers. So, taking inspiration we needed to maintain the logos per the worldwide launch of a Puyo Puyo recreation.
TA: Clearly Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop is the primary focus, however I used to be questioning if SEGA would contemplate localizing Puyo Puyo Quest or prior cellular titles within the West. Is that this one thing being thought-about as I’d like to see extra from the Puyo Puyo collection within the West.
MH: Whereas we needed to launch Puyo Puyo!! Quest to a Western viewers, ultimately it was solely launched in components of Asia, and at current we have now no plans to launch it additional afield. Followers can actually have an affect on growth, although, so if sufficient folks love Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop in The West, then that may make it simpler to provide video games for that viewers and have fun Puyo Puyo titles collectively.
TA: On that observe, are there any plans to deliver a few of the older console titles like Puyo Puyo Chronicle or the older Compile-era video games that we by no means noticed exterior Japan to the West on cellular or different platforms by remasters?
MH: At current, we don’t have any plans to provide older titles for Western audiences. I actually did work on porting a couple of older video games to trendy consoles again then, however there are much more hurdles than you would possibly assume, so for Puyo Puyo, we determined to concentrate on releasing new video games. In fact, we all know there may be demand, so possibly sooner or later…
TA: Are you or any of the Puyo Puyo collection employees concerned within the Madou Monogatari 4 by Compile Coronary heart that was not too long ago introduced?
MH: I’m at present within the evaluate stage of characters, and so forth. from Puyo Puyo. Personally, I’m actually trying ahead to the sport’s launch!
TA: We realized a couple of months in the past that the Puyo Puyo Tetris collection crossed 3 million models bought worldwide. This particular crossover is one I really like, however have you ever ever considered working with different puzzle collection like Panel de Pon, Magical Drop, or Bust-A-Transfer?
MH: I used to be so happy when Puyo Puyo Tetris achieved over 3 million in gross sales. Thanks on your assist!
Almost about collaborations, I’m unable to touch upon the IPs of different corporations. Nevertheless, I’ll say that I get pleasure from enjoying and researching all types of puzzle video games the world has to supply, and all the time take into consideration how a collaboration with Puyo Puyo would work. Puyo Puyo Tetris was an concept I had again in center faculty, and I had no clue that sooner or later I’d not solely develop into a developer for Puyo Puyo but in addition assist make the Puyo Puyo and Tetris collaboration a actuality.
TA: What are your ideas on the present state of gaming platforms like new consoles (PS5/Xbox Sequence X), upcoming {hardware} from Nintendo, Steam Deck, and cellular?
MH: Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 has been launched on a number of platforms together with the most recent ones－creating video games on the most recent {hardware} is likely one of the nice enjoyable parts of being a developer. So many individuals play video games today; I actually hope folks proceed to get enjoyment out of them. I don’t know what releases lie forward, however I’m trying ahead to seeing extra new platforms that make me wish to develop video games for them.
TA: What are you at present enjoying and having fun with in relation to video games?
MH: On console, I’m enjoying Ultimate Fantasy VII Rebirth and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, whereas additionally getting numerous enjoyable out of dipping into the classics and new releases accessible on Apple Arcade and smartphones.
TA: What was your favourite recreation of 2023?
MH: It must be Tremendous Mario Bros. Marvel, as a result of it actually does characteristic numerous surprise. Additionally, each time I watch Road Fighter 6 tournaments, I get the urge to play.
TA: How do you want your espresso?
MH: The most important measurement accessible of an iced-latte, simple on the ice however heavy on the low-fat milk, please! Oh, and my child would love a heat milk, too!
TA: Do you have got a message for the Puyo Puyo followers and newcomers studying this?
MH: It’s been 18 years since I first began to develop for the Puyo Puyo collection, and whereas I’ve been fortunate sufficient to launch video games for varied consoles, the scope of Apple Arcade is big, so I actually hope many individuals get pleasure from Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop. If it turns into well-liked on a world stage, then we would have the ability to deliver again older titles, in addition to take the collection in new instructions, so please assist us on this thrilling journey!
I’d wish to thank Mizuki Hosoyamada of SEGA and Jennifer Tam from Apple for his or her time and assist right here.
You may sustain with all our interviews right here together with our latest ones with Dave Oshry of New Blood, Digital Extremes for Warframe cellular, Workforce NINJA, Sonic Dream Workforce, Hello-Fi Rush, Pentiment, and extra. As regular, thanks for studying.
