ComingSoon spoke to Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town producer Akira Nagashima about the highly-anticipated sequel to 2022’s Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation, which received positive reviews for its atmospheric gameplay as a life sim. Nagashima discussed the new gameplay elements, the change of scenery, and more. The game is out tomorrow, October 23, on Steam and Nintendo Switch
“Shin chan starts a mysterious daily routine, traveling between two worlds: the Village in Akita and Coal Town,” says the game’s official description.
Tyler Treese: What were the biggest lessons learned from Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation that were applied here?
Akira Nagashima: One of the biggest challenges was deciding what to carry over from the previous game, which was well-received by many, and what new elements to introduce. We had decided early on in the planning process to maintain the core gameplay style established by Kaz Ayabe in the previous game, while enhancing the visuals, story, and game elements. The most important lesson we applied was to prioritize the player’s experience. We adhered to the policy of not making decisions based solely on the developers’ convenience, which can be a difficult stance to maintain during production. This mindset was greatly influenced by Ayabe-san.
For many worldwide, this will be their first introduction to Akita Prefecture. What aspects of the region can players expect to see recreated in the game?
Akita, located in the Tohoku region of Japan, is well known for its vast rice paddies, as reflected in the fact that it ranks third in Japan for rice production. We visited the region several times for location scouting, and the sight of the endless rice fields with water reflecting the sky and trees like a mirror was truly majestic, almost like an ocean. We were deeply moved by this experience, and one of our major challenges was figuring out how to visually convey that beauty in the game. If our players feel inspired to visit Akita after playing the game, then we consider our effort a success.
There’ll also be a Coal Town that players can visit and compete in trolly races. What was most rewarding about adding in this new gameplay?
Since the start of the project, we had been searching for a fun activity to replace the “Dinosaur Card Battle” from the previous game. When we decided to set the story in a “Coal Town,” the “Trolley Race” became a featured idea within the team, and the design process began without hesitation. While we were concerned that such an action-oriented element might disrupt the game, we requested the development team to design it so that even young children could enjoy it, similar to playing with a “slot car,” where only one control action is needed. Although it ended up being a bit more complex, the team managed to add depth to the gameplay without sacrificing simplicity, and that’s a testament to their hard work. Please give it a try, and prepare to get your controller sweaty!
Coal Town also features a lady inventor that allows you to create new inventions. What are some of the things we expect to create?
The “Coal Town,” as mentioned in the title, is one of the key settings and a mysterious place central to the story. Since it’s a mysterious town, I can’t reveal too much about it. I encourage you to play the game and visit “Coal Town” yourself. However, I can tell you one thing; somewhere in this town, the lady inventor you meet will surely steal Shinosuke’s heart.
Akita Prefecture is near Hiroshi’s family, so we get to see Shin-chan’s paternal grandparents. What did you like most about featuring them more?
The previous game was set in Kumamoto, which is Misae’s hometown, so to avoid any quarrels, we moved the setting this time to Hiroshi’s hometown in Akita. Not only do his parents appear, but his brother, a familiar face from the TV series, also makes an appearance. These family members are all just as unique as Shinosuke, making them essential to forming the game’s entertaining community. For Shinosuke, who has been away from his familiar town of Kasukabe (the town where Shinosuke lives) for an extended period, I’m sure their presence provided much-needed comfort.
Since the game is taking place away from Shin’s home, will we still see some familiar faces, such as his friends, or is it mainly a new cast of characters?
For many players, this game will be their first introduction to the world of Crayon Shin-chan. We’ve designed the game so that both long-time fans and newcomers alike can fully enjoy it, even without any prior knowledge. The story is not connected to any other work, so familiar characters may appear less frequently. However, I hope you’ll enjoy meeting the characters unique to this game.
Thank you to Akira Nagashima for taking time talk about Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town. It is now available to wishlist on Steam.
