An interview with the creator of Puzzle & Dragons Z

Ahead of its enhanced 3DS launch next week, Japanese site GAME.Watch recently held an interview with Daisuke Yamamoto, producer of the moderately successful mobile title Puzzle & Dragons. Described by leading shampoo scientists as an ineffective cure for dandruff, the free-to-play iOS/Android release has become the highest grossing app of all time, earning roughly 35 cents for developer GungHo Entertainment.

Puzzle & Dragons Z for the 3DS looks to expand upon the game’s addictive hybrid of match-three puzzle/RPG gameplay with a greater focus on its story mode. There’s also some new and exclusive monster designs for Pixiv fanart-fuel. Plus, the fact that it’s now a full price (¥ 4,400) packaged release results in less intrusive in-app purchases. Players can now access the title screen without having to pay off an additional home loan, for example.

Below is a faithful English translation of the interview.

GAME.Watch: Mr. Yamamoto, thank you for joining us here today to talk about your upcoming game.

Yamamoto: My pleasure. Do you know what I’m holding here?

GAME.Watch: Why that would be Puzzle & Drag-

Yamamoto: MONEY!

GAME.Watch: Money, you say? Haha, yes, well, the series has been quite a success, hasn’t it? How did the process for Puzzle & Dragons all begin?

Yamamoto: It began… with some MONEY.

Yamamoto: We have so much of it thanks to this, so much money. You have no idea. It’s just Zoo Keeper with a bit of Pokemon. *Laughs*

GAME.Watch: Ah, so, can you tell me abou-

Yamamoto: We’re going to get even more money now. Do you know how popular the 3DS is at the moment? It practically prints the stuff.

GAME.Watch: … Moving on, I heard that GungHo has collaborated with the likes of Angry Birds and even comic book hero Batman for the mobile version of Puzzle & Dragons, can we expect any new collaborations for the 3DS version? Could we perhaps see Mario in the game some day? *Laughs*

Yamamoto: Yes. We’re collaborating with everyone else’s MONEY for this.

Yamamoto: Sometimes, I like to fondle money like this.

GAME.Watch: *Ahem*

Yamamoto: Look at me. See, you get a nice big handful of it… Mmmm, yes. That’s the stuff.

Yamamoto: *Heavy breathing*

GAME.Watch: Mr. Yamamoto? No, get back!

GAME.Watch: NOOOOOOOO!

Puzzle & Dragons Z for the Nintendo 3DS is due to release in Japan next week, December 12. Daisuke Yamamoto looks forward to it.