Sakura Note
Encyclopedia
is an adventure
video game developed by Audio Games
and published by Marvelous Entertainment for the Nintendo DS
. It was released in Japan on November 5, 2009.
s (NPCs) via the "My Fate System". Using only two choices in a conversation, the correct choice will lead the NPC to shed tears
. These tears can then be used to unlock more of the storyline. The player is also able to battle enemies for tears; just like in conversations, one button is denoted as a "courageous" action while the other is an "evasion" action. Using the latter will decrease the number of tears obtained at the end of the battle.
. Concept designer Hideo Minaba handled the game's art direction. Composer Nobuo Uematsu
and writer Kazushige Nojima
, famous for their work on the Final Fantasy
and Kingdom Hearts
series, fulfilled their respective roles. The game was produced by Kenichiro Takagi, who also worked on the Marvelous title Half-Minute Hero. Audio Games stated that if there is potential business, they would like to have the game localized for overseas markets. They even partially translated the game's text into English
to appeal to early fans. However, Ignition Entertainment's Shane Bettenhausen revealed that the company passed on the game due to DS market saturation and the because the game was not Western enough.
A CD soundtrack was included for customers who pre-ordered the game. The soundtrack from Dog Ear Records
was also made available on the i-Tunes store. The theme song, is performed by the group Akane.
magazine. One of its four reviewers felt it was extremely enjoyable: "Everything is excellent, from the dialogue to the music to the light, beautiful graphics. I was pretty much knocked over by the story at the end, but it's a gem of a tale, one that gets under your skin. If I have any complaint, it's that I wish the main scenario was a bit longer." Others on the panel found it to be nothing more than traveling around and watching cutscenes. Sakura Note sold poorly at only 4,142 units for 2009, according to Media Create
.
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
video game developed by Audio Games
Akira Ueda
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and graphical artist. After previously working for several notable companies, he currently designs games from his own company Audio, Inc.-Career:...
and published by Marvelous Entertainment for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
. It was released in Japan on November 5, 2009.
Plot
Sakura Note is set among two towns and their surrounding countryside. The player takes control of the protagonist, who is an average, fifth grade boy. A girl named Nanami Yoshida has just moved into his neighborhood, but she happens to be targeted by a local gang of ghosts. This is somehow connected to a pair of cherry blossom trees set among the two towns, one of which is withered and dying, while the other blooms lively. The protagonist decides to seek out the truth of both mysteries by speaking with the inhabitants of the villages.Gameplay
The gameplay of Sakura Note requires the player to interact with various non-player characterNon-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
s (NPCs) via the "My Fate System". Using only two choices in a conversation, the correct choice will lead the NPC to shed tears
Tears
Tears are secretions that clean and lubricate the eyes. Lacrimation or lachrymation is the production or shedding of tears....
. These tears can then be used to unlock more of the storyline. The player is also able to battle enemies for tears; just like in conversations, one button is denoted as a "courageous" action while the other is an "evasion" action. Using the latter will decrease the number of tears obtained at the end of the battle.
Development
Sakura Note was developed by Audio Games and chiefly designed by Akira UedaAkira Ueda
is a Japanese video game designer, director, and graphical artist. After previously working for several notable companies, he currently designs games from his own company Audio, Inc.-Career:...
. Concept designer Hideo Minaba handled the game's art direction. Composer Nobuo Uematsu
Nobuo Uematsu
is a Japanese video game composer, best known for scoring the majority of titles in the Final Fantasy series. He is considered as one of the most famous and respected composers in the video game community...
and writer Kazushige Nojima
Kazushige Nojima
is a Japanese game scenario writer and is the founder of Stellavista Ltd.. He is best known for writing parts of Square Enix's Final Fantasy video game series—namely Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2—and the Kingdom Hearts series...
, famous for their work on the Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
and Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The first game in the Kingdom Hearts series, it is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney...
series, fulfilled their respective roles. The game was produced by Kenichiro Takagi, who also worked on the Marvelous title Half-Minute Hero. Audio Games stated that if there is potential business, they would like to have the game localized for overseas markets. They even partially translated the game's text into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
to appeal to early fans. However, Ignition Entertainment's Shane Bettenhausen revealed that the company passed on the game due to DS market saturation and the because the game was not Western enough.
A CD soundtrack was included for customers who pre-ordered the game. The soundtrack from Dog Ear Records
Dog Ear Records
Dog Ear Records is a music production company founded by video game composer Nobuo Uematsu in November 2006. The company publishes video game soundtracks and original albums on disc and digitally through iTunes...
was also made available on the i-Tunes store. The theme song, is performed by the group Akane.
Reception
Sakura Note was scored a total of 33 out of 40 by FamitsuFamitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
magazine. One of its four reviewers felt it was extremely enjoyable: "Everything is excellent, from the dialogue to the music to the light, beautiful graphics. I was pretty much knocked over by the story at the end, but it's a gem of a tale, one that gets under your skin. If I have any complaint, it's that I wish the main scenario was a bit longer." Others on the panel found it to be nothing more than traveling around and watching cutscenes. Sakura Note sold poorly at only 4,142 units for 2009, according to Media Create
Media Create
is a Japanese company that "gathers and analyzes data from the digital entertainment industry, specifically focusing on the Japanese console gaming market...
.