Tokyo Game Life

What’s up with moai in video games? You’re gonna find out as game developer and creator of moai.games joins as we chat about moai in Japanese games! We explore Japan’s fascination with these mysterious statues, why Konami loves them so much, and reveal our favorite moai! Plus I take a look at Koei’s ambitious strategy game Uncharted Waters: New Horizons before closing out with some Japan-focused Switch 2 news!Follow our guest!Website: https://www.gingerbeardman.com/Moai website: https://moai.games/Itch.io: https://gingerbeardman.itch.io/YOYOZO: https://blog.gingerbeardman.com/2023/11/21/yoyozo-how-i-made-a-playdate-game-in-39kb/Emoji history: https://blog.gingerbeardman.com/2024/05/10/emoji-history-the-missing-years/(0:00) - IntroFeature(0:54) - Moai in Japanese games w/ Matt SephtonGames(30:50) - Uncharted Waters: New HorizonsNews(36:45) - Mario Kart World Direct, Switch 2 preorders in JapanSocial media:Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.social⁠Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLifeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelifeWebsite: https://tokyogamelife.com/Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Japanese mascots, yakuza, kei trucks, and more can be found as you explore the Japanese countryside in Promise Mascot Agency from Kaizen Game Works! Game director Oli Clarke Smith joins to talk about how this unique amalgamation of ideas came together to make the game, working with legendary game dev Ikumi Nakamura, assembling an all-star voice cast, and more! Also I give all the details on my trip to Nintendo Osaka, and dive deep into the surprising Switch 2 Direct!Follow our guest!Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chopemon.bsky.socialKaizen Game Works: https://bsky.app/profile/kaizengameworks.comPromise Mascot Agency store links: https://kaizengameworks.com/portfolio-items/promise-mascot-agency/eShop link: https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/promise-mascot-agency-switch/(0:00) - IntroGames(1:01) - Promise Mascot Agency w/ Oli Clarke SmithFeature(33:59) - Nintendo OsakaNews(41:58) - Nintendo Switch 2 DirectSocial media:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLifeBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.socialYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelifeWebsite: https://tokyogamelife.com/Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!Send questions and suggestions to: tokyogamelife@gmail.com

Tokyo resident and returning guest Genki is back as we explore Square Enix’s new store in Shibuya, Square Enix Garden! How many plushies are there? Which music box is the best? Should there be a Heartless statue? What’s up with the Square Enix Cafe? We answer all these questions and more! Plus I do a backflip and rave about Donkey Kong 94, now on NSO!Follow our guest!Twitter: https://x.com/Genki_JPNYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GenkiGamer(0:00) - IntroFeature(0:53) - Square Enix Garden w/ GenkiGames(26:03) - Donkey Kong 94News(35:31) - Playtest credit info, Pokemon Center Hiroshima movingSocial media:⁠Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.socialTwitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLifeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelifeWebsite: https://tokyogamelife.com/Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Suikoden is back, and author Aidan Moher is here to dig into Suikoden I & II HD Remaster from Konami! We explore Suikoden’s impact on the JRPG landscape, if this new version delivers, and reveal some shocking Super Bomberman R2 lore. And I give all the details on my latest trip to Donkey Kong Country in Universal Studios Japan!Follow our guest!Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/aidanis.funNewsletter: https://astrolabe.aidanmoher.com/Upcoming book about Suikoden: https://astrolabe.aidanmoher.com/suikoden-1-2-history-boss-fight-books-2026/(0:00) - IntroGames(0:50) - Suikoden I & II HD Remaster w/ Aidan MoherFeature(46:20) - Return to Donkey Kong Country in Universal Studios JapanNews(1:07:27) - Pokemon Presents 2025Social media:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLifeBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.socialYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelifeWebsite: https://tokyogamelife.com/Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Brad from Game Vecanti joins to chat about retro Japanese games that finally got an English localization! From Princess Maker to Trails to Mr. Driller, we explore over a hundred Japanese classics that you can finally play in English! Plus I rave about the samurai roguelite Shogun Showdown and share the deets on Nintendo’s latest hanafuda merch!Follow our guest!Retro game list: https://sites.google.com/view/retro-games-with-new-locsTwitter: https://x.com/Baust528Site: https://sites.google.com/view/game-vecanti-index(0:00) - IntroFeature(0:52) - Retro Japanese Games Finally in English w/ Brad of Game VecantiGames(24:50) - Shogun ShowdownNews(32:45) - Hanafuda merch, My Nintendo Gold Coins updateSocial media:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelifeThreads: https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelifeBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.socialWebsite: https://tokyogamelife.com/Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!Send questions and suggestions to: tokyogamelife@gmail.com

Author Lewis Packwood returns to chat about video game consoles you’ve never heard of, all which are housed in his amazing book Curious Video Game Machines! Consoles for girls, barcode gaming, machines you strap to your body… we dive into the wonderfully weird world of obscure consoles and how some of them had a major impact on Nintendo! Plus I take a look at the Y2K era inspired puzzle game Vividlope!Follow our guest!Site:https://lewispackwood.com/Curious Video Game Machines (US Amazon):https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Video-Game-Machines-Compendium/dp/139907377X/Curious Video Game Machines (UK Amazon):https://amzn.eu/d/iIRcDTGBluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/lewispackwood.bsky.social(0:00) - IntroFeature(0:59) - Video Game Consoles You’ve Never Heard Of w/ Lewis PackwoodGames(33:10) - VividlopeNews(38:19) - Nintendo financials, mouse patents, Capcom ShowcaseSocial media:Twitter:https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLifeInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelifeThreads:https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelifeBluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.socialWebsite:https://tokyogamelife.com/Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Source Gaming’s Joshua Goldie returns as we dive into 1997’s cult classic Moon: Remix RPG Adventure! We dive into everything weird and wonderful about this anti-RPG  and how it influenced so many developers. Plus, we take a peek at the next generation as we discuss the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal! And I take you inside a very busy Earthbound pop up shop in Shinjuku! Follow our guest! Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nantenjex.bsky.social YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NantenJex (0:00) - Intro Games (0:53) - moon: Remix RPG Adventure w/ Joshua Goldie (56:09) - Nintendo Switch 2 reveal Feature (1:45:00) - Earthbound pop up shop in Shinjuku News (1:52:16) - New DK merch, Square Enix Cafe closing Social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelife Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelife Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.social Website: https://tokyogamelife.com/ Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Daan Koopman aka NintenDaan joins the podcast to share about his journey into the jungles of Donkey Kong Country in Universal Studios Japan! We explore every inch of the park, from the innovative minecart ride to the hot dog stand to Funky’s merch shop! Plus, I share my final thoughts on Dragon Quest III HD2D! Follow our guest! Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nintendaan.bsky.social Twitter: https://x.com/NintenDaan YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NintenDaan (0:00) - Intro Feature (0:52) - Donkey Kong Country in Universal Studios Japan w/ Daan Koopman Games (28:08) - Dragon Quest III HD2D Final Thoughts News (37:58) - Switch 2 leaks, new Earthbound merch (40:01) - Closing Social media: Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.social⁠ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLife YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelife⁠ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelife Website: https://tokyogamelife.com/ Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

Dinosaur Kirby, roguelite Star Fox, and new princesses? YouTube Dale Clayton returns as we share our predictions for Nintendo in 2025! How will Switch 2 amaze and baffle us? What’s Nintendo cooking up for the next Mario movie? Will we be able to actually buy a Switch 2 in Japan? We share our 100% accurate guesses! In the feature, I take you to the golden streets around Tokyo Station to check out the Super Mario Marunouchi Bright Holiday illumination event! Follow our guest! YouTube: https://youtube.com/@dale_dpg Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/daledpg.bsky.social (0:00) - Intro Games (0:56) - Nintendo in 2025 Predictions w/ Dale Clayton Feature (51:56) - Super Mario Marunouchi Bright Holiday News (1:01:05) - Nihon Falcom founder passes away (1:01:47) - Toho making Exit 8 movie (1:02:22) - New Luigi’s Mansion 2 merch (1:02:41) - Closing Social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelife Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelife Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.social Website: https://tokyogamelife.com/ Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!

2024 is coming to a close, so what better time to chat about the best games that came out this year! And the best games that didn’t come out this year! And just games in general! Podcaster Josh from the Still Loading Podcast returns as we chat about our favorite games in 2024. New games, old games, DLC, we create a one of a kind list about what blew us away this year! And in the feature, I share even more Japanese gaming pamphlets ranging from flyers shaped like bananas and gigantic free Nintendo magazines! Follow our guest! Podcast: https://www.stillloadingpodcast.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/stillloadingpod.bsky.social (0:00) - Intro Games (0:54) - Game of the Year 2024 w/ Still Loading Feature (1:22:46) - More Japanese Gaming Pamphlets News (1:32:11) - The Game Awards 2024 (1:36:04) - New Nintendo merch and NSO games (1:37:33) - Closing Social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyogamelife/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tokyogamelife Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tokyogamelife Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tokyogamelife.bsky.social Website: https://tokyogamelife.com/ Like and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!