Yuji Naka

Developer BIO

Yuji Naka (中 裕司) was born 17th September, 1965 and 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

• Yūji Naka
• 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

• NiGHTS into Dreams... (2008), SEGA Corporation
• SEGA AGES 2500 Vol.26: Dynamite Deka (2006), SEGA Corporation
• Sonic Riders (2006), SEGA of America, Inc.
• Puyo Puyo Fever 2 (2005), SEGA Corporation
• Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (2005), SEGA Corporation
• SEGA AGES 2500 Vol.17: Phantasy Star - Generation:2 (2005), 3D Ages
• Shadow the Hedgehog (2005), SEGA of America, Inc.
• Sonic Gems Collection (2005), SEGA Corporation
• Sonic Rush (2005), SEGA of America, Inc.
• Astro Boy (2004), SEGA Corporation
• Feel the Magic XY/XX (2004), SEGA Corporation
• Puyo Pop Fever (2004), SEGA Europe Ltd.
• SEGA AGES 2500 Vol.11: Hokuto no Ken (2004), SEGA Corporation
• Sonic Advance 3 (2004), THQ Inc.
• Sonic Mega Collection Plus (2004), SEGA of America, Inc.
• SEGA AGES 2500 Vol.1: Phantasy Star - Generation:1 (2003), 3D Ages
• Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (2003), SEGA of America, Inc.
• Sonic Battle (2003), THQ Inc.
• Sonic Heroes (2003), SEGA Corporation
• Sonic Pinball Party (2003), SEGA of America, Inc.
• Sonic Advance 2 (2002), 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 Enterprises Ltd.
• Sega Smash Pack 2 (2000), Activision Value Publishing, Inc.
• ChuChu Rocket! (1999), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Sonic The Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (1999), SNK Europe Ltd.
• Burning Rangers (1998), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Sonic Adventure (1998), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Sonic Jam (1997), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Sonic R (1997), SEGA Europe Ltd.
• Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams... (1996), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• NiGHTS into Dreams... (1996), Samsung Electronics Co., 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.
• Super Thunder Blade (1988), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Phantasy Star (1987), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• F16 Fighting Falcon (1986), SEGA Enterprises Ltd.
• Space Harrier (1986), SEGA of America, Inc.
• Spy vs Spy (1986), SEGA Corporation