Given how many games are released on the Nintendo Switch on a weekly basis, we hope you can forgive us for not bringing Bandai Namco's Japan-exclusive "cooking action battle game" Tabe-O-Ja to your attention.
Released at the close of 2020, the game sees you in the role of titular chef, and your job is to prepare dishes that cover Japanese, western and Chinese cuisine. Success means you can summon the "Tabe-Gami" – beings that dwell within each dish – and using your team, you can try to create the "World’s Strongest Dish."
One of the coolest aspects of the game is the optional 'Ouja Gear' device, which bolts onto your Joy-Con. You can even add the 'Extract Potion Pepper Ripper' into the Ouji Gear. As you can see from the trailer above, there's a lot of motion-controlled silliness going on here.
Here's some more info (thanks, Gematsu):
Tabe-Gami dwell within tasty dishes. You can summon these Tabe-Gami by using the Joy-Cons as the game indicates to complete your dish.
Joy-Con cooking actions have various patterns based on the dish, including “stir-fry,” “stacking ingredients,” “simmer,” and more. For example: stir-frying with good rhythm or stacking ingredients without them falling.
By completing a dish, you can summon a Tabe-Gami.
Each Tabe-Gami is themed after a dish, and their fighting ability differs depending on the performance of your cooking actions and the Tabe-Gami.
At launch, Tabe-O-Ja will feature a charming lineup of over 69 unique characters.
Furthermore, you can form a team with your summoned Tabe-Gami and battle against rival chefs.
You can summon Tabe-Gami onto the battlefield by selecting the Tabe-Gami you want to summon and performing the Joy-Con cooking actions. In battle, Tabe-Gami can use special moves by meeting certain conditions. The battle is decided when the opponent’s kitchen is destroyed.
Were you aware of Tabe-O-Ja when it was originally released in Japan? Let us know if you've had a chance to play it by posting a comment below.
Thanks to Slope's Game Room for bringing this to our attention!
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[source twitter.com]
Comments 22
What is this game ?! 😲😲😲
Cooking Mama + YugiOh + Digimon ???
Looks interesting somehow like Bandai Namco Arcade games.
I didn't know if it has the anime as well 2 years ago.
Strange how this flew under everybody's radar.. definitely looks interesting.
That burger kitty looks so cool!
Yep. I tend to check the Japanese eShop each week, so I knew of this. I thought maybe they were finally going to localize it when I saw this article. I definitely considered buying this more than a few times even though I cannot understand Japanese. Definitely my type of game.
Heh, Tabeoja translates into "Eat it." Now I have Weird Al in my head now and I would love to see him cameoed in the game!
https://youtu.be/ZcJjMnHoIBI
So, this is Fighting Food-Ons?
@Bolt90 First thing I thought of.
I don't know what's happening, but I sort of need it
I mean, it being a Japanese exclusive, I suspect a lot of people missed it. Me among them.😅
@PBNightmare Same thing as well from the moment I saw the Tabe-Gami.
I’ve definitely heard of this game, just don’t know where. Didn’t NL make an article on Tabe-O-Ja when it was releasing? Maybe it was GoNintendo.
Yeah, I saw this in the shops. Was tempted, but it was a download code in the box, and they seemed to want you to buy tons of add-ons. Plus my Japanese still sucks. Always looked cool though.
I don't like around 90% of the food I saw in this trailer. The only food from my "blaah" list not present (or maybe I just missed it) are seaweed and pumpkin.
This might just be the most Japanese game ever...and I am 100% for it.
Hey Nintendo Life, any tips on how to actually purchase anything on Play-Asia? I have spent about 30 min. using two different credit cards and they keep getting rejected. Both were Mastercard.
I remember seeing this on Gematsu back then, watched a little of the anime on youtube as well. Completely forgot its existence afterwards. Not my type (as I don't usually go for food games) but it looks alright.
How the heck have I not heard about this game?
Looks fun! If its cheap, then why not lol
I love when games get unapologetically Japanese & zaney!
This looks like a lot of fun! I hope someday that it gets localized, probably wont though. The gameplay looks like it could be fun for a party game. Art is super cute!
Anybody able to help how to find this on the Japanese eshop ?
@Andgiles61 Same. Cannot seem to find it. Somehow I managed to get my hands on the controller accessories of this game for cheap.
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