Akira Ueda
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese video game designer, director
, and graphical artist. After previously working for several notable companies, he currently designs games from his own company Audio, Inc.
, Japan. He moved to Urayasu, Chiba
at the age of 10. As a teenager, he took a part-time job at Tokyo Disney Resort
, where he worked until 1988, when he attended Tokyo Design Academy. He was hired by Square
in 1990.
At Square, Ueda worked mostly as a background and map designer, most prominently on Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
. In 1995, he joined co-worker Kenichi Nishi
and others in the establishment of the independent developer Love-de-Lic
, where Ueda carried over his responsibilities from Square in the design of the company's first two releases. In 1999, Ueda left Love-de-Lic and joined Grasshopper Manufacture
. He continued to design backgrounds and maps, but his debut as a director came with the two Shining Soul
games released for the Game Boy Advance
. He was also directed and acted as the main designer for Contact
on the Nintendo DS
.
Ueda left Grasshopper Manufacture in 2005 and founded Audio, Inc. the following January. The company currently consists of Ueda and 8 other individuals. So far, the company has made several Japan-exclusive releases on the DS, including its most recent game, Sakura Note: Ima ni Tsunagaru Mirai.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese video game designer, director
Game director
Game director may refer to:* Video game producer, the person in charge of overseeing development of a video game* Technical director, usually a senior technical person within creative group...
, and graphical artist. After previously working for several notable companies, he currently designs games from his own company Audio, Inc.
Career
Ueda was born in 1970 in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan. He moved to Urayasu, Chiba
Urayasu, Chiba
is a city located in the far western corner of northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 164,822 and a population density of 9530 persons per km²...
at the age of 10. As a teenager, he took a part-time job at Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort
is a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. It is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company with a license from The Walt Disney Company. The resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park , but developed into a resort with two theme...
, where he worked until 1988, when he attended Tokyo Design Academy. He was hired by Square
Square (company)
was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
in 1990.
At Square, Ueda worked mostly as a background and map designer, most prominently on Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, often shortened and officially known in Japan as , is an action role-playing game developed by Square and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . It was originally released on March 9, 1996 in Japan and on May 13,...
. In 1995, he joined co-worker Kenichi Nishi
Kenichi Nishi
is a Japanese video game designer. He was born June 20, 1967 in Tokyo, Japan. Over the years, he has helped found a number of notable video game companies and currently develops games at Route24, his own private limited company...
and others in the establishment of the independent developer Love-de-Lic
Love-de-Lic
was a Japanese company that developed video games. It was founded by Kenichi Nishi in 1995. Its staff included many former employees of Square. After producing three adventure games, the company disbanded in 2000, going their separate ways to other small and independent game companies such as skip...
, where Ueda carried over his responsibilities from Square in the design of the company's first two releases. In 1999, Ueda left Love-de-Lic and joined Grasshopper Manufacture
Grasshopper Manufacture
Grasshopper Manufacture, Inc. is a Japanese video game development house founded on March 30, 1998 in Suginami, Japan. Grasshopper gained mainstream attention in 2005 for the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2 game Killer7...
. He continued to design backgrounds and maps, but his debut as a director came with the two Shining Soul
Shining Soul
is an action role-playing game for the Game Boy Advance. It is part of the Shining series. The game was followed by a sequel, Shining Soul II, in 2003...
games released for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. He was also directed and acted as the main designer for Contact
Contact (video game)
is a role-playing video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan on March 30, 2006, by Atlus in North America on October 19, 2006, and by Rising Star Games in Australasia and Europe on January 25, 2007...
on the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
.
Ueda left Grasshopper Manufacture in 2005 and founded Audio, Inc. the following January. The company currently consists of Ueda and 8 other individuals. So far, the company has made several Japan-exclusive releases on the DS, including its most recent game, Sakura Note: Ima ni Tsunagaru Mirai.
Credits
- Final Fantasy IVFinal Fantasy IVis a role-playing video game developed and published by Square in 1991 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. The game was originally released for the Super Famicom in Japan and has since then been rereleased for many other platforms with varying modifications. An enhanced remake with 3D graphics...
(1991) — sound effects - Secret of ManaSecret of ManaSecret of Mana is an action role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System developed and published by Square in 1993. The game was re-released for the Wii's Virtual Console in 2008, and was ported to Japanese mobile phones in 2009...
(1993) — background and map design - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven StarsSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven StarsSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, often shortened and officially known in Japan as , is an action role-playing game developed by Square and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . It was originally released on March 9, 1996 in Japan and on May 13,...
(1996) — background and map design - Moon: Remix RPG AdventureMoon: Remix RPG Adventure, usually referred to simply as Moon, is a 1997 role-playing game developed by Love-de-Lic and published by ASCII Entertainment. The game was first released on October 16, 1997, and was re-released as part of the PlayStation the Best line on November 5, 1998...
(1997) — background and map design, planning - UFO: A Day in the LifeUFO: A Day in the LifeUFO: A Day in the Life is an adventure/puzzle game developed by Love-de-Lic and published by ASCII Entertainment.-Gameplay:UFO: A Day in the Life puts the player in the role of an extraterrestrial attempting to save a group of 50 fellow aliens who have been stranded on Earth...
(1999) — background and map design - Flower, Sun, and RainFlower, Sun, and Rainis a video game developed by Goichi Suda for Grasshopper Manufacture. The game was initially released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan on May 2, 2001, while an enhanced Nintendo DS remake entitled Flower, Sun, and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise was released in Japan on March 6, 2008, Europe on...
(2001) — 3D map design - Shining SoulShining Soulis an action role-playing game for the Game Boy Advance. It is part of the Shining series. The game was followed by a sequel, Shining Soul II, in 2003...
(2002) — director, background and map design - Shining Soul II (2003) — director, background and map design
- Michigan: Report from Hell (2004) — director
- ContactContact (video game)is a role-playing video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It was published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan on March 30, 2006, by Atlus in North America on October 19, 2006, and by Rising Star Games in Australasia and Europe on January 25, 2007...
(2006) — director, planning, scenario, background and map design - Deltora Quest: 7-tsu no Houseki (2007)
- Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro: Neuro to Miko no Bishoku Sanmai (2008)
- Sakura Note: Ima ni Tsunagaru Mirai (2009)