To the North White Illumination | March 18, 1999

 

Released on March 18, 1999, Hudson's game was the first software for the Dreamcast.

Yuta Nagayama, who was responsible for the script of Sega Saturn's "The Legend of the Mystical Ninja: Apocalypse IV" and the planning of the walking simulation "Tekuteku Angel," took charge of the scenario.

The story follows a second-year high school student who embarks on a 14-day trip to Hokkaido during summer vacation, guided by their cousin, Kotori Haruno, as they explore various tourist spots and meet eight girls.

This game is sponsored by the "MOVE ON Hokkaido" campaign, which was running at the same time, and features collaboration from various Hokkaido institutions. Real shops and restaurants are depicted with their actual names. Upon arriving in Hokkaido, the protagonist receives a guidebook from Kotori, which includes detailed introductions to the locations used for filming and various date spots.

In the lead-up to the release, PR activities included organizing a tour to gather game fans from Tokyo for a commemorative event and selling chocolates with the game's logo sticker.

The system is divided into summer and winter chapters, where players develop relationships with the heroines in summer and culminate in confessions during winter.

Following a typical adventure game format, the player spends time in Kotori’s house, making choices that branch into different scenarios for each heroine.

"Going North" centers around the theme of wanting to say "I love you" and to be loved, providing a travel communication experience about interpersonal relationships and emotional connection. The protagonist lives in Tokyo and visits Hokkaido during both summer and winter vacations. It utilizes the Communication Break System (C.B.S.), allowing the protagonist to take action at specific moments during conversations with the heroines.

Additionally, mini-games like UFO catchers and tennis are included, and players cannot skip dialogues during their first playthrough.