Tag: Japan - Page 47
News Yo-kai Watch 3 and Puzzle & Dragons X Keep The Good Times Rolling for 3DS in Japan
New 3DS LL still leads hardware sales
Another week, another set of Media Create chart results out of Japan; they continue positive trends for the 3DS and its latest releases. In the software charts two 3DS titles hold the top two spots - first of all we have Yo-kai Watch 3 inching towards one million overall sales. A newcomer from GungHo is next in...
News Pokémon GO Credited With Boosting Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Sales in Japan
Similar increases have also been evident in the UK
In the past couple of weeks we've seen all four current-gen main Pokémon titles on the 3DS return to the UK top 40, evidently riding the Pokémon GO wave and perhaps benefitting further from the Summer school holidays. This GO effect is now being acknowledged in Japan, too, even if the app is...
Review Front Mission Series: Gun Hazard (SNES)
Out Of This Valken World
The original Front Mission raised the bar very high indeed for what we have come to expect from mecha games on Super Nintendo. Just one year later, Square released a sequel - but don't be fooled, Front Mission Series: Gun Hazard is everything but a traditional follow-up. In fact, it's not even in the same timeline as the...
News Yo-kai Watch 3 and New 3DS Continue to Lead the Way in Japan
Tasty results
It's Japanese Media Create charts time, as we see what's hot and what's not in Nintendo's homeland. It's another good week for Level-5 and the 3DS, with a handful of new releases on Sony hardware arriving in the top 20. Dual release Yo-kai Watch 3: Sushi / Tempura comfortably retains top spot, albeit not quite living up to the sales...
News Pokémon GO Players Told To Steer Clear Of Japanese Nuclear Disaster Zone
Strangely evolved Pokémon discovered at Fukushima plant
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings has requested that Pokémon GO developer Niantic remove the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant from its database after discovering that the app spawns Pokémon on the site. The plant was partially destroyed by a nuclear reactor meltdown in March 2011,...
News Megaton Musashi Boasts Giant Morphing Mechs And Cunning Cross-Media Marketing
Pacific Rim for kids?
Level-5 has lifted the lid on its next "cross media" property, Megaton Musashi. Set in a universe where aliens have decimated 90 percent of the human population, this new venture will take the same approach as Level-5's other multimedia projects. There will be a 3DS game, smartphone title, anime show and plenty of merchandise,...
News Level-5 Announces Lady Layton, Coming To Nintendo 3DS In 2017
Also coming to smartphones
Level-5 has confirmed the next title in the Professor Layton series, Lady Layton. The game will be coming to 3DS and smartphones in 2017, and looks set to continue the puzzle-solving tradition of the original Layton outings. The trailer above shows off a lot of animated content and a little of the smartphone game, which...
Guide How To Gain XP Fast In Pokémon GO
All those Pidgey, Weedle and Caterpies are useful after all
While some might assume that capturing Pokémon is the ultimate objective in Pokémon GO, what you really need to focus on in the beginning is levelling up your trainer as fast as possible. Not only do you need to be a level 5 trainer to gain access to gyms, the level of your avatar...
News Pokémon GO Finally Arrives In Japan
Coming home
Pokémon GO's Japanese adventure has been something of a saga. It was initially released in that region alongside Australia and New Zealand a few weeks back, but was pulled when it became clear that the servers simply couldn't cope with the demand. Japanese players were then told that they might have to wait until later in the month to...
News Yo-kai Watch 3 and New 3DS LL Lead The Charts in Japan
Level-5's latest release struggles to match its predecessors, however
This week's Media Create chart results for Japan tell an interesting tale of one enormous hit overshadowing a number of older, struggling titles. Only two games managed to sell unit numbers above five figures, with Nintendo being one beneficiary of the week's one smash hit...
News Japanese Launch Of Pokémon GO Delayed Due To McDonald's Email Leak
Fast food causes slow down
Yesterday, we reported that Pokémon GO was set to launch in Japan alongside a campaign which would see 3,000 McDonald's outlets turned into gyms within the game. However, TechCrunch - the source of that piece of news - is now claiming that the launch has been postponed amid fears that the leaked info would cause
News Pokémon GO To Arrive In Japan Tomorrow Along With McDonald's Gym Sponsorship
3000 outlets included, global launch mooted
TechCrunch is reporting that Pokémon GO will be coming to Japan tomorrow alongside a special sponsorship deal which will see 3000 McDonald's outlets transformed into gyms within the game. This report flies in the face of the official line from developer Niantic, which has previously stated that the app...
News Japanese Kids Go Crazy For McDonald's Pokémon Toys In The Absence of Pokémon GO
McDonald's shares jump 23 percent as a result
Another day, another Pokémon GO success story. This time it's McDonald's in Japan which has enjoyed the benefits of the new surge of interest in all things Pokémon. Since it started giving Pokémon-themed toys away with its Happy Meals, sales have gone through the roof and their shares have jumped a...
News Server Demand For Pokémon GO Means Japan Won't Get It Until Late July
Some speculate it could even be September
Pokémon GO has slowly but surely finding its way to more countries over the past week, but one region which is still waiting is Japan. Despite briefly getting the game alongside Australia and New Zealand, access was withdrawn when it became clear that the game's servers couldn't cope with the demands of...
News Culdcept Revolt Tops Japanese Charts as Splatoon Bundle Boosts Wii U Sales
Splat-tastic shooter back up to second in software results
With the middle of the week upon us we have the usual Japanese Media Create chart results, and this batch brings a mix of good and interesting news for Nintendo followers. First of all we have Culdcept Revolt on 3DS making its debut at number one, though the card-based strategy game has had...
News Etrian Odyssey V's DLC Gets Detailed And Dated For Japan
Still no word on a western release, sadly
We already know that Etrian Odyssey V is getting DLC that will enable FM sound, but that's not the only paid-for additional content coming to the game. The dungeon-crawling 3DS adventure - due for release in Japan next month - is getting a raft of DLC, all priced at 300 Yen each and available from August...
News Japan-Exclusive Satellaview Zelda Game Gets Translated And Dubbed Into English
Yes, we said dubbed
The Satellaview truly stands as one of the most unique and visionary peripherals Nintendo has ever developed. Downloading games from outer space (well, Low Earth Orbit if you want to be technical about it) truly sounded like science fiction back in 1995. In the five years this Japan-only add-on operated along with the Super...
News Zero Time Dilemma Makes Modest Debut in Japanese Charts as Shovel Knight Digs Into Top 20
Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns maintains solid momentum
It's that time of the week once again for the Media Create Japanese chart results, and there are a few notable new arrivals to consider. All told, it's a mix of good and bad news for those following the fortunes of titles on Nintendo hardware in Japan. First up we have Story of Seasons: Trio...
News Nintendo Staffing Up Internal Smart Device Development Team
Upwardly mobile
Nintendo is accepting applications for smart device developers who will work within the company on future mobile and tablet projects. That might not seem like surprising news on its own, seeing as Nintendo is currently in the process of expanding into the mobile space in partnership with established firm DeNA, but what makes these...
News Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns Takes Number One Spot in Japan
Minecraft and Mario & Sonic on Wii U grab top five places
As the middle of another week arrives we have the Media Create Japanese charts results, and this week brings a number of new releases in the top 10. At number one is Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns, which is the latest entry of the popular Bokujō Monogatari series in Japan; it's shifted an...
Video Japanese Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice Trailer Shows Off Speedy New Footage
Stay frosty
Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice might not have fans quite as excited as it should, but it would appear that Sega and developer Sanzaru Games appear committed to making up for previous Sonic Boom offerings and producing a quality 3DS outing - and new footage seen in the Japanese trailer for the game should give plenty of reasons to be...
Metroidless Bounty Huntress
Banpresto always boasted a healthy lineup of anime and manga licensed video games. If you had a favourite series, there would be a good chance if there was a video game counterpart made for your video game console of choice, it was probably released by Banpresto. Of course, getting a western release was easier said than...
News Devil's Third Online Servers To Close At The End Of The Year
Tick tock
Nintendo has confirmed that it will be shutting down the Devil's Third multiplayer servers at the end of 2016 - a year after they went live. The servers will shut on December 29th at 1PM local time in Japan. However, things are going to be winding down sooner than that; players will no longer be able to purchase Golden Eggs - in-game...
News Taiko Drum Master Seizes Number One in Quiet Week for Japanese Charts
Drumming up interest
The Media Create Japanese chart results are out, and this week delivers modest overall sales with two 3DS titles leading the way. Making its debut at number one with just 32,369 sales is Taiko Drum Master: Doko Don! Mystery Adventure, with the series continuing to tick along for Bandai Namco in its homeland. After an impressive...
News Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice Leads Japanese Charts and Boosts New 3DS
No objection
We're later than normal because of a little thing called E3, but the Media Create chart results from Japan are certainly worth looking at. This week they bring great news for a popular franchise, Capcom and the New Nintendo 3DS. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice has made its bow on the retail scene in Japan and stormed...
Review Kaite Tsukutte Asoberu Dezaemon (SNES)
Super shmup construction kit
How would you like to make your own video game? The incredible Super Mario Maker was not the first time a company gave players the tools to produce their own interactive entertainment. In fact, such titles predate the online infrastructure which modern examples of the genre rely on for growth, idea exchange and level...
News Super Famicom Anime Classic Hyper Iria Now Playable In English
Another female bounty hunter
Dynamic Designs strikes again! This time with the help of Matt's Messy Room and right in the middle of E3 2016 chaos, its Banpresto's 1995 title Hyper Iria that is now fully translated to English. This Japan-only action platformer is licensed from Ashi Productions, using characters and settings from the six episode OVA...
Video Enjoy Some More Pokémon Hype in This Trailer for Pokémon Ga-Olé
Sing along - "Pokémooooooooooooooooooooooon"
Pokémon Ga-Olé, due in Japanese arcades from July, is the successor (in terms of how it works) to Pokémon Tretta. It'll use collectible cards with which players can enter into battles, with the machine itself having a handsome 50-inch portrait screen. It looks interesting, and as rec
Video Japanese Hotel Hosting Special Pokémon-Themed Attraction
Welcome to "Eevee and the Mysterious Book"
The Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort in Miyazaki, Japan is holding a special Pokémon interactive attraction which involves finding monsters around the resort and recording them in a special "book" (which, in reality, is a tablet computer). Dubbed "Eevee and the Mysterious Book", the event is booked by parents...
News Japan Has Voted For Its Favourite Pokémon, And It's Not Pikachu
720 monsters, one winner
A vote was recently held in Japan to decide which Pokémon is the most popular right now, and you might be shocked (no pun intended) to learn that series mascot Pikachu wasn't even in the top three. The aim of the vote was to pick a 'mon to be distributed as a free download to Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire players...
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Passes 300,000 Sales in Japan's Media Create Results
It was a quiet week in Japan
We're a little later than normal with the Media Create chart results this week, for elaborate reasons. Well, ok, we were distracted and forgot them, and the results reflect a rather unremarkable period in Japan regardless. Dragon Quest Heroes II remains at numbers one, two and three, which is just greedy. On the plus...
News Super Street Fighter II and The Legend of Mystical Ninja Heading to New 3DS in Japan
More SNES goodness
Sometimes the Japanese eShop line-ups, particularly with the Virtual Console, can provide a little advance warning on what's heading to the service in the West. We hope that's the case with the latest arrivals on the New 3DS VC in Nintendo's homeland, as it includes a couple of classics. One title heading to Japan this week is...
News New Sony System Releases Lead the Way in Japanese Charts as Kirby Still Battles On
New 3DS LL drops to third in hardware despite small increase in sales
It's the middle of the week, which means it's Media Create Japanese charts time. This week is all about new releases, and also provides a reminder as to why the sporadic third-party support for Nintendo's hardware can be a notable negative. On the software front new releases on...
News Pokémon Ga-Olé Bringing Plastic Card Battling Action To Japanese Arcades This July
Olé!
A short time ago, we reported on the news that a fresh Pokémon arcade title was coming to Japan. We've now got more details on the unit - named Pokémon Ga-Olé - which is due to arrive in Japanese amusement centers this July. Developed by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. and Marvelous AQL, Ga-Olé uses plastic cards for its 'mon battling action and...
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Continues Its Decent Sales in Japan
A quiet week sees a small gain in Wii U sales
The Japanese Media Create chart results are out, and this week isn't short of new releases - notably, however, some titles that are major names in the West have only made a modest impression in Japan. Kirby: Planet Robobot is still the best-placed game on Nintendo hardware, showing solid momentum in...
News There's A New Famicom Game Being Released In Japan
Yes, it's still getting games
Japanese artist and programmer RIKI - the same chap who did the brilliant 8bit Music Power "cartridge album" - is bringing his homebrew indie hit Kira Kira Star Night to the Famicom as a physical release. Released in 2013 and shown off to great acclaim at BitSummit back in 2014, the side-scrolling platformer boasts...
Interview Making the Meowst of Monster Hunter Generations
With Ryozo Tsujimoto and Shintaro Kojima
Monster Hunter Generations is due to drop in the West on the 15th July, but before all that we met up with Executive Producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and Producer Shintaro Kojima to discuss the game in proper Nintendo Life style. Check out the video below where we get these two cheeky chaps to spill the beans on the...
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Continues Solid Run in Japanese Charts as Hardware Sales Drop
Lack of new releases starts to bite
The Japanese chart results are out, and overall they're relatively low key - one new release has taken number one spot but hardware sales are down. Starting with software, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End has made its debut at number one, though Kirby: Planet Robobot is hanging on to second place with lifetimes sales...
Video Puzzle & Dragons X Footage Lines Up Ahead Of Japanese Launch
Thanks to CoroCoro magazine
CoroCoro magazine has published two gameplay videos for the forthcoming 3DS puzzle/RPG hybrid Puzzle & Dragons X, which launches in Japan on July 28th. The first clip shows some combat, while the second illustrates the towns and locations seen in the game. Based on the hit smartphone title - which has just cleared...
Video Here's A Bunch Of Retro Japanese Game Commercials, Just Because
Star Fox! Sonic! Yoshi! Castlevania! Metroid! Street Fighter! Fire Emblem!
TV commercials are an artform. Advertisers are limited by time and are competing with a wide range of other products for your attention, so these bite-sized productions have to deliver their message as tightly and effectively as possible. Few commercials are as successful -...
Random This Japanese Super Mario 64 Guide Book Is Simply Adorable
Hope and clay
No one does guide books quite like the Japanese. Years before such tomes became fashionable as pre-order bonuses here in the west, gamers in Japan were enjoying intricately detailed publications which covered elements such as level designs, walkthroughs and secrets. However, some of these guides went the extra mile and contained...
News These Splatoon Playing Cards Are A Deal You Cannot Afford To Miss
Show us your hand
We hope you're not too attached to your cash, because Nintendo is releasing a series of Splatoon playing cards in Japan and if you're anything like us, you'll want them. All of them. The cards will be released in three different sets and are expected to launch in July. Just to loosen your resolve, Play-Asia has them up for...
News CoroCoro Has A Pokémon Sun And Moon Exclusive Lined Up For Its Next Issue
Such a tease
Japanese magazine CoroCoro often gets handed exclusive information relating to upcoming games, and this week the publication is teasing that it has exclusive news on Pokémon Sun And Moon coming in its next issue. The news is accompanied by some artwork from the latest movie, Volcanion & The Ingenious Magearna. Beyond that,...
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Stays on Top in the Japanese Charts
A quiet week sees Wii U sales back in four figures
It's that mid-week point of the Media Create chart results out of Japan, and a week with no new releases in the top 20 sees familiar favourites still leading the charge. Kirby: Planet Robobot has followed up its number one debut with a second week at number one, nearly hitting a quarter of a...
Live Blog Ease Your Curiosity and Watch the Culdcept Revolt Nintendo Direct - Live!
Let's see what cards we're dealt
This is the very definition of a title that may be a big deal in Japan but seems unlikely to make it to the West, which adds a bit of extra intrigue. Culdcept is a strategy series driven by card collecting and deck management, a video game take on a popular real-world game genre. Culdcept Revolt will be the first...
News Nintendo Unveils Two New 3DS Colours for Japan
Hopefully coming West soon?
Historically, Nintendo consoles have always been on point when it comes to the variety of colours that are available. While not everyone is always pleased with the launch colours, most of its formats have had their fair share of special editions and additional options to give everyone a chance at picking a unit that best...
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Secures Top Spot in Japan as Hardware Sales Enjoy Holiday Boost
Wii U clambers back into five figures
There have been a few observed Holidays in Japan this week, which has accounted for later-than-usual Media Create chart results. They have now emerged, however, and bring some good news for Nintendo. Kirby: Planet Robobot was the biggest arrival this week, with the 3DS title securing top spot - its sales of...
News Culdcept Revolt Will Have Its Own Nintendo Direct in Japan
Um, yay?
We're seeing a lot more unity in global releases - albeit with localisation delays - than in past years, with a number of intriguing titles making their way out of Japan to the West. Nevertheless a number of titles are still mysteries to all but the most enthusiastic importers, and one such 3DS release is even getting its own Nintendo...
News Medabots Studio Delta Arts Has Closed Its Doors
Also responsible for Tenkai Knights: Brave Battle on 3DS
Japanese studio Delta Arts has closed, it has been announced. The company has been responsible for the major instalments in the Medabots series since 2010, and also created Tenkai Knights: Brave Battle on 3DS. The last Medabots release it worked on was Medabots 9, which launched in Japan...
News Star Fox Zero Makes Modest Debut in Japanese Charts as 3DS Holds Steady
Terraria on 3DS also has a low key arrival
The Media Create charts for Japan have emerged once again, and this week includes a couple of fresh arrivals on Nintendo hardware. Star Fox Zero is the most high-profile new entry, though it loses out to One Piece: Burning Blood on PS4 and Vita. Combining the double pack (which includes Star Fox Guard)...
