Saturday September 30, 1992
Takayuki, the ever-enthusiastic supermarket cashier whose only true passion in life was gaming, had found his newest obsession: the ZGB. When the handheld console was announced, he knew—deep down in his soul—that this was the moment he had been waiting for. Portable gaming. True, on-the-go adventures. The future of play, in the palm of his hands.
He had saved up for it, every spare yen he could tuck away from his modest cashier job. When the ZGB released, he was one of the first in line at Blue Wire Electronics, clutching his savings like it was a life-or-death mission. He didn't even hesitate. He bought the console and four games: Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, Tetris, Pokemon Leaf Green, and Stranded Kids. That last one was a bit of a gamble for him—he had never heard of a survival game before. But the concept intrigued him: stranded on an island, forced to use your wits and scavenge resources to survive? It felt like something different.
Now, it was Saturday morning. He had already devoured Mario and sunk several hours into Pokemon, capturing creatures and battling trainers. But today, he decided to dive into the last unopened title in his collection: Stranded Kids.
He booted up the ZGB, its familiar chime greeting him like an old friend. The Stranded Kids title screen popped up with calming beach music and a pixelated island shimmering under the sun.
"Alright," Takayuki whispered to himself. "Time to see what this is all about."
The game began with a short, dramatic intro: a plane crash. The protagonist, a young boy or girl (Takayuki chose the boy and named him Kaito), wakes up alone on a deserted island with nothing but the clothes on his back.
"Nice setup," Takayuki muttered, already intrigued.
The gameplay was slower than Mario or Pokemon, but it didn't bore him. If anything, it sucked him in. You had to explore the island, gather materials, learn how to craft tools, and keep track of basic needs: hunger, thirst, and fatigue. Every action, from climbing trees to catching fish, used up energy. If Kaito got too tired or too hungry, he could faint. That added a layer of realism Takayuki hadn't expected.
The game requires players to merge materials in creative ways—for example, combining flexible wood with vine creates a makeshift bow, while sharp stones fused with a stick can form a spear. This crafting system adds layers of depth, encouraging experimentation and strategy with resource management.
He started by gathering coconuts and twigs, quickly realizing he needed to craft a water container. He fumbled at first, struggling with the crafting system until he found the survival guidebook in his backpack. With it, he managed to build a basic tool kit, and soon he had a crude spear and water container.
As the in-game days passed, Takayuki felt more and more immersed. He found a cave to serve as his shelter. He built a fire pit. He even learned to roast fish he caught with his spear. Each success, no matter how small, felt monumental.
"Yes! Roasted fish, baby! I'm surviving out here!" he cheered, holding up the ZGB like it was a treasure.
Then came the surprises: random events. One night, a storm hit the island, forcing Kaito to scramble for cover. His fire went out. He woke up soaked and cold. Another time, a wild boar charged him while he was picking berries, nearly ending his run. The tension was real.
But what truly blew Takayuki away was how the game told its story. Scattered around the island were notes, remnants of someone else who had lived here long before. A researcher. As he read each note, piecing together the mystery of what happened on the island, he felt pulled deeper into the narrative.
He reached Day 7 in-game. Kaito had a stable food supply, a steady water source, and had even discovered a makeshift raft that could possibly be repaired for escape. But Takayuki paused. He didn't want to escape yet. Not before he uncovered the full story.
One afternoon, while exploring the northern cliffs, he stumbled upon something curious. An oddly shaped rock. He interacted with it, and to his shock, a secret cutscene played.
A cloaked figure with a gray helmet appeared—Zabo-man.
"Wha—Zabo-man…?" Takayuki blinked.
The mysterious helper character, often an Easter egg in ZAGE games, looked at the screen and said, "Even in isolation, strength comes from persistence. You Are Very Cool"
Zabo-man handed Kaito a blueprint for a solar still, a tool that could purify water using sunlight—a massive upgrade.
Takayuki grinned. "Man, I LOVE these Zabo-man cameos. Always so cool."
By the end of his Saturday gaming marathon, Takayuki had spent over six straight hours in Stranded Kids. His in-game Kaito was thriving, and he had learned a ton about resource management, planning, and risk-taking.
He turned off his ZGB, stretched, and let out a satisfied sigh.
"This… this might be one of my favorite ZGB games so far," he muttered. "And I didn't even know I liked survival games."
For Takayuki, gaming wasn't just a hobby. It was the only thing that made him feel alive, challenged, and understood. And Stranded Kids? That was his unexpected masterpiece.
Takayuki want to rest because he is really tired. He has been gaming non stop and tomorrow he will continue to play the stranded kids game. The game really hooked him
To be continued.
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