While Football Manager was gaining a lot of attention from fans, it also divided the community, with players either loving or struggling with its complexity. Meanwhile, the other two ZAGE releases—Theme Hospital and Kamen Rider Grand Prix—were also performing well in their own ways, appealing to a different type of audience.
First, Theme Hospital stood out as an absurd and genuinely funny game. As a PC title, it quickly became popular among streamers, with many people broadcasting their gameplay and generating plenty of laughs. On the surface, it followed the same management formula seen in other ZAGE titles like The Sim and RollerCoaster Tycoon, but it pushed the concept much further into chaos. Instead of managing a city or a theme park, players were now running a hospital—but not a normal one. Everything about it leaned into exaggeration, turning what should have been a serious setting into something ridiculous and entertaining.
This contrast made the experience even more enjoyable. Players expected something structured and realistic, only to be met with unpredictable situations and bizarre scenarios. Because of that, the game became not just a management simulator, but also a source of comedy, where every decision could lead to something unexpected.
But what makes this game truly funny is the treatment itself. The illnesses are completely absurd and feel more like fantasy than medicine. For example, there is a sickness called "King Complex," where patients believe they are Elvis Presley, dressing and acting like him, and the treatment requires psychological correction and, somehow, a bit of forced reality. Then there is the "Invisible" illness, where patients become completely invisible except for their shadow, and they are cured using a ridiculous machine called "SeeThisSheet," which somehow forces them back into visibility. Another one is "Bubble Head," where the patient's head inflates due to an "overgrown ego," and the cure is a device called "RealityCheck" that literally pops the head back to normal.
And it doesn't stop there. There are even stranger diseases like "Monkey Fever," where patients start jumping around like monkeys and need to be strapped into a machine called "De-Evolve Chamber" to calm them down, or "Slack Tongue," where the patient's tongue drags on the floor and requires a machine called "Tongue Twister" to fix it. There's also "Pixel Pox," where patients start glitching like broken video game characters, and the cure involves a machine humorously named "Patch 1.01."
The cure machines themselves are just as ridiculous. Some look like overengineered torture devices rather than medical equipment, with spinning chairs, flashing lights, and questionable safety. Doctors often have to operate them like they're running an arcade machine rather than performing real treatment. The more players progress, the more bizarre the combinations become, turning the hospital into something closer to a chaotic amusement park than a place of healing. That contrast—serious setting, completely unserious execution—is what makes the game so entertaining.
The game is genuinely strong, and the management side is just as impressive. There are many variations, a wide range of doctors with different specialties, and all kinds of strange illnesses that constantly change how you approach the hospital. On top of that, it leans heavily into satire, poking fun at how the real-world medical system can sometimes feel like a business first and care second. As a player, you're given a choice in how you run things. You can focus purely on revenue, optimizing every room, pushing patients through quickly, and maximizing profit—even if it means cutting corners on comfort or care. Or you can take the opposite approach, slowing things down, investing in better treatment quality, and actually prioritizing patient well-being.
What makes it funny is how the game reflects those choices. If you lean heavily toward revenue, the hospital slowly fills with bizarre and exaggerated patients—people with red skin and horns, others with tails, or patients completely covered in thick hair—turning the place into something like a "Devil Hospital." It feels chaotic, crowded, and slightly unhinged, as if profit has attracted the strangest cases imaginable. On the other hand, if you prioritize patients over money, the hospital starts to feel calmer and more normal. The patients look more ordinary, the recovery rates improve, and the overall environment becomes more stable and humane. On top of that, in well-managed hospitals there are occasional Easter eggs that make the whole experience even funnier. Sometimes a patient dressed like "Michael Jackson" suddenly appears and starts dancing in the hallway, somehow boosting patient happiness and even increasing revenue just by existing. Other times, a character resembling Jackie Chan shows up and starts chasing and kicking out troublemakers as if the hospital hired a martial artist instead of security. There's even a moment where someone who looks like "Michael Jordan" dunks a basketball into a dirty bin, turning cleaning into a highlight play.
These moments are completely ridiculous, but that's exactly what makes them memorable. They feel like small rewards for players who run their hospital well, adding unexpected humor in the middle of management chaos. It's even funnier when you realize these characters are based on Zaboru's connections, with ZAGE holding the rights to use their likeness in this exaggerated way. The only one noticeably missing is Bruce Lee—something Zaboru intentionally avoids, knowing that even joking about it might come back to "kick" him in a very real way well because Bruce Lee is Zaboru sifu.
That contrast isn't just a mechanic—it's part of the joke. The game quietly asks what kind of manager you want to be, then exaggerates the outcome in a way that's both funny and a little thought-provoking. It's not just about winning or losing, but about how you choose to run your hospital, and how ridiculous—or respectable—that choice ends up looking in practice.
There is also a recurring Easter egg featuring ZABO-Man, and it happens completely randomly while the player is managing the hospital. Sometimes, if the player happens to look at the sky, they might briefly see Zabo-Man fighting some giant monster like a dramatic superhero scene happening in the background. Of course, things don't go well—he eventually loses and crashes right in front of the hospital entrance in a very over-the-top way.
Instead of being treated like a normal patient, Zabo-Man rushes inside and asks for help—but not medical help. What he actually wants is emotional support. He insists that what he really needs is encouragement to go back and defeat the monster, turning the whole situation into something completely absurd. At that point, the player is given several dialogue options such as "You are very cool," "You aren't cool," "Go go go Ultraman!" and "Are you S*naya Man!?"—each one leading to a completely different and equally ridiculous outcome.
If the player chooses "You are very cool," Zabo-Man instantly regains his confidence, stands up dramatically, and then says "YES! I'AM!", and flies out of the hospital as if nothing ever happened. If "You aren't cool" is selected, he drops to his knees and screams "NO!!!" in pure despair, staying there long enough to make everyone around him uncomfortable. If the player chooses "Go go go Ultraman!", Zabo-Man immediately gets offended and shouts back, "I'm not Ultraman!" before angrily storming out.
The funniest outcome comes from choosing "Are you S*naya Man!?" which triggers a unique animation. Zabo-Man freezes completely, his entire posture collapsing as if his soul just left his body. Then, in a broken voice, he says, "H… how could you…?" before running out of the hospital crying dramatically, with exaggerated anime-style tears streaming down his face like an anime girl then he trips on the way out, making the whole scene even more ridiculous.
These random events don't really affect gameplay in a meaningful way, but they leave a strong impression. It's the kind of humor that catches players off guard, making them laugh not because they expected it, but because it makes absolutely no sense in the best possible way.
Theme Hospital was streamed by many people, and it quickly became a source of constant laughter. Streamers especially loved how unpredictable the game was, since something ridiculous could happen at any moment. One streamer, while pointing at his screen, burst out laughing and said, "Look! This guy thinks he's Elvis! And the illness is called King Complex!? What kind of diagnosis is that!? This is some funny sh*t!"
The chat immediately exploded with reactions. Some viewers started joking that the patient was more committed to being Elvis than actual performers, while others spammed song lyrics just to make the moment even more chaotic. The streamer himself couldn't even continue playing properly for a few seconds because he kept laughing every time the patient started dancing again.
Moments like this happened constantly. One second the player would be carefully managing rooms and staff, and the next second something completely absurd would interrupt everything. That unpredictability made the game perfect for streaming, because even the streamer didn't know what would happen next.
In many cases, the audience ended up enjoying the reactions even more than the gameplay itself. Watching someone try to seriously manage a hospital, only to be completely derailed by nonsense like "King Complex," or "Michael Jordan" dunk on dirty sheets basket created a kind of natural comedy that couldn't be scripted.
Meanwhile, Kamen Rider Grand Prix is more niche globally, but it remains quite popular in Japan. While Kamen Rider is now aired to a global audience, its reception outside Japan is different compared to Power Ranger, which ZAGE adapted from Sentai. Kamen Rider is mostly presented as a direct dub, so although many international fans enjoy it, the level of hype doesn't quite match what it has in Japan, where the brand carries much deeper cultural impact and long-term loyalty.
Even so, the game manages to capture that core appeal in a very accessible way. At its heart, it revolves around three simple elements: motorcycle racing, Kamen Rider identity, and pure chaos. The gameplay feels similar to Mario Kart, but instead of karts, everything is built around motorcycles and Rider abilities. Races are fast-paced, filled with collisions, skill usage, and unpredictable moments that can instantly change positions. It's easy to pick up, but the more players dive in, the more they realize there's a layer of strategy behind timing abilities, choosing Riders, and managing positioning during chaotic moments.
That balance between simplicity and chaotic fun is what makes the game stand out. You don't need deep understanding like Football Manager, but you still get satisfying moments of skill and decision-making, especially when perfectly timing an ability or overtaking opponents in the middle of pure madness.
Each Kamen Rider has a different motorcycle with unique stats, and each of them also comes with their own special abilities, ranging from the classic Kamen Rider Ichigo all the way to the relatively new Kamen Rider Faiz (555). This creates a wide variety of playstyles, where players can choose Riders not just based on preference, but also based on how they want to approach the race.
Each Rider's abilities reflect their original series in fun and creative ways. For example, Kamen Rider Ichigo and Nigo can temporarily boost their motorcycle speed, making them strong in straight races and quick recoveries. Kamen Rider Skyrider, as expected, can briefly fly, allowing him to bypass obstacles or take shortcuts that other Riders can't. Kamen Rider Black RX can summon the Ridoron car, turning the race into pure chaos as he switches from motorcycle to car mid-race, confusing everyone around him.
Then there's Kamen Rider Kuuga, who can transform into different forms, each with its own abilities—some focused on speed, others on power or control—forcing players to think about timing and situation rather than just spamming skills. This variety makes every race feel different, because you're not just racing—you're constantly reacting to what other Riders are doing, their abilities colliding and overlapping in unpredictable ways.
And there are a lot of characters aside from the main Riders. Support Riders also appear, pulling from series like Agito and Ryuki, adding more variety to the roster and giving fans more reasons to experiment with different playstyles. Faiz, however, mostly stands on his own, reinforcing his identity as a more isolated and focused Rider. This mix of main and support characters helps the game feel rich without becoming overwhelming, since each Rider still has a clear identity and role.
Even with all that, the core gameplay remains solid. The racing feels slightly realistic in movement and weight, but still keeps an arcade-like responsiveness that makes it easy to enjoy. The graphics are impressive for ZEPS 3, especially when abilities are activated mid-race, creating flashy and chaotic moments. The racing combat is where the game truly shines—abilities clash, riders bump into each other, and positions change constantly, making every race feel intense and unpredictable.
On top of that, there is a full story mode, and it's surprisingly long. Players can choose a main Rider and follow their own storyline, each with different dialogue, enemies and boss. The goal is to defeat a "super boss" that is based on the main enemy from that Rider's original series, which adds a strong sense of fan service and satisfaction.
Once players complete these storylines, they unlock spare parts. These aren't just cosmetic—they actually allow players to modify and create their own custom "Kamen Rider Motorcycle." This system opens up a lot of creativity, letting players build something that fits their playstyle or just looks completely ridiculous. Some of the combinations get especially wild, like attaching a "Skeleton Head" to the front as a weapon, or using "Blazing Wheels" that leave fire trails behind. The customization is similar to R.C. Pro-Am, but instead of Mini 4WD, it focuses on Kamen Rider motorcycles, allowing players to mix performance and style in a more dynamic and chaotic way.
Then there are secret characters hidden within the game, adding another layer of surprise and fun for players who take the time to discover them. One of them is Zabo-Man, but in this version, he rides an "Invisible" bike, making it look like he's just floating mid-air while racing. Watching him drift, boost, and collide with others while sitting on literally nothing is already funny enough, but it becomes even more ridiculous when he wins races like that.
Another surprising addition is "Ghost Rider" from Marvel. Since ZAGE owns Marvel in this world, including him isn't an issue, but it's still unexpected to suddenly see a flaming-skulled rider speeding across the track alongside Kamen Riders. His presence adds a different kind of intensity, mixing Western comic style with Japanese tokusatsu energy in a way that somehow still fits the chaotic tone of the game.
Then there's one of the most nostalgic inclusions: "John Excite Bike." This character is directly based on one of ZAGE's earliest games, "Excite Bike," from the 8-bit ZEPS 1 era. What makes him stand out even more is that he remains fully pixelated, unlike everything else in the game. So while everyone else looks modern and detailed, John Excite Bike rides around in full retro style, bouncing awkwardly with stiff animations. This contrast alone is enough to make players laugh, especially when a pixel character somehow overtakes high-speed Riders in a serious race.
These secret characters don't just add variety—they reinforce the game's identity as something that doesn't take itself too seriously. It's a mix of fan service, humor, and pure chaos, rewarding players not just with better performance, but with moments they didn't even expect to see.
Both Kamen Rider and Theme Hospital are practically screaming "Fun and Chaos," which stands in complete contrast to Football Manager, a game built around "Complexity and Realism." This contrast isn't a weakness—it's a statement. It clearly showcases ZAGE's range and capability as a company that understands different types of players. Some players want to think deeply, manage systems, and simulate reality. Others just want to laugh, enjoy the moment, and embrace pure, unpredictable fun.
It reflects the idea that not every game needs to appeal to everyone—and more importantly, that it doesn't have to.
But ZAGE takes that idea one step further. Rather than accepting that "there aren't games made for everyone," they reshape it into something bigger: "There will be games for everyone." And this month alone proves that point perfectly.
Meanwhile now still in early July Zaboru are inside his offices playing and exploring games from European Devs for ZEPS 3
To be continue
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