Former programmer at AlphaDream
Masashi Haraki is a programmer, engineer, designer and director. He worked in the game industry since 1998, with his notable works being Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, and Hamtaro: Rainbow Rescue.
As far as you remember, what was it like working at AlphaDream?
Since the time I began dreaming of becoming a game creator, I had always hoped to make an RPG, and it was thanks to AlphaDream that this dream came true. (And it was even more delightful that it was “Mario,” a game I had played hundreds of times as a child!)
Would you like to be involved in another Mario & Luigi game again if you had the chance?
Yes, if the opportunity arises, I would like to be involved again!
I’m not sure if you’ve played the games themselves, but if you have played a Mario & Luigi game, do you have a favorite?
My favorite is the GBA version of “Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.”
What were your thoughts on AlphaDream’s bankruptcy in 2019? There were likely several reasons for the bankruptcy, but I’ve speculated that poor management and a shortage of planners were a part of the cause. Do you recall if this was apparent back when you were there in the 2000s?
I remember feeling surprised and sad when I saw the news of the bankruptcy.
I was employed there for about 6 years from 2001 to 2007, and at that time, I don’t think there were any particular management problems.
Getting into a bit more detail, in Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga, every time you create a new drink at the Starbeans Café, other Nintendo characters make unused cameo appearances. Do you remember anything about these cameo appearances?
I’m sorry, I don’t have any memory of that.
(Maybe it was a time when I was troubled by frequent bugs and didn’t have the capacity to think about anything else?)
According to an interview with Mr. Chihiro Fujioka, it seems that AlphaDream had canceled quite a few projects in the early days, including Tomato Adventure 2. Do you know anything about these projects?
I joined AlphaDream when they were developing “Tomato Adventure 2.” At that time, they were short of programmers, and I was invited through an acquaintance who was helping with the development.
I was in charge of the battle system, and I remember feeling very disappointed when the development was canceled just as it was starting to come together.
I’m interested in the makeshift Nintendo DS that AlphaDream created during the development of Mario & Luigi Partners in Time. Do you remember anything about this?
The development equipment lent to us by Nintendo at that time was still a prototype, with only one screen and exposed circuit boards, so it was impossible to hold and play.
Therefore, it was completely unknown how the Nintendo DS would feel to operate or what kind of gameplay could be created with two screens arranged vertically.
So, we thought, “What if we arrange two GBAs vertically, wouldn’t it be like a DS?” and implemented a process to synchronize two GBAs via communication. By the way, the hardware was developed by Yoshihiko Maekawa.
Do you recall anything about the CEO Tetsuo Mizuno and or COO Yoshihiko Maekawa and what they were like?
Mr. Tetsuo Mizuno, the CEO, wasn’t directly involved in development, so we only talked occasionally. However, even amidst the challenging development situation, he was very considerate. I also remember that just before I got married to an employee of AlphaDream, during a gathering of employees, Mr. Mizuno accidentally let slip about the marriage, and everyone was surprised. (At that time, we were still keeping our relationship a secret from the other employees, and only Mr. Mizuno and a few others knew about it.)
Mr. Yoshihiko Maekawa, the COO, had been the director of “Super Mario RPG” at Square, and he was always pursuing how to make games more interesting. In particular, for “Mario & Luigi RPG,” Mr. Maekawa was the director and I was the main programmer, so we progressed the development through various discussions between us.
By the way, I remember implementing a transition effect between the field and battle scenes, where a star-shaped polygon would spin and approach the screen. This idea came about after the battle programmer and I had brainstormed several ideas and presented them to Mr. Maekawa, but he didn’t seem very impressed. In a somewhat desperate move, I implemented the polygon processing, and Mr. Maekawa reacted positively, leading to its adoption in the game. (Since the GBA hardware didn’t support polygons, we had to implement the polygon drawing process in software.)
I can say that I am who I am today thanks to being trained by Mr. Maekawa.
Are there any specific projects you’d like to see remade you’ve been involved in during your career?
“Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.” However, it’s challenging to recreate the dual-screen setup on current game consoles.
Throughout your entire career, what’s been your favorite project to work on?
“Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.” Implementing the movement of the two characters side by side and the brother’s actions was quite a trial-and-error process since there was no precedent. It’s the work I’m most attached to.
What have you been up to nowadays with Mashsoft Co., Ltd.?
Until February of this year, I was involved in the development of games for smartphones. (I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose the title due to confidentiality obligations.) Currently, I am working on the renovation and maintenance of local web media and the development of non-game blockchain projects, so I am away from game development. However, I hope to be involved in game development projects again someday.
Also, happy birthday!
Thank you! I’ve turned 50, but I’m still going strong!
This interview has brought back nostalgic memories of my time at AlphaDream. I’m also very proud to know that there are people who still love AlphaDream. Thank you!
Mashsoft Co. Ltd. (Masashi Haraki’s company) – https://www.mashsoft.co.jp/
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