ZEPS 2 games are making waves this month. Two games—Kirby Super Star and Super Ghouls and Ghosts—are really great additions to the ZEPS 2 library. Next, ZAGE also created two games for their old 8-bit console, ZEPS 1: Mega Man 4 and River City Ransom.
For Mega Man 4, it delivers everything fans expect from the series. It features sharp level design with clever gimmicks, like gravity tricks in Toad Man's stage and the shifting conveyor belts in Ring Man's level. Each Robot Master—Pharaoh Man, Dive Man, Bright Man—has a distinct theme and weapon, making it fun to discover their weaknesses and try out new gear. The Pharaoh Shot became a fan favorite for its strength and versatility. Zabo-man also returns as a hidden ally in Mega Man, and if rescued, he gives the player the Z-Gauntlet—a powerful short-range melee weapon.
Story-wise, Mega Man 4 was the first to add more depth. Rather than revealing Dr. Wily as the villain from the start, players meet Dr. Cossack as the apparent antagonist, which adds a twist and a bit more story than earlier titles. When Wily eventually reveals himself, it's a fun and satisfying moment that enhances the game's mix of action and cartoon-style drama—everything fans enjoy and expect from the Mega Man series, which remains a steady favorite from ZAGE.
Next up is River City Ransom. At its heart, the game follows two high school students—Alex and Ryan—battling their way through gang-infested streets to rescue Ryan's kidnapped girlfriend from a villain named Slick. What made the game instantly stand out was the sense of freedom it offered. Instead of just moving left to right like a typical beat 'em up, players could explore a connected city, moving back and forth across different areas. They could enter shops, buy food to recover health or gain permanent stat boosts, and learn flashy techniques like Dragon Feet or Stone Hands, gradually transforming their character into a streetwise kung fu master.
The game also had RPG-style progression, which was rare in a beat 'em up at the time. You earned money by defeating enemies, and instead of just collecting points, you spent that money to level up—improving strength, speed, and stamina. This made combat feel meaningful and gave players the incentive to grind, strategize, and explore.
Zabo-man makes another appearance in this game, this time as a supermarket cashier who sells various shop items. He's easy to spot, wearing a black apron and his signature black-and-gray Z helmet.
Adding to its appeal, River City Ransom featured co-op multiplayer, which took the fun to another level. Fighting side by side with a friend, occasionally landing accidental punches, stealing each other's coins, or rescuing one another from enemy swarms led to laugh-out-loud, unforgettable moments. The quirky dialogue—like enemies shouting "BARF!" when defeated—perfectly captured the game's goofy, lovable charm.
Players also appreciated how the game didn't take itself too seriously. It mixed high school street fights with RPG mechanics and made it all work with expressive pixel art and a catchy soundtrack. It was both challenging and lighthearted, and it gave ZEPS players something they didn't expect—a beat 'em up with personality, depth, and replayability.
Overall, both of these games still sold very well. Players who don't own ZEPS 2 still plenty—that's why they still bought the games released on ZEPS 1. While ZEPS 2 players—plenty of them still bought it too because they can play it on their ZEPS 2. Overall, most of them know that regardless of which machine ZAGE games are released on, it means business and almost never disappoints. So the sales are great. Zaboru also gave a 10% discount that applied only on ZEPS official stores, which made sales increase as well. These also gave solid data that players still love ZEPS 1 games. Although the sales are not as great as ZEPS 2 games, still, Zaboru decided to occasionally release games for ZEPS 1—because it's just fun.
On top of that, ZAGE has been releasing fewer serious titles this month, with most of the games leaning into fun, lighthearted, or downright goofy territory. This shift shows other developers that a game doesn't need to be serious or edgy to succeed. Even quirky or bizarre concepts can shine when paired with the right creative choices and execution.
Next thing that happened in May is that preparation for the Mortal Kombat tournament event is going smoothly, which will be held in the USA. Zaboru will attend as well, and he will ask his family and girlfriend to join.
As for June game planning, Zaboru decided to focus on games. In mid-June, Tekken will be released, and its trailer will drop during the Mortal Kombat tournament—just like Marvel VS ZAGE last year, whose trailer was shown after the Street Fighter tournament in Japan at least if Tekken Development is on track if its not then Zaboru will decide to hold the trailer for later.
Next game, the USA team remains focused on developing Diablo, a project that demands a lot of manpower. However, Zaboru isn't putting all his attention into just that. Alongside Diablo, he's also working on a second title—a simpler, more accessible game called Lemmings for PC. It's a charming, puzzle-based title, and Zaboru has already completed a portion of its design and programming himself. He plans to hand over the project to the ZAGE USA branch in early June, allowing the team to finish and polish it while the bulk of resources stay committed to Diablo.
As for the June release game, Zaboru chose a more relaxed pace for June's development cycle. The plan is to release one game for each platform—ZGB and ZEPS 2. For the ZGB, the team will develop Shantae, a vibrant and whimsical adventure title. On the ZEPS 2 side, the chosen release is Shin Megami Tensei, an ambitious sequel to Megami Tensei in ZEPS 1 that aims to deepen the original's dark themes and complex gameplay.
Both projects demand significant manpower, which is why Zaboru opted to keep the slate light this month. At the same time, the team will begin work on longer-term side projects scheduled for release in August.
Meanwhile, rumors were swirling in May that Sonaya had acquired several third-party game studios that once developed titles for ZEPS. When Zaboru heard the news, he merely chuckled, completely unfazed. He wasn't worried—in fact, he hoped that the acquisitions wouldn't stifle those studios but instead push them to create even more games and grow stronger. After all, more great games meant more for Zaboru to play, which was always a win in his book. He also knew that truly exceptional third-party developers couldn't be bought off with money alone. Take Akaishidan, for instance—Zaboru was certain Sonaya would never be able to buy it from Akechi. There's no way Akechi Hamazou would ever sell his beloved company, especially not to Sonaya.
True to the rumours, Hikaru Kurata—CEO and major shareholder of Sonaya—is under high pressure but excitement. He recently acquired several game development studios. Initially, this was to boost manpower, but it also served to secure valuable IPs that had previously appeared on ZAGE consoles, bringing them to Sonaya's own systems. Although ZAGE never restricted its third-party developers from making games for Sonaya, some developers chose to release their titles exclusively for ZAGE. This could be due to loyalty, better deals, or simply a lack of interest in Sonaya's platform. These acquisitions aim to prevent that from happening again, ensuring that the newly acquired studios can contribute to strengthening Sonaya's Titan Drive 16-bit console.
Overall, that's what happened in May. Now it's already early June. Zaboru is in America preparing for the first tournament there, alongside his family.
To be continued...
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