Nobunaga's Ambition (信長の野望, Nobunaga no Yabō) is a turn-based strategy video game series first released in Japan in 1983. It is a series of loosely adapted historical simulations produced by the Japanese video game developer Koei. It features a predominately Japanese voice track though English dubs appear during movie cutscenes. It debuted before Romance of the Three Kingdoms but isn't localized as often.
March 30, 2013 marks the series's 30th year anniversary. There are several events and miniature campaigns taking place to celebrate it, many of which are located for easy viewing on its special website.
The iconic main theme heard in the opening credits and most promotional trailers for the series was composed by Yoko Kanno.
Overview
Nobunaga's Ambition is a game set during the Japanese Warring States period, where players are tasked with achieving Oda Nobunaga's goal of conquest and unification of Japan. The game follows the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, with differences such as the imperial court's role in deciding damiyos' fate, ninja guards, and real-time battles. Players can choose from various regional daimyos and can choose to nominate their clan's Four Guardian Kings, arrange marriages, or retire the clan's leadership. The game also features real-time battles, with the goal being to defeat, siege, or defend within a set time limit.
The newest title, Tendou, includes options to reshape the landscape surrounding the player's cities and "what if?" versions of certain characters. These versions play on theories and famous fictional interpretations known in Japan such as a female Kenshin and the Kagemusha Ieyasu.
Recently, games have added Western settlers and various fictional figures who were said to be active during the time such as the Sanada Ten Braves. Other guest characters from past installments include figures from the Aynu culture, a few of the Forty-seven Ronin, Mongols from Genghis Khan's time, and figures from the Bakumatsu. Romance of the Three Kingdoms characters routinely crossover in select games. The online MMORPG includes occult encounters, gods, and several mythological beasts, one of which includes the snake beast, Yamata no Orochi.
Games in Series
For Nintendo Entertainment System
- Nobunaga's Ambition
- Nobunaga's Ambition II
For Sega Genesis / Mega Drive
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Zenkokuban (Japanese release date December 19, 1991)
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Bushou Fuuun Roku (Japanese release date September 15, 1993)
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Haouden (Japanese release date February 25, 1994)
- Nobunaga's Ambition (U.S. release date 1991)
For Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- Nobunaga's Ambition
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Tenshoki
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Lord of Darkness
For Sega Mega CD
- Tenkafubu
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Haouden
For Sony PlayStation
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Haouden
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Tenshoki
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Returns
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Shouseiroku
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Reppuuden
For Sony PlayStation 2
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Ranseiki
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Soutenroku
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Rise to Power - US Release Date February 5, 2008
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Iron Triangle - Date January 28, 2009
For Sony PlayStation 3
- Nobunaga no Yabou Tendou - March 4, 2010 (Japan); Power-Up Kit - May 25, 2011
- Nobunaga no Yabou Online - December 22, 2010 (Japan)
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence - 2013 (Japan); Power-Up Kit - 2014
For Sony PlayStation 4
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence - 2014 (Japan); Power-Up Kit - 2014; Sengoku Risshiden - 2015
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi
For Xbox 360
- Nobunaga no Yabou Tendou - March 4, 2010 (Japan)
For Wii
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Iron Triangle (with Power-Up Kit)
- Nobunaga no Yabou Zengokuban Virtual Console
For Nintendo Switch
For PC
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Returns
- Nobunaga no Yabou: Sengoku Gunyuden
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Iron Triangle; Japanese Steam notice
- Nobunaga no Yabou Tendou; Japanese Steam notice - released in Japan on September 18, 2009; Power up kit; December 17, 2010 - announced with simultaneous release of original title (Japan). Free demo can be found here.
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence - 2013; Power-Up Kit (2014); Sengoku Risshiden - 2015
- Nobunaga no Yabou Internet
- Nobunaga no Yabou Online, newest update ~Shinsei~
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi
- Nobunaga no Yabou Shinsei
For Game Boy
- Nobunaga's Ambition (based on Sengoku Gunyuden)
For Bandai WonderSwan
- Nobunaga's Ambition
For Game Boy Color
- Nobunaga's Ambition (Sengoku Gunyuden conversion)
For Game Boy Advance
- Nobunaga's Ambition (Bushou Fuuun Roku conversion)
For Nintendo DS
- Nobunaga's Ambition
- Kunitorisu Battle Nobunaga no Yabou
- Nobunaga no Yabou DS 2 (Bushou Fuuun Roku conversion)
- Pokémon Conquest (Crossover with Pokémon franchise)
For Nintendo 3DS
For PlayStation Portable
- Nobunaga's Ambition VI
- Nobunaga's Ambition VII (With Power-Up Kit)
- Nobunaga no Yabou Soutenroku (With Power-Up Kit) - August 4, 2011
For PlayStation Vita
- Nobunaga no Yabou Tendou with Power Up Kit - September 27, 2012
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence - May 29, 2014; Sengoku Risshiden - 2015
For Mobile
- Nobunaga no Yabou mobile
- Nobunaga no Yabou mobile: Sengoku Gunyuden
- Nobunaga no Yabou mobile: Haouden
- Nobunaga no Yabou mobile: Tenshoki
- Nobunaga no Yabou mobile: Shouseiroku
- Nobunaga no Yabou Zenkokuhen
- Nobunaga no Yabou Online Tenka Mugen no Shou @ mobile + @ web
- Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou
- 100man-nin no Nobunaga no Yabou
- Samurai Cats
- AKB48 no Yabou
- moba-nobu
- Nobunaga no Yabou 201X
- Guruguru Dungeon Nobunyaga
- Nobunaga no Yabou Oretachi no Sengoku
For Pachinko/Pachislot
- Pachinko Nobunaga no Yabou
- Pachislot Nobunaga no Yabou ~ Tenka Ransei R
- Nobunaga no Yabou Online Pachislot
- Sengoku Pachislot Nobunaga no Yabou ~Tenka Sousei~
- CR Nobunaga no Yabou Tenka Sousei ~Nii no Jin~
- Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou Pachislot
See also
- Nobunaga's Ambition/Trophies
- Samurai Warriors (series)
- Kessen III
- Inindo: Way of the Ninja
- Mouri Motonari: Chikai no Sanshi
- Oda Nobunaga Den
- Saihai no Yukue
- Geten no Hana
Image Songs
- Aoi no Asa - Nobunaga no Yabou: Zengokuban; Koei Vocal Collection track
- Performed by Kumi Sano
- Toki no Shirabe - Nobunaga no Yabou: Sengoku Gunyuden
- Performed by Akino Arai
- Tooi no Nakama he - Nobunaga no Yabou: Sengoku Gunyuden
- Performed by Kira Shibusawa
- Mou sugi ni... - Nobunaga no Yabou: Sengoku Gunyuden
- Performed by Kira Shibusawa
- Nishie no Hitomi - Nobunaga no Yabou: Sengoku Gunyuden
- Performed by Akino Arai
- Tooi Aoi Iro - Nobunaga no Yabou: Sengoku Gunyuden
- Performed by Akino Arai
- Soba ni iru - Nobunaga no Yabou: Sengoku Gunyuden
- Performed by Akino Arai
- Kagerou - Nobunaga no Yabou: Bushou Fuuun Roku
- Performed by TETSU
- Houki Boshi - Nobunaga no Yabou: Haouden
- Performed by Akino Arai
- Hoshi no Utai - Nobunaga no Yabou Online ~ Shinsei no Shou
- Performed by Kalafina
- Shine -Mirai he Kazasu Hi no Youni- - Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence
- Performed by Ayaka Hirahara
- Unmei loop (feat. Marcus Miller) - Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi
- Performed by MISIA and Marcus Miller
CR Nobunaga no Yabou Tenka Sousei ~Nii no Jin~ image songs
- Koigokoro, BREAK OUT, Yumemiru Shoujo Janai by Nanase Aikawa
- KISS ni Utarete Nemuritai, Setsunasa wo Korosenai, Monica by Koji Kikkawa
Related Media
In 2007, players could claim a pet named Hikonyan in an online game. The game uses real-life actors to express events, with the latest title, Tendou, having a tie-in with the film "Katen no Shiro" and a bonus scenario with the 2012 live action film "Nobou no Shiro."
As a part of the 30th anniversary celebration of the series, a web comic adaptation by Yoichiro Ono was released. Another comic collaboration with Nobuyuki Hori paints a modern parody of Nobunaga's life called Nobunaga no Yabou~n.
Music from the second, third, and fourth entries as well as Taishi and Online were performed for the GAME SYMPHONY JAPAN 24th CONCERT KOEI TECMO Special ~Shibusawa Kou 35th Anniversary~ orchestra concert.
Gallery
Gallery
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External Links
- Official historical simulation hub, Official Twitter account
- Ten year anniversary site for online game
- Nobunaga Online Press - official news site for the Online game
- Nobunaga Online PV
- Nobunaga Online wiki
- Samurai Weapon - extra blog parts - viral video promoting Kunitorisu Battle; available for download; click here to sample.
- PlayStation 20th Anniversary thank you video
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