Interview: Nintendo Icon Takaya Imamura Discusses Omega 6: The Triangle Stars

Omega 6: The Triangle Stars began its journey 36 years ago when Takaya Imamura walked into a Nintendo job interview with Shigeru Miyamoto. Bringing with him a sketchbook filled with creativity and an unmistakable artistic flair, Imamura landed a job that led to a remarkable three-decade career, crafting some of Nintendo’s most iconic designs. Think of F-Zero’s Captain Falcon, Majora’s Mask from The Legend of Zelda, and characters from Star Fox—and you can see Imamura’s indelible influence on gaming history.

Interestingly, his first indie game project, born outside the Nintendo nest, has its roots in that very interview from 1989. Back then, Imamura presented Miyamoto with a comic idea, sparking the inspiration for his debut manga, Omega 6. Following the manga’s success, it’s now been transformed into a true retro gaming experience. Omega 6: The Triangle Stars invites players into a simpler world, fondly nodding to the days when games didn’t try too hard to weave epic tales or layer on complicated mechanics.

Imamura aimed to craft an authentic retro adventure game with the charm of a Saturday morning cartoon. During a chat with Game Rant, he opened up about the gameplay, the retro aesthetics, and the whimsical alien characters—all designed by him for the game. Imamura also shared insights on his Nintendo days and the inspiration for his first project beyond the iconic company. The conversation has been condensed for clarity and brevity.

When asked about his past projects and their influence on Omega 6, Imamura admitted that none really shaped it. Although familiar with adventure games, he hadn’t specifically aspired to create one. After leaving Nintendo, writing a manga felt like the right storytelling medium, which naturally led them to lean on the adventure genre for their game.

To capture the genuine 16-bit feel in Omega 6, Imamura intentionally limited the color palette, staying true to an era when fewer hues were the norm. The team also embraced the era’s musical and sonic constraints, further enhancing the nostalgic vibe.

Drawing from years of enjoying sci-fi films like Star Wars, Imamura’s creative seeds were sown early on. A significant piece of Omega 6’s inspiration dates back to his Nintendo interview, where he showcased a science fiction manga to Miyamoto. That initial idea eventually blossomed, becoming the foundation for Omega 6.

Reflecting on his extensive career, Imamura noted that working at Nintendo came with creative freedom, underscoring a lack of tight reins on his output. Leaving the corporate world allowed him to dive into manga—a liberating creative outlet he couldn’t fully explore while at Nintendo. His varied contributions across different games could be chalked up to a strong individualistic streak, preventing him from being pigeonholed into one project.

Creating over 100 alien characters was born from a lifetime of sci-fi indulgence—movies, comics, and games. If he were to single out a favorite, it might be a human character from the future with a particularly intriguing, albeit unpleasant, appearance.

A defining feature of Omega 6 compared to other graphic adventures is the inclusion of random encounters between scenes—reminiscent of RPGs. These encounters feature a plethora of alien adversaries, adding a unique twist to the narrative flow.

In crafting the musical landscape for Omega 6, Imamura prioritized key tracks tied to themes and crucial plot moments, while granting the composer creative leeway for enhancement. For the team, innovation thrived on blending guidance with artistic freedom, best exemplified by Amayake-san, a jazz vocalist who lent her expertise to a bar scene track.

Omega 6’s battle system cleverly combines simplicity with depth using a rock-paper-scissors framework. With the emphasis on storytelling, the director, Seki-san, proposed this accessible method, shaping it into an engaging mechanic without overwhelming complexity. The team collaboratively expanded on this concept, producing a nuanced yet straightforward combat system.

The game itself celebrates nostalgia at every turn. In creating it, Imamura hoped to reinvigorate the childhood joy of gaming—a time when everything felt a bit more magical. As efforts materialized, they included bold explorations across three distinct planets. Each locale—one teeming with heat, another cold, and a third populated by shady treasure seekers—offers varied interactions and atmospheres, rewarding players with new experiences as they traverse Omega 6’s compact universe.

Finally, setting the charming bonsai tree at the heart of Omega 6’s gameplay was inspired by a memory from Silent Running, a 70s sci-fi film. At its core, Omega 6: The Triangle Stars is an engaging throwback, encouraging players to revel in the past—a subtle reminder of simpler joys in an intricate gaming tapestry.