Tag: Japan - Page 5
News Sonic Co-Creator Yuji Naka Found Guilty Of Insider Trading
Receives suspended sentence and huge fine
The former Square Enix and Sega developer Yuji Naka has now been sentenced to two years and six months in prison, with a probation period of four years. He's also received fines of two million and 171 million yen. Website and social media account 'SEGAbits' shared a bit more detail about this based on a...
Japanese Charts Master Detective Archives Claims Victory As Zelda: TOTK Takes Third
While Final Fantasy XVI settles for silver
The latest charts from Japan are in and it's a resounding victory for the newly launched Master Detective Archives: Rain Code, which comes in at number one with a total of 55,339 sales. It's a strong start for Spike Chunsoft's Switch exclusive, which comparatively debuted at number twenty-three in the UK...
News Japan's Switch Sales In June Were Reportedly A Record High For The Console
Golden oldie
According to a recent Nikkei report, last month's Switch sales in Japan were the highest June figures that the console has ever received. The article cites Famitsu, stating that the Nintendo Switch sold 380,000 units in Japan during the month, which is said to be a 68% rise from the same time last year. When you consider the fact that...
Random Nintendo Advises Against Blowing Into Your Switch Cartridge Slots
But... that always works..?!
Remember the days when consoles took humungous cartridges and it became almost tradition to blow into them occasionally to ensure their ongoing health and happiness? Well, it turns out that Nintendo doesn't want you to do that anymore. As posted by Nintendo's Twitter support page (and spotted by the folks over at...
News 3DS Beat 'Em Up River City: Rival Showdown Comes To Switch This October
Update: Worldwide release confirmed
Update [Thu 6th Jul, 2023 04:30 BST]: Arc System Works has now officially confirmed River City: Rival Showdown will be launching worldwide for Switch eShop on 12th October. It will be priced at $24.99 USD (or your regional equivalent) and includes language support options for English, Japanese, Korean,...
News Nintendo Will Be At Tokyo Game Show 2023, But Not In The Public Area
Serious business only
Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association has revealed a list of attendees for the Tokyo Game Show 2023. Taking place from Thursday, September 21st to Sunday, September 24th, 2023, the in-person show will be completely unrestricted for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year, Tokyo Game Show took place in...
News Nintendo To End Its 'Wide Care' Switch Repair Service In Japan After One Year
That didn't last long
Remember when Nintendo launched a subscription service last year for Switch repairs in Japan called 'Wide Care'? Well, the company is now about to end the service entirely. In an announcement posted on its official website (thanks, Perfectly Nintendo), Nintendo states that it will no longer be of
Japanese Charts Final Fantasy XVI Dethrones Zelda: TOTK After Six Weeks On Top
You witness a King's revival
This week's Japanese charts are now in from Famitsu (via Gematsu), and we have finally seen The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom bumped down a place after holding onto pole position for a tasty six weeks. Of course, it is Final Fantasy XVI that goes home with the gold this time, selling a massive 336,027 copies in...
News Universal Studios Japan's Pokémon Halloween Party Will Feature DJ Pikachu And Gengar
*Record scratch*
Yes, it may only be June, but that doesn't mean that the schedule for the winter months isn't filling up already. Today, Universal Studios Japan has joined in the planning, as it announced a special 'Pokémon Halloween Party' for, erm, Halloween. But what will the event entail? you might ask, well, we're not exactly sure yet. What...
News Switch Exclusive 'Fashion Dreamer' Locks In November 2023 Release (Japan)
One for Style Savvy & Style Boutique fans
One game featured in last week's Japanese Nintendo Direct that didn't get a spot in the Western broadcast was the upcoming Marvelous XSEED fashion title, Fashion Dreamer. It was previously shown in the February Direct, and now, if the Switch's release schedule wasn't already busy enough for the second half...
Random Disgruntled Splatoon 3 Fan Complains Directly To Nintendo's President About Male Poses
Bought shares just to access Nintendo's annual shareholder meeting
Imagine saving up money to buy shares so you can attend a shareholder meeting with the company president and complain about something in a video game. That's exactly what one Splatoon 3 fan has reportedly done. GLHF reports that a Splatoon 3 player saved up enough cash to attend a...
News Nintendo Reveals Range Of Pikmin 4 Homewares Heading For FamilyMart Stores In Japan
Ice, ice Pikmin
Here at Nintendo Life, you will regularly catch us getting envious of region-exclusive game merchandise, and such envy has hit us today as we got a first look at the range of Pikmin 4 homewares that will soon be coming to FamilyMart stores in Japan as well as the Nintendo stores in Tokyo and Osaka. Shared via a blog post on the...
Japanese Charts Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Dominates The Competition, Once Again
Can it be stopped?
The latest Japanese charts are in from Famitsu (via Gematsu) and surprising absolutely nobody, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom once again lands in first place with another 31,151 copies sold. This marks the sixth consecutive week that Link's latest has held onto the top spot, and it leads by some margin this time. Mario...
Random The Super Mario RPG Switch Remake Clarifies A Couple Of Cameos
Some resolution
The announcement of a Switch remake of the beloved SNES game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars set many a nostalgic heart racing during the June 2023 Nintendo Direct, and sharp-eyed gamers have noted that the upcoming return of Square's 16-bit classic will bring some previously blurry elements into much sharper focus. In...
News Yoshi And Kirby Developer Good-Feel Reveals New 3D Action Game For Switch
A Japanese Direct Goemon inspired announcement
Nintendo's latest Direct broadcast was loaded with all sorts of announcements, but there were actually some different ones in the Japanese livestream. One highlight, in particular, was the reveal of Good-Feel's new 3D action game. Good-Feel, as you might recall, is the developer behind games like...
News Square Enix Announces Octopath Traveler 5th Anniversary Broadcast, Airing Next Month
The sequel released on Switch earlier this year
Square Enix has announced it will host a special 5th anniversary live stream for its HD-2D RPG Octopath Traveler. This event will take place next month on 13th July at 8 pm JST and will apparently include a "memorial corner" reflecting on the history of the series, the results of a user survey, and...
Feature The Mysterious Absence Of A Famicom Gem On Switch
Castle's in the air
Update [31st Oct 2023]: Well, would you believe it? Nintendo only went and dropped the game on Switch Online as a Halloween treat. Enjoy! Something very mysterious is going on with a sadly obscure but fondly remembered gem from the Famicom era. It was built on the same game engine as the original Legend of Zelda, but unlike...
Review Batsugun Saturn Tribute Boosted (Switch) - The Best Home Release Of Toaplan's Final Shmup
The Iceman Cometh
Toaplan, a shooting game developer that flew high in the '80s with titles like Twin Cobra and Truxton, possesses a formidable resume. Batsugun, the company's swan-song shooter, and one of its most historically significant works, spearheaded an evolution of the genre that remains prevalent today. Programmer Tsuneki Ikeda joined...
Japanese Charts Diablo IV Dominates The Top Ten, But Can't Topple Zelda: TOTK
Meanwhile, Switch sells lots
The latest Japanese charts are in, and it's another solid week for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Coming in at a further 46,644 copies sold, Nintendo's flagship title is comfortably ahead of Diablo IV, which sold a total of 41,839 across all platforms. Speaking of Diablo IV, however, the Xbox version did not...
News Sonic Superstars Developed By Original Designer's Studio
Talks "fell through" with Sonic Mania dev
It's been revealed Sonic Superstars will be developed by the Japanese team at Arzest - a studio run by Naoto Ohshima, who is best known for designing the blue blur. Sonic Team's head Takashi Iizuka has revealed how the studio became involved when plans "fell through" with the Sonic Mania developers,...
Japanese Charts Etrian Odyssey Origins Sees Strong Debut, But Nothing Troubles Zelda: TOTK
The winner by Far(on)
We have got our first look at this week's Japanese charts from Famitsu (via Gematsu) and despite a number of strong debuts, nothing was able to kick The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom from its top spot, selling another 78,602 copies this time. Putting Zelda aside, however, we are left with a chart list that is full of...
Japanese Charts Nintendo Cleans Up As Zelda Continues To Dominate
Raking in the Ninten-dough
The latest Japanese charts are in and, to the surprise of absolutely no one, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has once again topped the pile with a further 148,482 sales, bringing its current total up to 1,515,673. This puts the game comfortably ahead of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which managed 8,373 sales to land it...
News Sonic Co-Creator Yuji Naka Could Face Over Two Years In Prison
Veteran developer admitted to insider trading
Former Sega and Square Enix developer Yuji Naka could face a prison term of two years and six months in relation to the insider trading trial held in Tokyo, Japan, as reported by denfaminicogamer (thanks, Time Extension). In addition, Naka may be fined 2.5 million JPY along with a surcharge
News Dillon's Rolling Western & Kirby Developer Vanpool Shuts Down
"We have decided to disband"
In some surprising news, it's been discovered Vanpool, the independent Tokyo-based development team behind the Dillon's Rolling Western series, has shut down. As of 31st May 2023, the studio is no longer in operation. It shared an official statement on its website confirming this. Here's part of a translation:...
Random Japanese Zelda Fans Steal Copies Of TOTK By Working As Delivery Assistants
The true villains of Hyrule
In the run up to the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, hype amongst fans had understandably reached fever pitch. Now, while most of us were quite content to replay Breath of the Wild again or simply sit in the corner of a room and rock back and forth for hours on end, two individuals in Japan were...
News Creatures Inc. Undertakes A Significant Change In Leadership
Update: Hirokazu Tanaka to remain as 'Creative Fellow'
Update [Tue 30th May, 2023 12:00 BST]: Creatures Inc. has confirmed on its official website that Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka has retired from his previous position as President and will continue to work with the company in the future as a Creative Fellow. It has also confirmed that Tsunekazu Ishihara...
News Charity Pokémon Concert To Be Held In Japan With Global Livestream
All proceeds going to Pokémon With You organisation
Do you love Pokémon music as much as us? Yeah? Well good, because a special Pokémon-themed concert will be held in Japan on August 10th, 2023 by the NHK Symphony Special Orchestra (thanks, Serebii). Taking place at the Pacifico in Yokohama, Japan, tickets will be priced at 3,000 JPY with all...
Japanese Charts Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom's Strong Sales Continue Into Week Two
Fuse for thought
This week's Japanese charts are now in from Famitsu (via Gematsu), and it has been yet another stellar week for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — what a surprise! Despite not having quite as many sales as it did on its debut, Link's latest still managed to shift a nonetheless impressive 247,689 copies this time around...
News Nintendo Japan To End Repairs For Wii U When Current Parts Inventory Runs Out
Get booked in soon
Nintendo's Japanese support service has announced that it will be ending repair support for the Wii U. When exactly? Well, that really depends on when its current parts inventory runs out. The announcement was made on the Japanese Nintendo Support Page, confirming that the period of holding repair parts for the Wii U has now...
Feature Nintendo's Satellaview Blazed A Trail For Today's Season-Based, Ephemeral Games
Total BS-X
The most considerable game industry development in the last decade has been the rise of live-service games. When MMOs first launched, the idea of an always-online game was considered a novelty, but today most AAA studios are making live-service titles, and most non-live-service games from those companies have online features. The modern...
Japanese Charts Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Dominates, Surprising No One
Tears of joy
The latest Japanese charts are in, and to no one's surprise, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has come out on top this week. Not only that, but much like the the UK, Breath of the Wild has also benefited from a tasty boost in sales to come in at number three. Elsewhere, the only non-Switch game this week is
News Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Is Japan's 7th Biggest Game Launch Of All Time
ScarVi still holds the crown
After Nintendo announced that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom sold an astonishing 10 million copies within its first three days of sale, it was clear that we'd start to see more instances of the game reaching incredible milestones in various global regions. This time it's Japan's turn, and according to Game...
News Hori Unveils Brand New Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Products
Update: Split Pad Pro & Adventure Pack confirmed for the West
Update [Sun 14th May, 2023 01:30 BST]: Hori has now confirmed the Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Split Pad Pro and Adventure Pack will launch "this fall" in the Americas, Europe, and Australia. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Edition Split Pad Pro will set you back $59.99 USD (or...
Random Japanese Orchestra Performs Two-Hour Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Concert
With a little TOTK to finish
The Breath of the Wild soundtrack might have been something of a departure for the Zelda series with its grand themes and sweeping scores replaced by something a little more subtle, but there are still some top-notch tunes to be heard in there. Many of us have been listening to the soundtrack on repeat in the run-up to...
News Mario Movie Breaks Multiple Records In Japan's Opening Weekend
The movie has now crossed $1 billion at the global box office
The Mario Movie finally made its debut in Nintendo's homeland last week and it's got off to an incredibly strong start. According to a report by 4Gamer.net (via Nintendo Everything), the movie banked around $13.5 million in its opening weekend and had made around $16 million in total by...
Random Web Series 'Cube-Shaped Pokémon On Cubie Island' Gets Adorable Second Episode
Pi-cube-chu
If you are after a little smile today, then look no further than the adorable second episode of Pokémon's official web series Cube-Shaped Pokémon On Cubie Island. Episode one was released on the company's Japanese YouTube channel just a few weeks ago (you can check it out here) and with each lasting around 90 seconds, you don't have...
Japanese Charts Minecraft Legends Comes Out On Top After A Quiet Week
Cuphead also debuts in top ten
The latest Japanese charts are in from Famitsu (via Gematsu) and this week sees Mojang's latest foray into the world of strategy games taking the top spot as Minecraft Legends pulls in 13,490 sales from its debut (a very low number to be in first place, compared to what we have seen in recent months). Last week's...
News Alear Tops Fire Emblem Engage 'Popularity Poll' In Japan
Who is your favourite character?
Back when Fire Emblem Engage was released on the Switch at the start of the year, the Japanese magazine Nintendo Dream ran a poll, asking fans who their favourite character was in the latest release. Now, after two months, the final rankings are in! Thanks to a translation (via Serenes Forest), we've got the "top...
Round Up Every Game Announcement Exclusive To Japan's Indie World Showcase (April 2023)
See what the West missed out on
Nintendo held a surprise Indie World Showcase this week - sharing all sorts of announcements, but did you know there was also one in Japan? While they're often quite similar, this time around the Japanese one contained a lot of different announcements. If you were wondering what was revealed during Japan's broadcast,...
Random New Pokémon Anime Ad Takes Over Shibuya's Digital Billboards
A big screen event
The newest Pokémon anime series, Pokémon Horizons, has finally kicked off in Japan and The Pokémon Company is ensuring that everyone knows about it. Following the Japanese hour-long series premiere, a special promo was played across multiple digital billboards in Shibuya, showcasing a boatload of clips for the episodes to come...
News Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Switch Download Card Shows Off New Characters
Another official reveal
If you're eager to see more of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it seems we've got another official reveal. Download cards for the game are now appearing at stores in Japan, and they happen to feature some new screenshots. If you squint hard enough, you can see two new characters that haven't been properly...
News Nintendo Uploads Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom 'Main Theme' Song
Have a listen
Marketing for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is well and truly underway, and as part of this, Nintendo has now launched the Switch title's official website in Japan. Perhaps the highlight is the fact you can now listen to the main theme song in full. Many have already extracted the audio file: There are also a handful of...
Rumour The Internet Goes Wild Over Supposed Persona 3 Remake Gameplay
Jet Set Radio also spotted
If one Persona game is positively begging to be remade, then it's probably the 2006 entry Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3. A port of Persona 3 Portable made its way to the Switch earlier this year alongside Persona 4 Golden, but when you compare the third game to the later entries in the franchise, it's undoubtedly starting...
News Nintendo Offering Refunds On Wii U And 3DS eShop Credit In Japan
No plans to offer in the west so far
Nintendo is offering to reimburse players who don't wish to transfer their Wii U and/or 3DS eShop credit to Switch, following their closure at the end of March. This has only been announced for Japan so far. OatmealDome shared and translated the announcement from Nintendo's official Japanese Twitter account, and...
News SNK Announces The King Of Fighters XIII Global Match For Nintendo Switch
"The pinnacle of 2D sprite-based fighting is back"
At EVO Japan 2023 this weekend, SNK announced it would be releasing The King of Fighters XIII Global Match for the Switch. It's released a teaser trailer, which you can view above (warning: flashing lights). This new version will include overhauled rollback netcode and improved online...
News New Trailer Gives Us Our Best Look Yet At The Pokémon Horizons Anime Series
It's definitely more Pokémon
The Pokémon Company has revealed another trailer for its upcoming Pokémon anime, unveiling the project's name for the first time, too: Pokémon Horizons. Sounds neat, right? The new series ditches perpetual 10-year-old Ash Ketchum for newcomers Liko and Roy as they encounter characters like Friede, Captain Pikachu,...
News Project EGG Could Bring MSX, PC-98, And Neo Geo Titles To Switch
From Wii retro specialists D4 Enterprise
D4 Enterprise has revealed that it's bringing games from its online digital storefront, Project EGG (Engrossing Game Gallery), to Switch in the future. The retro games distribution service acts as a place to play officially emulated rereleases of older Japanese PC, arcade, and console games. Announcing the...
News Bloodstained: Curse Of The Moon Double Pack Physical Switch Release Announced
Coming to Japan this July
Inti Creates has announced it will be releasing a double pack of the Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon games. It will contain the first game and Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 and is officially titled Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon Chronicles. The catch at the moment is that it's only been confirmed for Japan - with...
News A New Pokémon Distribution Event Has Been Announced For Japan
Unlock a special Pikachu
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet has been running Tera Raid Battle events and even some item distributions like no tomorrow, but unfortunately, there's not been quite as many gifts and Pokémon giveaways. If you happen to be located in Japan though, there'll soon be a "special Pikachu" at Pokémon Centers and Pokémon Stores...
Random This New Pokémon Model Lets You Create Your Own Slowpoke Circle
Nibbling away
If you've ever wanted a Slowpoke summoning circle or a Slowpoke crown, well then, we have the toy for you. Bandai has revealed it's releasing a plastic Pokémon model for Slowpoke, and it can latch onto other Slowpoke toys by biting their tails. Shared by PokéJungle on Twitter, the plastic model (from Bandai Spirits via the Bandai...