Interview with Satoru Okada by NOM Magazine

Challenges

When did you start planning the Advance project?

Originally, I thought about this project even before I made the Game Boy Color. The first Game Boy was created by me and Yokoi (the late Mr. Gunpei Yokoi). Yokoi was responsible for the design part, the interface, and I did most of the internal system. But at that time, we had price constraints, so I significantly cut down the device's specifications.

I always wanted something new. Many ideas accumulated, but I didn't have the opportunity to implement them, so some of these ideas were realized in the Game Boy Color. Developing new hardware takes time, and while the project was being implemented, users could enjoy the Game Boy Color.

So, you're saying that despite the Game Boy Color being a hit, you wanted to create something with completely new features?

Yes. In the world of video games, new devices and new levels of graphics are constantly emerging. For this reason, there were many disagreements among the younger employees, but most wanted to create new hardware with a new processor.

Did you start developing the Advance immediately after the launch of the Game Boy Color?

For a long time, it was just a concept, but once the Game Boy Color was realized, we really took decisive action. My role was to ensure the successful promotion of the project and determine the success and technical specifications of the device itself. In addition, we had to make it compatible with Game Boy games, so we repeatedly thought about what to do for this.

Compatibility

If you make it 100% new, it will be more innovative hardware. But did you have any doubts about its compatibility with previous Game Boy games?

No, there were no major problems. It's quite difficult to create new hardware while maintaining backward compatibility. However, I believe this is one of the responsibilities of developers. The ability to play all games so far is a big plus. Not many ideas were expressed on how to do this. But then I came up with a great idea.

Can you elaborate?

Of course. From a technical point of view, there is a bus, and the configuration of this bus changes depending on the number of pins on the processor. In the normal bus configuration, it's only 32 KB, but with the Advance, I wanted to make it 32 MB. To do this, I divide the bus into two parts and switch them back and forth in time.

This is not a simple technology.

Yes, it is. This can be done quite quickly with a 32-bit processor, but for backward compatibility, you will need other things. In addition, there was a small problem of how to recognize the difference between old Game Boy games and Game Boy Advance games. In Advance games, we made a kind of indentation (in the cartridge), and with this mechanism, it can be detected. This is the idea I came up with.

So, you're saying that the switch doesn't touch the indentation and triggers the GB Advance circuit?

At first, I considered using a method of electronically searching the contents of the cartridge and automatically recognizing it, but I realized it was impossible. Then I told the person who developed the connector: "Make a connector with this detection function." The GB Transfer Pak works on the same principle, but current flows when the switch is pressed.

Decisions

Are there any other important decisions you made during development?

I made several decisions in different places, so it's hard to choose one. Hmm... Maybe how there was only one IC (integrated circuit), and I decided to have two.

Considering the cost and technology, I wanted to do it with one chip. However, when I developed a prototype with one chip and asked the people responsible for the software to make the software, they complained about the lack of memory. At first, I thought it would be enough because it had several times more memory than the GB, but I was told that "the performance of other parts (such as graphics) has improved, but there is not enough memory." I decided to add 2 megabits. As a result, I made two more chips. This affects the robot's schedule, and the price increases, so I was very worried, but one of the developers said: "Considering that the Game Boy is already 10 years old, such a device is necessary." I heard this and made the final decision. Moreover, these changes were made after the basic specifications were announced.

So, are there any changes between the specifications at the time of the announcement and the current specifications?

Yes. The number of colors is 32,000 instead of 60,000 at the time of the announcement due to increased memory. There are changes compared to what was announced once. But instead of sticking to the announced numbers, we thought it was more important to use the machine's capabilities. Another important decision was to make the graphics in 2D. At first, the staff thought about using polygons, like in home consoles. We decided to put an end to this. It was supposed to be a "convenient" (portable) machine, so we chose 2D.

Was it technically possible for the GB Advance to have 3D?

Technically, it's possible, but it's another matter how feasible it is. The fact is that somewhere you have to find a compromise. For example, the battery won't last long. In addition, the maximum price for the hardware is less than 10,000 yen, so we would have to reduce the amount of memory. Overall, the power of the Game Boy Advance is about 1/10 of the power of the NINTENDO64. It's doubtful that 3D games could be created with such specifications.

But even in 2D, its capabilities are quite extensive?

Yes. It's pseudo 3D. Instead of making it 3D, I decided to apply the latest 2D features to it. In addition, 3D programs are very complex, and the threshold for programmers is high. In the end, 2D is easier to develop. Like the Game Boy, Super Famicom, and PlayStation, the programmers who created this hardware are stronger in 2D programs. The concept is that the hardware is such that users can enter and be completely satisfied with the device.

Are there any points you personally want people to pay attention to?

There are two holes on the top surface, right? What do you think they are? They are for fixing peripheral devices that will be connected to the connector later. I wanted to do this since the first GB was implemented, but only now my wish has come true.

Please say something to all Game Boy Advance users.

I think the heart and soul of each of us is embedded in this project. But in fact, in this whole story, we are just stage workers. The most important thing is what software will come out with this hardware.