Tag: Japan
News Nintendo Museum Has A Surprise If You Bring Your 3DS
A new kind of MuseumPass
If you're in Kyoto and happen to be paying a trip to the Nintendo Museum, make sure you have your 3DS on you, as there are a couple of exclusive StreetPass Miis you can grab. Nintendo Dream Web's Editor-in-Chief Rifa has paid a visit to the museum and shared a few photos of her time there. But one of them has caught the...
News We're Getting An Official Pokémon Encyclopedia Written By Animal Behaviourists And Ecologists
Pokécology launches in Japan in June
In one of the most novel ideas we've seen from The Pokémon Company, the media giant has revealed Pokécology, an official book that focuses on the behaviours of the fictional creatures. Reported on my Automaton Media, Pokécology will be released in Japan on 18th June 2025 by publisher Shogakukan, with no...
Opinion Cult Classic 'Tokimeki Memorial' Hits Switch - But 30 Years On, It’s Still Out Of Reach
Forever with you; never with us
True love lasts forever – and so do some games. Tokimeki Memorial: Forever with You, the legendary dating sim from 1995, is hooking up with Switch next month to celebrate 30 years on the scene. Immaculately presented but bewilderingly complex, TokiMemo is a foundational piece of video game history that defined a...
Japanese Charts Mario Party Jamboree Rolls Its Way To Another Victory
You got a star!
Sorry, everyone! We were a little distracted by yesterday's Mario Kart World Direct and had to push the latest numbers from Famitsu aside for a little while. But have no fear, we're back to provide the latest look at the Japanese charts. Much like last time, it has been a pretty quiet week in the wake of Nintendo opening the...
News Nintendo Kicks Off Mario Kart World Marketing In Japan With A Trio Of New Trailers
Start your engines
Well folks, it looks like Nintendo is officially off the start line with its Mario Kart World marketing in Japan. The upcoming racer has just scored three new trailers, showcasing some of the new characters, courses and tricks you'll be able to see in action from 5th June. A lot of the footage might not seem all that new after...
News MicroSD Express Cards Are Selling Out Thanks To Switch 2 Fever
Stop the Express!
With the announcement that the Switch 2 requires a new type of microSD card, the microSD Express, it seems that stockists are beginning to have some issues keeping up with Nintendo fan demand. You should have known we were a frenzied bunch of gamers! Yes, as reported by the fine folks over at Tom's Hardware, news from Japan...
News Japan's First Switch Modder Court Ruling Ends With A Fraction Of Nintendo's Full Wrath
It's fine time
It's not unusual to see Nintendo track down anyone who messes with its products — be that through mods, emulation, or copyright issues — but the outcome of a recent Japanese court ruling feels like a comparative slapped wrist when compared to some of the wrath we've seen from The House of Mario in the past (thanks for the heads...
News Japanese Retailer Is Asking The Public How To Combat Switch 2 Scalpers
Take 'em down
Despite some notable concerns around pricing for the Switch 2, folks are nevertheless anxious about the impact that scalping may have on the upcoming console launch. Scalpers have been a plague on recent console releases, buying systems at their RRP before flogging them online at severely inflated values; a practice made exponentially...
Gallery Here's A Sneak Peek Of The Nintendo Switch Online Menu UI For Switch 2
Take a look
In case you didn't already know, the Nintendo Switch Online service will carry over to the Switch 2 when it launches this June. If you are wondering what the menu UI might look like when it eventually shows up on the new hybrid system, Nintendo's official Japanese website has now shared a sneak peek. As you can see, there'll be a huge...
Japanese Charts Not Even The Impending Switch 2 Can Stop This Mario Party
Party on!
Hello, yes, we're back with the boxed charts over in Japan. Apologies for missing last week, it was quite a busy one for Team NL, as I'm sure you can imagine. This week, Super Mario Party Jamboree is once again at the top, selling another 11,487 copies. It's not the biggest increase we've ever seen, but we suspect that sales in general...
News Nintendo Appears To Have Given Its Game Cases A Makeover On Switch 2
Say goodbye to red spines
We've had an absolute overload of information about the Switch 2 this week and somehow fans keep finding all sorts of new and exciting details. If you haven't already noticed, Switch 2 game cases are now slightly different (and seemingly a bit bigger). Instead of transparent plastic borders, they're now red. Perhaps most...
News Nintendo Museum Expands Its History With A New Exhibit
Timed in with Switch 2's big reveal
Nintendo this week marked another major milestone in its history with the full reveal of the Switch 2. After years of incredible video game history, this new system is easily the Japanese firm's most cutting-edge piece of tech it's ever released. Of course, the Nintendo Museum is all about the company's history,...
News Elden Ring Switch 2 Physical Listing Seemingly Tarnished By 'Game-Key Card' Tag
Update: Bandai Namco responds
Nintendo this week announced "Game-key cards" for the Switch 2, which are described as "different" from regular game cards as they don't contain the "full game data" and are instead used as a "key" to download the title onto your system via the internet. As fans are quickly finding out, a lot of third-party titles...
News Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Game Upgrade Pack Prices Seemingly Revealed (Japan)
Here's the estimated equivalent locally
Nintendo hasn't officially revealed the local pricing for Switch 2 game upgrade packs (yet), but it seems the company's Japanese website might have already given fans a rough idea about what it might cost to enjoy certain past-generation games with various enhancements on the new system. According to...
News Nintendo Is (Kinda) Returning To Region-Locking With A Cheaper Japanese Switch 2
Priced 49,980 yen, which is around $333 USD
After the Switch 2 Direct wrapped up, Nintendo put out a press release announcing its pricing in different regions, including Japan. However, it appears that Japanese gamers will have an extra, cheaper option if they're happy to have a Japanese-language-only Switch 2. "The Japanese-Language System" is...
News Nier Automata's Dev Was "Ordered" To Ignore What The West Thinks Of His Game
"you can’t make games for overseas"
Nier Automata is widely regarded as one of the finest action games in recent years thanks to its remarkably compelling gameplay and deceptively deep storytelling. In a new interview with AV Watch (thanks, Automaton), PlayStation vet Shuhei Yoshida went so far as to credit Automata as the "game that
Japanese Charts Xenoblade Chronicles X Arrives In Style And Sends Monster Hunter Packing
Elma's world
We got a little distracted with the Nintendo Direct yesterday and ran out of time to take a look at the latest Japanese charts — sorry! Fortunately, Famitsu's latest numbers paint a chart picture that's worth the wait. There has been quite the shake-up this week, with a bunch of newbies arriving in the top 10. Expectedly, Xenoblade...
Round Up Everything From Japan's Nintendo Direct Broadcast (March 2025)
More games are on the way!
Nintendo's latest Switch Direct was packed with all sorts of exciting announcements, but we're not done just yet. The company's Japanese broadcast was slightly different - featuring multiple other titles, so we've rounded them all up into a single post. Here's everything from Japan's Switch Direct, you might have missed:...
News Pokémon's Team Rocket Is Returning To The Trading Card Game In A New Set
Here's a first look
The Pokémon Trading Card Game is currently booming and this trend looks set to continue with the reveal of the new set. It marks the return of the fictional crime organisation Team Rocket and is officially titled 'The Glory of Team Rocket'. It will be coming to Japan on 18th April 2025 and will include 98 standard cards with...
Random Sega Surprises Sonic The Hedgehog Fans With Official Timeline
Get to know the Blue Blur's history
Sonic the Hedgehog has been around for a long time now and if you're having trouble keeping track of all the highlights in his career, don't worry - Sega's got you covered with its official timeline. This is all part of the Sonic Channel's relaunch in Japan, which has now been going strong for 20 years. The video...
Japanese Charts Game About Picking Up Girls In A Dungeon Enters The Top 10
Early 2025 contender for longest game title
Famitsu has published the latest boxed charts for Japan, and as expected, Monster Hunter Wilds retains its position at the top of the pile. In fact, the only newcomer this week is Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Familia Myth – Fullland of Water and Light, a game that is almost...
News Dark Visual Novel Pulled For Japanese Age Rating Revision Just Four Days After eShop Launch
Currently sits at PEGI 18 in the UK
The visual novel The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty launched on Steam last April, and it was a hit — like, one million copies sold, 40,000+ 'Overwhelmingly Positive' reviews kind of a hit. Those who had been waiting for the title to come to Switch had their wishes answered last week when it...
News Sakurai Says Japanese Developers Should Avoid Trying To Appeal To Western Tastes
"I think that they seek the uniqueness and fun of Japanese games"
Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai was recently awarded the Art Encouragement Prize from the Japanese government’s Agency for Cultural Affairs for his remarkable achievement with the 'Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games' YouTube channel. As part of that, he conducted an...
News Emio - The Smiling Man Wins Best Adventure Game At Famitsu Dengeki Game Awards 2024
Pokémon's next entry also got a win
Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club has won the best "adventure" game award at the Famitsu Dengeki Game Awards for 2024. Apart from this, the upcoming Switch release Pokémon Legends: Z-A took out the most anticipated title, the "hand-drawn 2D action-platformer" Nine Sols won best indie game, and...
Japanese Charts Suikoden's Admirable Debut Isn't Nearly Enough To Topple Monster Hunter
It's wild out there
After last week's stellar debut, you might have assumed that Monster Hunter Wilds sales would have slowed down a little in Japan. Slow down they have, but Capcom's latest is still a long way from having its throne usurped. According to Famitsu's latest numbers, Wilds shifted an additional 101,058 on PS5 in its second week,...
Random These Hugging Pokémon Plushies Are Some Of The Cutest We've Seen In A While
Cubone used Hug
There's nothing quite like a cute Pokémon plush to bring a smile to the face, is there? Well, this new range arriving in Japan's Pokémon Centers next week might just be the cutest of the bunch (thanks, NintendoSoup). The "Brrr... Squish! Plush Toys" series (at least, that's the way Google Translate puts it) will arrive in the...
Random Honda Teases Real-Life Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Motorbike
Update: Here's the official reveal
Remember last year when The Pokémon Company teamed up with Japanese vehicle manufacturer Toyota to create a real-life Miraidon motorbike? Well, Pokémon is now doing it again, but this time it's teaming up with the folks at Honda and this "almost life-size reproduction" is based on the other Scarlet and Violet...
News Splatoon Manga Spotted On Japan's Switch eShop, Out Next Week
Squid kid
Although the Switch is soon to be replaced by its new and improved successor, Nintendo and other companies are still releasing all sorts of new content on the original hybrid system. This includes many different apps and next week some new Splatoon-themed content will be made available in Japan. As highlighted by GoNintendo, it's the...
Japanese Charts Monster Hunter Wilds Gives The PS5 The Boost It Really Needs
The tables turn
When you look at PS5 sales on a worldwide scale, there's no denying that Sony's latest hardware family is doing very well. Over in Japan, however, the console has struggled to dethrone the Nintendo Switch, consistently selling significantly fewer units on a weekly basis. That changes this week with the recent launch of Monster...
News Nintendo Runs Out Of Replacement Parts For 2DS Systems And New 3DS LL, Ends Repairs In Japan
"We apologize for any inconvenience"
Nintendo has been winding down repairs for some of its older hardware in Japan over the past few years and today the company's customer support in this location has issued an update regarding the 3DS family of systems. This includes repairs for "Nintendo 2DS systems" and the New Nintendo 3DS LL (known as the XL...
Update: Launching this August
If you played the Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles video game and were wondering when Tanjiro and his demon-slaying buddies would be returning, we've got an update. Aniplex has announced the second chapter of this game - officially titled Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles...
Japanese Charts Donkey Kong Can't Keep Up With Like A Dragon's Ship-Shape Debut
Strong sails
Yesterday's Pokémon chatter meant that we had to put Famitsu's Japanese charts on the backburner for a minute, but fear not, here they are! It has been a big one for Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, with SEGA's latest wacky RPG claiming the top two spots in its debut week as PS5 and PS4 sales (or should that be 'sails'?)...
News Nintendo Switch Online Announces Removal Of Super Famicom Title
Goodbye, Super Soccer
So normally we're used to reporting about the latest retro additions to the Switch Online library, but today is a bit different... Nintendo's customer service account in Japan has announced it's actually removing - yes, removing - a digital game from its classic Super Famicom service. It's the Spike Chunsoft game Super...
News Switch Owners In Japan Will Have To Pay More For Nintendo Repairs
A sign of the times?
The Switch 2 is almost here, but Nintendo is still showing support for the original hybrid system in all sorts of ways. This includes repairs, but today it's provided an update about the prices of this service in Japan. As highlighted by OatmealDome on social media, Nintendo has announced it will be increasing the price of...
News Looks Like Kirby's Epic Yarn And Princess Peach: Showtime! Dev Good-Feel Is Hiring
We've got a Good-Feel(ing) about this
The developer behind the likes of Kirby's Epic Yarn and Princess Peach: Showtime!, Good-Feel, appears to be hiring for multiple positions. As highlighted on the studio's recruitment site, Good-Feel is currently after new employees in the Planning, Designing, Programming, Web Design and Project Management...
Japanese Charts Donkey Kong Swings Back To Claim Another Win
Though numbers are falling across the board
Over in Japan this week, after Super Mario Party Jamboree briefly managed to claim the top spot last week, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD has once again given its first-party brethren the ol' one-two to take gold once again. Selling a further 14,752 copies, Forever Entertainment's remaster of Retro...
News Nintendo Has Renewed Some Trademarks
Including its famous 'Seal of Quality'
As Nintendo gears up for its big Switch 2 Direct broadcast in April, it's still got plenty of other things as well as its day-to-day operations going on behind the scenes. With this in mind, some trademark renewals have surfaced in Japan including the famous '
News Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Physical Release Confirmed (Japan)
Including English language support
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time has just locked in a May release date and although the West is reportedly not getting a physical version, Fantasy Life fans aren't completely out of luck. As highlighted by Gematsu, a physical edition of the game for Switch and PS5 will be made available in Japan and it...
News Nintendo Teams Up With Public Bath For Hanafuda Card Collab
Shuffle and splash
If you're heading to the public bath at Tokyo Plaza Harajuku Harakado in Japan next week, then you might get a little surprise in the form of Super Mario-themed hanafuda cards. Nintendo is teaming up with Kosugiyu Harajuku (via Famitsu, Siliconera) to allow people who visit the B1 floor bath to play and purchase hanafuda cards...
News PS Vita's 'Ys Memoire: Memories Of Celceta' Lands Switch Remaster In Japan This May
No word of a localisation yet
At the end of last year, Falcom announced that it was working on a Switch remaster of the 2012 PS Vita title Ys Memoire: Memories of Celceta (in Japan, at least). Well, what do you know, that very remaster now has a release date of 22nd May 2025 (thanks, Gematsu). Yes, this one isn't confirmed for a Western release at...
Japanese Charts Donkey Kong Starts To Slip As Mario Party Rolls Back Into Pole Position
Who left that banana peel there?
The latest Japanese charts are in courtesy of Famitsu, and you'll never guess who's snuck back into first after grabbing another star this week... We thought its reign was over, but Super Mario Party Jamboree has knocked DK off the top spot this week with an additional 17,355 sales to its name. Donkey Kong Country...
News You May Be Due A Refund As Nintendo Alters Tax Rate On Select Museum Gifts
A whole 30 yen!
Nintendo has announced that it is offering partial refunds on select items from the Nintendo Museum store, 'Bonus Stage'. As reported by Sora News 24, Nintendo Museum Cookies, Pull-out Pikmin Cookies, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Polvorones are all subject to the refund offer, with Nintendo stating that an incorrect...
News Bandai Namco Studios Has Reportedly Reduced Its Staff By Over 100 People
More grim figures emerge
Bandai Namco Studios has reportedly reduced its staff by more than 100 people within the last year, as reported by Automaton. The studio, known for Switch games such as New Pokémon Snap, Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun!, and the upcoming Pac-Man title Shadow Labyrinth, had stated in a company
Japanese Charts Donkey Kong Is Still The King Despite Diminishing Sales
Another win checked off
Famitsu has provided the latest boxed charts data for Japan and, perhaps unsurprisingly at this point, it's another win for Nintendo as Donkey Kong Country Returns HD claims the top spot once again with an additional 22,093 units shifted. There are a few new additions this week, with Black Myth: Wukong getting a physical...
News Forget The Retail Delay, Nintendo's Tucking Alarmo In At Japanese Hotels
Wake up the Nintendo way
Nintendo's brand synergy goes deep. Real deep. If visiting Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan wasn't enough Mario for you, you can now rent an Alarmo for the night at some of the park's hotels so you can even have Nintendo on the mind while you sleep. In a post on Nintendo's Japanese website, the company...
News Switch Is Getting A New Manga Reader This March
Releasing on the eShop in Japan
It might be late in the Switch's life, but it seems there are still new applications coming to the system's eShop. With this in mind, 'Shogakukan' will be launching a "manga reader" for the hybrid device on 13th March 2025. A post by Tatsuki Waki of the Monthly 'CoroCoro Comic' shared this news. As you can see, users...
News Animal Crossing: New Horizons Gets Limited In-Game Event In Japan
With prizes, too!
Nintendo has announced that Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be hosting a limited Valentine's Day event in Japan. Available from 1st - 14th February 2025, the event will introduce new 'Heart Chocolate' and 'Heart Rose Bouquet' in-game items to be gifted to your fellow residents. Not only that, but 1000 players who partake in the...
News Square Enix Revives Super Mario RPG Soundtrack With Three New Music Products
Including music from the 1996 SNES version
If you're a fan of Super Mario RPG's soundtrack, you might want to check out this new release from Square Enix. It's "three new music products" including the original soundtrack, original sound box and original sound vinyl box and they will be going on sale in Japan on 9th April 2025. The good news is that...
Japanese Charts Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Continues Its Winning Streak
While Ender Magnolia gets off to a decent start
If the pre-release backlash regarding the price of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD was anything to go by, we might have expected the game to crash and burn mere days after it launched. Alas, the internet is and forever will be its own little bubble, and the game has topped the Japanese charts once again...
News Japan's Switch eShop Will Soon No Longer Accept Overseas Payment Methods
Change will come into effect in March
Nintendo has announced that the Japanese Switch eShop will soon no longer accept overseas credit cards or PayPal accounts as valid payment methods. As reported by VGC, the change will come into effect from 25th March 2025, with Nintendo citing "fraudulent use" as a main contributing factor behind the decision...
