Nobunaga's Ambition
Packaging for the Genesis version
Genre(s)Wargame, turn-based strategy, tactical role-playing
Developer(s)Koei
Publisher(s)Koei
Koei Tecmo
Creator(s)Kou Shibusawa
Platform(s)
Platforms
First releaseNobunaga no Yabō
March 1983
Latest releaseNobunaga's Ambition: Awakening
July 20, 2022

Nobunaga's Ambition (信長の野望, Nobunaga no Yabō) is a series of turn-based grand strategy role-playing simulation video games.[1] The original game was one of the first in its genre, being released in March 1983 by the Japanese video game developer Koei.[2][3] Nobunaga's Ambition takes place during the Sengoku period of feudal Japan. The player is tasked with achieving the ultimate goal of warlord Oda Nobunaga: the conquest and unification of Japan. Selecting Oda Nobunaga is optional, however, as the player is also able to choose from a variety of other regional daimyōs of the time.

Games in the franchise have been released for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Sega Genesis, 3DO, Super Nintendo, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. The title was also released for Macintosh as well as MSX, Amiga, and MS-DOS. As of March 2018, the series has shipped more than 10 million copies worldwide.[4]

Gameplay

The player may choose from four campaign scenarios, including "Battle for the East" (beginning in 1560), "Daimyo Power Struggles" (1560), "Ambition Untamed" (1571), and "Road Towards Unification" (1582). In each scenario, the player must allocate resources to raise a capable military force, provide a productive economy to support both military and civilian expansion, and support the peasants in order to sustain their respect and loyalty. Gameplay is taken in turns, with each turn in the map view corresponding to a season, and each turn during battle corresponding to a day. The player may achieve victory through numerous means, among which are forcing the enemy to retreat, destroying the enemy command unit, outlasting an invading force, or prolonging battle until the opposing force has exhausted its supplies.

The player can make many choices during the campaign. According to Evan Brooks of Computer Gaming World: "One may transfer soldiers between fiefs, go to war, increase taxes (which causes a decrease in peasant loyalty which may lead to rebellion), transfer rice or gold to another fief, raise the level of flood control (which decreases productivity), make a non-aggression pact or arrange a marriage, cultivate (which increases productivity, but decreases peasant loyalty), use a merchant (to buy/sell rice, borrow funds, or purchase weapons), recruit for the military (soldiers or ninja), train the army (which increases fighting efficiency), spy on a rival, expand a town (which increases taxes collected, but decreases peasant loyalty), give food/rice to peasants/soldiers (to raise morale), steal peasants from rival daimyos, allocate military strength, recuperate (even a daimyo can get sick), turn over a controlled fief to the computer for administration, or pass a turn."[5]

Games

Release timeline
1983Nobunaga no Yabō
1984
1985
1986Nobunaga's Ambition
1987
1988Nobunaga's Ambition II
1989
1990Nobunaga's Ambition: Lord of Darkness
1991Inindo: Way of the Ninja (spin-off)
1992Nobunaga no Yabō: Haōden
1993
1994Nobunaga no Yabō: Tenshōki
1995
1996
1997Nobunaga no Yabō: Shōseiroku
1998
1999Nobunaga no Yabō: Reppūden
2000
2001Nobunaga no Yabō: Ranseiki
2002Nobunaga no Yabō: Sōtenroku
2003Nobunaga's Ambition: Rise to Power
2004
2005Nobunaga's Ambition: Iron Triangle
2006
2007
2008
2009Nobunaga no Yabō: Tendō
2010
2011
2012Pokémon Conquest
2013Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence
2014
2015
2016
2017Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening
  • Nobunaga no Yabō (信長の野望, "Nobunaga's Ambition") is the first title in the series, released March 1983. Written entirely in BASIC, it was compatible with a wide range of Japanese PCs. It has no subtitle. A remake of this game titled Nobunaga no Yabō Returns (信長の野望 リターンズ, Nobunaga's Ambition Returns) was released in 1995 for Microsoft Windows 3.1, Sega Saturn, and PlayStation. An update of this for Windows 95 was released in 1996.
  • Nobunaga's Ambition (信長の野望・全国版, Nobunaga no Yabō: Zenkokuban, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Country-Wide Edition) is the second title in the series and the first to be released outside Japan. It was released in September 1986 for the PC-88SR, then quickly ported for various Japanese PCs. A 50-province mode covering all of Japan was added, as well as revisions to graphics and gameplay. Releases for Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Sega Genesis, TurboGrafx-16, PlayStation, mobile phones, Windows, and iOS were made subsequently. The U.S. NES, Genesis and SNES releases were titled Nobunaga's Ambition; the SNES version was released for Virtual Console on April 27, 2009, for the Wii[6] and September 4, 2014, for the Wii U in North America.[7]
  • Nobunaga's Ambition II (信長の野望・戦国群雄伝, Nobunaga no Yabō: Sengoku Gun'yūden, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Tales of the Sengoku Warlords) is the third title in the series, released December 1988 for PC-88SR, then quickly ported for various Japanese PCs. Taking after the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, this game introduces the concept of "generals" to this series. The Tōhoku and Kyūshū areas were removed. Releases for NES, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, DOS, and mobile phones were made subsequently. The U.S. Nintendo Entertainment System release was titled Nobunaga's Ambition II.
  • Nobunaga's Ambition: Lord of Darkness (信長の野望・武将風雲録, Nobunaga no Yabō: Bushō Fūunroku, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Records of the Generals) is the fourth title in the series, released December 1990 for PC-98, then quickly ported for various Japanese PCs (this was the last title in the series supported on 8-bit PCs). The scope was once again expanded to all of Japan, and technology, culture, and tea ceremony mechanics were introduced. Releases for NES, SNES, Genesis, PlayStation, Windows, and mobile phones were made subsequently. The North American SNES release was given the subtitle of Lord of Darkness.
  • Inindo: Way of the Ninja (伊忍道　打倒信長, Inindou Datou Nobunaga, lit. Way of the Ninja: Overthrow Nobunaga) is a spin-off of the series released in December 1991 for various Japanese systems and later localized for the Super NES; it is a role-playing game that uses the same setting.
  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Haōden (信長の野望・覇王伝, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Tales of the Conquerors) is the fifth title in the series, released December 1992 for PC-98, then quickly ported for various Japanese PCs. This is the first game with an expansion pack. Battles were changed from taking provinces to taking castles. Releases for SNES, Genesis, Sega CD, 3DO, Mac OS, PlayStation, mobile phones, and Windows were made subsequently.
  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Tenshōki (信長の野望・天翔記, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Chronicles of the Ascension) is the sixth title in the series, released December 1994 for PC-98 (the last of the series produced for DOS variants), with ports for FM Towns, DOS/V, Windows, and Macintosh available later. Commands were executed based on units of power. Releases for SNES, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, PlayStation Portable, and mobile phones were made subsequently.
  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Shōseiroku (信長の野望・将星録, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Records of the Star Generals) is the seventh title in the series, released March 1997 for Windows 95. This game introduces a new map, portraying the entire country on a grid. Releases for Macintosh, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Dreamcast, PlayStation Portable, and mobile phones were made subsequently.
  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Reppūden (信長の野望・烈風伝, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Tales of the Storms) is the eighth title in the series, released February 1999 for Windows 95, with ports for Macintosh, PlayStation, Dreamcast, and PlayStation Portable made later.
  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Ranseiki (信長の野望・嵐世記, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Chronicles of Turbulent Times) is the ninth title in the series, released February 2001 for Windows 98. This game returned to province-taking battles, and the a system of varying powers was introduced. Ports for PlayStation 2, Xbox and PlayStation Portable were made later.
  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Sōtenroku (信長の野望・蒼天録, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Records of the Blue Skies) is the tenth title in the series, released June 2002 for Windows 98. This game returned to castle-taking battles. It also became possible to play as a castle lord as well as a daimyō. Ports for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable were made later.
  • Nobunaga's Ambition: Rise to Power (信長の野望・天下創世, Nobunaga no Yabō: Tenka Sōsei, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: The Creation of the World) is the eleventh title in the series, released September 2003 for Windows 98. This game introduced castle towns and unified castle sieges. The administration screens transitioned to full 3D. A port for PlayStation 2 was made later; this was released in the U.S. as Nobunaga's Ambition: Rise to Power on February 5, 2008.[8]
  • Nobunaga's Ambition: Iron Triangle (信長の野望・革新, Nobunaga no Yabō: Kakushin, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Innovation) is the twelfth title in the series, released June 2005 for Windows 98. The map and battles are in real-time, and the map is rendered in 3D. Ports for PlayStation 2 and Wii were made later; the former was released in the U.S. as Nobunaga's Ambition: Iron Triangle.
  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Tendō (信長の野望・天道, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Roads of the Heavens) is the thirteenth title in the series, released September 2009 for Windows XP, with ports for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PlayStation Vita made later.
  • Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence (信長の野望・創造, Nobunaga no Yabō: Sōzō, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Creation) is the fourteenth title in the series, released 12 December 2013 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Windows. A PlayStation Vita version was released in May 2015. A western version of the game had been confirmed as of May 2015 under the title of Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence, which was released on September 1, 2015, for North America and September 4, 2015, for Europe; It was released in PlayStation 3 as a digital release, in PlayStation 4 as a physical release, and PC via Steam. It has also been confirmed that the western release will contain both English and Japanese dub. The game is a launch game for the Nintendo Switch in Japan. A sequel titled Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi was released on 30 November 2017.
  • Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi (信長の野望・大志, Nobunaga no Yabō: Taishi, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Enormous Ambition)[9] is the fifteenth title in the series and sequel to the 2013 game Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence, and was released on November 30, 2017, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.[10][11]
  • Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening (信長の野望・新生, Nobunaga no Yabō: Shinsei) is the sixteenth title in the series. It was released on July 20, 2022, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, and July 20, 2023 for the US.[12]

Mobile platforms

Game Boy
  • Nobunaga's Ambition (信長の野望 ゲームボーイ版, Nobunaga no Yabō Game Boy Ban, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Game Boy Version) (1990), loosely based on Nobunaga no Yabō and Nobunaga's Ambition II.
WonderSwan
  • Nobunaga no Yabō for Wonderswan (信長の野望 for ワンダースワン) (1999)
Game Boy Color
  • Nobunaga no Yabō Game Boy Ban 2 (信長の野望 ゲームボーイ版2, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition Game Boy Version 2) (1999), primarily based on Nobunaga's Ambition.
Game Boy Advance
  • Nobunaga no Yabō (信長の野望) (2001), a remake of Nobunaga's Ambition: Lord of Darkness.
Nintendo DS
  • Nobunaga no Yabō DS (信長の野望DS) (2006), a remake of Nobunaga no Yabō: Reppūden.
  • Kuni-tori Zunō Batoru: Nobunaga no Yabō (国盗り頭脳バトル 信長の野望, lit. Province-Taking Brain Battle: Nobunaga's Ambition) (2008), containing board game elements.
  • Nobunaga no Yabō DS 2 (信長の野望DS2) (2008), a remake of Nobunaga's Ambition: Lord of Darkness.
  • Pokémon Conquest (ポケモン＋ノブナガの野望, Pokemon Purasu Nobunaga no Yabō, Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition in Japan) (2012), a crossover with the Pokémon franchise.

Sony PlayStation Portable

  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Tenshōki (信長の野望・天翔記, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Chronicles of the Ascension)
  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Shōseiroku (信長の野望・将星録, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Records of the Star Generals)
  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Reppūden (信長の野望・烈風伝, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Tales of the Storms)
  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Ranseiki (信長の野望・嵐世記, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Chronicles of Turbulent Times)
  • Nobunaga no Yabō: Sōtenroku (信長の野望・蒼天録, lit. Nobunaga's Ambition: Records of the Blue Skies)

Sony PlayStation Vita

These were released in Asia (in traditional Chinese versions), with physical copies for both versions with and without power up kit, on top of the Japanese versions released.

  • Nobunaga's Ambition: Tendou (信長の野望・天道) (2012)
  • Nobunaga's Ambition: Souzou / Nobunaga no Yabou: Souzou (信長の野望・創造) (2014)
  • Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence English version was seen on various websites such as on Play Asia, but not released.
  • Nobunaga's Ambition: Souzou Sengoku Risshiden (信長の野望・創造 戦国立志伝) (2016)
Nintendo 3DS
  • Nobunaga no Yabō (信長の野望) (2013)
  • Nobunaga no Yabō 2 (信長の野望2) (2015)

Online games

  • Nobunaga no Yabō Internet (信長の野望Internet) (1998), an online battle simulation game for Windows.
  • Nobunaga no Yabō Online (信長の野望Online) (2003), an MMORPG for PlayStation 2, Windows, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.
  • Nobunaga no Yabō (信長の野望) (2003), a blanket title for a number of mobile phone games.
  • Hyakuman-nin no Nobunaga no Yabō (100万人の信長の野望, lit. Million-Man Nobunaga's Ambition) (2010), a social network game by Mobage.
  • Samurai Cats (のぶニャがの野望, NobuNYAga no Yabō, lit. Nobunyaga's Ambition) (2011), a cat-themed browser-based online battle/raising simulation game.

Reception

The Nobunaga's Ambition series has garnered several awards over the years. According to Koei's website, various releases in the series have won Log-In magazine's "BHS Prize", the "Minister of Post & Telecommunications Prize", Nikkei BP's 12th, 13th, and 14th annual "Best PC Software" awards, and CD-ROM Fan's "Fan of the Year 2001 Grand Prize".[13]

In North America, where it was released five years after its Japanese release, critical reception was also positive. The game was positively reviewed by Computer Gaming World, where reviewer Evan Brooks gave it four stars out of five. He introduced the game as "a detailed economic / diplomatic / political / military simulation of the unification of Japan in the Sixteenth Century." He praised the graphics for being "among the best that this reviewer has ever seen for the IBM" and the 5x10 hex map battles, and noted that it used role-playing game elements, including assigning various statistics to a selected persona, a time system where each turn represents a year, as the daimyo ages and eventually dies of old age, and a multiplayer option. He stated that he "thoroughly enjoyed Nobunaga's Ambition", concluded with a "Highly Recommended" rating,[5][14][15] Compute! similarly praised the IBM PC version, calling it "one of the best strategic war games ever designed for a personal computer" and citing the game play, user interface, and documentation.[16] In the May 1990 edition of Games International, John Scott called this program "One of the best strategy games around." He gave the game a perfect rating of 10 out of 10 for game play.[17]

The console versions had a more lukewarm reception. Reviewing the SNES version, GamePro praised the control interface and combat system but opined that the game essentially offers nothing to set it apart from Koei's previous historical simulators.[18] The magazine rated the Genesis version similarly, saying that "Like all Koei games, Nobunaga has an easy-to-use but detailed menu-driven interface that activates a load of complex commands."[19]

In 1996, Next Generation listed the series collectively as number 34 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time", commenting that, "Lead designer Shou Kibasawa is a tactical genius who realizes that domestic and military strategies are interconnected, and that fielding armies can only be accomplished after building an infrastructure to support them. As a result, Nobunaga's Ambition boasts a level of strategic complexity few other series can come close to matching."[20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Vestal, Andrew (1998-11-02). "The History of Console RPGs". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 8, 2009. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
  2. ↑ "Koei History". Tecmo Koei. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "Nobunaga's Ambition Rekindled for PS2]". 1up.com. 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  4. ↑ "Nobunaga's Ambition series tops 10 million shipments". 30 March 2018.
  5. 1 2 Brooks, Evan (September 1988). "Nobunaga's Ambition". Computer Gaming World. No. 51. pp. 12, 34, 48–9. Nobunaga's Ambition is a detailed economic / diplomatic / political / military simulation of the unification of Japan in the Sixteenth Century. ... The graphics for Nobunaga's Ambition are among the best that this reviewer has ever seen for the IBM. While much of the graphics are composed of maps, the small touches reveal the craft that went into this product. Thus, when the daimyo distributes rice to the peasants, a vignette shows the lord throwing sheaves to the peasants who gratefully pick it up; as taxes are increased, the peasants flow with tears. When war begins, the screen changes to a 5x10 hex area for the execution of the battle. Terrain is effectively delineated as hill, mountain, village, river, plain, or castle; deployment is dependent on the route of invasion. ... After deciding upon a daimyo, one must select a persona. Akin to role playing games, characteristics are composed of health, ambition, luck, charm, and IQ. Generally, one should reselect if any single characteristic is under 80 (especially luck and/or IQ; there is nothing worse than a stupid daimyo). ... Each turn (year) is composed of four seasons, during which the daimyo ages (and will eventually die of old age). Each daimyo may accomplish one action each season for each fief he personally controls; these actions often affect other parameters of play. ... This reviewer thoroughly enjoyed Nobunaga's Ambition. ... Koei stresses that Nobunaga's Ambition is both a solitaire and a multi-player game. ... Highly Recommended. This reviewer was glued to his computer for 13 hours, stopping at 3:00 am. Not since Gunship has this occurred. The end result is that the computer gamer must have, at least, one Koei game in his inventory!
  6. ↑ "Poker, Planes and Platform Games Fuel Players' Ambition". Nintendo of America. 2009-04-27. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  7. ↑ "Nintendo - Official Site - Video Game Consoles, Games - Nintendo - Official Site".
  8. ↑ Gifford, Kevin. "Nobunaga's Ambition: Rise to Power". Newtype USA. 7 (2) p. 118. February 2008. ISSN 1541-4817.
  9. ↑ "New Nobunaga's Ambition Game Revealed for Switch, PS4, PC". Anime News Network. April 25, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  10. ↑ "シミュレーションゲーム史に燦然と輝く『信長の野望』シリーズの最新作、『信長の野望・大志』がついに始動 - ファミ通.com". ファミ通.com. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  11. ↑ "PV第1弾『信長の野望･大志』". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening - Official Announcement Trailer". ign.com. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  13. ↑ "KOEI Company Introduction". Archived from the original on 2007-06-08. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
  14. ↑ Brooks, M. Evan (October 1990). "Computer Strategy and Wargames: Pre-20th Century". Computer Gaming World. p. 11. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  15. ↑ Brooks, M. Evan (June 1993). "An Annotated Listing of Pre-20th Century Wargames". Computer Gaming World. p. 136. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  16. ↑ Randall, Neil (January 1989). "Nobunaga's Ambition". Compute!. p. 94. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  17. ↑ Scott, John (May 1990). "Nounaga's Ambition". Games International. No. 14. p. 49.
  18. ↑ "Nobunaga's Ambition". GamePro. No. 58. IDG. May 1994. p. 118.
  19. ↑ "Nobunaga's Ambition". GamePro. No. 60. IDG. July 1994. p. 126.
  20. ↑ "Top 100 Games of All Time". Next Generation. No. 21. Imagine Media. September 1996. p. 59.
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