New Year had barely passed when the second issue of Kadokawa Game Express hit the shelves right on schedule.
It was a weekly magazine—rushed, printed on thin paper, rough in quality—but with one surprising distinction:
It was in full color.
Naka Yuji burst into the garage, waving the magazine overhead.
"Tetsu Kobayashi! The second issue of Game Express—look! They're praising us to the heavens!"
Tetsu Kobayashi caught it casually. The new issue was clearly prepared with care: comprehensive content, game reviews, and commentary on several recent releases.
Nintendo, still busy recalling the FC and unable to release new titles, was not mentioned at all.
Tetsu flipped past the articles straight to the rating section.
"All scores," the magazine said, "are given by four senior gamer-editors. Each score is out of ten. Here at Game Express, any game scoring thirty-five or above shall be honored as a Hall of Fame title!"
"If we take July 1983 as the true beginning of the home-console era, then some games stand as insurmountable milestones!"
"Donkey Kong—undisputed Hall of Fame. Scores: 8.5, 9, 9, 8.5. Total: 35!"
"Donkey Kong Jr.—innovative but imperfect sequel. Scores: 8, 8.5, 9, 7. Total: 32.5!"
"Mario Bros.—dragged down by bugs yet still brilliant. Scores: 7, 7, 6, 9. Total: 29!"
"Now, the Sega feature."
"Although, calling it a Sega feature might be misleading—this is basically an Atlus showcase!"
"Kobayashi's Puzzle—simple yet endlessly engaging, the uncrowned king! Scores: 9, 9.5, 10, 9. Total: 37.5!"
"Yamayama Tank Battle—fast-paced, thrilling, a high-speed war game! Though suspiciously similar to Namco's 1980 arcade title, it breaks new ground. Scores: 8, 8.5, 8.5, 7. Total: 32!"
"Duck Hunt! The newest light-gun game—who could have imagined playing light-gun shooters at home? Scores: 9, 9, 10, 9. Total: 37! A true Hall of Fame home-console shooter!"
Tetsu Kobayashi clicked his tongue and flipped the page.
"Game Express New Game Spotlight: Duck Hunt! Developed by Atlus Studio."
"Imagine turning the calendar to January 1st, 1984, and being greeted by this astonishing New Year gift. Picture it—your friends still playing outdated games while you proudly wield a light gun, sneering at every fool heading to the arcade. In their eyes, you are the god of home consoles."
"This miracle is Duck Hunt! Released alongside Sega's new console, Atlus brings players an unparalleled light-gun experience!"
"For the first time since home consoles existed, we can play a light-gun shooter at home! And the light gun is only 1,980 yen! Sega promises every future light-gun title will be compatible with this very gun."
"Let us shout three cheers—Long live Atlus! Long live Sega!"
"Cheering done? Then let's review the game."
"Duck Hunt consists of the protagonist (a hunter), his partner (a hunting dog), and the targets (ducks)."
"The visuals are astonishingly detailed—this may be the benchmark of 2D game art in this era."
"Lead artist Kitagawa Takeshi may be unknown, but I declare his work exquisite. The duck hit animations and the dog's mischievous charm are rendered vividly."
"When we aim the light gun at the screen, the game responds precisely to each hit or miss. Hit a duck, and the dog retrieves it; miss, and he reacts accordingly."
"I believe that when this cheeky, adorable dog presses his face to the screen to mock you, you will remember one thing—'Next shot, I will hit!'"
"In my view, this revolutionizes light-gun gameplay. We feel the sting of failure, the thrill of success, and a true sense of interaction with the characters."
"One of our guest editors, upon witnessing this, exclaimed a single term—'Black technology!'"
"Indeed, only alien-level black technology could achieve something so extraordinary."
"Game Express first-issue score: 37! The earliest and best home-console light-gun game. A true Hall of Fame title—you must play it!"
—Editor-in-chief: Higashifuya Fami-bou
Tetsu Kobayashi closed the magazine. Naka Yuji leaned in with his wide grin.
"Well? How is it? Not bad, right?"
"Not bad at all."
Tetsu was genuinely impressed.
He hadn't expected Game Express's debut issue to feature Higashifuya Fami-bou.
Later, Famitsu would take its name from him.
He would become its legendary editor-in-chief—an unavoidable figure in gaming history. Few ever saw his real face, but to gamers of the '80s, seeing his name was equivalent to seeing a must-buy list.
A pity the magazine was still new and low in circulation. Otherwise, this one article alone would have boosted sales by tens of thousands.
Tetsu stood up.
"Come on, let's check Sega's distribution report from last week. Since Duck Hunt is bundled with the SG-2000, every buyer gets a copy. We might just be making a fortune. At least a hundred million yen!"
Naka Yuji shot upright.
"How much?! A hundred million?!"
Tetsu slapped his shoulder.
"Sit down. Perfectly normal."
A mere hundred million yen—less than half a million dollars.
Though admittedly, half a million dollars in the '80s was nothing to scoff at.
Noticing Tetsu pulling on a pair of knitted gloves, Naka Yuji scratched his head.
"Where'd those gloves come from? Ugly as hell."
Tetsu nearly rolled up his sleeves to beat him on the spot.
"You dare insult me? That mangy sweater of yours—change it already! You're getting paid, aren't you? Keep this up and I'll drag you to Ginza myself to buy clothes. Besides…"
He adjusted the gloves and flicked his hair.
What would Naka Yuji know? These gloves were a gift from a high-school girl.
Sure, they weren't as fancy as real leather—but how could they possibly compare in meaning?
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