Japan News, Japan Features

"Whaddaya think of this happy face my husband is making?"

Japanese star Mari Yaguchi used to be in the band Morning Musume, and is no stranger to the world of video games — she starred (virtually) in Sega's Yakuza 4. She's also a regular columnist in the popular Japanese video games magazine Famitsu. Her most recent column was based around the...

Remember when console designs actually mattered?

We hate to keep going on about it, but Microsoft revealed the Xbox One to the world this week. We're obviously biased, but we happen to think it looks a little underwhelming in purely physical terms — Nintendo Life Operations Director Darren Calvert said it best when he described the console as...

8-bit classic is punching its way to the 3DS eShop in Japan

Nintendo has confirmed that the popular side-scrolling fighter Double Dragon II: The Revenge will be coming to the Japanese 3DS eShop on 29th May, priced at 500 Yen. Once again, the heroes of the hour are Billy & Jimmy Lee, who must avenge the brutal murder of Marian at the hands of...

Tomodachi Collection: New Life knocked off top spot

This week's Japanese chart results are in, and show that the slow software release schedule in the past couple of weeks is causing a hit on hardware sales across the board. Only the PSP enjoyed a small boost, which can be attributed to the fact that this week's number one is for Sony's ageing...

We're still hoping for localisation

Level-5's Fantasy Life, which was developed along with Nintendo subsidiary 1-Up Studios — formerly Brownie Brown — has performed well in Japan, so much so that the publisher has announced a new upgraded version of the title, called Fantasy Life Link!. As an RPG that allows you to choose a career, set off on...

Wise-ing Fwom Its Gwave

While, admittedly, Japanese gamers currently suffer from comparatively empty eShop platforms — particularly on Wii U — due to tough publishing rules, as always there are some extras in the region that make us jealous. Notably, there's been a SEGA range of 3D Classics, including Sonic the Hedgehog and Space Harrier. Now...

Rhythm games aren't fully dead just yet

While the manic clacking of plastic guitars has largely fallen quiet across the world, Japan still has a place in its rhythm gaming heart for a different instrument: the humble-yet-iconic taiko drum. According to Siliconera, Namco Bandai has announced more than 500,000 combined units shipped for two titles in...

A remake of the PS2 Titles

While we were enjoying largely similar Nintendo Direct broadcasts in Europe and North America, Japan had its own stream to enjoy that had an even greater emphasis on Nintendo's collaboration with SEGA; a segment was even called "SEGA Direct". There was a section dedicated to Yakuza 1 & 2 HD, a new Wii U version of...

Nintendo giveth and Nintendo taketh away

Nintendo has announced yet another new 3DS colour for gamers in Japan: Metallic Red. Announced yesterday — though the Eevee 3DS XL stole a majority of the limelight — the new system is a more vibrant shade of red than the previous Flame Red 3DS. It'll launch on the 13th June for 15,000 yen, along with a...

"He’s not as bad as other people might think he is"

When you start a new game of Animal Crossing, the figure who seems to loom largest in those early hours is Tom Nook, a tanuki who always seems to have dollar (or should that be bells?) signs in this eyeballs. Nook has a reputation of being a rather greedy capitalist, profiting on naive newcomers...

One of the many Eeveelutions

Last month we reported that posters hinted that Eevee would be featured in some way on a new 3DS XL design, but details were scarce on its appearance. And now we know it's official - an Eevee-themed 3DS XL is indeed making its way to Japan judging by a leaflet found in Pokémon Center stores, posted by Twitter user...

Puzzle & Dragons owner sees a huge rise in its share price

The mobile gaming market is certainly on the rise as more and more people start to adopt devices such as tablets and smartphones. No longer do you need to have a dedicated gaming console to enjoy games as you can now find them within various app stores. Naturally, the quality may not...

Includes a large Tretta Scanner

Last year, Nintendo and Marvelous AQL joined forces to develop an arcade game for Japan, Pokémon Tretta. Players collect different Tretta - small discs that you scan into a machine - call out whichever Pokémon it features and send them off to battle; if you win, you get more Tretta. It has come to light that the...

Sonic's debut is getting a 3D makeover

Sega has confirmed that the next entry in its "3D" range is Sonic The Hedgehog — an auto-stereoscopic re-imagining of his first 16-bit outing. It will launch on May 15th and will cost 600 Yen. The game will boast 3D visuals which take advantage of the console's unique display, and will also come with...

A Link to the Afterlife

It's not uncommon for people to have poignant messages carved into their headstones when they eventually shake off their mortal coil, but you've got to go a long way to beat the legendary Triforce when it comes to tributes to the dead. According to Twitter user mahosyouzyo, when a relative passed away she was asked to create...

Restaurant owner Monteroza is less than happy

Restaurant chain owner Monteroza has filed a claim against Nintendo over the use of its "WaraWara Plaza" trademark. Monteroza — which operates 300 restaurants in the far east and runs a chain of Japanese-style public houses under the brand Wara-wara — filed a request with the Japanese Patent Office...

Three Super Famicom classics incoming

Japanese Wii U owners are being treated to three Kirby titles in a single week. Some folks have all the luck, right? The games in question are all Super Famicom titles. Kirby’s Super Star Stacker (Kirby no Kirakira Kizzu), Kirby’s Dream Course (Kirby Bowl), and Kirby’s Dream Land 3 (Hoshi no Kirby 3) will...

Blu-Ray and digital launch expected this year, too

Those of you with exceptionally good powers of recollection will no doubt remember that we reported on the production of 100 Yen: The Japanese Arcade Experience last year. A love letter to the coin-op scene in Japan, the film has been completed thanks to two IndieGoGo campaigns which raised a...

What? Eevee is evolving?

At the start of the week, we reported that a new Pokémon-themed 3DS XL would be available in Japan in May to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Pokémon Center stores. It was rumoured that the handheld would feature the 133rd Pokémon in the Pokédex, Eevee; and to add further speculation, wild posters have appeared...