As Zaboru and Zanichi stepped into the meeting room, the casual chatter that had been bouncing around a second ago died instantly. Chairs stopped squeaking. Pens paused mid-click. Even the air felt like it tightened. Everyone straightened up as if the room itself had announced that something important was about to begin.
Inside, the Hardware Development team was already seated near the front—Zanichi's people and other R&D engineers with notebooks open, eyes sharp, ready to catch every detail. Behind them sat the three Japanese game teams—Team NIWA, Team IZAN, and Team NOVA—leaders in the first row and their key members behind, all waiting for the same thing: information. Not rumors. Not hints. The real plan.
Zaboru took a slow look across the room, letting the silence settle. He could feel the expectation from everyone's faces. Some were excited, some were nervous, and some looked like they were bracing themselves for a deadline that would change their lives.
He smiled and began, voice calm but full of weight. "Thank you, everyone, for attending this meeting. Today's agenda is… a little peculiar." A few people exchanged glances. Zaboru's smile didn't fade. "Because we're not just talking about next month, or next quarter. We're going to talk about our future."
The room grew even quieter.
"And yes—our future handheld console. The next generation of ZAGE Handheld after the ZGB… a project we have postponed long enough."
Eyes widened across the room. Some people unconsciously leaned forward. A few developers looked at each other with barely contained smiles, like they'd been waiting for this exact sentence for years. The name "next generation handheld" alone hit like electricity.
Zaboru continued, his tone warm but honest. "Our beloved ZGB is clearly outdated now. It still has charm, and it still has a solid fanbase. People love it—nostalgia, portability, the simplicity. I'm not denying that." He gave a small nod, as if paying respect to an old friend. "But players want more from us in the handheld category. They've been asking, and we've been hearing them."
He paused, then added the part everyone already knew but didn't like admitting. "And unfortunately… we couldn't deliver them until now."
The silence after that sentence wasn't disappointment—it was anticipation. Because the way Zaboru said it made one thing clear: the 'until now' meant something had finally changed.
"Not because we aren't capable enough," Zaboru said, his tone firm. "If we wanted, we could make a next‑gen handheld that's—let's be honest—only on par with the current 16‑bit industry like ZUSUGA Reborn 16."
A few people nodded at that, because it was true. ZAGE absolutely had the talent to ship something "good enough."
"But I don't want that," Zaboru continued, eyes narrowing with that familiar hunger everyone at ZAGE recognized. "I want more. I want a handheld that makes people stop comparing us to the past and start asking what the future looks like."
He let the words hang for a second, then added more bluntly, "And because of that, we've postponed this plan long enough. I know some of you have been frustrated. I know some of you have been waiting. And I won't pretend the delay didn't hurt."
Zaboru lifted a hand, counting the reasons like a confession. "As you already know, I actually planned this handheld project since last year. The concept, the design language, the game direction, the whole idea of what it should be—those were ready." He glanced toward the hardware team, then back at the developers. "But without proper batteries, and without dedicated CPU and GPU built specifically for it, we couldn't officially start. If we forced it, we'd end up making compromises that would haunt us for the entire life of the system."
His grin returned—sharp, confident, almost daring. "But now… we can."
Zaboru stepped forward and opened a big steel case on the table. The latches clicked loud in the quiet room. Foam padding lifted back, revealing neatly secured prototypes like priceless artifacts: the Z‑Advance CPU, the Z‑Advance GPU, and the Miyagi rechargeable batteries—1200mAh—each one labeled, sealed, and ready.
The moment the hardware caught the light, the room shifted. Engineers leaned in instinctively. Developers widened their eyes as if they were staring at a forbidden cheat code made real. This wasn't an idea anymore. This was proof.
"This is exactly why the development got delayed for so long," Zaboru said, raising the case slightly so everyone could see it wasn't empty hype. "Not because we can't do it. Not because we're slow. It's because I don't want ZAGE's next handheld to be just 'normal.' I want it to be extraordinary—something that makes people feel like they're holding the future in their hands."
He turned to the projector, and the Infocus screen behind him lit up with the first real slide: the Z‑Advance CPU and Z‑Advance GPU specifications. Zaboru didn't just show a logo—he showed clocks, pipelines, memory access notes, power modes, thermal targets, and development features that made engineers' eyes widen.
The reactions hit in waves.
The hardware team went silent in a different way—no longer polite silence, but the kind where minds are racing. One engineer instinctively reached for his calculator, then stopped because he realized he wasn't dreaming. Developers in the back started whispering to each other, not even trying to hide it.
"That's… for a handheld?" someone muttered.
Another developer looked genuinely offended, like the specs had personally insulted every handheld he'd ever used. "That's almost overkill," he said, half laughing, half in disbelief.
Zaboru smiled like he'd been waiting for that exact reaction. "Good," he said. "If it feels overkill today, that means it will still feel powerful tomorrow."
Then he clicked to the next slide.
"Next—batteries." Zaboru's voice became even more serious, because he knew this was the part that could make or break everything. "This is the newest battery line we asked our partner, Miyagi Batteries, to develop. We started pushing for this years ago, because without the right battery technology, even the best CPU and GPU become useless."
The slide behind him changed to diagrams and specifications: chemistry notes, charging profiles, safety cutoffs, and estimated play‑time targets.
"This is not just an upgrade," Zaboru continued. "This is the kind of technology that can change the battery industry. These are Miyagi Z‑Advance Batteries—ZAB batteries. Rechargeable Lithium‑Ion, capacity of 1200mAh."
He pointed at the key line on the screen so no one would miss it. "And the most important part is not only the number. It's what the number means for the player."
Zaboru's eyes swept across the room. "This is the future. I want our handheld to be playable with one battery system—no disposable batteries, no constant buying, no players feeling punished for playing. Recharge, swap if you have a spare, and keep going. Simple. Clean. Modern."
A few developers nodded hard, already imagining the marketing line in their heads. The engineers, meanwhile, were thinking about heat, voltage, and stability—and for the first time that day, they looked excited instead of worried.
Zaboru then continued and went to the next slide. The next thing it showed was a big word on the screen—"Cartridges." He raised his hand quickly before anyone jumped to conclusions. "Well… these aren't exactly old‑style cartridges," he said with a grin. "Think of it like our custom Flash Memory Card to store games. It's a new type of media for us, and yes, right now it's still a bit expensive. But this is the future way we store games on our handheld."
He let the slide sit there for a moment—images of a compact, sturdy card with a ZAGE‑custom shell and connector pins designed specifically for the ZGBA. "Flash memory is mature enough now," Zaboru said aloud.
What he didn't say out loud was how relieved he felt.
In this world, even in 1998, flash storage had already stopped being a weird luxury and started becoming a normal thing—something people were buying for cameras and MP3 devices without even thinking about it. That mattered more than any speech he could give. If normal consumers were already using it, then factories were already scaling up. The supply chain was already learning how to move it. Yields would get better. Prices would drop. And ZAGE wouldn't be building their handheld on top of a fragile, rare technology that could collapse the moment demand spiked.
That was the real reason he was confident enough to bet the ZGBA's entire game format on it.
He pointed to a chart that listed possible capacities, and a few developers' faces brightened. "The best part is flexibility," he said. "The memory size can vary depending on the game. Smaller games don't waste space. Bigger games can actually exist on a handheld without us forcing everything to fit the same tiny limit. It gives us freedom—not just for graphics and sound, but for game design."
Zaboru chuckled. "But there's still a slot for the smaller ZGB cartridges. This new handheld will support backward compatibility too."
Zaboru then continued, anticipating the next question before someone asked it. "And we will not use something like our ZEPS‑3 memory card system for this." He shook his head. "This handheld will save like our cartridge‑based consoles and handhelds—ZEPS‑1, ZEPS‑2, and the ZGB. Saves will be stored on the game media itself, not on a separate storage device like the ZEPS‑3 memory card."
He tapped the table lightly, emphasizing the reason. "For a handheld, convenience matters. Players shouldn't have to carry extra memory cards, worry about compatibility, or lose progress because they forgot the card at home. The game card is the game, and the save stays with it. Simple, reliable, and exactly how handheld players already think."
Zaboru continued and moved to the next specs. "Next, as usual, we're still supporting a link cable for multiplayer," he said, tapping the corner of the slide where the port layout was shown. "And we also have an earphone jack, so players can use headphones properly—clean audio, no distractions. Small things, but they matter when this handheld is going to be everywhere: trains, school breaks, late nights, and long trips." He paused just long enough for the room to absorb it, then added, "Now… the overall design."
As Zaboru advanced the slides, the full render of the handheld filled the screen. The first impression was simple: sleek. The purple-and-white color palette made it look premium and unmistakably ZAGE, and the wide screen sat centered like it was meant to be the main stage. On the left side were the D-pad and a single analog stick—positioned for comfort, not just for looks—while the right side carried four face buttons styled like a modern controller: X, Triangle, Square, and Circle. The Start and Select buttons sat neatly below, balanced by clean speaker holes and a small power LED that gave the device a living, ready-to-play feel. Even the L and R triggers were visible in the silhouette, suggesting it could handle games that demanded more than simple taps.
For a second, nobody spoke. The meeting participants stared like the design had punched the air out of them. A few engineers leaned forward to catch details—edges, grip curves, the top cartridge slot placement—while the developers' eyes practically sparkled. It wasn't just "cool." It looked like the specs had been given a body that could actually carry them. And that was what hit the hardest: the design didn't feel separate from the hardware plan. It matched it, like everything about this handheld was built to say the same message—this is not a normal upgrade. This is the next era.
Then Zaboru continued, voice steady as he pointed back to the timeline on the screen. "We're aiming to release it at the end of 1999. That means we have about a year and a half to develop this—prototype, refinement, tooling, production, everything." He paused to let the weight of that deadline settle on everyone's shoulders, then softened his expression. "And don't worry. This isn't a random promise. This schedule has already been estimated—properly—by our greatest hardware magician, Zanichi Renkonan."
Zaboru grinned and looked toward his father. Zanichi only chuckled, calm as always, and gave a small nod like the plan was already written inside his head.
Zaboru turned back to the room. "Now, next…" His tone sharpened, more serious than before. "What's most important—more important than the handheld itself—is the games. Hardware can be beautiful, powerful, even legendary… but without the right games, it means nothing. And that part is your job."
He let his eyes sweep over Team NIWA, Team IZAN, and Team NOVA—leaders first, then the key developers behind them. "I already planned what games need to be ready for the first release," Zaboru continued. "And don't worry—I'll oversee the game development for this handheld myself. I'll work with you directly. I'll guide the Japanese teams, help shape the toolchain, and make sure the first wave of ZGBA games doesn't just 'exist'—they need to prove the handheld's identity."
He lifted a finger, like he was laying out a policy, not a suggestion. "In the near future, the task of making ZEPS‑3 games—what used to be three titles per team—will be reduced to two. The remaining manpower won't be wasted. You will be trained to think handheld‑first. You'll learn the ZGBA's strengths, its limits, its battery behavior, its screen rules, its input feel, and the way players will actually use it in real life."
Zaboru nodded toward the hardware team at the front. "R&D will prepare dev boards and documentation as soon as we hit the prototype phase. And when we have stable dev kits, I want iteration to be fast—small builds, constant testing, no ego, no waiting for perfection before we learn what works."
He exhaled, then added the part that mattered politically. "And yes—because this handheld is being developed by the Japanese side, for now only the Japanese teams are required to develop the launch games. The USA team will follow later, after release, when we have full production stability and a clear software roadmap for the second wave."
Every developer leader nodded—some with tight smiles, some with wide grins. You could feel it in the room: fear of the workload, yes, but even more than that… excitement. Like they were standing at the edge of a new era and finally being told they could jump.
Zaboru let the last slide linger for a moment. The room was still buzzing—half awe, half panic—like everyone had just watched a magic trick and their brains refused to accept it.
He gave a small chuckle. "Alright. Before I close this meeting, I know you have questions. Ask now. I want everything clear—hardware, development, schedule, support, even HR matters. No rumors. No fear."
That was all it took.
Hands shot up like the room had been waiting to explode.
A senior programmer from Team NOVA stood first, voice too loud from excitement. "That GPU number—three hundred thousand to five hundred thousand textured polygons per second… is that real at our target resolution? Or is that a marketing estimate?"
Zaboru opened his mouth, but Zanichi answered first, calm and sharp. "Real-world output," he said, tapping the table lightly. "Not a theoretical peak. It depends on fill rate and effects, yes, but the measurement is textured polygons with perspective correction enabled. We're not promising miracles—we're promising consistent performance if you design properly."
The programmer blinked. "So… if we push fog and alpha too much—"
"You will pay for it," Zanichi said, almost kindly. "And you should pay for it. The machine must have rules. But if you balance your scene, you can run smooth 3D at handheld scale. Remember: 320×240. Your world is smaller. Your camera is tighter. Your illusion can be stronger for less cost."
A designer from Team IZAN raised his hand next, practically shaking. "What about sprites? We're still getting a proper 2D engine, right? Not just '3D only'?"
Zaboru nodded immediately. "Yes. Hardware sprites, scrolling layers, UI acceleration. This handheld is for both 2D and 3D. I don't want anyone to feel forced into one style."
Zanichi added, "And the 2D engine is not an afterthought. It's there because it's efficient. If you want battery life, you don't brute-force everything with polygons."
That line made a few engineers grin, because it was exactly the kind of advice they wished every artist heard.
A sound programmer from Team NIWA leaned forward. "The CPU has fixed-point and vector assist for animation and audio. Does that mean we can do more channels? Better mixing?"
Zaboru glanced at Zanichi.
Zanichi nodded. "You can do cleaner mixing and smarter compression, yes. But don't confuse assist with unlimited power. The CPU is 166 MHz—strong for handheld, but you still need discipline. The vector assist is meant to speed up repeated math, like animation blending and audio routines. If you design your engine with it in mind, you gain real headroom."
The sound programmer looked like he might cry. "So we can finally have… real drums without sounding like a toy?"
Zaboru smiled. "That's the dream."
Another hand rose—this time from a younger developer who looked terrified to speak. "Battery life. Everyone will ask. How long can it play? Realistically."
Zaboru didn't dodge. "Depends on the game. Depends on brightness. Depends on how hard you hit the CPU and GPU." He lifted his palm, steady. "But we are designing it so it feels modern—rechargeable, dependable, no constant buying."
Zanichi leaned in slightly. "The CPU is about one watt under game load. The GPU is about zero point eight watt under game load. That is not the entire system—screen, audio amp, memory, and regulators also draw power—but it gives you a realistic budget. If your game is heavy 3D at full speed, you drain faster. If you use 2D smartly, you last longer. We will measure it properly once prototypes are stable."
A murmur ran through the room: not disappointment—relief. Real numbers. Real expectations.
A hardware engineer raised his hand, eyes sharp. "Thermals. If CPU and GPU are pushing near two watts combined, how do we keep it comfortable? Nobody wants a handheld that becomes a heater."
Zanichi answered like he'd been waiting. "Board layout, heat spread, and correct clock management." He pointed toward the render on the screen. "We're not building a tiny box. We have room for a heat spread plate and a smart heat path. And we will not run full clocks when it's unnecessary. The handheld must sleep aggressively. It must scale. It must be clever."
Zaboru added, "And that's why I didn't rush. A rushed handheld is a burned hand and a ruined reputation."
A QC lead raised a hand from the middle row. "What about saving? Since saves are on the game card, do we support multiple save slots? Will the flash wear out?"
Zanichi's eyes narrowed slightly in focus. "Flash has write limits, but it is manageable. We will design save routines to be safe—write in blocks, rotate sectors, keep a backup. The card will not die from normal play if you design correctly."
Zaboru added, "And yes. Multiple save slots will be supported where it makes sense. Especially for RPGs."
A game director from Team IZAN raised his hand with a grin. "Capacities. How big can these flash game cards get? Because if we're dreaming big—"
Zaboru smiled back, but his answer stayed measured. "Capacities will vary by game. We'll start with what's reasonable and scale as supply improves."
More hands rose.
And Zaboru answered.
Sometimes he answered like a leader—clear, decisive, confident.
Sometimes he answered like a creator—talking about player feelings, about fun, about identity.
And when the question turned sharp and technical, Zanichi stepped in like a blade—calm, precise, making impossible engineering sound like a problem that simply needed time.
Eventually, Zaboru raised both hands. "Alright," he said, laughing softly. "If we keep going, we'll be here until morning."
The room laughed too, but it was the kind of laughter that sounded like relief—like a new project had finally gained a heartbeat.
Zaboru looked around one last time, eyes bright. "So let's end with the simplest thing."
He grinned, then said it clearly, like he was carving it into history.
"And the handheld name is ZAGE GAME BOY ADVANCE."
For a second, silence.
Then the room erupted.
And with that, ZAGE Game Boy Advance officially started development.
To be continued.
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