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Video Game / Nobunaga's Ambition

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Nobunaga's Ambition is a strategy game series made by Koei, the first installment being released in 1983. The game puts you in the role of a daimyō in Japan during the Sengoku Period, your goal being to unify the country and earn (or with one clan, keep) the title of Shōgun. As long as this series remains largely unchronicled in the West, the article on Wikipedia has a brief history of the series you might find relevant. Fifteen main-series games have been released in Japan, scattered across an army of platforms.

A crossover game titled Pokémon Conquest, featuring elements from Nobunaga's Ambition and Pokémon, was released by Nintendo and Tecmo Koei on March 17th, 2012 in Japan. Fans went wild, especially from the Pokémon side of things, possibly due to the Darker and Edgier crossover aspects.

Not to be confused with The Ambition of Oda Nobuna, which has nothing in common except the Sengoku period setting.


This game series provides examples of:

  • Alternate History: Leaving out the obvious ones surrounding the Three Unifiers, as Shingen, the player can work with Yoshimoto to destroy Nobunaga before Okehazama takes place.note 
    • In Sphere of Influence - Ascension, there is a specific fictional scenario where Takeda Shingen survives his historical fate and can continue his own ambition.
  • Crossover: Pokémon Conquest. Standard "Not Making This Up" Disclaimer applies.
  • Four-Star Badass: Some of the generals qualify easily. Azai Nagamasa and Sanada Yukimura can easily shoot up the ranks when in cavalry units.
  • Gender Flip: The 13th title in the series has a female version of Uesugi Kenshin, based on a popular legend that tries to explain some aspects of his behavior and historical accounts
  • Multi-Platform: This series has hit most of the popular consoles since the NES, a few that weren't, a bunch of (rarely mutually compatible) 1980s Japanese PC brands, and most iterations of Windows since the 1990s. Also a couple of ports for Macintosh, and one for Amiga.
  • Nintendo Hard: In the NES version, it's possible on higher difficulties to die before your first turn.
  • Spin-Off: The Dynasty Warriors-based Samurai Warriors. It may have been instrumental in getting a U.S. release for Rise to Power and Iron Triangle.
  • Video Game Cruelty Potential: Just as in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, you can execute captured generals (or even your own retainers) on a whim.
  • Video Game Long Runner: Fourteen main releases since 1983, not counting all the little differences between ports and not even counting the PUK (Powerup Kit) updates for almost each of the releases. Not so many as its sister series, but still respectable.

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