Skip to main content

Long read: The beauty and drama of video games and their clouds

"It's a little bit hard to work out without knowing the altitude of that dragon..."

If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Noby Noby Boy's Keita Takahashi

On the new multiplayer update, with exclusive videos.

Oli Welsh avatar
Interview by Oli Welsh Former Editor-in-Chief
Updated on
17 comments
EurogamerTell us some more about the iPhone version of Noby Noby Boy you showed at GDC. What are your aims for this?
Keita Takahashi

There are several reasons and aims with this.

The first one is: We used too much time and money to develop Noby Noby Boy, and there won't be any major updates in the future. However, I am trying to use the iPhone version in order to get more money from our top executives in order to keep updating the PS3 version. Basically, I am using the iPhone version as bait.

The second one is: I want to allow the programmers to develop on other platforms.

The third one is that with the iPhone, you can always be connected to the net, there is a tactile interface and a built-in GPS, so in my opinion, I believe that the possibilities of having fun are increased.

The fourth one is, even though the way of having fun might be different, ideally I would like to see both PS3 and iPhone versions focus on the same GIRL in space. In short, I want GIRL to grow thanks to the iPhone as well. Even if you don't have a PS3 you could create a PSN account and transfer BOY's length form your iPhone to GIRL, that's actually what I would like to do.

To implement this, I am sure that we will meet a lot of obstacles. If we could have some kind of cross-platform fun, and we could make some game hardware competition like which one is going faster, bad criticism may also decrease as well too.

That's pretty much about it.

EurogamerAs you said in your talk, GIRL's progress through the solar system is going rather slowly. Do you regret implementing this feature the way you did?
Keita Takahashi

Yes, at the pace things are going now, it will take 820 years.

I have absolutely no regrets regarding the way we implemented the feature. I have been told to stop acting up and add some more "game-like" features. But I don't want to create a game with a pre-determined ending and I think it is OK the way it is. I don't think it is right to put an ending just for the sake of it. I believe that it is alright to create a stupid and irresponsible game, I really do.

EurogamerMany players say that they enjoyed Noby Noby Boy at first, but didn't play it for long because they didn't know what to do. Don't you think that objectives help people to enjoy themselves?
Keita Takahashi

I don't think that the problem comes form the game missing any objectives. I think that it is simply just not fun. I think we can make fun games without any objectives in it. So this all because of my lack of ability...

All my apologies if you're not having fun, even though you bought it. But with version 1.1 it becomes more fun and as the update is free, please try it!

We're definitely having fun, and it sounds like we're not the only ones. Check out our Noby Noby Boy review for more. We'll try and find another excuse to interview Takahashi ASAP.

Read this next