 They originally made a prototype for a new game in the "Aleste" series called "Aleste 2" for the Sega Genesis, but postponed the project.The team was still feeling pressure to create a game, and also wanted to change the direction of the "Aleste" series.Designer Kazuyuki Nakashima came up with a design that ignored most of the style of previous "Aleste" games and instead went with a Japanese aesthetic, including a character with a Noh mask.