Inside the Making of Japan’s Hit Games: The Story Behind H1R0’s Creations

Ever wonder how Japan’s indie designers make tiny games captivating? Meet H1R0, the game designer of Mousou games on his insights into the Japanese game design philosophy and the state of the Japanese tabletop game industry.

Q: Could you briefly introduce yourself and share how you became a game designer?

Hi, I am H1R0, a Japanese game designer and publisher. It all started when my son was 12 years old, he told me that he wanted to create a game. In 2017, I formed a team called "Mousou Games☆" (or "Fantasy Games☆") to produce the board game my son had conceived. That experience inspired me to create a game of my own for the first time — a board game called Double Nine.

Double Nine became popular and was published by Japan’s major publisher Arclight, achieving great success. Since then, I have released other titles such as Seven Vice and Graffiti 6 and have exhibited at international conventions.

Some of my games have also been localized and published in regions such as Taiwan. I have also produced games for companies, including titles based on Sanrio characters, and currently teach game planning at a vocational school.

Additionally, I organize Board Game Business Expo Japan (BGBE Japan), the largest board game convention in western Japan. At the 2025 event, over 300 domestic and international groups exhibited, attracting a total of 9,735 visitors.

Q: There are many directions a game designer can take, from digital games to large-scale board games. Why did you choose to focus on card games, especially small ones? How do you consistently come up with so many new designs while keeping them compact?

I want board games to be enjoyable for beginners as well. Complex games can be difficult to understand, and differences in comprehension often create barriers. For this reason, many games are often overlooked by newcomers.

My goal is to create games that are easy for beginners to grasp while still satisfying experienced players. I believe a good game is one that makes people want to play it repeatedly.

I strive to design games that are easy to learn, yet engaging enough that people want to play them over and over with different groups of players.

Several café owners have told me that, for many people playing a board game for the first time at their café, my game is often the one they choose. This is something that brings me great joy.

Q: : How do you decide what type of game you want to design, and what does your design process look like?

I can’t always predict whether others will find a new game idea interesting, but I know what I personally enjoy. That’s why I focus on creating games that I find fun and engaging.

I often begin by thinking about the kind of experience I want players to have, developing the game system first, and then designing the theme and characters. Sometimes, I take the opposite approach, creating the game system based on a chosen theme.

To craft games that fully showcase the appeal of their themes and characters and draw players into their worlds, I always start by thoroughly researching the theme.

Q: With so many new and competitive board games out there, how do you differentiate your designs from others in the market?

I aim to create highly addictive games that players want to play again and again. While trends are important, a game with fundamental fun remains enjoyable regardless of the era.

Games that can be played repeatedly naturally reach more people. This gives those who haven’t yet discovered my games a chance to experience them.

Fans who love my games often share their enthusiasm, helping to spread their appeal. Word of mouth is the most effective way for a game to gain recognition.

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced while designing or developing your games, and how did you overcome them?

Game development doesn’t go smoothly at first. However, by continuing to playtest, listening to feedback, and updating the game, it evolves over time. Playtesting often uncovers solutions to many issues.

In the beginning, the most important step is checking whether the core system of the game works as intended. This is the crucial foundation.

Once the originality of the game is secured, I focus on refining it to make it enjoyable, carefully adjusting and balancing the gameplay along the way.

Q: You've attended so many conventions around the world. Which one stands out the most to you, and what made that experience so memorable?

Every convention I’ve attended has been wonderful, and I’ve made many friends along the way. I have exhibited in Taiwan the most, a total of five times. My first overseas exhibition was in Taiwan, where the staff kindly supported me.

At Gen Con in the United States, 200,000 game fans visited the JAPAN Pavilion and purchased our games. It was truly rewarding to see so many enthusiastic fans sharing their passion.

In 2026, I hope to exhibit in even more countries — and, of course, Singapore will be one of them.

Q: Have you noticed trends in international players’ preferences that differ from Japan, and how do you anticipate or respond to them in your design and publishing decisions?

Games that are highly regarded in Japan are often well-received overseas as well. Compact game systems are easy to understand, allowing players to focus on developing strategies. Because each play session is short, players can apply their experience and refine their strategies, and the sense of growth they feel is an important part of the enjoyment.

In addition, Japanese graphics, especially the appeal of comic-style characters, are popular internationally. This visual charm is one of the key strengths of my games.

When the card text is only in Japanese, there is often strong demand for localized versions. To meet this demand, I travel abroad to find partners who can support the publication of my games locally, helping them reach new audiences around the world.

Q: What sets Japanese board games apart, and how does that affect the way they’re received internationally?

Foreign board gamers often say that Japanese games have intricate systems, well-balanced mechanics, and compact card designs. Trading card games (TCGs) like Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokémon, as well as video games, are extremely popular in Japan. Many TCGs are collaborations with anime, featuring a wide variety of characters with unique abilities, which contributes to complex and engaging game systems.

Japan has a long history of rich character lore, such as yokai, which have appeared in games for generations. I believe this history and culture continue to influence modern game design. Japanese pop culture is also popular overseas, and many people even study Japanese through anime.

Japanese people truly love games, and players span all generations. There are also many creators, and the game development community holds frequent playtesting sessions to improve game quality. Affordable small-scale factories allow individuals to produce games, which has led to a thriving indie scene.

Indie creators sell their games at doujin events, similar to weekly comic markets, as well as online. There are also specialty shops that sell indie games. Japan provides an environment that nurtures indie designers, and those who succeed often expand their reach by partnering with publishers both domestically and internationally. I am one of these creators.

Q: What are some challenges Japanese designers face when trying to bring their games to international audiences?

Currently, not many Japanese people exhibit directly at overseas conventions. Many feel that the costs, language barriers, and cultural differences are significant hurdles. Because of this, many good Japanese games are still not known to the world. I support and encourage Japanese people who decide to take on the challenge overseas.

Q: Where do you see yourself and your work in the next few years, and what can your audience look forward to from you?

Seeing fans overseas enjoy my games has reinforced my commitment to continue creating games that I personally find fun. To make my games accessible to players in more countries, I have recently been designing games without card text.

I want to continue creating a variety of games and have increasingly had opportunities to collaborate with international partners. Let’s work together to create games that excite players around the world!

Q: Where can people find and purchase your games?

You can check them out here: https://www.sgboardgamedesign.com/shop