1988 Retro Game Tycoon - Chapter 134



Only Noblemtl

Episode 134 – Moon Dance on the Bell Street

“As expected, Mike! You have an eye for games. That game is one we’re looking forward to as much as Moon Dance.”

The quick-witted Vronsky quickly revised the promotional scenario and quickly moved next to Mike Jackson.

Mike Jackson looked at the screen of “Legends of Bell Street” with sparkling curiosity. An early demo screen showing the streets of Gyeongseong passed by.

“Looking at the clothes, the setting seems old… This isn’t America, is it? The streets feel unfamiliar. It feels oriental. Tokyo? Or Chinatown?”

“That’s right. This is not America. Bell Street is in the East. Bell Street, you know…”

Vronsky had to answer, but he was either flustered or had forgotten, so he couldn’t answer properly. Because of the promotional photo, there was no other staff member next to Vronsky to tell him the answer.

Vronsky looked around urgently as if asking for help. I quickly moved forward and took a step. Fortunately, at that moment, Vronsky and I made eye contact.

“Oh! Namjoon, come here. Mike, this guy is the one who created this game.”

“Really? You still look like a student?”

“You should be at an age where you should be going to college. But age doesn’t matter when it comes to creativity. You’ve been a professional musician since you were young.”

“Oh! That’s right. I made a mistake. I didn’t mean to look down on you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m Seo Nam-joon, the CEO of Starbeat, the creator of

. Nice to meet you.”

“It’s really nice to meet you. Your name is Seo Namjoon? So you’re Korean?”

“Yes, that’s right. You know Korea.”

“Yes, it is. It is a country with a painful history. But the people are very strong. There are many children in the US who were adopted from Korea.”

Mike Jackson, who was interested in world peace, also knew a lot about the divided nation of Korea.

“Bell Street is the name of a central street in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. In Korean, it is called ‘Jongno.’ This game is set in the 1930s, when Korea was still under Japanese rule. At that time, Seoul was called ‘Gyeongseong.’”

“So you’re putting history into the game?”

Mike Jackson looked at me with a surprised face and asked, his eyes clearer than his voice.

“Would you like to try it together?”

“Of course.”

Mike Jackson picked up the Genesis pad. Bronsky covered it with his body and gave the OK sign with his hand, out of sight of the reporters.

“I really like the main character’s style. Was this style popular in Korea too?”

“Western culture came to Korea late. At that time, people who wore Western-style suits were called modern boys and modern girls.”

“Modern Boy! What a funny word.”

Mike Jackson seemed to like Kim Do-kwon’s suit style.

By the way, Mike Jackson filmed a music video for his last album in which he wore a similar suit and appeared as a gang member.

“A is punch, B is kick, and C is jump. If you press it with the arrow keys, the action will change. And if you input a special command···.”

“How is it? It’s not working well.”

“It might be a little difficult at first. Just connect it gently like this, turning it with your thumb.”

“Wow!”

Mike Jackson was like a little kid when he successfully performed Kim Do-kwon’s signature body blow.

I played Legends of Bell Street next to Mike Jackson and explained the game to him.

There were a lot of cameras constantly filming us.

“Mike, it’s past our scheduled time. We should go now.”

“Wait a minute, Catherine. Just this. But we still have to finish Stage 1.”

When the pretty woman with dark perm hair and glasses, who appeared to be her manager, said that she had to go now, Mike insisted on holding on a little longer.

It felt like a mother and her child were telling each other to stop playing games and study.

Is this the life of a celebrity where you have to live by the minute?

“Yes! Great!”

While I was clearing out the Stage 1 boss’s health by half and clearing out the leftovers, Mike defeated the boss.

He gave a cheer and extended his hand to me, and we high-fived, making a “bop!” sound.

“I can’t believe it. This game is so much fun. But I’m a little upset. I think this game is more fun than Moon Dance. Tom, didn’t you promise me the best game ever?”

After finishing Stage 1, Mike put down his pad and smiled at Bronsky.

“I’m sorry, Mike. I only met Namjoon a few weeks ago. If I had known in advance, I would have asked him.”

“No. Moon Dance is also a great game. Mike’s dancing and singing are implemented very well in the game. Probably the only game console that can do that quality right now is Genesis.”

“That’s right. That’s why I like Sega.”

“Mike, it’s really time to go now.”

Catherine trembled nervously as she pointed at her wristwatch. The tip of her ballpoint pen was worn down from all the nibbling she did.

“I’m sorry, Catherine. I was being stubborn, wasn’t I? I’ll go now. Tom, thank you for inviting me. It was really fun. And Namjoon! It’s so nice to meet you today. is a game that deserves to be legendary. I’ll definitely buy it.”

“Mike, we at Starbeat also have our own booth. If you’re interested, please contact us. It’s okay to play quietly without the camera crew.”

I told Mike Jackson the hotel I was staying at and the room number. Mike Jackson winked and disappeared with his managers.

A slew of cameras followed Mike Jackson as he disappeared.

Some of the reporters took pictures of the “Moon Dance” and “Legends of Bell Street” segments, and also took pictures of me and Vronsky.

Mike Jackson was at the Sega booth for less than 30 minutes. When he left, the large Sega booth felt instantly empty.

“Oh my god! Namjoon! You are truly my savior! I really wish I could give you a kiss!”

“Vronsky said, trembling with excitement.

“Mike was originally supposed to be there for 10 minutes and then leave. He was supposed to just promote Moon Dance. But he changed his plans on the spot. He asked me to play a game with him right there! You’re a genius. Now Moon Dance and Bell Street are going to be all over the press!”

A very excited Vronsky grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me.

“It seems like tomorrow’s front page of various entertainment magazines has been decided. ‘MJ visits CES, moon dances on Bell Street!’”

Marketing Manager Jessica was also excited and couldn’t contain her joy.

“It’s done now, Namjoon! We’ll just wait a few days for the media reaction, then put out an ad and release it! Game over! Christmas comes in January this year. I’m such a lucky guy. Hahahaha!”

Vronsky laughed loudly, as if he sensed a huge hit.

The second day of CES came to a close shortly after Mike Jackson left.

If the internet and social media existed now, I would have taken a selfie with Jackson and certified myself right away.

There was nowhere to brag about it since the newspaper article wouldn’t come out until tomorrow.

So I had dinner, went back to the hotel, and called home.

“What? Really?!?! You met Mike Jackson? Your brother? Is that lie true???”

“I’m telling you, it’s true. We played a game together for a little while. No, we couldn’t come to our booth. We didn’t have time. Even though we played a game for a little while, the manager kept urging us.”

“Then what about my autograph? Did you get my autograph?”

“Uh···? Oh, sorry. I didn’t have time for that.”

“What the heck~! If I had known that would happen, I would have gone to America too!”

The youngest who received the call was extremely jealous. It’s true that I bragged to make him jealous, but I felt a little sorry because he was so jealous.

After I hung up the phone and washed up, my excited mind finally calmed down a bit.

There is only one day left until CES. I met Mike Jackson and had quite a few visitors today, but I still haven’t found a vendor to distribute and sell our arcade games in the US.

Participating in CES to promote games is ultimately about selling our game boards, but we haven’t found a suitable partner yet.

There were a few people who took our leaflets and my business card and had a casual conversation, but no one had a serious business conversation yet.

If you can’t find a suitable vendor at CES, you’ll need to figure out a plan B.

As I was calming down my excited mind during the day and gathering my thoughts in my room, Captain Ko knocked urgently on the door.

“Sir, oh, oh, oh, the phone is ringing…”

“Call? Who is it?”

“Mamamama, Mike Jackson···.”

The late Captain, who had received a call from Mike Jackson himself, trembled and told me. I quickly picked up the phone.

“Namjoon, about what we were talking about earlier. Can I go to your game booth tonight?”

“Tonight? When tonight?”

“now.”

Mike wasn’t joking.

I thought for a moment and then answered.

“Can you come to the West Wing of the Convention Center now?”

We made an appointment and hung up the phone. I quickly grabbed my convention center pass and left the hotel.

As I waited for a moment at the back entrance of the convention center’s west wing, a black compact car quietly appeared. Mike himself drove the car.

“You came alone? And there’s a bodyguard?”

“Everyone is drinking and partying. Catherine is also passed out after three cocktails. Oh, poor Catherine. She’s stressed out because of me.”

Even as he said that, Mike looked very excited.

I had a rough idea of ​​what was going on. So tonight was the night of the pop star Mike’s escapades that dominated the global music market.

We parked the car and entered the convention center. Mike followed behind me, wearing a hat, mask, and hood over his head.

The convention center was quiet in the middle of the night when all the visitors had left, except for some booths undergoing repairs.

“I feel like I’ve become a thief.”

Mike smiled as he followed cautiously, tiptoeing between the booths. He looked delighted.

“It’s here. Come in.”

“Oh my god! This is so cool!”

As the neon lights came on, Mike’s eyes and mouth widened in amazement. I powered up the three game cabinets, and he stood in the center of the booth and looked around.

Maybe it’s because he’s a natural dancer. Even his everyday movements looked like he was dancing.

“There are more games than what I saw in Sega?”

“The other two are still demo versions. And there are a few more games that have been released in Korea.”

I gave Mike a brief account of how I started the company and how I got to CES.

“Well, shall we start with Bell Street? It was originally made as an arcade game, so it’s original. Up to four people can play.”

“Four people? I need to take this home right now.”

Mike brought popcorn and cola. It seemed like he was going to have a lot of fun.

Mike chose Kim Do-kwon again and I chose Su-ji to play the game.

Mike wasn’t very good at games, but since he didn’t need coins anyway and I was playing with him, it wasn’t a problem.

“Oh, no! Please save me!”

“Jump out of the way, Mike!”

When I saw him playing games, he looked like a child even though he was over 30.

“When I play this game, it feels like I’m playing my songs in a game. Among my songs, there’s a song called ‘The Criminal’, and the music video is about a Chicago gang in the 30s. But this game is set in Seoul, so it feels exotic and very appealing.”

“I know that song too. I’ve seen the music video. That tilting dance is really unique and awesome.”

“You know? I developed that dance and I loved it so much I couldn’t sleep for two days. That move is also in .”

“Then how about we remake the music video in a Bell Street version? It would be fun. And add some tweaks to the game graphics. Don’t you think it would come out great?”

“Good! That’s a great idea. Doing different versions of a music video? That would be really refreshing.”

Mike Jackson was a pioneer in music videos, as well as dance and performance, with the advent of MTV.

I said it as a joke, and Mike laughed it off.

After having a blast watching , we then went on to watch and without realizing how much time had passed.

“Oh~, this is not it! How can you be so heartless! Shouldn’t you be merciful to beginners?”

“I’m sorry, Mike. I don’t know about other games, but I just can’t control my killer instinct when it comes to fighting games.”

Mike rushed at me with all his might, but I, who had already become a killer through CES, mercilessly beat him up.

Eventually, Mike couldn’t stand it anymore and put me in a headlock as a playful gesture, and the game ended.

“ This spaceship is really cool. I think it would sell well even if it was made into a toy.”

“If it becomes a hit, we should think about that too. If it goes well, it would be fun to make it into an animation.”

As we played the game and chatted about this and that, three hours had passed and it was already past midnight.

“Are you too tired because of me? I thought CES was going to be on until tomorrow.”

“I’m a little sleepy. What about Mike? Does he have any plans for tomorrow?”

“No way. I have to catch an early flight. I guess I should go now. Thank you so much. I had a great time today.”

“Me too. By the way, can I ask for your autograph? It’s for my youngest brother.”

“Do you have a younger sibling? Of course. I should give you at least a hundred.”

“Oh, but the pen… I just came here like an idiot.”

“Don’t worry about the pen.”

Mike took a pen out of his pocket and signed every poster on the wall.

“I always carry it with me because I never know when I’ll meet a fan.”

As expected, global stars have different mindsets.

He also left his autograph on the information board at our company booth.

Now, the Starbeat booth has become a Mike Jackson-certified gaming hotspot.

“Well, see you next time. Be sure to contact me when you come to America.”

Mike gave me his manager, Catherine, and his home phone number, and he drove off again in a black compact car, apparently staying in a suite at some fancy hotel in Las Vegas.

After Mike left, I took a deep breath.

It felt like my second day of CES was finally over. I didn’t regret his visit to our booth, even though I couldn’t use it for promotional purposes.

Because I don’t want to use the private life of a superstar who came out to play a game for a bit to avoid a tight schedule.

The next morning, as soon as I woke up and checked the newspaper, many media outlets had printed large photos of Mike Jackson visiting CES.

“CEO! The CEO is here too?”

Most of them were pictures of me with the Sega logo or with Bronsky in the Moon Dance corner, but there was also one of Mike Jackson giving me a high five.

“I should buy about 100 copies of this as a souvenir.”

“There will be more people today, right? Let’s go with a strong spirit.”

“Last day of CES, Starbeat Fighting!”

“Go for it!”

We got to our booth early and prepared for the opening on the third day of CES.

And as soon as we started the event, we could see what the Mike Jackson Effect was.

“Is this the Starbeat?”

“Is this Bell Street?”

“Here, there’s MJ’s autograph on the sign!”

No one would know that Jackson visited our booth, but people still flocked to our company’s booth.

We no longer needed to do sales to attract people, but rather to manage it so that it didn’t get crowded.

It wasn’t just the spectators who flocked to the area.

Reporters who had done interviews at the Sega booth yesterday started coming to our booth, including those who had openly said there was nothing to see.

And finally, arcade game vendors are starting to show interest.

“Mr. Seo, is the arcade contract already signed? No? When can we talk about it? How long will you be in the US?”

I replied that I would contact the vendors shortly and took their business cards.

Until yesterday, I was the one asking indifferent vendors to contact me and tell me that our game was fun.

Everything had turned around overnight.

I can now compare vendors’ conditions and choose the one that seems to do the job best and offers good conditions.

We were spending the last day frantically dealing with the influx of visitors, reporters, and vendors when suddenly Bronsky came running into our booth, out of breath.

“Namjoon! Namjoon!”

“What’s wrong, Tom? What’s wrong?”

“What kind of magic did you do?”

“yes?”

“I just got a call from Mike Jackson’s record label. They want to do a music video for Mike based on ‘Legends of Bell Street’! They want to use our game screens and film it in Korea! How did you convince him? How did you do it?”

No, I just said that as a joke while playing a game last night.

Apparently, it wasn’t just a joke to Mike Jackson.

“If Mike Jackson made a music video for that, it would be on MTV all day long! It would be like our game would be advertised all over America, day and night, nonstop! Oh my god!”

An excited Vronsky grabbed my shoulder and shook me violently.

It’s a huge gift considering they gave us three hours to rent their booth so we could play games to our heart’s content.

When I come to Korea to film, I have to buy my friend Mike a meal.