Yuji Naka

Developer BIO

Yuji Naka was born 17th September, 1965 and he head is the head of Sonic Team. He joined SEGA in the mid-eighties when Namco wouldn't hire him because he didn't have a college degree. His first project was Girl's Garden, an action game for the SG-1000. After that, he worked on a number of Mark III titles, including the first two Phantasy Star games.

He achieved his status as SEGA's Shigeru Miyamoto for his programming work on Sonic the Hedgehog and masterminding a number of other major SEGA titles, including NiGHTS Into Dreams and Phantasy Star Online. In early games he was often credited as "YU2" (in reference to Yu Suzuki) and "Muuu Yuji".

He left SEGA in May 2006 to found independent developer PROPE, Ltd..

Also Known As

• Muuuu Yuji

Websites

• Yuji Naka at Wikipedia -- The creator of Sonic's constantly edited Wikipedia entry.
• Interview: Yuji Naka (CVG, March 28, 2007) -- Life after Sonic
• Yuji Naka On New Beginnings At His Studio, Prope -- article on Gamasutra (29th December 2008)

Games Credited

Sonic Riders (2006), SEGA of America, Inc.
Shadow the Hedgehog (2005), SEGA of America, Inc.
Sonic Gems Collection (2005), SEGA Corporation
Astro Boy (2004), SEGA Corporation
Feel the Magic XY/XX (2004), SEGA Corporation
Puyo Pop Fever (2004), THQ Inc.
Sonic Advance 3 (2004), THQ Inc.
Sonic Mega Collection Plus (2004), SEGA of America, Inc.
Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (2003), SEGA Corporation
Sonic Battle (2003), THQ Inc.
Sonic Heroes (2003), SEGA Corporation
Sonic Pinball Party (2003), SEGA Corporation
Sonic Mega Collection (2002), SEGA Corporation
Sonic Advance (2001), SEGA Corporation
Sonic Adventure 2 (2001), SEGA of America, Inc.
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (2001), SEGA Corporation
Samba De Amigo (2000), SEGA of America, Inc.
Sega Smash Pack 2 (2000), Activision Value Publishing, Inc.
ChuChu Rocket! (1999), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
Sonic The Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (1999), SNK of America
Burning Rangers (1998), SEGA of America, Inc.
Sonic Adventure (1998), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
Sonic Jam (1997), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
Sonic R (1997), SEGA of America, Inc.
NiGHTS into Dreams... (1996), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
Sonic 3D Blast (1996), SEGA of America, Inc.
Sonic & Knuckles (1994), SEGA of America, Inc.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994), SEGA of America, Inc.
Sonic the Hedgehog: Spinball (1993), SEGA of America, Inc.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), Tec Toy Indústria de Brinquedos S.A.
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom (1990), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
Phantasy Star II (1989), SEGA of America, Inc.
Phantasy Star (1987), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
F16 Fighting Falcon (1986), SEGA Corporation
Spy vs. Spy (1986), SEGA Corporation