Interest
Bandai Namco Holds Retro Game Manga/Writing Contest
posted on by Eric Stimson
Bandai Namco has opened its extensive catalog of classic video games to Japanese fans interested in creating dōjin works (fanfiction, or fan-made video games) based on them. In order to encourage more creative output, it is holding a contest for manga, novellas and essays based on its games. Suggested themes include "What happened to Pac-Man's hands?," "Moji-kun (the mascot of Mojipittan, a Scrabble-like word game) couldn't think of any good letters, so he gets into dirty jokes," and "the man at the arcade who always gave me 100-yen coins."
The contest will award the "Nazotomo Prize," which will convert the winning entry into a mystery-solving game at Namco's Nazotomo Cafe (a cafe in Shinjuku, Tokyo that challenges its visitors to solve mysteries). Contestants can also win the "Arino Prize," which is awarded by guest judge Shin'ya Arino, a comedian from the manzai duo Yowiko and host of the popular video game show Game Center CX. The winner can request anything from Arino; he suggests an illustration of your characters by him, a "personal gift," or a manga or game he recommends. One manga and one written work will be awarded for each prize.
Arino's drawing for the contest, which combines Pac-Man with Mappy
Bandai Namco's open catalog encompasses these 21 games:
- Battle City
- Dig Dug
- Dragon Buster
- Galaga
- Galaxian
- The Genji and the Heike Clans
- Katamari Damacy
- Kosodate Quiz My Angel (a quiz game about raising kids)
- Kotoba no Puzzle Mojipittan (a Scrabble-like word game)
- Mappy
- Mr. Driller
- Pac-Man
- Sky Kid
- Star Luster
- Tower of BABEL
- The Tower of Druaga
- Valkyrie no Bōken: Toki no Kagi Densetsu (a Nordic-themed overhead-scrolling action RPG)
- Wagan Land (a platforming game revolving around sound waves)
- Wonder Momo (a stage show-themed fighting game)
- XEVIOUS
- Yōkai Dōchūki (a hell-themed demon-busting platform game)
Contestants must upload their manga via the Mangabox Indies Creator website. The manga contest ends on March 7; the winners will be announced on April 25. Written work must be uploaded at Eblista. The writing contest ends on February 28, with the winners to be announced in mid-April.
Sources: Mangabox Indies, Eblista and Anime! Anime!: Yuma; Image from Today I Found Out
