Square Enix has just announced its first large-scale amusement park will be opened sometime this year – but it won’t be based around any of their games. The company behind such long-running franchises as Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and Dragon Quest is set to develop a park called “Ninja Tower Tokyo” through its Live Interactive Works subdivision, a center which will be based around the concept of ninjas.
Live Interactive Works was established by Square Enix to create location-based entertainment attractions such as theme parks, shopping malls and event spaces in order to provide a “game-like” experience for customers. They have previously produced smaller-scaled entertainment such as the Crystal Story night walk, Yokero parkour attraction, and Prism Pink Pool relaxation spot, all of which utilize cutting edge technology. However, Ninja Tokyo Tower will be the company’s first large-scale entertainment center.
According to Attractions Magazine, Square Enix’s Ninja Tower Tokyo will be located in the popular Tokyo Tower, and will offer “state-of-the-art Ninja attractions.” Live Interactive Works cites Tokyo’s rich history with ninjas as a reason for the theme, as the city, back when it was known as “Edo,” once contained a village of ninjas who guarded the shogun’s burial grounds.
Ninjas remain a popular staple of Japanese culture, and Square Enix is no stranger to the concept. Several Final Fantasy games have included a “ninja” character class, with such icons as Final Fantasy IV’s Edge Geraldine and Final Fantasy VII’s Yuffie Kisaragi taking up the role. However, neither of these characters are likely to be featured in Ninja Tokyo Tower, nor will any other elements from Square Enix’s vast and storied library of games for that matter.
Fans may be disappointed that Square Enix’s first theme park isn’t drawing inspiration from the multitude of iconic games in the company’s portfolio. After all, the idea of riding on some Chocobo Bumper Cars, going on a Bahamut-themed roller coaster or taking on some classic Final Fantasy bosses in a shooting gallery of some kind would be an exciting prospect to gamers. However, the choice of theme makes sense for the company’s initial foray into the world of large-scale amusement parks, especially given the popularity of ninjas in their native country. There’s also the possibility that, should Ninja Tower Tokyo prove successful, Square Enix might be inclined to branch out further, perhaps this time including the characters of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest for attractions. There’s no word yet on when Ninja Tower Tokyo will open their doors to the public, but there will likely be more developments coming forth as the park nears its planned 2020 release.
Source: Attractions Magazine
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