Tokyo Game Life

Pokemania is in full effect! This episode features a deep dive preview of Pokemon Legends Arceus, final thoughts on Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and a hands-on look at the retro virtual pet, Pocket Pikachu. Want to know about Pokemon card shopping in Tokyo? Japan-based Pokemon card collector Graceon joins the podcast this week and discusses the best card shops in Tokyo, the appeal of Japanese Pokemon cards, and why Japanese Pokemon cards just smell so good! Graceon’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/graceonpokemon/ Please follow her if you enjoyed the interview! (0:00) - Intro Games (2:56) - Pokemon Legends Arceus preview (17:31) - Pokemon Brilliant Diamond / Shining Pearl final thoughts (29:54) - Pocket Pikachu hands-on News (36:22) - Mario Kart 9 rumors (39:02) - Kirby and the Forgotten Land gets a release date (40:53) - Sega opening a new studio in Sapporo (41:44) - Street Fighter 35th Anniversary (42:29) - Pokemon Burishai Festival pop up shop (43:45) - Pokemon TCG Star Birth expansion (44:27) - Japanese software and hardware sales Feature (48:25) - Pokemon Card Shopping in Tokyo w / Graceon (1:22:40) - Japanese gaming word of the week (無言ギルド mugon guild) (1:23:33) - Japanese tweet of the week: https://twitter.com/moa151/status/1479056821197639684?s=20 (1:24:10) - Closing Social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tokyogamelife YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpuRpKHGfsC3_45I3QVocxA Website: https://tokyogamelife.com/ Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app! Send questions and suggestions to: tokyogamelife@gmail.com

16 Jan 20221h 25min

New year, new games! Nintendo Switch in 2022 looks incredible, and this episode runs down over 50 titles coming to the Nintendo Switch in the next twelve months. From Advance Wars to Zelda, from obscure indies to huge franchises, I examine 2022’s most exciting titles. This episode also highlights Pokemon Wonder at Yomiuri Land, an amazing nature adventure where you search for real Pokemon. It’s a must for all Pokemon fans, so be sure to listen to learn more! (0:00) - Intro Games (2:57) - Pokemon Legends: Arceus (6:05) - Astroneer, Windjammers 2, Vivid Knight, Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (7:40) - Dragon Quest X Offline Edition, OlliOlli World, Dying Light 2 (8:23) - Triangle Strategy (10:28) - Chocobo GP, Dragon Quest III HD2D (11:32) - Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, Rune Factory 5, Shinigami: Shibito Magire (12:55) - 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Touken Ranbu Warriors (13:54) - Advance Wars 1 +2 Reboot Camp (16:40) - Kirby and the Forgotten Land (18:45) - Splatoon 3 (23:49) - Bayonetta 3 (25:29) - Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (26:50) - The Sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (33:14) - Sonic Frontiers, A Plague Tale: Requiem, Card Shark (35:15) - Convergence: A League of Legends Story, Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story, Dark Deity (36:43) - Dawn of the Monsters, River City Girls Zero, River City Girls 2, RWBY: Arrowfell (37:57) - Digimon Survive, Dragon Ball: The Breakers, Getsu Fuma Den: Undying Moon (39:32) - Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (40:21) - Little Devil Inside, Lord of the Rings: Gollum, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, Metal Slug Tactics (43:20) - Neon White, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, Omori, Sea of Stars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, Two Point Campus (46:14) - Possible unannounced Nintendo games News (51:52) - Japanese sales figures (54:38) - Bravely Default II passes 1 million sales (55:20) - FILA x Shinx collaboration (56:02) - Among Us Nendoroids (56:44) - New Nintendo Tokyo merch Feature (57:45) - Pokemon Wonder in Yomiuri Land (1:12:01) - Japanese gaming word of the week (爆死 bakushi) (1:12:45) - Japanese tweet of the week: https://twitter.com/nendo_snail/status/1473583796599783429?s=20 (1:13:24) - Mail: What’s the best BookOff? (1:15:00) - Closing Social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tokyogamelife YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpuRpKHGfsC3_45I3QVocxA Website: https://tokyogamelife.com/ Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app! Send questions and suggestions to: tokyogamelife@gmail.com

2 Jan 20221h 15min

2021 is almost over, so it’s time for some Game of the Year Awards! I rave about my favorite titles from this year, give Picross some love, and for no reason give an award to A Short Hike. I also explore Super Potato, Japan’s most popular retro game shop. Join me as I marvel at the pristine condition of boxed Famicom games and lament broken Virtual Boy kiosks. The news highlights Nintendo Switch’s massive Japanese holiday sales figures, Indie World highlights, and possible Detective Pikachu and Breath of the Wild 2 leaks. (0:00) - Intro Games (2:51) - Game of the Year Awards 2021: Top Five Games (30:50) - Game of the Year Awards 2021: Best 2020 Game I Played for the First Time in 2021 (32:39) - Game of the Year Awards 2021: Best Retro Game (33:55) - Game of the Year Awards 2021: Best Remake/Remaster/Port (35:01) - Game of the Year Awards 2021: A Short Hike Award for No Reason News (36:53) - Japanese sales figures with Pokemon BDSP, OLED inventory, PS5 stock woes (38:41) - Fitness Boxing 2 hits 1 million worldwide (39:26) - Masayuki Uemura passes away (40:15) - Nintendo expanding their Japanese headquarters (41:16) - The Game Award highlights (43:00) - Breath of the Wild 2 patent leaks (44:03) - Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX possibly hints at Detective Pikachu sequel update (45:19) - Hisuian Voltorb and Pokemon Legends Arceus updates (46:08) - Paper Mario and other NSO updates (47:59) - Indie World highlights and Japanese eShop sale Feature (50:32) - Super Potato retro game shop (1:00:25) - Japanese gaming word of the week (超反応 chouhannou) (1:01:11) - Japanese tweet of the week: https://twitter.com/PKirigami/status/1468911413729304577?s=20 (1:01:48) - Mail: Are games cheaper on the Japanese eShop? (1:03:25) - Closing Social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tokyogamelife YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpuRpKHGfsC3_45I3QVocxA Website: https://tokyogamelife.com/ Like and follow on your favorite podcast app! Send questions and suggestions to: tokyogamelife@gmail.com

19 Dec 20211h 4min

Small yet fascinating titles hit the Switch recently including the mind-bending Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain, the minimalistic yet addictive Dungeon Encounters, and the newest game from Drakengard alumni, Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars. This episode also dives into Japan’s biggest Nintendo store, Nintendo Tokyo, and other amazing gaming merch stores located in the expansive PARCO Shibuya. Plus news about upcoming Switch titles, The Game Awards predictions, and the hottest topic sweeping the internet: Megaton Musashi sales figures! (0:00) - Intro Games (2:28) - Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain (11:17) - Dungeon Encounters (22:58) - Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars News (31:18) - 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim coming to Switch (32:34) - Enigma Archives: Rain Code (33:11) - Advance Wars 1 + 2 Reboot Camp delay (35:01) - Japanese sales figures with Pokemon BDSP and Megaton Musashi (37:53) - Pokemon TCG Start Deck 100 (38:58) - Hori’s Pokemon Legends Arceus peripherals (39:17) - The Game Awards Predictions Feature (40:53) - Nintendo Tokyo and PARCO Shibuya (58:36) - Japanese gaming word of the week (理論値 rironchi) (59:04) - Japanese tweet of the week: https://twitter.com/plasmaclusterha/status/1463380562106732549?s=20 (59:51) - Mail: Do Japanese Nintendo games have English options? (1:01:03) - Closing Social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tokyogamelife YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpuRpKHGfsC3_45I3QVocxA Website: https://tokyogamelife.com/ Like and follow on your favorite podcast app! Send questions and suggestions to: tokyogamelife@gmail.com

5 Dec 20211h 2min

November has a lot of amazing game releases for the Switch, including the ambitious Shin Megami Tensei V, the newest Pokemon remakes, and the first paid DLC for Animal Crossing New Horizons. If new games aren't your thing, I also introduce a must visit retro arcade in Tokyo. In the news I go over everyone's favorite two topics: Japanese sale updates and scarily huge Lucario plushies! (0:00) - Intro Games (3:30) - Shin Megami Tensei V (15:00) - Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (24:42) - Animal Crossing New Horizons Happy Home Paradise News (37:30) - Nintendo quarterly financial reports (41:10) - Weekly Japanese sales data (42:05) - Best selling Xbox games ever in Japan (43:39) - Dragon Ball: The Breakers (44:58) - PAC-MAN Museum+ (46:26) - Pokemon TCG VMAX Climax (47:34) - Mister Donut Pokemon Donuts (48:06) - Decidueye in Pokemon Unite (48:45) - Giant Lucario plush (49:10) - Kirby pop up shop in Odaiba Feature (50:06) - Best retro arcade in Tokyo (59:02) - Japanese game word of the week (1:00:03) - Japanese tweet of the week: https://twitter.com/kazzykazycom/status/1453126356158484485?s=20 (1:01:03) - Closing Social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tokyogamelife YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpuRpKHGfsC3_45I3QVocxA Website: https://tokyogamelife.com/ Like and follow on your favorite podcast app! Send questions and suggestions to: tokyogamelife@gmail.com

21 Nov 20211h 2min