1UP: Gradius II for Famicom was one of those games that never came to the U.S. because it had a special chip that improved the graphics and sound. Did you find it easier to work with those chips, like the VRC6?
HM: (in English) I made!
1UP: You made the VRC6?
HM: (begins drawing diagrams) These are the waves for the sound. With Famicom, there were three types of waves — square, triangle, and sawtooth — and you were able to use one for each of the three channels. But with the VRC6, you could add an additional three channels for a total of six notes, six channels.
I was actually the one who developed the chip. Of course, there were other technical people who put the parts together, but I was involved in its design. A chip is small, but the prototype is huge! I think the chip was first used in Akumajou Densetsu, which was Castlevania III in America.
More on the 1UP site, or via these direct links
An interview with Konami’s Hidenori Maezawa, pt. 3An interview with Konami’s Hidenori Maezawa, pt. 2
An interview with Konami’s Hidenori Maezawa, pt. 1
Maezawa’s Greatest Hits: Castlevania III
Maezawa’s Greatest Hits: Bayou Billy
Maezawa’s Greatest Hits: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
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