t's not too much of a shocker that we here at Game Informer are still quite addicted to Lumines.  In fact, if you ask any of the editors what game is in their PSP system, they'll most likely still say Lumines, even though it has been available since both the Japanese and North American launch.  Now that Q? Entertainment is creating a long awaited sequel for the PSP, and bringing the Lumines franchise to the PS2, Xbox 360, and Mobile phones we get all the details direct from series mastermind Tetsuya Mizuguchi.  We find out which version does what, and what the future is for the series on the PlayStation 3 and Wii.  Oh, and we get a few nuggets on Ninety-Nine Nights and Meteos, as well.

Game Informer: First off, Ninety-Nine Nights, who’s handling the localization for the North American version?

Tetsuya Mizuguchi: Microsoft.  I never touch the localization. I’m a little nervous. I hope they’re doing a very good job.

GI: Will you give them the final okay after they’re done localizing it?

Mizuguchi: No. This is a Microsoft task.  They have a big team for localization.  This is kind of a Hollywood movie style production.

GI:  Why was the decision made to work with Buena Vista games for the new Lumines titles and Meteos?

Mizuguchi:  I think the biggest reason why we decided to work with BVG as a publisher is that BVG came to us and verbally said that they wanted to support Lumines as a title that they would like to produce themselves.  We felt a lot of passion from them.

Also another influential factor is that Q? Entertainment’s CEO Shuji Utsumi is a former Disney Interactive – now Buena Vista Games – employee back in Japan.

It wasn’t really a creative decision as you can see, this is more of a business decision that was made.  There wasn’t any sort of negative influence from the creative side. So there’s really nothing to worry about in regards to Lumines because it’s going into the hands of Buena Vista Games – which is part of a Disney company.

GI: How will the gameplay differ from Lumines to Lumines 2?

Mizuguchi: The basic grounds of Lumines in terms of gameplay and how you play Lumines 2 - there won’t be a huge difference. The concept behind Lumines 2 is to be able to play Lumines in a couple of different situations or scenarios. Specifically one of the things that we can point out is music is from various genres and we can expect some artist collaboration.

There will also be music videos running in the background while you’re playing Lumines 2. We will not be announcing any major artists at this time but we’re working on that and announcing that later on.

From both the music standpoint and a visual standpoint it will be a very fulfilling, rich gaming experience. Overall, the volume of the content that you can expect from Lumines 2 in terms of skins and music is going to explode compared to the original Lumines.

Single Player Lumines Live
 

GI: So Microsoft recently announced your second collaboration with Microsoft for Lumines Live for Xbox Live Arcade. What will separate this game from the others?

Mizuguchi: Lumines Live will be taking the first step for Lumines to play with a lot of downloadable content, obviously since it’s on Xbox Live. It’s not a packaged game, and will only be available over Xbox Live.  You won’t be able to go to the store and pick up the title.

GI: So being an Xbox Live Arcade game, you’ll still be keeping the gameplay the same?  Is it a port of the original game over to Xbox Live Arcade?

Mizuguchi: Portions of the main gameplay that will carry over to Lumines Live. It’s not exactly a port of the original PSP Lumines game on Xbox Live. There’s also the HD component that you’ll be able to experience, as well as the sound in 5.1 surround.  Some of the tracks will be featured in 5.1.

GI: Will some of the original tracks make it over from Lumines?

Mizuguchi: It’s a mixture of tracks from Lumines and some new ones.  We have two big concepts with Lumines Live.  One is customization.  You can customize your Lumines experience.  You can download new tracks, skins, gameplay modes, and art.  Downloadable content – the new music – if you’re a big fan of some artists you can download their tracks and videos and customize your game.

GI: Microsoft will charge for this downloadable content I’m assuming?  What about pricing on this?

Mizuguchi: Yes, but I don’t think Microsoft has announced pricing on any of this yet.

Vs Lumines Live

GI:  There are a lot of gamers that are fans of the original soundtrack. Will tracks from Mondo Grosso be in the game that’s released, or will we have to download those separately?

Mizuguchi: We haven’t decided that yet.  We want to make a fresh new experience with Lumines Live.  For example one of the new artists that you know about is Madonna.

GI: Will different artists be available in different countries?

Mizuguchi: We haven’t decided.  We’re starting this service first in the United States. The Lumines concept must expand. We wanted to make a service where players could customize with artists – 70s, 80s, or seasonal like Summer or Holidays. It’s really hard to do a service with a packaged game, but that was the big wall.  I think that this wall will disappear by using the network. This is really, really exciting.  But this is just the beginning.  From Lumines Live maybe we’ll do things with the PC and Mobile phones.

Lumines Mobile we’ve already started, and a while ago the first country was Chile.  Game Loft is doing the title, and the game will launch in 38 countries by the end of June. That was exciting, too.

GI: Will you be able to play Lumines Live against other people online?

Mizuguchi: We are currently working on the versus mode.  The puzzle mode will be two players online and offline.  If you purchase the versus mode – every mode will have a price – but they won’t be high priced.  First you have to purchase the base package of Lumines Live, and then you add versus mode to it.  At least that’s the way we have it planned right now, we’re still trying to determine if we’ll package versus in the base package.

GI: Will you be able to use your own music that’s already on your hard drive or on your network with Lumines Live?

Mizuguchi: Right now it’s too difficult to achieve that at this time.  In the future that’s something that we’d like to implement.

GI: Back to Lumines 2, outside of the visual enhancements, what will be different gameplay wise?  For example, in Lumines there’s always two colors of blocks, will you add a third color to the mix?  How about different shapes or anything different from the bar that moves across the screen?

Mizuguchi: Besides what we mentioned earlier, at this point we can’t reveal any new gameplay features. There may be some, as of right now we’re not announcing anything. With Lumines 2, it’s not really the gameplay that’s going to advance in a completely different way because Lumines has its own ground with what kind of game makes a Lumines game. It’s more of an atmosphere or stylistic experience that is supposed to make the change from the original to Lumines 2. In that respect we hope that you experience something new with Lumines 2.

But with Lumines Mobile there will be more than two colors and different shapes– it’s not gorgeous technology.  The sound effects and music – it was really difficult to make that.

GI: Did you make Lumines Mobile or did Game Loft?  Did you have input?

Mizuguchi: Game Loft made the title, but we had input, of course. But as you asked about more colors.  As you’ll see with Lumines Mobile there’s more than two colors in this version.  There’s different shapes too – they’re not just cubes anymore.

Lumines Plus

GI: So what is Lumines Plus?

Mizuguchi:  The basic idea of Lumines Plus is - I don’t want to say it’s a direct port - but it is a port version of the original Lumines PSP to PS2. Now you can play the original Lumines on the PS2.

GI: Will you take advantage of Widescreen or progressive scan?

Mizuguchi: It’s to be determined.

GI: When we interviewed you back last summer you said that you made games to take advantage of a hardware’s specific features – with the PSP you utilized the visuals, widescreen, and music capabilities.  How will Lumines Plus take advantage of the PS2?

Mizuguchi: Lumines Plus was realized more through a business decision, as you can probably imagine.  From a business side we want people who don’t own a PSP to be able to experience Lumines – that’s the major reason why.

GI:  So, the hardware specific features of bringing Lumines to the PS2 is the fact that there’s over 100 million PS2s out there?

Mizuguchi: (laughs) Yeah. In a good way you’re poking us in the side to say that more people need to play Lumines.  It’s not really a creative move, it just makes sense from a business side. It’s not to say there’s no input from the creative side, even if it was a direct port.  We do want to somehow maybe create one or two additions to it.  It’s not going to be a plain port.

Lumines Plus

GI:  So will the soundtrack stay the same?

Mizuguchi: The majority of the tracks will be from the original, however, there’s a meaning behind why we’re saying “plus”.  There will be some new additions.  Probably another goal with this is to have more people experience the first game so that when they see these new installments, changes, and enhancements to Lumines the series – they will actually see how this is moving forward in various ways.  In order for them to realize this they’ll have to know the original.

GI:  Will there be online versus in Lumines Plus?

Mizuguchi: That’s to be determined.

GI: Will Puzzle Mode make a return in either Lumines Plus, Lumines 2 or Lumines Live?  What about more additional modes?

Mizuguchi: For Lumines Plus, yes. More so in Lumines 2 than Lumines Live there is another mode that we’re currently calling “Mission Mode” which is a mode that will give you a task or mission which is similar to Puzzle in which you may get a mission where it asks you to, in two moves you must do this.  More like clearing than making specific shapes. That’s something that we are considering for Lumines 2. Other things that we are considering, and considering is the key word here, is a skin editor mode where you will be able to customize skins that you’ve already acquired and making your own order of playing your skins.  There’s a good chance that mode will be implemented.

There’s also another thing is a play history, similar to what you saw in Meteos where you can see what you have played and ranked.  So if you go to your play history you’ll see what you’ve achieved in that certain skin.

There’s another mode called replay theater, and for example in Time Attack mode where you play for 60 seconds, you can see which moves you actually made in that mode.  If you’re a super player you can watch your super play.

Also, we will have worldwide rankings with Lumines Live. Maybe with Lumines Live players will be able to share their best replays.  Maybe.  Most of this is in a form right now where we can play with these elements, and we’re getting to a point where we’re feeling confident that this will work in the game.

GI: With the partnership with Buena Vista, could we see music from Disney movies, or maybe even Kingdom Hearts make it into one of the soundtracks?  I mean, I wouldn’t want Lumines to get too Disneyed out – but a Kingdom Hearts track or two would be pretty cool.

Mizuguchi: I agree with you.  That’s a good idea. (laughs)  I think there’s a chance that that could happen where we implement something that’s more Disney related or themed or based. It’s not like because of this publishing agreement its mandatory to have things Disney oriented, but it’s something to look into further and a very interesting concept that we’ll be open to hear about if Disney presents an opportunity like that.

GI: Kind of like Meteos: Disney Edition?

Mizuguchi: (laughs) I agree with you that Meteos could take a more positive angle and incorporate a Disney theme, where as Lumines would probably hurt from going too Disney.  Integrating some of the better ideas would be okay, but not be completely pulled into a Disney theme or world.

GI: How many total skins and songs are planned for Lumines 2?

Mizuguchi: 100 songs.

GI: Wow, that’s a lot of music.  Is it tricky to have that much music with the storage size of a UMD, especially with the addition of the video content, that’s a lot of data.

Mizuguchi: I know I just said 100, but it’s more like trying to fit in as much as possible.  If there’s any room we’ll try to enhance the quality of the tracks as well as the video so it’s more like pushing the UMD to its limits to how much it can include.

GI: Will every track have a video?

Mizuguchi: Not every track, but it’s going to be a mixture of what you’ve already seen in the original Lumines, and the addition for some songs to have the actual, full video. 

Lumines 2

GI: I know you won’t talk about specific artists, but it’s well known you’re a fan of Underworld and Chemical Bros.  Are you pursuing any of your personal favorites?

Mizuguchi: (smiles) Lumines 2 – the project is becoming “the party” and so I feel like I’m like the party organizer for who can gather around to make this project the biggest party experience ever on the PSP. There are artists and groups we are going after and offered to be a part of this future party, and even going as far as what order they should make their appearances.  It ranges from anything from a rock fest to where you can have so many different artists collaborating on one huge event. That’s being worked on right now.  I can’t name any names at this point.

Opposed to Lumines 2, Lumines Live takes a format where everything is happening now.  We’re feeding what will work in Lumines Live in the next downloadable music tracks.  Lumines 2 is more of a get together of multiple genres, various artists. It’s a huge collaborative effort in trying to get who would be celebrating this title.  Lumines Live is more of a TV program channel where it’s like feeding who’s up next – that kind of format.

Not to say that that’s the approach we’re always going to take, that’s a good way with the Lumines Live concept where we can constantly feed.  Whether it’s a seasonal album, a selective artist or group, or whether it’s divided by region – featuring an artist for the UK or the US.  So it’s a different format that it’s taking on its own where we can constantly come up with an idea, put the package together and sell it as downloadable content.  Whereas Lumines 2 is going to have directions from multiple artists, genres, and more of a collaboration of artists celebrating the title.

Lumines 2

GI: In Lumines you could play two-player locally wirelessly.  Will you be able to play with more than two people in Lumines 2, and will you be able to play online?

Mizuguchi: At this point we’re going to say it’s going to take a similar format as the original.  Anything further, we can’t comment on right now.

GI: The highest score you can get in Lumines was 999,999.  Will this be the same in Lumines 2, Lumines Plus, and Lumines Live?

Mizuguchi: Lumines Plus will probably be the same.  Lumines Plus and Lumines Live will probably be different.

GI: Will there be any connectivity between the Lumines 2 and Lumines Plus?

Mizuguchi: That’s to be determined.

GI: So what about Lumines on the PlayStation 3?

Mizuguchi: As I already explained to you, in trying to keep Lumines as one of the series to live on multiple platforms, obviously it’s already in our consideration.  Not just from a visual standpoint but a sound – with Lumines Live we’re doing 5.1, going even into 7.1 hopefully we can realize with Lumines in each installment, and in future installments is that we can bring a brand new experience with each version, and take advantage of the hardware.  Hopefully there will be a time where people will say that this isn’t just a puzzle game anymore with all of these new experiences combined.  So whether or not this becomes realized and actualized in PS3 or not, we don’t know yet.  Hopefully we can do that in the future, whether we can do that, if it’s 360 or PSP or any other hardware that we go with.

When you play it in 5.1 it’s really not just a puzzle game anymore.  You can literally feel the weight of the block coming down and getting the whole surround experience.

GI: So with the moving bar, are you going to be able to hear where it’s going with channel separation?

Mizuguchi: Maybe, yes.  I think it’s much more dramatic with the effects as the blocks disappear. This is just an idea, still.

There’s something inside me that’s bringing me back to the excitement that I knew I had inside me when we were working on Rez, and so that sort of sensation and excitement is actually sort of coming back to me to a point where I know I can sort of re-experience that.  There’s probably a way we can implement that similar sensation that we had when we created that. It’s not going to be for Lumines that the point that makes the difference is that when we could make this title not just a puzzle game anymore. There’s a way to reach that, and there’s some sort of feeling inside me that’s tickling me telling me that can happen.

This is a puzzle game, but not just a simple puzzle game.  Gameplay is simple – this is good, the simple gameplay and gorgeous effects, I think it’s the best way to me.  I like this kind of style. Everybody can play, but the experience is gorgeous. I think it’s the one of the “future games.”

GI: So out of all of the versions of Lumines that you have coming out which one are you the most excited about?

Mizuguchi: Every version isn’t the same.  Mobile, not a great visual or sound experience, but the puzzle is fun.  PSP is like a Walkman style – still. Putting the new music in there with the visuals.  Live is all about customizations and connecting and sharing. Everything is different.  So, everything is fun and exciting.  This is the truth.  We’re watching the next-gen closely.

Lumines 2

GI: Are there releases dates on anything?

Mizuguchi: All of the BVG titles are slated for Fall. Mobile is now or coming soon (ed: depending on your carrier). We haven’t announced the release date for Lumines Live but it’s very soon.  The time from finalization to release is very small because there’s no package.

GI: Is Lumines 2 coming out in Japan first?

Mizuguchi: It’s coming out first in the United States.

GI: Will the Japanese version of Lumines 2 be different that the US one?

Mizuguchi: We will change a little bit. The soundtrack will change a bit. The Japanese music may be too weird for people.

GI: I don’t really have any other questions about Lumines, however I do have one question about Meteos: Disney Edition. Is Sakurai-san still working on the title?

Mizuguchi: No. We still communicate with him on the game.  We explained to him about our plans for Meteos with Disney. He was very excited about it and thought it was a good idea. Many cases like this where there’s not huge sales, where the gameplay is good.  By adding this property it could change the sales figures.

I don’t know the future of Meteos: Disney Edition, if it’s going to be a big hit. It sounds fun!  A Disney Meteos – wow! I’ll play!

GI: Are you going to be using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for the game?

Mizuguchi: We haven’t decided yet, but the idea is great.  The kids play together.  “What is my character!  What is your character!” Its character based.

GI: What do you think about Wii?  Do you like the name? You said you wanted to expand Lumines to other platforms – would you ever bring Lumines to Wii?

Mizuguchi: When I first heard it I think I had the same reaction as most people.  Huh?  What does it mean?  After seeing and having read about it a little bit and probably knowing it’s going to be one of those names where time will help people understand, and it’ll probably sink into a lot of people’s heads that it’s one of those names that will become more familiar with and easy to use and easy to say it.  It doesn’t seem like a huge plus or huge minus.

GI: Any plans for making games for the Wii?

Mizuguchi: No comment.  Even if I clone myself I don’t have enough bodies right now.