| Nobunaga no Yabou Series | |
|---|---|
| |
| Developer | KOEI |
| Publisher | KOEI |
| Platform(s) | Amiga, DOS, Game Boy, Game Boy Colour, Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis, Sega Mega-CD, Mac OS, Monilde Phone, MSX, NES, Super NES, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, NEC PC-9801, Playstation, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, PSP, PS Vita, , WonderSwan, Sharp X1, Sharp X68000, Xbox 360 |
| Website(s) | Official 30th Anniversary website (japanese) |
The Nobunaga no Yabou Series is a row of turn-based strategy video games first released in Japan in 1983. It is a series of loosely adapted historical simulations produced by the japanese video game developer KOEI. It features a predominately japanese voice track though English dubs appear during movie cutscenes. It debuted before Romance of the Three Kingdoms but it hasn't been localized as often. March 30, 2013 marks the series's 30th year anniversary. There are several events and miniature campaigns taking place to celebrate it, many of which are located for easy viewing on its special website.
The iconic main theme heard in the opening credits and most promotional trailers for the series was composed by Yoko Kanno.
Titles in the series
Personal Computer and Console Games
Nobunaga's Ambition
Nobunaga's Ambition (信長の野望; Nobunaga no Yabō) is the first title in the series, released March 1983. Written entirely in BASIC, it was compatible with a wide range of japanese computers. It has no subtitle. A remake of this game titled Nobunaga no Yabō Returns (信長の野望 リターンズ Nobunaga's Ambition Returns) was released in 1995 for Microsoft Windows 3.1, Sega Saturn, and PlayStation. An update of this for Windows 95 was released in 1996.
Nobunaga's Ambition: Zenkokuban
Nobunaga's Ambition: Whole Country Version (信長の野望・全国版; Nobunaga no Yabō: Zenkokuban) is the second title in the series, released September 1986 for NEC PC-8801, then quickly ported for various japanese computers. A 50-province mode covering all of Japan was added, as well as revisions to graphics and gameplay. Releases for Family Computer, Super Famicom, Mega Drive, PC Engine CD-ROM, PlayStation, mobile phones, Windows, and iOS were made subsequently. The U.S. NES, Sega Genesis and Super NES releases were titled Nobunaga's Ambition; the SNES version was released for Virtual Console on April 27, 2009 for the Wii and September 4, 2014 for the Wii U in North America.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Sengoku Gun'yuuden
Nobunaga no Yabō: Sengoku Gun'yūden (信長の野望・戦国群雄伝; Nobunaga's Ambition: Tales of the Sengoku Warlords) is the third title in the series, released December 1988 for PC-88SR, then quickly ported for various japanese computers. Taking after the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, this game introduces the concept of "generals" to this series. The Tōhoku and Kyūshū areas were removed. Releases for Family Computer, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Windows, and mobile phones were made subsequently. The U.S. Nintendo Entertainment System release was titled Nobunaga's Ambition II.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Bushou Fuuunroku
Nobunaga no Yabō: Bushō Fūunroku (信長の野望・武将風雲録; Nobunaga's Ambition: Record of Generals in Turbulent Times) is the fourth title in the series, released December 1990 for PC-98, then quickly ported for various japanese computers (this was the last title in the series supported on 8-bit PCs). The scope was once again expanded to all of Japan, and technology, culture, and tea ceremony mechanics were introduced. Releases for Family Computer, Super Famicom, Mega Drive, PC Engine, PlayStation, Windows, and mobile phones were made subsequently. The U.S. Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System releases were titled Nobunaga's Ambition: Lord of Darkness.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Haouden
Nobunaga no Yabō: Haōden (信長の野望・覇王伝; Nobunaga's Ambition: Tale of the Conqueror) is the fifth title in the series, released December 1992 for PC-98, then quickly ported for various japanese computers. This is the first game with an expansion pack. Battles were changed from taking provinces to taking castles. Releases for Super Famicom, Mega Drive, Sega Mega-CD, 3DO, Mac OS, PlayStation, mobile phones, and Windows were made subsequently.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Tenshouki
Nobunaga no Yabō: Tenshōki (信長の野望・天翔記; Nobunaga's Ambition: Chronicle of Soaring) is the sixth title in the series, released December 1994 for PC-98 (the last of the series produced for DOS variants), with ports for FM Towns, Windows, and Macintosh available later. Commands were executed based on units of power. Releases for Super Famicom, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, PlayStation Portable, and mobile phones were made subsequently.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Shouseiroku
Nobunaga no Yabō: Shōseiroku (信長の野望・将星録; Nobunaga's Ambition: Record of Star Generals) is the seventh title in the series, released March 1997 for Windows 95. This game introduces a new map, portraying the entire country on a grid. Releases for Macintosh, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Dreamcast, PlayStation Portable, and mobile phones were made subsequently.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Reppuuden
Nobunaga no Yabō: Reppūden (信長の野望・烈風伝; Nobunaga's Ambition: Tales of Storms) is the eighth title in the series, released February 1999 for Windows 95, with ports for Macintosh, PlayStation, Dreamcast, and PlayStation Portable made later.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Ranseiki
Nobunaga no Yabō: Ranseiki (信長の野望・嵐世記; Nobunaga's Ambition: Chronicle of a World of Storms) is the ninth title in the series, released February 2001 for Windows 98. This game returned to province-taking battles, and the a system of varying powers was introduced. Ports for PlayStation 2 and Xbox were made later.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Soutenroku
Nobunaga no Yabō: Sōtenroku (信長の野望・蒼天録; Nobunaga's Ambition: Record of Blue Skies) is the tenth title in the series, released June 2002 for Windows 98. This game returned to castle-taking battles. It also became possible to play as a castle lord as well as a Daimyō. Ports for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable were made later.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Tenka Sousei
Nobunaga no Yabō: Tenka Sōsei (信長の野望・天下創世; Nobunaga's Ambition: Creation of the World) is the eleventh title in the series, released September 2003 for Windows 98. This game introduced castle towns and unified castle sieges. The administration screens transitioned to full 3D. A port for PlayStation 2 was made later; this was released in the U.S. as Nobunaga's Ambition: Rise to Power on February 5, 2008.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Kakushin
Nobunaga no Yabō: Kakushin (信長の野望・革新; Nobunaga's Ambition: Reform) is the twelfth title in the series, released June 2005 for Windows 98. The map and battles are in real-time, and the map is rendered in 3D. Ports for PlayStation 2 and Wii were made later; the former was released in the U.S. as Nobunaga's Ambition: Iron Triangle.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Tendou
Nobunaga no Yabō: Tendō (信長の野望・天道; Nobunaga's Ambition: The Way of Heaven) is the thirteenth title in the series, released September 2009 for Windows XP, with ports for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 made later.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Sozou
Nobunaga no Yabō: Sozou (信長の野望・創造; Nobunaga's Ambition: Creation)" is the fourteenth title in the series, released 12 December 2013 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Windows.
Handheld Games
For Game Boy:
Nobunaga no Yabō Game Boy Version (信長の野望 ゲームボーイ版; Nobunaga's Ambition Game Boy Version), loosely based on the first and third games.
For WonderSwan:
Nobunaga no Yabō for WonderSwan (信長の野望 for ワンダースワン; Nobunaga's Ambition for WonderSwan)
For Game Boy Color:
Nobunaga no Yabō Game Boy Version 2 (信長の野望 ゲームボーイ版2; Nobunaga's Ambition Game Boy Version 2), primarily based on the third game.
For Game Boy Advance:
Nobunaga no Yabō (Nobunaga's Ambition), a remake of the fourth game.
For Nintendo DS
- Nobunaga no Yabō DS (信長の野望DS; Nobunaga's Ambition DS), a remake of the eighth game.
- Kuni-tori Zunō Batoru: Nobunaga no Yabō (国盗り頭脳バトル 信長の野望; Province-Taking Brain Battle: Nobunaga's Ambition), containing board game elements.
- Nobunaga no Yabō DS 2 (信長の野望DS2; Nobunaga's Ambition DS 2), a remake of the fourth game.
- Pokemon Conquest, a crossover with the Pokémon franchise.
For Nintendo 3DS:
Nobunaga no Yabō (信長の野望; Nobunaga's Ambition), a port from the DS version with some additions to the gameplay.
Online games
- Nobunaga no Yabō Internet (信長の野望 Internet; Nobunaga's Ambition Internet), an online battle simulation game for Windows.
- Nobunaga no Yabō Online (信長の野望Online; Nobunaga's Ambition Online), an MMORPG for PlayStation 2, Windows, and PlayStation 3.
- Nobunaga no Yabō (信長の野望; Nobunaga's Ambition), a blanket title for a number of mobile phone games.
- Hyakuman-nin no Nobunaga no Yabō (100万人の信長の野望; Million-Man Nobunaga's Ambition), a social network game by Mobage.
- NobuNYAga no Yabō (のぶニャがの野望; NobuNYAga's Ambition), a cat-themed browser-based online battle/raising simulation game.
External Links