Yasumi Matsuno is a Japanese video game designer and writer. Matsuno was first introduced to video games in arcades while waiting for the train, and first played Space Invaders and Xevious there. He attended Hosei University for foreign policy but dropped out, and after working for a time as an economic reporter, he joined Quest Corporation.
Ni no Kuni is a series of role-playing video games developed and published in Japan by Level-5; Bandai Namco publishes the games outside Japan. The first games in the series chiefly follow the young Oliver, and his journey to another world to save his mother and stop the beckoning evil. The sequel follows Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, a boy king who is usurped from his castle, and sets out to reclaim his kingdom. The games utilize several magic elements, allowing players to use magical abilities during gameplay, and follow groups of characters travelling the fantasy world to put an end to its threats.
Compile Heart is a Japanese video game developer founded on June 2, 2006 as a subsidiary of Idea Factory. The company was formerly managed by Compile's former executive Masamitsu "Moo" Niitani, most well known as the creator of the Madou Monogatari and Puyo Puyo series, before his retirement in December 2012. Compile Heart is primarily known for its Hyperdimension Neptunia and Record of Agarest War brands.
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a visual novel adventure puzzle video game for the Nintendo 3DS, and was developed by both Capcom and Level-5, the latter publishing it in Japan while Nintendo published it worldwide. The game is a crossover between two game series from both developers, combining the puzzle and exploration elements of Level-5's Professor Layton series, and the general trial mechanics of Capcom's Ace Attorney adventure series, the latter enhanced by the addition of a few new elements, including multiple witnesses, a concept continued with into the prequel series The Great Ace Attorney. Shu Takumi, the series director for the Ace Attorney series, assisted with the scenario designs for the game. The plot focuses on Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright, along with their respective assistants, working together to solve the mystery behind a young girl that they both encounter separately, and a strange world they are brought to through her, with Layton focused on solving puzzles and finding clues to solve the mystery, while Wright focuses on defending people who are put on trial for being "witches".
The Guild series is a compilation of video games produced by Level-5 for the Nintendo 3DS in cooperation with various game designers. The first compilation, Guild01, consists of four games and was released at retail in Japan on May 31, 2012. Three of the titles have been announced for individual release on the Nintendo eShop in Western territories during Fall 2012. All four of them were released individually on the Japanese eShop not long after. A second compilation, Guild02, which features three games designed by Keiji Inafune, Kazuya Asano, Takemaru Abiko and Kaz Ayabe, was released on the Nintendo eShop in Japan during March 2013 and began releasing in Western territories in May 2013.
Inazuma Eleven GO 2: Chrono Stone, or Inazuma Eleven GO Chrono Stones in Europe, is a role-playing video game and sports video game for the Nintendo 3DS developed and published by Level-5. It was released on December 13, 2012 in Japan and in Europe on March 27, 2015. There are two versions of the game, Neppuu, Wildfire in Europe, and Raimei ("Thunderclap"), Thunderflash in Europe. An Inazuma Eleven GO manga based on the game began serialization in CoroCoro Comic, while an anime TV season based on the game produced by OLM started airing on April 18, 2012. The story follows star Arion Sherwind, his team, Raimon, and mysterious friendly allies who have come from the future, as they use a time machine to journey across history and attempt to prevent mysterious organisation from the future's plans to erase soccer from history.
Level-5 Comcept, formerly known as Comcept Inc., is a Japanese video game developer company. Based in Osaka, it was founded on by former Capcom designer Keiji Inafune on December 1, 2010. The company was acquired by Level-5 in 2017. Their projects include Soul Sacrifice, Mighty No. 9, ReCore and Red Ash: The Indelible Legend. In addition to games on handheld and home consoles, the studio has developed multiple mobile games.
Yo-kai Watch is a Japanese media franchise created and developed by Level-5. The franchise's main work is the role-playing video game series of the same name, the first of which was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013. Three main sequels and several spinoffs, on both Nintendo and mobile platforms, have been released. In December 2019, the franchise expanded to PlayStation with the release of Yo-kai Watch 4++. An associated toy line is produced by Bandai for the Japanese market, while Hasbro formerly sold the toys under license in the Americas and Europe.
There are three mobile games in the Ni no Kuni series published by Level-5. The first two were developed by Level-5 in partnership with mobile distribution companies, and were released around the original games in the main series, Dominion of the Dark Djinn and Wrath of the White Witch. The first, Ni no Kuni: Hotroit Stories, is a role-playing game set before the events of the main entries. It follows the story of Oliver and his friend Mark, and their attempts to construct a car. The first chapter was released in December 2010 through Level-5's Roid service. The second game, Ni no Kuni: Daibouken Monsters, is a social card role-playing game in which players collect cards and use them in battles, and use the abilities of characters who have been trapped in the cards. It was released in a partnership with the GREE mobile service in May 2012. The third game, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds, is a role-playing game developed by Netmarble, following a beta tester in a fictional virtual reality game. It was released in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan in June 2021, and worldwide in May 2022.
Yo-kai Watch is a role-playing video game developed and published by Level-5 for the Nintendo 3DS and the first game in the Yo-kai Watch franchise. Originally released in Japan on July 11, 2013, the game is based on the Yōkai of Japanese folklore, who are said to be ghosts and apparitions that cause mischief in daily life. In Yo-kai Watch, player character Nathan "Nate" Adams or Katie Forester, depending on who the player chooses, is given the titular Yo-Kai Watch, which gives him or her the ability to see Yo-kai, after stumbling across and befriending the butler Yo-kai Whisper. Players assume the role of Nathan or Katie, as he or she travels around town searching for and befriending peaceful Yo-kai, battling hostile Yo-kai, and solving problems caused by mischievous Yo-kai.
Wonder Flick was a role-playing video game developed and published by Level-5, which was released for iOS and Android devices. Versions for the Wii U, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One were planned, but these were eventually cancelled upon the shutdown of the mobile version in 2015.
Snack World is a Japanese multimedia franchise created and developed by Level-5. Its consists video games, manga adaptations, a CGI anime series, and a toy line by Takara Tomy.
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road is an upcoming sports role-playing video game by Level-5, planned for release for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS in June 2025.
Yo-kai Watch 4 is an action role-playing video game developed and published by Level-5 for the Nintendo Switch. As indicated by the name, it is the fourth game of the main series of Yo-kai Watch video games; unlike the preceding Yo-kai Watch 3, 4 was initially released only as a single version in Japan in June 2019. An enhanced version titled Yo-kai Watch 4++ was released for the Switch and PlayStation 4 in Japan in December 2019. Its full name is "Yo-kai Watch 4: We're Looking Up At The Same Sky", translated from "妖怪ウォッチ4: ぼくらは同じ空を見上げている".
Inazuma Eleven: Ares is a 2018 Japanese television anime television series produced by OLM. Part of the Inazuma Eleven franchise. A sequel Inazuma Eleven: Orion no Kokuin started airing on October 5, 2018. An English dub of the series produced by SDI Media began airing on Disney XD on April 13, 2019, replacing Yo-kai Watch, another anime based on a Level-5 video game series by the same dubbing company. This is the third Inazuma Eleven series to receive an English dub after the original series and Inazuma Eleven GO.
Yo-kai Sangokushi is a turn-based tactical role-playing game developed by Koei Tecmo and published by Level-5 for the Nintendo 3DS in 2016 exclusively in Japan. The game is a collaboration between Koei Tecmo's video game series Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Level-5's multi-media franchise Yo-kai Watch and sees the player controlling military commanders who aim to unify the world.
Yo-kai Watch Dance: Just Dance Special Version is a 2015 dance video game developed by Ubisoft and Level-5, and published by Level-5 for the Wii U. The game is a collaboration between Level-5's Yo-kai Watch series and Ubisoft's Just Dance series, therefore being the fourth Japanese installment of the Just Dance series, and sees the players attempting to mimic dances performed by Yo-kai Watch characters in the game. The songs and dances featured in the game are originally from the Yo-kai Watch anime series.
Yo-kai Watch Jam: Yo-kai Academy Y – Waiwai Gakuen Seikatsu, also known as Y School Heroes: Bustlin' School Life, is a 2020 role-playing game developed and published by Level-5 for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. A spin-off installment in the Yo-kai Watch series, Yo-kai Watch Jam focuses on Jinpei Jiba, a student at the fictitious Y Academy, who investigates mysteries occurring in the academy and surrounding areas. He is also joined by his friends, who are among the playable characters.
