Nostalgic Journey with the Triangle Stars

Omega 6: The Triangle Stars is an affectionate nod to retro gaming, brought to life by the legendary Takaya Imamura, known widely for his 32-year tenure as an art director at Nintendo. His creative fingerprints are on iconic Nintendo elements like F-Zero’s Captain Falcon, the vibrant characters of Star Fox, and the unforgettable mask from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.

Having spent decades at Nintendo, Imamura embarked on a personal journey to craft his own manga, Omega 6, which found its audience in France. Riding on this wave of creative freedom, he has now turned Omega 6 into a genuinely retro-styled 16-bit adventure game, bursting with the same creative genius that lent Nintendo such iconic visual treasures. Imamura discussed his vision for the game and the intricate worlds players would traverse in a chat with Game Rant.

Today, many games delve into epic tales, confronting deep philosophical questions, teasing players with complex moral choices, or weaving mind-bending narratives. This depth and intricacy in storytelling marks a new era for video games—a style Imamura intentionally sidesteps. Instead, Omega 6: The Triangle Stars aims to recapture the magic of simpler times, both in feel and design. Imamura explains:

“In creating both the comic and the game, I wanted to move away from the recent trend in games, comics, and films diving deep into themes and character arcs. For me, I longed for simplicity. The retro aesthetics and vibes are what I’m passionate about.”

“The main thing I hope players take away is a wave of nostalgia—a callback to their childhood when life was simpler and pleasures were straightforward.”

Still, Omega 6: The Triangle Stars carries its own captivating stories. It depicts a reality where human lifespans have soared, but the influx of aliens on Earth is crowding humans out, culminating in the launch of the Omega 6 starship in pursuit of a new human sanctuary. Players will join Thunder, Kyla, and their robotic comrade Prop on a treasure-seeking escapade, mingling with diverse life forms across several planets in the game.

In the true spirit of a space odyssey, Omega 6: The Triangle Stars invites players to voyage across varied planets. Imamura points out that this planetary diversity was a practical solution to ensuring varied environments. The idea of sticking to one planet was not appealing, ultimately leading to a creative shift. Imamura shares:

“The foundation of the three planets stemmed from wanting to keep the game captivating with varied locations. It’s about shaking things up rather than having players revisit the same terrains relentlessly.”

“To simplify the variation, dividing the game across three planets seemed logical. Initially, it was centered around one planet with multiple satellites. As we wrapped up, we stopped to consider the scale and wondered—what if we transformed these moons into full planets? This last-minute idea gave birth to the subtitle, The Triangle Stars.”

“As for the themes—it’s pretty straightforward: a hot planet, a cold one, and one teeming with treasure hunters and shady characters. The aim wasn’t to dive deep, but to offer an intuitive and memorable experience with clear atmospheres and settings to explore.”

True to its pursuit of simplicity, reminiscent of a fun Saturday morning cartoon, Omega 6: The Triangle Stars’ planets aren’t about deeply exploring cultures as some games like Mass Effect might. Instead, they effortlessly sprinkle variety, guiding players through their objectives and nurturing an adventurous spirit in this homage to a bygone era.