Stray Children: The Oddball RPG Lineage That Blew a Hole in Reality (and Inspired Undertale, Twice!)
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Dive into the whimsical, cyclical world of game inspiration as we explore Yoshiro Kimura's *Stray Children*, a game uniquely inspired by his cult classic *Moon: Remix RPG Adventure*—which famously inspired *Undertale*. This article, drawing from Rebekah Valentine's insights at IGN South Africa, delves into the 'oddball' RPG lineage, Kimura's personal design philosophy, and the charmingly uncompromised vision of Onion Games.
Right then, gather 'round, because I've been poking around a rather peculiar corner of the gaming multiverse, all thanks to a cracking yarn from Rebekah Valentine over at IGN South Africa. She went on an epic quest to Tokyo Game Show, complete with giant suitcases and asparagus men, to bring us the lowdown on Yoshiro Kimura and Onion Games. And bloody hell, it’s a story weirder and more wonderful than a wizard's misfired teleportation spell.
See, sometimes in gaming, you find these strange loops of inspiration. Like a digital snake eating its own tail, but in the best possible way. And at the heart of this particular loop sits Yoshiro Kimura, a true digital sorcerer whose fingerprints are all over some genuinely legendary titles, from *Romancing SaGa* to *No More Heroes*. He’s the head honcho at Onion Games, a studio that's consistently cooked up games so delightfully unhinged, they make 'quirky' look like 'vanilla.' Think *Million Onion Hotel* or *Black Bird*. But the real magic, the original spark, was *Moon: Remix RPG Adventure*.
Now, if you haven't played *Moon*, released way back in 1997 for the PlayStation 1 (and finally localised for Switch in 2020 – thank the cosmos!), you're missing a trick, mate. It’s an 'oddball RPG,' as Kimura himself reckons, about a kid sucked into a *Dragon Quest*-style game. Only, twist the knife, the 'hero' is actually a monstrous git murdering innocent creatures. Your job? To save their souls, do good deeds, and raise your 'Lv' – not Level, but Love. It’s got a *Majora’s Mask*-esque seven-day time loop, an in-game music player instead of a traditional soundtrack, and puzzles that are less 'A to B' and more 'what the blazes is even happening?' Rebekah found herself as lost as a goblin in a library playing it, needing the original manual to make sense of the timer and why she kept collapsing. Sounds like my kind of chaos, honestly.
But here's where the inspiration loop truly begins to glow. *Moon* wasn't just a wonderfully strange trip for a select few. It was a major, *major* inspiration for a certain Toby Fox, the genius behind *Undertale*. You can absolutely see the DNA crossover, can't you? The subversion of RPG tropes, the focus on non-violent interaction, the deeply personal narrative – it's all there. And wouldn't you know it, Kimura and Fox eventually met, became what Kimura endearingly calls 'pen friends,' sharing their mutual love for the weird and wonderful corners of game design. This friendly rivalry, this intergenerational exchange of ideas, it's what eventually spawned Onion Games' latest concoction: *Stray Children*.
Kimura had been itching to make another RPG since Onion Games started, but he knew it needed 'a lot of hit points,' a hefty dose of experience. So, they 'leveled up' with smaller, equally bonkers titles first. *Stray Children* finally got the green light when he could 'envisage the start and the end of this new story.' And what a story it is. Like *Moon*, it sucks a young boy into a video game world. But here's the kicker: it’s a subversion of *Moon*, which was *already* a subversion of RPG tropes. It's like watching a magic trick where the magician reveals he's actually a shapeshifter who then reveals he was actually a magic trick all along! Fair dinkum, that's meta.
Rebekah got to see the opening five minutes – a boy with a dog-like face following a stranger through a secret subway passage to a room full of monitors. Spooky, mysterious, classic Kimura. Having played the full game, she noted that while *Stray Children* *can* stand alone, its best bits, its true genius, resonate loudest if you've already experienced *Moon*. It's a niche experience, sure, but it’s the game Kimura wanted to make, 'without compromise.' And in an industry often chasing the widest possible audience, that uncompromising artistic vision is something to celebrate, even if it means some folks might scratch their heads. It’s the gaming equivalent of brewing a rare, potent potion that only a select few truly appreciate.
Kimura's motivation, he explained, goes back to his own childhood, seeing games like *Ultima* and *Wizardry* on a C64 in the countryside. That pure, unadulterated wonder, that's what he wants to capture anew in *Stray Children*. He's not chasing current trends, he’s re-experiencing the classics, like playing *Dragon Quest* 1-5 again on the Famicom – the *original* hard ones, mind. And while he's quick to avoid 'riding on the coattails' of *Undertale*, the influence of that shared 'oddball' sensibility with Toby Fox is undeniable. It's that feeling of reassurance and security found in creative kinship, building on each other's weirdness.
Onion Games itself is a lean, mean, creativity machine. Seven core developers, some veterans from Square days, some newer folks who’ve still been around for three years. It’s a tight-knit crew, often meeting 'when we're drinking,' which frankly, sounds like the best kind of team-building exercise. Even the composers from *Moon*, Thelonious Monkees, are back. And in true Onion Games fashion, instead of a curated soundtrack like *Moon* had, they've got fan-sourced, scrambled voice clips from players all over the world. How cool is that? A true community-driven feature, born from chaotic generosity!
Kimura also delved into his philosophy on humor and morality. He's not trying to manipulate players into laughing or crying. He wants to evoke a mix of anticipation, unease, and curiosity. 'Is it funny, or is it foreboding?' he asks, leaving the player to untangle their own feelings. He's exploring those 'gray areas' – the messy lack of clarity between right and wrong, good and evil – something many traditional RPGs (and life, let's be honest) tend to simplify. He’s deliberately making a game that isn’t 'user-friendly' in the conventional sense, pushing against player expectations for clear-cut outcomes. And honestly, that's incredibly refreshing in an age where every game seems to hold your hand through the tutorial of life.
Now, you'd think after three years pouring his 'life's energy' into this game, Kimura would have a slick marketing pitch. But no, he admits he's utterly wiped out, struggling to articulate what *Stray Children* *is* from a sales perspective. He's half-feeling 'tipsy' just trying to talk about it. It’s a deeply personal piece of art, a product of his heart, and trying to package that up for mass consumption is, well, a challenge. His greatest hope isn't huge sales, but that 'the people who buy it and play it will really love it.' If that's only a few people, so be it. That's the mark of a true artist, prioritising resonance over reach.
As Rebekah wrapped up her interview, Kimura shared a little anecdote that truly stuck with her, and frankly, it just solidifies his legend in my books. With the world feeling overwhelming, he focuses on 'small joys.' Like a cheap apple pie from the convenience store that he meticulously slices into pieces, warming one at a time in the oven until the edges are golden and crispy. Making a small joy last longer, taste better. That, he says, is how he’s trying to live his life right now. And you know what, mate? That’s not just a philosophy for life or pie; it’s the perfect metaphor for the beautiful, intricate, sometimes confusing, but always deeply rewarding games he makes at Onion Games. They're not for everyone, but for those they reach, they’re a golden, crispy delight. A true wizard of the digital realm, indeed.
Tags: Indie Gaming, RPG, Game Design, Yoshiro Kimura, Undertale
Original article: IGN South Africa