Tag: Japan - Page 13
News Bub Is Back! Taito Is Developing A New Puzzle Bobble Game
Get ready to Bust-A-Move
Taito's Bubble Bobble series is currently celebrating its 35th anniversary and as part of this, the Japanese company has announced a new entry in the spin-off series Puzzle Bobble (Bust-A-Move) is currently in development. Puzzle Bobble game director Tsuyoshi Tozaki said the new entry would "of course include its trademark...
Japanese Charts Nintendo Switch And Pokémon Diamond And Pearl Remakes Continue To Dominate
Pokémon's latest releases pass 2 million boxed sales in the country
Famitsu's Japanese chart figures are now in for the week ending 12th December, revealing that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have remained on top for a fourth consecutive week, in the process passing two million physical copy sales. It was a quiet week overall with...
Round Up Every Game Featured In Japan's Indie World Showcase - December 2021
Including some exclusive announcements
Whenever Nintendo hosts a special presentation, it normally does one for Japan and one for fans in the West. The latest Indie World showcase was no different - with Nintendo uploading a very different video in its homeland. If you didn't happen to catch it live, there's no need to worry as we've rounded up all...
News Nintendo Is Removing Credit Card Support From The 3DS And Wii U eShop Next Month (Japan)
A timely reminder
Nintendo's customer service Twitter account for Japan has issued a reminder that it will be ending credit card and prepaid card support for the 3DS and Wii U next month on 18th January 2022, 9 AM JST. The company previously announced these changes for 3DS and Wii U users in Europe, Australia and New Zealand back in 2019. Here's a...
News Super Nintendo World's Getting Adorable Limited-Edition Holiday Merch
And we want it all
If you're lucky enough to be visiting Japan's Super Nintendo World over the holidays, you'll be pleased to know that you'll be able to get your hands on some lovely limited-edition merch. If you're not lucky enough to be visiting – like us – then these images showing what you could have had will sadly have to do. Visitors...
News Nintendo Is Investing In Office Space In Japan To House More Game Development
Nintendo HQ 2: HQ Reloaded
Once upon a time, Nintendo was a little playing card company, located in a regular-sized office building in Kyoto, Japan. They're a bit bigger now, and you may have seen their boring-but-iconic Kyoto headquarters before: It's a big white cube covered in windows. But it looks like there's about to be a second big cube...
Random Ace Attorney Says OBJECTION! To Drugs In Japanese Anti-Marijuana Campaign
Hold it, but don't pass it
6,000 posters and 4,000 leaflets featuring the characters from The Great Ace Attorney have been printed in Japan in an attempt to combat "cannabis abuse", Capcom announced today. The partnership between Capcom and the government has been going on since 2009, and has been aimed towards "crime prevention enlightenment" as...
Japanese Charts Pokémon Diamond And Pearl Remakes Stay Top, Big Brain Academy Lands In Top Three
As Switch locks out the entire top ten
Famitsu's Japanese chart figures are now in for the week ending 5th December, revealing that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have remained on top for a third consecutive week. The two games sold another 164,580 physical copies combined in Japan last week, taking their total physical sales count to...
News Level-5's Mech RPG Megaton Musashi Gets A Free DLC Update
But it's still exclusive to Japan...
Update [Thu 9th Dec, 2021 02:00 GMT]: This new free update is now available. Level-5 has also released a roadmap for the game, which includes the anime series and a "large-scale" paid update coming in Fall 2022 (thanks, Gematsu): December 9, 2021 Free Update Vol. 1: Counterattack Boost Patch Superdreadnought...
News Fantasy Life Online Comes Out In English On iOS And Android Today
It's not Fantasy Life 2, but we'll take it!
After Level-5's wonderful cult classic Fantasy Life came out on 3DS, and blew us all away with its depth, heart, and charm, it was a little disappointing to find out that the sequel would be a mobile-only game called Fantasy Life Online. It was even more disappointing to find out that it was only destined...
News Play As A Dog With A Machine Gun In 'Metal Dogs', Coming To Switch In Japan
"Bow Wow" and "Woof-Woof-Woof" versions available
Top-down roguelike action game Metal Dogs is coming to Switch next year, but only in Japan, publisher Kadokawa and developer 24Frame have announced. The game is all about three dogs — Pochi the Shiba Inu, Bell the Doberman, and Bonanza the Bulldog — who live in a post-apocalyptic world in which...
Not a bad launch, then
Famitsu's Japanese chart figures are now in for the week ending 28th November, revealing that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are still leading the pack by a supremely comfortable margin. In their second week on sale, the two games shifted another 355,046 physical copies in Pokémon's home region of Japan. That...
Video Square Enix Shares First Triangle Strategy 'Character & Story' Trailer
Get to know Roland Glenbrook
One game we've been keeping a close eye on for some time now is Square Enix's upcoming turn-based tactical RPG, Triangle Strategy. It's due out at some point in 2022, exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. While we've already seen quite a bit of it - and even played an early demo of the game, Square Enix has now released...
News The Danganronpa Team Is Working On A New "Dark Fantasy Mystery" Game
Introducing Enigma Archives: Rain Code
Update [Tue 30th Nov, 2021 05:30 GMT]: Spike Chunsoft has now released an official trailer on its English YouTube channel. Original story [Sun 28th Nov, 2021 07:05 GMT]: Spike Chunsoft and Tookyo Games have announced a new "dark fantasy mystery" game titled Enigma Archives: Rain Code. It brings together the...
News Tokyo Police Arrest Man For Re-Selling Around 200 Consoles And Games
Was entrusted with deliveries of Switch and PS5 units
With demand outstripping supply in the gaming space it's led to increases in scalping and thefts, with another example appearing in the Japanese media (via Sankei and Kotaku). With Switch systems and the PS5s in particular being hard to find in Japan, one man entrusted with a significant amount...
Video Hands-On With The 3DS Dragon Quest The West Never Got To Play
Twas an Elusive Age, indeed
Dragon Quest XI is a fantastic game that you can play on Switch right now, but it's worth remembering that back when it originally launched, it was on another Nintendo system: the 3DS. When Dragon Quest XI hit Japanese store shelves in 2017, it was released on the PS4 and 3DS. The 3DS version is fascinating because it's...
Gallery Square Enix Shares New Screenshots Of Dragon Quest X Offline, Coming To Switch In 2022
It's Japan only, for now
Earlier this year, Square Enix celebrated the Dragon Quest 35th anniversary with multiple announcements, and one of them was Dragon Quest X Offline. As the title reveals, this is a completely "offline" version of the MMO Dragon Quest X featuring updated chibi visuals. At the moment, it's locked in for a Japan release on...
The 3DS titles are still out in front
Yesterday, Famitsu released its latest game charts - revealing Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl for Nintendo Switch got off to an amazing start in Japan, shifting 1,395,642 copies in just the first three days. This figure was based on in-store purchases alone and means these titles are now...
Japanese Charts Pokémon Diamond And Pearl Remakes Go Top In Tremendous Opening Weekend
Sinn-oh my goodness...
Famitsu's Japanese chart figures are now in for the week ending 21st November, revealing that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have absolutely destroyed the competition with a cracking opening weekend. As was actually revealed early this morning, the games managed to sell a combined total of 1,395,642 physical...
News NES Classic Battletoads Is Getting A Physical Re-Release, But Only In Japan
Columbus Circle is launching a new version today
Battletoads is one of Rare's most beloved games from the NES era. An attempt to create a media brand that could rival the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Battletoads mixed platforming with side-scrolling combat, and is famous for its unforgiving difficulty level. It spawned several sequels (including a...
News Pokémon's Diamond & Pearl Remakes Become The Second Biggest Switch Game Launch In Japan
And have surpassed Sword and Shield's debut sales
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl for Nintendo Switch appear to have experienced a strong start in Japan. According to early sales data from Famitsu, the remakes have sold an estimated combined total of 1,395,642 million copies in just the first three days. This figure includes standard...
News Fire Breaks Out At Super Nintendo World's Yoshi Ride, Park Forced To Temporarily Close
Thankfully no one was harmed
Japan's Super Nintendo World, located at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, looks like a place where dreams are made. It boasts an assortment of glorious Nintendo-themed decorations, a couple of rides, more merch than you could ever afford and more, but it's sure had its problems, too. Things didn't get off to the best...
Feature Pokémon Donuts: A Review - Pokéheads Or Pokébutts?
Which taste best?
In celebration of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl’s release, The Pokémon Company had the brilliant idea to partner with Japanese company Mr. Donut and release throughout Japan a lineup of fried dough inspired by some of our favourite Generation IV Pokémon. We can’t think of a better way to herald the release of a...
Japanese Charts Shin Megami Tensei V Goes Straight To Number One
143,000 physical copies sold in opening weekend
Famitsu's Japanese chart figures are now in for the week ending 14th November, revealing that Shin Megami Tensei V has gone straight in at number one at launch. The game sold 143,247 physical copies in its opening weekend, keeping Mario Party Superstars in second spot and fending off Dragon Quest X:...
News There's A $5,000 Reward For Anyone Who Can Find These 'Lost' F-Zero Tracks
"More like a lottery at this point"
Long before DLC become a regular part of our gaming lives, Nintendo broke new ground with its Satellaview service for the Super Famicom. Using satellite broadcasts, this system allowed players to download and store games on special rewritable BS-X memory packs – and preserving these titles has become a serious...
Japanese Charts Mario Party Superstars Fends Off Call Of Duty And Fortnite To Stay Top
As Switch dominates the hardware chart
Famitsu's Japanese chart figures are now in for the week ending 7th November, revealing that Mario Party Superstars has remained at number one for a second consecutive week. The game shifted another 81,399 physical copies this week, down from 163,256 at launch, and managed to comfortably keep Call of Duty:...
Random Vulpix Is The Latest Pokémon To Get Its Very Own Plane
Goes halfsies with Alolan Vulpix, actually
Seeing an airliner emblazoned with Pokémon is nothing new — series mascot Pikachu has been plastered across its fair share of aircraft since the late-'90s — but we have to say that this latest effort is perhaps our favourite thanks to how it incorporates both the original Pokémon and its Alolan...
News Nintendo Uploads New Big Brain Academy Switch Overview Trailer
Launching this December
Nintendo still has a handful of releases up its sleeve for the remainder of 2021 and one of them happens to be Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain on the Switch. If it sounds or looks familiar, it's because it's actually a title that's being revived from the Nintendo DS era. It was originally released way back in 2005/06...
Feature Animal Crossing Fart Jokes Remain Lost In Translation As Kapp'n Returns In New Horizons
puppuppu!
Christmas—or rather, Friday, November 5—came early yesterday when the long-awaited version 2.0 update to Animal Crossing: New Horizons was surprisingly released more than a full day ahead of schedule. While much of the early hype surrounding the purportedly last major free content update focused on the return of
News Nintendo Is Opening A New Store In Japan
Expected to be up and running by the end of 2022
Nintendo has announced it will be opening a new retail and merchandise store located in Osaka, Japan. It'll be located within the Daimaru Umeda building. It will be the second store to open in the company's homeland, following on from Tokyo in 2019. It's currently scheduled to open "at the end of...
Japanese Charts Mario Party Superstars Goes Top In A Busy Week For New Releases
Mario's-a-numba-one!
Famitsu's Japanese chart figures are now in for the week ending 31st October, revealing that Mario Party Superstars has gone straight in at number one. The game sold an estimated 163,256 physical copies in its opening week in Japan, managing to fend off several newcomers releasing this week. Among the other new titles was Super...
News Atlus Broadcasting Shin Megami Tensei V Live Stream Next Week
Commentary from the dev team, new merch and more
One of the major Switch exclusives arriving this month is the Atlus RPG Shin Megami Tensei V. It's looking rather promising and ahead of the game's launch next week, there'll be an official live stream taking place. In fact, it'll be airing the night before the game's release, Japan time. You'll be...
News F-Zero Climax For GBA Now Has A "Complete" Fan-Made Translation Patch
The Japan exclusive with "everything" localised in English
You might remember F-Zero Climax, hmm...perhaps not! It was a game released on Nintendo's Game Boy Advance way back in 2004 and has never been localised outside of Japan. It also happens to be the most recent entry in the series, which is now over 17 years ago. While an official...
News Nintendo Launches Three New Zelda Websites To Celebrate Game & Watch
The Triforce of Website
It might be only us games journalists that get hot-under-the-collar for brand new Zelda key art, but this day is extremely special for us: Nintendo have just released three new websites for The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II, and Link's Awakening to prepare us all for the release of the Zelda Game & Watch in November. And...
Japanese Charts Ring Fit Adventure Rises To Third As Switch OLED Sales Increase
Fitness is forever
Famitsu's Japanese chart figures are in for the week ending 24th October, and they reflect a relatively quiet week in terms of software. The only new entry in the top 10 is Blue Reflection: Second Light, which has a PS4 version in 2nd and the Switch iteration in 7th. The first two places are both PS4 titles, but then the top 10...
News Level-5 Amps Up Promotion For Mech RPG Megaton Musashi, On Switch This November
...but only in Japan, alas
Remember Megaton Musashi, Level-5's next big cross-media project? It was announced as a 3DS game way back in 2016, and its release was to be supported by a range of anime, toys and other media events – a process which has served Level-5 rather well with the
News The Pokémon Company Is Getting Into Sumo Wrestling
Pokémon Su and Pokémon Mo
We've been saying for years that sumo wrestling is basically the same as Pokémon, except with more consent and less catching-your-defeated-foe-in-a-ball. Now, finally, the two are becoming one, as The Pokémon Company is becoming an official sponsor of sumo wrestling, in partnership with the Nihon Sumo Kyokai (H/T Kotaku...
News Dragon Quest X Offline "Data Transfer" Will Connect With The Online Version
Clear the offline game and get a head start online
The upcoming Square Enix release, Dragon Quest X Offline, is set to arrive on the Switch on 26th February 2022. In the lead-up to its launch, the game's producer, Takuma Shirashi, has been answering fan questions about what to expect from the "offline" version. Perhaps the most interesting detail...
News It Looks Like Sega Is Opening A New Studio In Japan
Sapporo, here we come
Japanese video game veteran Sega has filed a trademark for 'Sega Sapporo Studio', which suggests the company is opening a new base in Hokkaido's capital city. The trademark was filed on October 11th in Japan in both English and Japanese. Sapporo is the largest Japanese city north of Tokyo and the largest city on the northern...
News Toby Fox Speaks About Deltarune, Shows Off Concept Art In Interview With Nintendo Japan
"Imagine a professional dog in a beret"
Deltarune Chapter 2 is out right now on Switch, totally free. It's from the same creator that made Undertale — in fact, the title itself is an anagram of Undertale — and to celebrate the release, Nintendo Japan secured an interview with Toby Fox himself. A massive disclaimer here: there are large parts of...
News The Mega Drive Mini Is Getting Another Accessory Which Does Absolutely Nothing
Well, apart from look nice, that is
Update: Well, our Mega Drive Tower Mini Zero unit has arrived from Japan, and guess what? Yup, it does nothing. But gosh darn it, it sure looks gorgeous at the same time. The Mega Drive Tower Mini Zero comes with a bunch of plastic cartridges (that do nothing) as well as a Sega Card (that does nothing, too). It...
News Everyone Has Fainted In Pokémon's Next Merchandise Range
Cute, but kinda sad
The Pokémon Company has revealed a new line of merchandise that's sure to be a hit with fans, partly because it's all so darn adorable. Interestingly enough, the range's theme is 'Pokémon who lost in battle', with each piece depicting a 'mon or two that appears to have fainted. It's a cute idea – just don't think about the...
Japanese Charts Metroid Dread Slips Down To Second, Switch OLED Leads Hardware Listings
Dread shifts another 22,221 physical copies
Famitsu's Japanese chart figures are now in for the week ending 17th October, revealing that Metroid Dread has fallen to second place in its second week on sale. The game sold another 22,221 physical copies in the region this week, but that was no match for the incoming Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba –...
News Action-RPG Crystar, Once A PS4 Console-Exclusive, Is Coming To Switch
Update: Western launch confirmed!
Update: And just like that, a western release for Crystar has now been confirmed. NIS America has confirmed that the game will be launching in Europe in spring 2022, complete with all previously released DLC content. A Limited Edition physical release is now available to pre-order on the NIS America Europe Online...
Video Here's A First Look At Dragon Quest X Offline, Coming To Switch In 2022
Still no mention of localisation
Earlier this month, Square Enix confirmed the "offline" version of the MMO Dragon Quest X would be coming to the Nintendo Switch. I'll be arriving in Japan on 26th February 2022 and is officially titled, Dragon Quest X Offline
Japanese Charts Metroid Dread Outsells Far Cry 6 To Claim Number One
And the first Switch OLED figures are in
Famitsu's Japanese chart figures are now in for the week ending 10th October, revealing that Metroid Dread has gone straight to the top of the pile on its debut week. Nintendo's latest Switch exclusive managed to fend off the threat of Far Cry 6, selling 86,798 physical units in its opening weekend. For...
News A New Mother Tribute Comic Has Been Revealed, Pre-Orders Open In Japan Later This Month
Part of the 'Hobonichi Mother Project'
Last May, you might remember how the company Hobonichi Shinbun (owned by Mother series' creator Shigesato Itoi) launched the 'Hobonichi Mother Project'. It included a Pollyanna tribute comic - featuring comics and illustrations handled by 35 manga artists and writers - including Toby Fox (
News Check Out These Adorable Super-Deformed Dark Souls Figures
"You have a heart of gold"
Dark Souls is hard, right? It's brutal. A real test of your gamer credentials. So then, why are these officially-licenced Dark Souls figures so goshdarn cute? They're expected to launch in Japan this December, and the range includes a host of famous faces from the series. We want them all. There are two sets, each...
News Nintendo Enlists Japanese Idol Group King & Prince To Promote Mario Party Superstars
Look at those hats!
With Mario Party Superstars launching in just a couple of weeks' time, Nintendo has teamed up with J-pop group King & Prince for a new marketing campaign. Following in the footsteps of Nintendo's recent campaign with K-pop group TWICE, who starred in commercials that advertised the Nintendo Switch and a variety of games,...
News Adorable Hamster-Car Anime 'Pui Pui Molcar' Comes To Switch In Japan
Yes, we said "hamster-car"
[Update: Fri 8th Oct, 2021 13:00 BST] We have been informed that the hamster-cars are actually guinea pig cars. We regret the error. [Original: Thu 7th Oct, 2021 23:00 BST] Pui Pui Molcar is a must-watch if you enjoy stop-motion animation, fluffy things, or just want to find out more about an alternate universe in which...