Yuji Naka
Yuji Naka | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Naka in 2015 | |
| Born | September 17, 1965 Hirakata, Osaka, Japan |
| Other names | YU2 |
| Occupation(s) | Game designer, producer, programmer |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Employer | Square Enix |
| Notable work | Sonic the Hedgehog series |
Yuji Naka (中 裕司, Naka Yūji, born September 17, 1965) is a Japanese video game programmer, designer, and producer. He is best known as the former head of Sonic Team, where he was the lead programmer of the original Sonic the Hedgehog series of games on the Sega Genesis. In 2006, he created Prope, an independent game company. In January 2018, he joined Square Enix.
Career
[change | change source]Naka learned how to program by copying and debugging video game code printed in magazines. The experience made him want to study assemblers and practice writing code during his school classes.[1] After graduating high school, Naka decided to skip university and stay in his home town.[2]
Around 1983, Naka saw that Sega was looking for programming assistants. He decided to apply.[3] After a short interview,[3] he started working for Sega in April 1984.[4] His first task was designing maps and checking floppy disks for a game called Road Runner for the SF-7000. Naka can't remember if the game was ever released.[4] His first major project was a game called Girl's Garden. He and Hiroshi Kawaguchi created it together as part of their training process.[3]
Production history
[change | change source]References
[change | change source]- ↑ Szczepaniak, John. "Before They Were Famouos". Retro Gamer (35). Imagine Publishing: 74.
- ↑ Horowitz, Ken (22 June 2005). "Sega Stars: Yuji Naka". Sega-16. Archived from the original on 27 June 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "The Making of OutRun". NowGamer. 29 April 2016. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "名作アルバム - 『ガールズガーデン』". Sega (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ↑ Naka, Yuji. "Yuji Naka / 中 裕司 on Twitter: "[iPhone] PROPE Ltd.started to distribute the game "Legend of Coin" for iOS & Android at 12 December,2017. An epic story like none ever seen before in a coin game.Over 200 monsters to train and summon!"". Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
Other websites
[change | change source]- Official Prope website (Japanese)
- Sonic Team Speaks[dead link] (archived by the WaybackMachine)
- Sega's Yuji Naka Talks!
- Yuji Naka On New Beginnings At His Studio, Prope
- Life after Sega: The Sonic creator talks about being free of the hedgehog
| Authority control: Artists |
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