Yuji Naka

Yuji Naka
Place of birth: Osaka, Japan
Date of birth: 1965-09-17 (age 59)
Company(ies): Sega of Japan
Role(s): Programmer, Designer, Producer, Executive

Yuji Naka (中 裕司), born 17 September 1965 in Osaka, Japan, is a video game designer, programmer, the former head of Sonic Team (usually credited by his alias, YU2), and currently the head of the video game development company, Prope.

History

When Yuji Naka was 17 years old, he decided that he wanted to program video games. He learned how to program by copying and debugging game code published in magazines, and these experiences prompted him to learn how to use assemblers and write his own programs. The electronic music group Yellow Magic Orchestra was also an influence on the young Naka.

Being a large fan of Namco, Yuji Naka aimed to work for them after he graduated from college. However, Namco only accepted work from university graduates, and thus Yuji Naka would not be eligible as he did not want to go to university.

He did however score a job at Sega as a programming assistant. His first release was a game for the SG-1000 called Girl's Garden. Yuji Naka's distinction was producing/project managing projects while simultaneously handling the lead programming of them. Examples of this are Space Harrier II and Phantasy Star II.

In 1990 he, along with Naoto Oshima and Hirokazu Yasuhara, began to conceive Sonic the Hedgehog and then leading the now dubbed Sonic Team, putting his leadership and programming talents into work.

The last time, Yuji Naka did any hands-on coding was NiGHTS into Dreams, with Sonic Team members Tetsu Katano and Takahiro Hamano succeeding him in that regard.

On March 16, 2006 it was announced that Naka would be creating his own independent game studio, with partial financial backing from Sega. Naka left Sega to set up this studio, called Prope.

Production history

• Girl's Garden (1984) — Designer [NOTE: Also Lead Programmer]
• Great Baseball (1985) — Programmer
• F-16 Fighting Falcon (1985) — Programmer
• Hokuto no Ken (Master System Version) (1986) — Programmer
• Spy vs. Spy (Master System Version) (1986) — Lead Programming
• Space Harrier (Master System Version) (1986) — Produced by (as Nitta Tai Yuji), Screenplay by (as Nitta Tai Yuji), Proposed by (as Nitta Tai Yuji)
• OutRun (Master System Version) (1987) — Lead Programming
• Phantasy Star (1987) — Main Program (as Muuuu Yuji)
• Space Harrier 3D (1988) — Special Thanks (as Muuu Yuji)
• Super Thunder Blade (1988) — Executive Producer (as Muuuu Yuji) [NOTE: Also Lead Programmer]
• Phantasy Star II (1989) — Produced and Programmed by (as Muuuu Yuji)
• Ghouls'n Ghosts (Mega Drive Version) (1989) — Lead Programmer
• Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom (1990) — Special Thanks
• Sonic the Hedgehog (Mega Drive Version) (1991) — Program (as YU2) [NOTE: Also Project Manager]
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive Version) (1992) — Chief Programmer (as Yuji Naka (YU2)) [NOTE: Also Project Manager]
• Sonic Spinball (Mega Drive Version) (1993) — A Special Bow to [NOTE: Manual credit]
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994) — Producer, Lead Programmer
• Sonic & Knuckles (1994) — Producer, Lead Programmer
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles (1994) — Producer, Lead Programmer
• NiGHTS into Dreams (1996) — Producer, Lead Programmer
• Christmas NiGHTS (1996) — Producer, Programmer
• Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island (1996/1997) — Advisor (SOJ) (Sega)
• Sonic Jam (1997) — Producer
• Sonic R (Saturn Version) (1997) — General Producer (Sega Enterprises Ltd.), Producer (Sega Enterprises Ltd.)
• Burning Rangers (1998) — Producer
• Sonic R (PC Version) (1998) — General producer (Sega Enterprises Ltd.) (Sega), Producer (Sega Enterprises Ltd.) (Sega), Supervisor (Sega)
• Sonic Adventure (1998) — Producer
• ChuChu Rocket! (Dreamcast Version) (1999) — Producer & Director
• Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (1999) — Superviser (as Y.Naka), Produce (as Y.Naka)
• Samba de Amigo (2000) — Producer
• Samba de Amigo Ver. 2000 (2000) — Producer
• Phantasy Star Online (2000) — Producer
• ChuChu Rocket! (GBA Version) (2001) — Producer & Director, Producer & Director (Original Staff)
• Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) — Producer
• Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2 (2001) — Producer
• Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (2001) — Producer
• Sonic Advance (2001) — Producer
• Sonic Mega Collection (2002) — Producer
• Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II (2002/2003) — Producer
• Sonic Advance 2 (2002) — Producer
• Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus (2003) — Producer
• Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (2003) — Producer (Sonic Adventure DX Staff), Producer (Sonic Adventure Original Staff)
• Sonic Pinball Party (2003) — Producer
• Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 1: Phantasy Star generation:1 (2003) — Special Thanks (Sonic Team)
• Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (2003) — Producer
• Sonic Battle (2003) — Producer
• Sonic Heroes (2003) — Producer
• Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 11: Hokuto no Ken (2004) — Special Thanks
• Sonic Advance 3 (2004) — Producer
• Sega Superstars (2004) — Producer
• Astro Boy (2004) — Chief Producer
• Virtua Quest (2004) — Special Thanks (Sega Corporation (Japan))
• Feel the Magic XY/XX (2004) — Chief Producer
• Sonic Mega Collection Plus (2004) — Producer
• Puyo Pop Fever (GBA Version) (2004) — Producer
• Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 17: Phantasy Star generation:2 (2005) — Special Thanks (Sonic Team Div)
• Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (PS2 Version) (2005) — Chief Producer
• Sonic Gems Collection (2005) — Chief Producer
• Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) — Producer
• Sonic Rush (2005) — Producer
• Puyo Puyo Fever 2 (2005) — Chief Producer
• Sonic Riders (2006) — Executive Producer
• Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 19: Fighting Vipers (2005) — Executive Supervisor)
• Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 20: Space Harrier II ~Space Harrier Complete Collection~ (2005) — Executive Supervisor
• Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 23: Sega Memorial Selection (2005) — Executive Supervisor
• Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 24: Last Bronx: Tokyo Bangaichi (2006) — Executive Supervisor
• Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 25: Gunstar Heroes: Treasure Box (2006) — Executive Supervisor
• Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 26: Dynamite Deka (2006) — Executive Supervisor
• Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 27: Panzer Dragoon (2006) — Executive Supervisor
• Phantasy Star Universe (2006) — Executive Producer
• Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) — Original Executive Producer
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (2007) — Original Executive Producer
• NiGHTS into Dreams (PS2 Version) (2008) — Special Thanks
• Let's Tap (2008) — Producer
• Let's Catch (2008) — Producer

Song Credits

OutRun (Master System Version)

• Magical Sound Shower — Arrangement
• Passing Breeze — Arrangement
• Splash Wave — Arrangement
• Last Wave — Arrangement

Interviews

• Yuji Naka interview by Sega Visions (August/September 1992)
• Yuji Naka interview by Sega.com (December 20, 1996)
• Yuji Naka and Naoto Oshima interview by Hobby Consolas (Unknown Month, 1996)
• Yuji Naka and Naoto Oshima interview by Saturn Power (July 1997)
• Yuji Naka interview by Dreamcast Magazine (January 22, 1999)
• Yuji Naka interview by Gamefan (June 1999)
• Yuji Naka interview by Official Dreamcast Magazine (September 1999)
• Yuji Naka interview by Sega Saturn Magazine (October 8, 1998)
• Yuji Naka interview by Futuregamez (November 30, 1999)
• Yuji Naka interview by Edge (1999)
• Yuji Naka interview by IGN (February 1, 2001)
• Yuji Naka interview by Gamespot (February 2, 2001)
• Yuji Naka interview by Famitsu (April 19, 2001)
• Yuji Naka interview by Gamespot (July 3, 2001)
• Yuji Naka interview by Times (September 13, 2001)
• Yuji Naka interview by Sega.com (2001)
• Yuji Naka interview by Nintendo (February 12, 2002)
• Yuji Naka interview by XenGamers (July 17, 2002)
• Yuji Naka interview by Gamespot (September 30, 2002)
• Yuji Naka interview by Euro Gamer (May 23, 2003)
• Yuji Naka interview by CVG (May 27, 2003)
• Yuji Naka interview by Sega.com (June 14, 2003)
• Yuji Naka and Takashi Iizuka interview by Sega Score (December 12, 2003)
• Yuji Naka interview by Sega Europe (January 30, 2004)
• Yuji Naka interview by Sega.com (January 2004)
• Yuji Naka interview by Sega.com (February 2004)
• Yuji Naka interview by IGN (May 13, 2004)
• Yuji Naka interview by The Next Level (June 15, 2004)
• Yuji Naka interview by Kikizo (June 24, 2004)
• Yuji Naka interview by Gameplanet (December 7, 2004)
• Yuji Naka interview by GameSpy (September 2005)
• Yuji Naka interview by Kikizo (February 04, 2009)
• Yuji Naka interview by Nintendo Power (May 4, 2009)
• Interview: Yuji Naka (2010-05-05) by Gamasutra
• Yuji Naka interview by 1UP (June 25, 2010)
• Interview: Yuji Naka (2010-07-05) by NightsIntoDreams.Com
• Yuji Naka and Takashi Iizuka interview for Sonic Heroes website

Magazine articles

Main article: Yuji Naka/Magazine articles.