Episode 40: The Birth of the Fighting Game (3)
One day, when board games and arcades had completely settled into the ordinary scenery of daily life in the kingdom.
"Hey, what is this? What's with this cordoned off area? It says under construction?"
"What? What are they going to build smack dab in the middle of the arcade?"
Mondeu, a regular customer, and his friends, who had visited the capital branch of the arcade to enjoy board games as usual, encountered an unusual sight.
The center spot of the arcade.
In the spot where onlookers usually gathered to watch others play board games, ropes had been strung up to block entry, and a sign announcing scheduled construction had been placed.
Seeing this, Mondeu and his friends naturally harbored questions.
"I say. What construction are they doing over there?
Are they installing another board game table?"
"Or maybe they're setting up seats where customers can sit and rest for a bit?
I've been thinking it would be nice to have something like that."
They immediately threw questions at an employee who seemed likely to know the situation.
Expecting roughly a new table or some resting seats, or perhaps a sculpture to alleviate the monotony of the arcade interior, it was a question asked without much expectation, but—
"Excuse me? Ah. No, a new game machine is scheduled to be placed in that spot."
"Huh? Then doesn't that mean I was right about a new board game table coming in?"
"Ah, it might be confusing since it's your first time hearing it.
It's not a board game table, but a 'game machine.'
Instead of setting up and playing like a board game, it's a dedicated machine with a brand-new game built right into it.
I believe the new game going inside is called a fighting game? Or something like that."
"WHAT?!"
The answer from the employee was a shocking truth that far exceeded their expectations.
A new game.
And not a board game, but something called a fighting game—a completely new type of game that even used its own dedicated machine!
In other words, just like when adapted plays, comics, or board games had been released, it meant another new form of culture had strode right up before them once again!
Having grasped that much while still dazed, Mondeu and his party now asked in astonishment.
"Th-then the one who made this new game called the fighting game is also...?"
"Yes. Of course, it's Author Wei.
If not him, who else could create such a new culture?"
Yes, it was him again!
None other than Author Wei had stirred up another storm this time too.
At the employee's confident attitude, as if stating an obvious truth of the world.
Mondeu and his party nodded as if bewitched, thinking, 'Of course.'
Thanks to countless precedents, a consensus had already formed among them that no matter what amazing thing happened, it was possible if it was Author Wei.
"Tsk, tsk. Where on earth do so many ideas spring from?
It's no wonder the mages of the Magic Tower say they want to crack open Author Wei's head and take a look."
"Maybe he really is an apostle of culture sent by the Goddess, just like people say."
"Then does that mean the Goddess wants us to read novels and comics and enjoy board games?
The Goddess is quite the fun-loving one, then.
Ah, will the church scold me for saying this?"
"It'll probably be fine? Even among priests, there are plenty who believe that."
These days, the claim that the Goddess had taken pity on the kingdom's bland cultural life and appointed Author Wei as an apostle of culture to develop it was circulating quite seriously.
"Ah! This isn't the time to be standing around like this.
I need to let others know about this news quickly!"
"Ah, that's right! If we want to enjoy this fighting game together on release day, we need to reserve the date in advance!"
And having obtained this fresh and shocking information, Mondeu and his party abandoned even their original purpose of playing board games and immediately went outside to spread the news.
Such fun and shocking information was too much to keep to themselves.
They also needed to recruit fellow players in advance.
"But boss, is it really okay to leak information about the new game and game machine?
The machine hasn't even arrived yet; what if we get scolded by our superiors for releasing information first?"
"Don't worry, you idiot. These are all orders from above.
They say that if we leak it to regulars like that with this kind of vibe, it'll spread faster and build more anticipation, or something like that?
So keep leaking it moderately from now on too."
Without ever knowing in their dreams that even their actions had been part of a pre-calculated plan.
Similar incidents occurred simultaneously at arcades across the kingdom.
Thus, through word of mouth from regular customers at arcades nationwide, information about the fighting game spread far and wide.
And just as the anticipation brewing among the people reached its peak—
-The Arcade's Full-Scale Expansion! Is It No Longer Just Board Games?
Release of a New Game Never Before Seen!-
-What Is a Fighting Game, If Not a Board Game?
Let's Find Out How It Differs from Board Games!-
The finishing blow came through newspaper advertisements.
"Oooooh! It's real! It's really coming out! The rumors weren't wrong!"
"Great. Just one more day and we can enjoy this thing called the fighting game!"
"One day? There's still much more time until the release date."
"No, it's one day. Because every time the waiting time exceeds one day, I'll get hit with lightning magic to erase the memory of waiting.
Then doesn't the fighting game come out after just one day?
Isn't it really fun and exciting just imagining it?"
"?"
Once the rumors were officially confirmed to be true, people's anticipation and curiosity naturally exploded through the roof.
So many people found it hard to wait until release day that they were either losing themselves in distractions or acting strangely in droves.
Gathering the expectations and curiosity of the entire kingdom, the release day of the fighting game drew closer day by day.
Finally, the long-awaited release day!
"Look over there! Someone actually hired adventurers as bodyguards because of the fighting game?"
"What? Do they really think we'll be dueling each other just because it's called a fighting game? What a waste of money."
"But what if players really are made to fight each other? What if ordinary citizens like us become fodder to be knocked down by adventurers' mana punches?"
"Then would that even be a proper game?
We'd have to curse it as a trash game and run away.
Even Author Wei, the apostle of culture, can't make a bad game into a good one!"
A spectacular sight unfolded in front of the arcade as countless people lined up from dawn before opening hours, waiting to play the fighting game.
Most of these people heatedly speculated about the identity of the rumored fighting game while waiting.
There were even some who had hired guards to stand at their sides just in case.
Naturally, there were those who laughed at this, as well as those who began to worry about hiring guards themselves.
And among those many people.
"Now, we will open the arcade!
Those wishing to play the fighting game, please follow the order of the pre-written list.
Then... the first is Mr. Mondeu?"
"Here! Right here!
Gwahahaha! The first player of the fighting game is none other than me! Mondeu!"
Mondeu, the arcade's regular customer who had first acquired and spearheaded the spreading of information about the fighting game,
Had obtained the glory of becoming the first player of the fighting game, breaking through an extreme competition rate.
'As expected, lining up from dawn was the right answer!'
Thanks to his judgment that the weather was still warm enough to endure, he had camped out from dawn to hold his place in line.
Well, because of that he couldn't wash up properly and his appearance was quite shabby, but it was a price worth paying for the accomplishment of being the first player of the fighting game—something to brag about for generations.
"Come on, let's hurry.
I'm not the only one curious about what this fighting game and game machine really is—everyone behind me can barely stand the wait!"
"Understood. Please follow me."
Mondeu thoroughly enjoyed the envious gazes of the people as he entered the arcade proudly.
Instead of heading straight for Blue Marble as he normally would, he sat before the mysterious machine newly installed in the center of the arcade.
"This is the thing called a game machine?
It certainly looks completely different from other board game tables."
The machine, which had exploded the curiosity of Mondeu as well as the countless onlookers watching from behind him:
On top of a table where two people could sit facing each other, there was a stage-like platform raised to a considerable height.
And right in front of the seated position, a panel was installed with four buttons labeled A, B, C, and D, and four buttons arranged in arrow shapes indicating up, down, left, and right.
"What on earth are these buttons?
No, I roughly get what kind of buttons they are, but where and how am I supposed to use them?"
Naturally, it was a form difficult for Mondeu, who was seeing a game machine for the first time, to understand at a glance.
"I heard it was different from board games, but I never imagined it would be this completely different.
You'll explain how to play this, right?"
"Of course. First, could you please insert a coin into that slot over there?
It is the fee to run the fighting game."
"Got it. Is it this hole here?"
Thus, he followed the arcade employee's instructions and inserted a coin into the machine's slot.
Fwoosh!
"Uwoah! What is this? Is this magic?"
"Yes. It is an illusion magic guide message.
Please do as it says."
Small letters of illusion magic floated before his eyes.
'Press any button to start the game.'
It said to press any button to start the game.
"Buttons? You mean these?"
At those words, Mondeu reflexively pressed whatever button his hand touched.
Fwoosh!
The illusion magic activated once more, and splendid effects began to overlay the previously plain and flat stage on top of the table.
Before he knew it, the stage had changed to the top of a somewhat worn yet majestically grand old castle wall.
Sharp thorns protruded from below the stage, intuitively conveying to anyone who saw it that falling from the wall would be dangerous.
'Select your warrior.'
"Oh? What are these pictures? Am I supposed to pick one of these?"
As Mondeu was gazing at that stage in fascination, guide messages appeared again, along with several portraits of characters drawn in the now-familiar comic art style.
The variety and elegant charm nearly made him lose himself in admiration again, but—
10
9
8
"Wh-what? There's a time limit too?
Damn it, I don't even have time to look properly!
I'll just go with this one!"
Having noticed the rapidly decreasing timer,
He selected the most eye-catching elf archer.
And the very moment he did—
Clack-clack-clack—
"Wh-what?! Something's forming on the stage!"
Dirt gathered on the stage and began to form the shape of a small human.
Then illusion magic colors began to overlay on top of it.
Swish—
Tap!
Finally, the elf archer Mondeu had selected struck its signature pose and appeared right there in reality, astonishing everyone who witnessed the sight.