Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity on the Nintendo 3DS has a new “Magnagate” system that makes use of the 3DS camera. As previously detailed, the feature allows you to randomly generate dungeons within the game by scanning round objects with the camera, which then turn into dungeon entrances.
In an Iwata Asks interview, planner Seiichiro Nagahata explains how the parameters of a dungeon are generated, depending on the object you scan.
“The type of dungeon that is created is determined by factors such as the size and color of the round object that is scanned,” Nagahata shares. “A dungeon’s visuals are determined by the object’s color, and its difficulty level is determined by the size of the object.”
Nagahata also reveals that the development team initially experimented with other shapes such as squares and triangles, before ultimately settling on circular shapes for the Magnagate feature. Additionally, the feature also serves as an alternate way to progress through the game, says The Pokémon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara.
“Even if you get stuck on the story at some point, there are so many different ways of playing the game, it’s possible to try a different approach and still make progress,” Ishihara suggests. “For example, a player could find a round object, scan it and enter a new dungeon where they can find items that they can send to their character in the main game, allowing things to develop in a completely different way.”
