Tokyo Game Show 2023 (TGS2023), one of Japan's largest video game festivals, was held from Thursday, September 21 to Sunday, September 24, 2023. (hereinafter " Level-5 "), which exhibited at TGS2023, and we were able to try out " Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road of Heroes," the latest title in the "Inazuma Eleven " series, and report on our experience playing the game. I will report on the game in this report.
Report on the Level-5 booth!
Among the large booths of Japan's major game makers that attracted the attention of many attendees, there was one booth that I thought drew more attention and enthusiasm than the others, even though the booth size was about the same size. The name of the company behind the booth was "Level-5!
Level-5 is known for the "Professor Layton" series, which sparked a boom in puzzle solving; the "Ni no Kuni" series, for which Studio Ghibli cooperated in the production; and the "Danboru Senki" series, which has been developed into plastic models in addition to games and anime. The "Danboru Senki" series, which has been developed as a plastic model in addition to games and animation. The "Yokai Watch" series became a social phenomenon involving both children and adults throughout Japan, and I am sure that each and every one of you has your own strong memories of this series. (As a side note, one of the most memorable Level-5 related titles for me is " Jeanne d'Arc " released on the PSP.)
The "Inazuma Eleven" series, one of the mainstays of Level-5's popular and still popular franchises, attracted a great deal of attention at this year's show. Inazuma Eleven, also known as Inaile, was the first Level-5 game to be developed as a cross-media series, and its simultaneous development as a game, anime, and comic book has no doubt captured the hearts of fans.
Level-5, which has created many masterpieces and influenced the Japanese game scene, will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2023, and exhibiting at TGS2023 was the best thing that could have happened to many users. Many fans gathered at the booth to experience and celebrate this wonderful 25th anniversary at the TGS gaming festival, and the fact that the booth was always packed with people was a testament to the company's popularity, which is still undiminished.
The stage events included a talk event with President Hino himself on stage, popular voice actors and entertainers introducing game information, and playful performances. The audience was especially excited by the live performance by the artists who composed the music for the game and anime.
Fans watching the stage went wild as T-Pistonz and King Cream Soda performed their songs. It was impressive to see many people, including those passing by the booths, participants visiting neighboring booths, and staff members of the booths, standing and watching the stage, their eyes and ears captivated by the nostalgic songs they could hear from the stage.
This time, I had the opportunity to experience " Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road of Heroes," the latest title in the Inazuma Eleven series, which celebrated its 15th anniversary.
A test of "Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road of Heroes"!
The Inazuma Eleven series has been developed for the DS, 3DS, and other handheld consoles, but this title will be available not only for the Nintendo Switch, the newest handheld console, but also for the PS5, PS4, iOS, and Android.
I had the chance to try out the Nintendo Switch version of the game, and as a person who has played the first two games on the Nintendo Switch, I felt a sense of nostalgia as well as the graphics that have evolved to match the current consoles. I was also impressed by the fact that the game's controls are even easier to use than in past games, and that there are parts of the game that make you feel like you are playing a soccer game.
However, the Inazuma Eleven-like characteristics were inherited, and I did not have the impression that I was playing a completely different game. This includes, of course, the "special moves" that are a popular element of the game.
By successfully performing offensive and defensive actions in a game and building up the tension gauge, players can use their own special moves, and the cut-in sequence when a player activates his or her special move makes my heart skip a beat.
The latest title has the potential to introduce today's children to Inazuma Eleven, and if their parents also have memories of this series, it could become a communication tool between parents and children, which is one of the strengths of the Inazuma Eleven series. This is one of the strengths of the "Inazuma Eleven" series.
When I left the booth after my experience, the line to try out the newest title was unbroken.
Although the release date has not yet been decided, but it will be sometime in 2023, I am sure that many fans are eagerly waiting for the release date. We hope that this title will be an opportunity for them to discover new encounters and discoveries in this work.