October turned out to be Important and impactful months for ZAGE
As was becoming tradition, ZAGE released two flagship titles—one for each of its main consoles. For the home console ZEPS, the game was Castlevania 2: Dracula's Curse, and for the handheld ZGB, the release was Powerpuff Girls. Each of these releases targeted different audiences but shared the same level of ambition and polish expected from ZAGE.
For ZEPS, Castlevania 2: Dracula's Curse—a spiritual successor to the revered Castlevania III from Zaboru's previous life—delivered both nostalgic impact and innovative improvements. In his former timeline, Castlevania III was consistently in the conversation for the best 8-bit game ever made. In this alternate world, despite the higher standards created by Zaboru himself, the game still stood out.
ZAGE had already released Castlevania 1, which cleverly combined elements from both the first and second Castlevania titles of Zaboru's old world. With that foundation, Dracula's Curse became a rich, standalone prequel, following Trevor Belmont on his harrowing journey to defeat Dracula. One of the game's highlights is the inclusion of three potential allies—each offering dramatically different gameplay experiences. Players must choose only one companion per run, boosting the game's replayability and strategic depth.
The three companions include:
Grant Danasty: Agile and nimble, Grant uses a throwing knife and can climb walls and ceilings. His speed and platforming versatility make him invaluable for precise movement, though he struggles in direct combat due to his low damage and defense.
Sypha Belnades: A magic user with a fragile body, Sypha wields a staff for melee but unleashes powerful spells in place of sub-weapons—ranging from fireballs and ice blasts to room-clearing lightning. She's perfect for boss battles and crowd control. While her magical offense is potent, she's physically fragile and attacks slowly
Alucard: Dracula's son, Alucard can fire ranged projectiles and transform into a bat to fly past tricky obstacles. Although versatile, his large hitbox and slow attacks make him less effective in combat. He is best used for navigating tricky terrain or avoiding danger altogether.
The game features 17 total stages, but due to the branching path system, players typically experience around nine per playthrough. Strategic map decisions—such as choosing between a haunted Clock Tower or a treacherous Sunken City—determine not only the route but also which ally the player will encounter. Each route varies in difficulty, enemy types, and platforming challenges.
As for the final boss, the player once again faces Dracula—though this time, Zaboru significantly ramped up the difficulty to test even the most seasoned players. Dracula's climactic battle in Castlevania 2 unfolds in three increasingly demanding phases, each designed to push reflexes, strategy, and adaptability to the limit.
The first phase is a familiar yet heightened encounter. Dracula appears in a humanoid form, teleporting across the screen while launching rapid-fire fireballs. It's a refined version of his classic attack pattern, requiring players to move constantly and find brief windows to land hits.
Upon defeat, he evolves into a grotesque monstrosity—his second form. This phase introduces a giant, floating, disembodied head tethered to a serpentine body that lashes across the screen. Its movements are erratic, with sweeping tail whips and surprise charges. Players must anticipate and dodge these strikes while timing their counterattacks carefully.
In the final phase, Dracula assumes a surreal, nightmarish shape. This form is unlike anything seen before—a swirling mass of limbs and spectral faces that emit chaotic death beams across the entire screen. These beams erupt in unpredictable directions and intervals, demanding split-second reactions and pixel-perfect positioning. The unsettling visuals and eerie sound design amplify the tension, making this one of the most intense boss fights ever crafted by ZAGE.
Zabo-man makes a secret appearance if the player completes the game using all three support characters across separate runs. Unlocked as a fourth playable ally, Zabo-man wields a spear and has a unique "blink" ability, allowing him to teleport short distances and dodge incoming attacks. This elevated the game's already impressive depth.
Reception was overwhelmingly positive. Critics and players alike praised the layered gameplay, multiple paths, and difficulty. Many hailed Castlevania 2: Dracula's Curse as an early contender for Game of the Year 1993.
Over on the ZGB handheld, ZAGE released Powerpuff Girls, a gamble project developed under Shigeru Miyamoto's oversight in Osaka. Zaboru created the original concept and delegated the design, trusting Miyamoto to elevate it. The game was based on the Powerpuff Girls show from Zaboru's previous life—a series he personally enjoyed, especially for its distinct and vibrant art style. Zaboru wasn't concerned with how well the game would sell; his primary goal was to bring a beloved concept to life while also providing another opportunity to test Shigeru Miyamoto's creative capabilities and leadership in a new genre.
The Powerpuff Girls — Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup — are three kindergarten-aged superheroes created by Professor Utonium using "sugar, spice, and everything nice"… with the accidental addition of Chemical X. The result was a trio of charming yet powerful heroines who bring both heart and force to their missions.
The game adopts a vibrant side-scrolling format that allows players to freely switch between the three girls depending on the stage's challenges. Zaboru, staying true to his commitment to character-driven design, gave each Powerpuff Girl unique traits that are deeply integrated into the level mechanics and enemy encounters:
Blossom wields elemental powers, specifically flame and ice. She is essential in navigating areas that require freezing enemies or melting obstacles, as well as solving puzzles that involve changing environmental conditions.
Bubbles is the speedster of the group, capable of dashing across collapsing platforms or outrunning fast-moving traps. Her agility also makes her ideal for collecting time-sensitive power-ups and dodging enemy attacks.
Buttercup is the team's powerhouse. When players face heavy boulders, destructible walls, or boss encounters requiring brute strength, Buttercup becomes the go-to option. Her ground-pound ability adds extra punch to both combat and traversal.
This synergy of powers ensures that each level is dynamic, encouraging players to think strategically and creatively about which sister to use and when. The varied gameplay styles also make the experience feel fresh and replayable, catering to different preferences and playstyles. Overall, Zaboru drew heavy inspiration from the gameplay of A.M.N. [Agent Mutant Ninja], a standout title developed by Akaishidan Studio. This studio was owned by Akechi Hamazou, the older brother of Zaboru's girlfriend, and Ayumi also worked there. Given the tight personal and professional connections—and the high quality of the game itself—Zaboru saw A.M.N. as a perfect template. He adapted its mechanics and structure as the foundation for the Powerpuff Girls game.
The villain was Mojo Jojo, as in the cartoon from Zaboru's previous life. The story kept a lighthearted tone, packed with humor and charm. While some male players dismissed the art style as too girly, the game earned strong support from young female gamers, many of whom loved the art style and characters.
On the PC front, ZAGE launched Harvest Moon PC, an enhanced version of the ZEPS title. The update featured improved visuals, quality-of-life features, and more seasonal events, while maintaining its core loop of farming, building relationships, and growing a legacy.
However, not all projects went smoothly. Arcade games Dance Dance Revolution and OutRun hit production snags due to hardware costs. Both development teams—Tokyo and U.S.—were tasked with finding production solutions without sacrificing performance. After several rounds of testing and hardware adjustments, the Tokyo team succeeded in optimizing OutRun for cost-effective production, leading to its rescheduling for November. Meanwhile, Dance Dance Revolution, which involved more complex motion sensor calibration, was postponed to December for additional refinement.
Next is the Marvel Comics update. After the successful release of MRU (Marvel Re Universe) Iron Man and Captain America in August, Zaboru and Marvel continued to expand the universe with a steady rollout of new titles.
In September, two major additions arrived: MRU Spider-Man and MRU Daredevil. In Spider-Man, Zaboru introduced Venom not only as a villain but also as a morally gray anti-hero—marking Venom's debut in this world's Marvel media. The bold characterization quickly became a fan favorite. Meanwhile, Daredevil took on a darker, more dramatic tone. It focused on Matt Murdock's mission to help those the justice system cannot reach, echoing the gritty style of the Netflix series from Zaboru's past life.
Both titles featured dynamic crossover moments. In Spider-Man, both Daredevil and Iron Man appear to aid Peter Parker during a citywide crisis. In Daredevil, The Punisher confronts Murdock, arguing that lethal force is the only true way to stop criminals—an ideology Matt rejects. Or Matt Murdock meets Moon Knight, who immediately starts arguing with him for seemingly no reason. Despite their clashing personalities, the two vigilantes manage to team up and fight crime together, forming an uneasy but effective partnership. These interactions deepened character development and gave readers a sense of a living, interconnected universe.
In October, Marvel launched MRU X-Men. This comic started from the very beginning, focusing on a young Charles Xavier and Magneto, exploring their early friendship and ideological divide. The series highlighted the struggles of mutants in a prejudiced world, setting the stage for future conflicts within the X-Men saga.
Readers praised all the MRU titles for their tight writing, character-driven plots, and accessible entry points. Starting fresh meant fans could jump in without needing decades of backstory, which made the series especially attractive to new readers.
The positive reception drove Marvel's sales past DC's, prompting Warner Bros.—DC's parent company—to consider a universe reboot of their own. Though nothing is confirmed, the shift in momentum is undeniable.
Meanwhile, on the business front, an unexpected opportunity emerged. While Zaboru was visiting the USA branch of ZAGE, Ryan Miller from Emerald Wings informed him that two individuals—Jensen Huang and Chris Malachowsky—were actively seeking a meeting with Zaboru and ZAGE. They had recently founded a company called NVIDIA and were looking for investors.
Zaboru met with them shortly after. During their meeting, Jensen and Chris expressed their admiration for ZAGE's innovative games. They shared their vision of a future where video games would evolve into a massive industry, one that would require powerful hardware to keep up with creative demands. Their solution? Developing specialized technology to enhance computer graphics—what they called the Graphics Processing Unit, or GPU.
Zaboru engaged in a detailed technical discussion with them, offering insights and foresight that left both Jensen and Chris deeply impressed. They hadn't expected such in-depth understanding from a game developer, but now they realized that Zaboru wasn't just any developer—he was, in fact, the very person who had single-handedly revived a once-declining industry and reshaped its future.
As for the meeting quickly shifted from pitch to collaboration. Ultimately, Zaboru agreed to invest $10 million in exchange for a 25% stake in NVIDIA. The two founders were surprised but grateful, and the deal was sealed.
Both Jensen and Chris became close friends with Zaboru as well. They genuinely enjoyed their discussions with him and looked forward to having more in the future—a sentiment that Zaboru gladly shared.
NVIDIA secured a solid financial foundation thanks to ZAGE's support. Although other companies contributed to NVIDIA's early funding, ZAGE stood out as the largest and most influential investor. Zaboru deliberately avoided acquiring a majority stake; he wanted to support NVIDIA's growth without becoming its controlling figure, as his primary focus remained on steering ZAGE's future.
Yet even then, Zaboru knew—with unwavering certainty—that NVIDIA would become a giant in the tech world.
October was, without question, a transformative month. Blockbuster game releases, narrative-rich comics, and business ventures all elevated ZAGE's influence in multiple industries.
Now, it is early November—setting the stage for another pivotal chapter, this time focused on rival company Sonaya whose Kagutsuchi projects, which is a 16 bit console, is almost released.
To be continued
AN : Brah writing long chapters like this is really insanely tiring lol but I have too anyway in future i might just skip months directly and not explain stuff like this i just want for the 8 bit era using these kinds of writings while we already on 16 bit probably will change how i write.
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