Trivia Browser
Collection: Brain Age
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Dr. Ryuta Kawashima turned down over ¥3,292,377,000 JPY ($22 million USD) in Brain Age royalties, and instead donated them to Tohoku University’s Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, where he works, to help build a laboratory.
subdirectory_arrow_right Dinosaur Planet (Game)
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Dragon Rock, Star Fox Adventures' final SpellStone area, was considerably larger and more complex in earlier versions of the game than in the final release. Both the leaked December 2000 build of Dinosaur Planet and also the E3 2002 kiosk version of Star Fox Adventures show that Dragon Rock featured a slew of additional areas that didn't make the final cut, such as an underground quarry area where Sabre/Fox would have to save the imprisoned EarthWalker from being eaten by a group of creatures known as Skeetlas, and also a large underground mining facility Sabre/Fox could only access by flying the imprisoned CloudRunner to the top of the titular Dragon Rock (a giant tower in SFA) at the center of the map. In SFA's case, Fox would have to solve a puzzle that would involve powering the portal at the back end of the room that would grant him access to Drakor, Dragon Rock's boss.
In the final release, both the underground quarry and the mining facility were removed: Fox simply frees the EarthWalker from a corral on the surface by hitting a switch located nearby the imprisoned HighTop from across the map, and Fox immediately skips to fighting Drakor after being dropped off by the CloudRunner at the top of the center tower. Funny enough, when Fox lands on the platform in Drakor's arena, it bizarrely shows electricity spewing around him, which was a remnant of the portal he was supposed to activate in the cut mining facility segment in order to access the boss.
The SFA dev team admitted on a 2003 Rare Scribes that Dragon Rock was massively scaled back from its intended design due to "approaching deadlines", presumably referring to the impending Microsoft buyout in 2002. It's worth pointing out that the mining facility area can actually be found in the files of the final retail release of SFA and surprisingly in a much more complete state than the kiosk's version, which indicates that the dev team continued working on this area in the final months of development but ran out of time to polish it to their liking.
In the final release, both the underground quarry and the mining facility were removed: Fox simply frees the EarthWalker from a corral on the surface by hitting a switch located nearby the imprisoned HighTop from across the map, and Fox immediately skips to fighting Drakor after being dropped off by the CloudRunner at the top of the center tower. Funny enough, when Fox lands on the platform in Drakor's arena, it bizarrely shows electricity spewing around him, which was a remnant of the portal he was supposed to activate in the cut mining facility segment in order to access the boss.
The SFA dev team admitted on a 2003 Rare Scribes that Dragon Rock was massively scaled back from its intended design due to "approaching deadlines", presumably referring to the impending Microsoft buyout in 2002. It's worth pointing out that the mining facility area can actually be found in the files of the final retail release of SFA and surprisingly in a much more complete state than the kiosk's version, which indicates that the dev team continued working on this area in the final months of development but ran out of time to polish it to their liking.
Dragon Rock in Dinosaur Planet:
https://youtu.be/I-pJrjq6QSM?t=18
Dragon Rock in Star Fox Adventures, circa E3 2002:
https://youtu.be/4yMRuFkG8vc?t=1750
Dragon Rock's cut bottom mining area found in the retail version of Adventures:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHQYmpHWYEE
Rare scribes circa 2003 explaining why Dragon Rock was cut down:
https://www.raregamer.co.uk/scribes-april-3rd-2003/
https://youtu.be/I-pJrjq6QSM?t=18
Dragon Rock in Star Fox Adventures, circa E3 2002:
https://youtu.be/4yMRuFkG8vc?t=1750
Dragon Rock's cut bottom mining area found in the retail version of Adventures:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHQYmpHWYEE
Rare scribes circa 2003 explaining why Dragon Rock was cut down:
https://www.raregamer.co.uk/scribes-april-3rd-2003/
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The Airship update for Among Us partially took so long to come out because of talks with lawyers about circumventing bootleg Among Us merchandise.
Among Us creator Marcus Bromander would claim two years later in an interview with YouTubers LS Mark and Veronicaandjelly that he felt that taking legal action against fake Among Us products was a "losing battle" and that he ultimately just found them funny and thought of them as free promotion.
Among Us creator Marcus Bromander would claim two years later in an interview with YouTubers LS Mark and Veronicaandjelly that he felt that taking legal action against fake Among Us products was a "losing battle" and that he ultimately just found them funny and thought of them as free promotion.
Marcus Bromander interview:
https://youtu.be/r_1fjreI5Kc
Among Us Dev Log post:
https://innersloth.itch.io/among-us/devlog/232933/-march-31-the-airship-releases
https://youtu.be/r_1fjreI5Kc
Among Us Dev Log post:
https://innersloth.itch.io/among-us/devlog/232933/-march-31-the-airship-releases
subdirectory_arrow_right Super Smash Bros. (Franchise)
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In 2020, after Nintendo sent a cease & desist to the major Super Smash Bros. tournament The Big House for using emulated Slippi netplay in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, participants in an official Splatoon 2 tournament collectively changed their tags to include the phrase "#FreeMelee". Shortly after, Nintendo would cancel the tournament, with their statement simply pertaining to "unexpected executional challenges".
In response to this, the Splatoon community hosted their own tournament in tribute to The Big House, titled "The Squid House" - this would end up becoming the biggest Splatoon series tournament to date, attracting 7,000 viewers and raising $28,000 USD, with $3,000 going to charity while the rest went to the participants.
In response to this, the Splatoon community hosted their own tournament in tribute to The Big House, titled "The Squid House" - this would end up becoming the biggest Splatoon series tournament to date, attracting 7,000 viewers and raising $28,000 USD, with $3,000 going to charity while the rest went to the participants.
Splatoon 2 tournament cancellation article:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/12/nintendo_cancels_splatoon_2_na_open_livestream_free_melee_believed_to_have_played_a_part
The Squid House match example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y60NlUKY2U
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/12/nintendo_cancels_splatoon_2_na_open_livestream_free_melee_believed_to_have_played_a_part
The Squid House match example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y60NlUKY2U
Franchise: Super Smash Bros.
subdirectory_arrow_right Splatoon (Franchise)
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On October 24, 2023, Nintendo released a list of "Community Guidelines" for eSports events surrounding their games in Europe and Japan - these rules received major backlash from competitive Smash and Splatoon players and were theorized as being intended to directly stifle Nintendo's competitive communities. With particular criticism going towards:
• Enforcing a maximum player count of 200 per day for in-person tournaments
• Enforcing a cash prize maximum at £9,000 / €10,000 and prohibiting sponsors from funding events
• pre-Switch games (particularly Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros.) not being available for licensing
• Not allowing titles from Nintendo's games to be used in branding, even including shortened variants such as "Splat" or "Smash".
• Banning modified, emulated, or fan-made games - the prior two being essential parts of modern day competitive Melee.
• Food, drink, and merchandise sale being banned from venues
• Arguably most damningly, requiring official licensing for smaller-scale high school charity events.
• Enforcing a maximum player count of 200 per day for in-person tournaments
• Enforcing a cash prize maximum at £9,000 / €10,000 and prohibiting sponsors from funding events
• pre-Switch games (particularly Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros.) not being available for licensing
• Not allowing titles from Nintendo's games to be used in branding, even including shortened variants such as "Splat" or "Smash".
• Banning modified, emulated, or fan-made games - the prior two being essential parts of modern day competitive Melee.
• Food, drink, and merchandise sale being banned from venues
• Arguably most damningly, requiring official licensing for smaller-scale high school charity events.
Community guidelines:
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Legal-information/Community-Tournament-Guidelines-2467744.html
Licensing signup without any non-Switch games:
https://twitter.com/DarkGenex/status/1716834246336389485
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Legal-information/Community-Tournament-Guidelines-2467744.html
Licensing signup without any non-Switch games:
https://twitter.com/DarkGenex/status/1716834246336389485
subdirectory_arrow_right GoldenEye 007 (Game), Kato-chan & Ken-chan (Game), J.J. & Jeff (Game), Transformers: Mystery of Comvoy (Game), Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! (Game), Quest for Camelot (Game), Yume Koujou: Doki-doki Panic (Game), Punch-Out!! (Game), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Game), Nintendo Switch (Platform), Wii (Platform)
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As of 2023, only 4 licensed IP adapted games have been released on Nintendo's retro game digital download services: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for NES on Wii (which was later delisted on January 26, 2012), Transformers: Mystery of Convoy for NES on Wii, Quest for Camelot for Game Boy Color and GoldenEye 007 for N64, the latter two being on Switch.
Additionally, J.J. & Jeff, Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream, and Super Mario Bros. 2, all reskins of licensed titles, have been available in their license-less formats.
Additionally, J.J. & Jeff, Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream, and Super Mario Bros. 2, all reskins of licensed titles, have been available in their license-less formats.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles source:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/02/teenage_mutant_ninja_turtles_nes_pulled_from_virtual_console
Transformers: Mystery of Convoy source:
https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/vc_tf/index.html
Quest for Camelot source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDB_vr-0KJs
J.J. and Jeff source:
https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/jj-and-jeff-review/1900-6172194/
Supplementary Wikipedia general lists:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Virtual_Console_games_for_Wii_(North_America)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Virtual_Console_games_for_Wii_(Japan)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nintendo_Switch_Online_games
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/02/teenage_mutant_ninja_turtles_nes_pulled_from_virtual_console
Transformers: Mystery of Convoy source:
https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/vc_tf/index.html
Quest for Camelot source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDB_vr-0KJs
J.J. and Jeff source:
https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/jj-and-jeff-review/1900-6172194/
Supplementary Wikipedia general lists:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Virtual_Console_games_for_Wii_(North_America)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Virtual_Console_games_for_Wii_(Japan)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nintendo_Switch_Online_games
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The reason Fatty Bear never appeared in another point-and-click adventure game was due to a mixture of series creator Laurie Bauman Arnold owning the rights to the character and the name "Fatty", in spite of being intended in an endearing manner, being considered potentially offensive.
subdirectory_arrow_right Danny Phantom (Franchise), Rocko's Modern Life (Franchise), Ren & Stimpy (Franchise), My Life as a Teenage Robot (Franchise), Invader Zim (Franchise), Nickelodeon (Collection)
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When Smite launched its Nickelodeon crossover event, multiple characters were not voiced by their original voice actors.
• Invader Zim was voiced by Andrew Russell instead of Richard Horvitz
• Rocko was voiced by Matt Cowlrick instead of Carlos Alazraqui
• Jenny was voiced by Jenny Yokobori instead of Janice Kawaye
• Danny Phantom was voiced by Sean Chiplock instead of David Kaufman
• Powdered Toast Man was voiced by Michael Berger instead of David Kaye, his current voice actor and replacement for the now-deceased Gary Owens.
Original Zim voice actor Richard Horvitz claimed that he was not allowed to reprise the role of Zim due to Hi-Rez Studios refusing to work with union actors, and that he felt insulted by the temporary recast.
For Jenny, Rocko, and Zim, this is the first time they have ever been portrayed in English by someone other than their original actor.
• Invader Zim was voiced by Andrew Russell instead of Richard Horvitz
• Rocko was voiced by Matt Cowlrick instead of Carlos Alazraqui
• Jenny was voiced by Jenny Yokobori instead of Janice Kawaye
• Danny Phantom was voiced by Sean Chiplock instead of David Kaufman
• Powdered Toast Man was voiced by Michael Berger instead of David Kaye, his current voice actor and replacement for the now-deceased Gary Owens.
Original Zim voice actor Richard Horvitz claimed that he was not allowed to reprise the role of Zim due to Hi-Rez Studios refusing to work with union actors, and that he felt insulted by the temporary recast.
For Jenny, Rocko, and Zim, this is the first time they have ever been portrayed in English by someone other than their original actor.
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When The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom launched, a player who acquired the game early posted an image of them playing it and tagged multiple accounts associated with Nintendo to provoke them. This would be responded to by former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime with a quote from the movie Taken. While the gaming press and many fans thought this was humorous, it also received major backlash (particularly from people who had already grown to dislike Reggie due to his comments on the blockchain and the police force, and allegations of Nintendo's corporate culture during his tenure) due to Reggie directly quote-retweeting the post for all of his audience to see, screenshotting the post without censoring their username when the user took precautions to protect themselves from the audience attracted by Reggie's post, and using a quote that - in its original context - was a death threat, which only intensified when it was discovered that the user in question was 16 years old at the time.
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Neopets' former CEO Dough Dohring was an avid Scientologist, and used L. Ron Hubbard's "Org Board" method for running the business. Neopets founders Adam and Donna Powell were unaware of Dohring's ties to the cult when signing on to allow him to run the company, and it supposedly did not affect the inner workings of the company, though most of the employees were Scientologists and Dohring would often propose implementing Scientology education into the website. Williams would claim of the ownership in a 2014 Reddit AMA:
Dohring would leave Neopets after it was acquired by Viacom in 2005.
"Yes. Although we were not aware of it at first as we were totally naive.
Basically the first group of investors (who were the guys that had spare office space in Glendale as their automotive firm was being downsized) were scientologists.
When we realised it was a bit of a shock. Somewhat awkward moment when you realise you started the biggest entertainment site visited by millions of children and teens, but the upper management you just signed the company over to are part of some weird religion that is banned in some countries...
The company was structured like a scientology org. It didnt really change anything that I noticed apart from some odd test that interviewees had to take consisting of questions like which straight line seemed friendlier and stuff like that. We also had a lot of obscure celebrities coming round the office for tours.
At one time there was some talk about putting scientology education on the site, but we killed that idea pretty sharpish.
Adam and I made sure that it never made its way onto anything site related. Religion and politics were two big no nos for us as far as site content went. Can't say the discussions we had to keep it that way were much fun though!"
Basically the first group of investors (who were the guys that had spare office space in Glendale as their automotive firm was being downsized) were scientologists.
When we realised it was a bit of a shock. Somewhat awkward moment when you realise you started the biggest entertainment site visited by millions of children and teens, but the upper management you just signed the company over to are part of some weird religion that is banned in some countries...
The company was structured like a scientology org. It didnt really change anything that I noticed apart from some odd test that interviewees had to take consisting of questions like which straight line seemed friendlier and stuff like that. We also had a lot of obscure celebrities coming round the office for tours.
At one time there was some talk about putting scientology education on the site, but we killed that idea pretty sharpish.
Adam and I made sure that it never made its way onto anything site related. Religion and politics were two big no nos for us as far as site content went. Can't say the discussions we had to keep it that way were much fun though!"
Dohring would leave Neopets after it was acquired by Viacom in 2005.
Company: iQue
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Originally, iQue was founded as a joint venture between Nintendo and Taiwanese-American technologist Wei Yen as a Chinese video game console manufacturing company. However, by 2013 the company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nintendo, and in 2019 they began hiring for developers, programmers and testers, indicating that they were transitioning into a development company to support games made by Nintendo EPD.
iQue being wholly-owned by Nintendo:
http://nintendoeverything.com/up-to-date-listing-of-nintendo-subsidiaries/
https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2013/security_q1303.pdf#page=5
iQue transitioning into a development company:
https://web.archive.org/web/20180304204801/http://www.ique.com/hr/jobs.html
http://nintendoeverything.com/up-to-date-listing-of-nintendo-subsidiaries/
https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2013/security_q1303.pdf#page=5
iQue transitioning into a development company:
https://web.archive.org/web/20180304204801/http://www.ique.com/hr/jobs.html
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In prototype versions of McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure, the shops were McDonald's restaurants, and all the meters and power-ups in the game were McDonald's products. McDonald's burgers as health items in a game could be seen as endorsing them as a healthy food, so it was likely changed for the final game to avoid this perception, and while at the time Ronald McDonald was still seen holding or eating McDonald's in advertising, in later years he would be mandated against doing either. Additionally, a developer from the game has claimed that McDonald's were opposed to the collectibles because they didn't want hamburgers being left on the ground.
Prototype
https://youtu.be/PKuQjMiQj1s?si=fKHwiUkk3p_wM1e-&t=210
Commercials from the time where Ronald eats burgers
https://youtu.be/07S4-ueMw0A?si=kNMczvWofXBRYelq
Ronald eating ban
https://www.businessinsider.com/why-ronald-mcdonald-wont-go-near-big-macs-2014-6?r=US&IR=T
TLA developer talks on the removed feature
https://www.timeextension.com/features/flashback-no-hamburgers-on-the-ground-how-mcdonalds-sabotaged-its-own-game
https://youtu.be/PKuQjMiQj1s?si=fKHwiUkk3p_wM1e-&t=210
Commercials from the time where Ronald eats burgers
https://youtu.be/07S4-ueMw0A?si=kNMczvWofXBRYelq
Ronald eating ban
https://www.businessinsider.com/why-ronald-mcdonald-wont-go-near-big-macs-2014-6?r=US&IR=T
TLA developer talks on the removed feature
https://www.timeextension.com/features/flashback-no-hamburgers-on-the-ground-how-mcdonalds-sabotaged-its-own-game
Franchise: Sonic The Hedgehog
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Ryan Drummond (voice of Sonic the Hedgehog from 1999 to 2004) revealed that during Sega's recasting of the Sonic the Hedgehog cast in 2010, he had auditioned for the role and had actually won. However, Sega requested Drummond to leave his union, so Drummond ultimately declined the offer.
subdirectory_arrow_right Red Entertainment (Company)
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At Sega's Game Jam II showcase in March 2002, Red Entertainment announced two new PlayStation 2 games in collaboration with mangaka Yasuhiro Nightow that would be published by Sega, who announced they acquired a 67% stake in Red Entertainment moments prior. The first game announced was Gungrave, which was released in Japan in July of that year. The second game announced was a game based on Nightow's 1995 manga "Trigun" entitled "Trigun: The Planet Gunsmoke", with a short 20-second teaser trailer being revealed featuring silhouettes of multiple characters from the series before ending on Nicholas punching the screen and revealing the game's logo.
Since then, the game has become vaporware as no other updates from either Red Entertainment, Nightow, or Sega have been released about it since its announcement, with the exception of an official statement from Sega in 2002 that gave no comment on its development. Fans speculated that Gungrave was actually a modified version of Trigun: The Planet Gunsmoke citing its similar storylines and character designs to that of Trigun, but considering both games were first shown off at the same time and Gungrave was released in Japan only four months later, this is not the case.
Since then, the game has become vaporware as no other updates from either Red Entertainment, Nightow, or Sega have been released about it since its announcement, with the exception of an official statement from Sega in 2002 that gave no comment on its development. Fans speculated that Gungrave was actually a modified version of Trigun: The Planet Gunsmoke citing its similar storylines and character designs to that of Trigun, but considering both games were first shown off at the same time and Gungrave was released in Japan only four months later, this is not the case.
Video on Trigun: The Planet Gunsmoke's development:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHPHHzXpb-Q
Trigun: The Planet Gunsmoke teaser trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVGjnYuWa-4
IGN article on Sega's Game Jam II showcase:
https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/04/03/segas-jamming-game-show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHPHHzXpb-Q
Trigun: The Planet Gunsmoke teaser trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVGjnYuWa-4
IGN article on Sega's Game Jam II showcase:
https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/04/03/segas-jamming-game-show
subdirectory_arrow_right Final Fantasy (Franchise)
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The Final Fantasy series' title was long rumored to stem from the idea that it would've been Square and series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi's final game if it didn't perform well. According to these claims, Square was in dire financial straits in 1987, with Sakaguchi planning to quit the gaming industry and return to university studies. These claims appeared to be further corroborated when series composer Nobuo Uematsu affirmed them in a 2009 interview with Wired, claiming that Square's financial position was the main inspiration for the Final Fantasy name.
However, Sakaguchi debunked the rumors in a 2015 keynote address. In reality, Square always intended to give the first game in the series a name whose initials were "FF," as the Japanese pronunciation, エフ・エフ ("efu efu"), was considered pleasing to the ears. The developers' initial pick was Fighting Fantasy; however, it turned out that this name was already taken by a tabletop RPG series. Consequently, the title was changed to Final Fantasy. According to Sakaguchi, while Square indeed had their "backs to the wall" during development, "anything that started with an F would have been fine for the title."
However, Sakaguchi debunked the rumors in a 2015 keynote address. In reality, Square always intended to give the first game in the series a name whose initials were "FF," as the Japanese pronunciation, エフ・エフ ("efu efu"), was considered pleasing to the ears. The developers' initial pick was Fighting Fantasy; however, it turned out that this name was already taken by a tabletop RPG series. Consequently, the title was changed to Final Fantasy. According to Sakaguchi, while Square indeed had their "backs to the wall" during development, "anything that started with an F would have been fine for the title."
Wired article:
https://web.archive.org/web/20240412233806/https://www.wired.com/2009/07/final-fantasy/
Famitsu article (in Japanese):
https://web.archive.org/web/20150526221313/http://www.famitsu.com/news/201505/24079276.html
SoraNews24 article:
https://soranews24.com/2015/05/26/final-fantasy-creator-reveals-the-real-reason-behind-the-final-part-of-the-hit-series-title/
Kotaku article:
http://kotaku.com/debunking-the-final-fantasy-naming-myth-1707389344
Destructoid article:
https://web.archive.org/web/20170223125939/https://www.destructoid.com/final-fantasy-was-almost-called-fighting-fantasy-creator-explains-actual-reason-behind-the-name-292792.phtml
https://web.archive.org/web/20240412233806/https://www.wired.com/2009/07/final-fantasy/
Famitsu article (in Japanese):
https://web.archive.org/web/20150526221313/http://www.famitsu.com/news/201505/24079276.html
SoraNews24 article:
https://soranews24.com/2015/05/26/final-fantasy-creator-reveals-the-real-reason-behind-the-final-part-of-the-hit-series-title/
Kotaku article:
http://kotaku.com/debunking-the-final-fantasy-naming-myth-1707389344
Destructoid article:
https://web.archive.org/web/20170223125939/https://www.destructoid.com/final-fantasy-was-almost-called-fighting-fantasy-creator-explains-actual-reason-behind-the-name-292792.phtml
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Seaman's face is actually that of the game's producer and creator, Yoot Saito. Saito also acts as Seaman's Japanese voice actor. During development, Sega had requested that a celebrity be used if possible to voice Seaman, but Saito was hesitant. He later said in a 2020 interview that the fact that he played the role himself was "the key to success", because it gave him the advantage of being able to rerecord lines as many times as he wanted, so it was no longer a question of money.
Dreamcastgaga article:
https://web.archive.org/web/20140728111740/http://www.dcgaga.com/2012/11/seaman-prohibited-pet.html
Yoot Saito Japanese interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mteth7sKS5A
https://web.archive.org/web/20140728111740/http://www.dcgaga.com/2012/11/seaman-prohibited-pet.html
Yoot Saito Japanese interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mteth7sKS5A
subdirectory_arrow_right Blue Heat: The Case of the Cover Girl Murders (Game), Cyberdreams (Company)
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Cyberdreams was originally going to publish Ares Rising and Blue Heat: The Case of the Cover Girl Murders. When the company folded in 1997, the games managed to be completed and published under different companies: Imagine Studios for Ares Rising and Orion Interactive for Blue Heat.
subdirectory_arrow_right Popeye (Franchise)
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Shigeru Miyamoto originally wanted to do a Popeye game, specifcially based on the 1934 cartoon A Dream Walking, where Popeye and Bluto fight over Olive Oyl as she sleepwalks through a construction site, but couldn't get the license. He would later use the characters as inspirations with Mario taking the role of Popeye, Pauline as Olive Oyl and Donkey Kong as Bluto. Nintendo would eventually release a Popeye game a year after Donkey Kong in 1982.
Source on DK being Popeye:
http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-New-Super-Mario-Bros-Wii/Volume-1/1-Mario-Couldn-t-Jump-At-First/1-Mario-Couldn-t-Jump-At-First-210699.html
Concept art source:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/01/early-donkey-kong-design-document-from-miyamoto-showcases-popeye-origin
Scan from the book "I Am Error"
https://www.reddit.com/r/gamedev/comments/e92fp7/a_dream_walking_miyamotos_inspiration_for_donkey/
http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Iwata-Asks/Iwata-Asks-New-Super-Mario-Bros-Wii/Volume-1/1-Mario-Couldn-t-Jump-At-First/1-Mario-Couldn-t-Jump-At-First-210699.html
Concept art source:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/01/early-donkey-kong-design-document-from-miyamoto-showcases-popeye-origin
Scan from the book "I Am Error"
https://www.reddit.com/r/gamedev/comments/e92fp7/a_dream_walking_miyamotos_inspiration_for_donkey/