Yuji Naka, credited in some games as YU2, is a Japanese video game programmer, designer and producer. He is the former head of the Sega studio Sonic Team, where he was the lead programmer of the original Sonic the Hedgehog series on the Sega Mega Drive.
Naka also led the development of games including Nights into Dreams (1996), Burning Rangers (1998), Sonic Adventure (1998) and three games in the Phantasy Star franchise (1987–2000).
In 2006, Naka left Sega to found Prope, an independent game company. He joined Square Enix to direct the platform game Balan Wonderworld (2021), which reunited him with the Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima.
After the game underperformed critically and commercially, Naka announced he had left Square Enix.
In 2022, he said he was removed from Balan Wonderworld before it was released, and sued Square Enix. That November, Naka was arrested on suspicions of insider trading during his time at Square Enix.
Yuji Naka Video Games
| Year | Game | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Girl’s Garden | Game designer, programmer |
| 1986 | Spy vs. Spy | Programmer (Master System port) |
| Black Belt | Programmer | |
| Space Harrier | Programmer (Master System port) | |
| 1987 | Phantasy Star | Programmer |
| 1989 | Phantasy Star II | Programmer, producer |
| Ghouls ‘n Ghosts | Programmer (Genesis version) | |
| 1991 | Sonic the Hedgehog | Programmer |
| 1992 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | |
| 1994 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Programmer, producer |
| Sonic & Knuckles | ||
| Sonic 3 & Knuckles | ||
| 1996 | Nights into Dreams | |
| Sonic the Hedgehog Movie | Supervisor | |
| 1997 | Sonic Jam | Producer |
| Sonic R | ||
| 1998 | Burning Rangers | |
| Sonic Adventure | ||
| 1999 | ChuChu Rocket! | Director, producer |
| 2000 | Samba de Amigo | Producer |
| Phantasy Star Online | ||
| 2001 | Sonic Adventure 2 | |
| Puyo Pop | ||
| Sonic Advance | ||
| 2002 | Sonic Advance 2 | |
| 2003 | Sonic Pinball Party | |
| Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg | ||
| Sonic Battle | ||
| Sonic Heroes | ||
| 2004 | Astro Boy | Chief producer |
| Sonic Advance 3 | Producer | |
| Puyo Pop Fever | ||
| Sega Superstars | Chief producer | |
| Feel the Magic XX/YY | ||
| 2005 | Bleach GC: Tasogare ni Mamieru Shinigami | |
| Bleach Advance: Kurenai ni Somaru Soul Society | ||
| Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love | ||
| Shadow the Hedgehog | Producer | |
| Sonic Rush | ||
| Puyo Puyo Fever 2 | Chief producer | |
| Rub Rabbits | ||
| Sega Ages 2500 (Volume 19-23) | Executive producer | |
| 2006 | Bleach: The Blade of Fate | |
| Doraemon: Nobita no Kyouryuu 2006 DS | ||
| Sonic Riders | ||
| Sega Ages 2500 (Volume 24-26) | ||
| Phantasy Star Universe | ||
| 2008 | Let’s Tap | Producer |
| 2009 | Let’s Catch | |
| Ivy the Kiwi? | ||
| 2011 | Wii Play: Motion | |
| Fishing Resort | ||
| 2013 | StreetPass Mansion / Monster Manor | |
| 2014 | Digimon All-Star Rumble | |
| Hi-sCoool! SeHa Girls | Voice acting (“Center-sensei”) | |
| 2015 | Rodea the Sky Soldier | Producer (original Wii version) |
| StreetPass Fishing / Ultimate Angler | Producer | |
| 2016 | StreetPass Chef / Feed Mii | |
| 2017 | Legend of Coin | Programmer |
| 2021 | Balan Wonderworld | Director |
| Shot2048 |
Yuji Naka Art
Yuji Naka Age
Yuji Naka is 57 years. Naka learned how to program by replicating and debugging video game code printed in magazines.
The experience prompted him to study assemblers and practice writing code during his school classes. After graduating, Naka decided not to enrol in university and stayed in his home town.
Yuji Naka Nationality
Yuji Naka is a Japanese video game programmer, designer and producer. He is the former head of the Sega studio Sonic Team, where he was the lead programmer of the original Sonic the Hedgehog series on the Sega Mega Drive.
Yuji Naka Prison
Naka, 57, who is credited as one of the main creators of Sonic the Hedgehog and who has also worked on everything from Nights to Phantasy Star, has since been arrested on similar charges.
According to this FNN report, Naka is accused of also knowing about the Aiming deal before it was public news, and taking the opportunity to purchase 10,000 shares in the company.
While most famous for his work with Sega, Naka had most recently teamed up with Square Enix on the ill-fated Balan Wonderland. He parted ways with the company in April 2021; these allegations stem from 2020 when he was still working with the publisher.
He was arrested by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, who are continuing their investigation. Naka is alleged to have purchased 10,000 shares, worth ¥2.8 million, or around USD$20,000 (Sazaki, meanwhile, is accused of buying ¥26.4 million worth, or around USD$188,000).
Authorities have yet to disclose whether any of the three men arrested so far still owned those shares, or whether they had been sold off for profit prior to the investigation.