Tokyo Game Life

Starfish or star? Who knows! YouTuber The RPG Mongers joins as we chat about the Starfy series, one of Nintendo’s most underrated platformers! Mostly a Japan only franchise, it’s recently gained new popularity thanks to a worldwide NSO release. We explore its tumultuous development origins, dive into how it’s unique from other platformers, and try to craft Starfy’s ultimate Smash moveset. Also I g...

Nintendo Museum has opened its doors, and returning guest KyotoGamer is here to tell us all about it! We get into every single detail from getting tickets, to umbrella holders, to burger toppings, to prototype controllers, to box quality, to how you should spend your coins… literally EVERYTHING about the Nintendo Museum is covered in-depth! In the games section, I rave about two of the year’s best...

DJ Tatsujin of Gemubaka joins as we venture to the strange and wonderful world of Red Earth! Why did Capcom make a fantasy boss rush fighting game right before Street Fighter III? How do you actually get good? Who should be in Monster Hunter? We get into everything about one of Capcom’s most obscure fighters. And I take a look at the newly released Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection! In the fea...

Nintendo superfan Zalman joins as we unravel the mysteries of the Famicom Detective Club series! What was once a niche Japan only franchise now as a worldwide release with Emio - The Smiling Man! We explore Yoshio Sakamoto’s fascination with the series, why adventure games are so appealing to Nintendo, and Ayumi Tachibana’s Smash moveset. In the games, I take a look at all the secrets housed in Th...

Game translator Lone joins the podcast to chat about The Secret of Mother 2 / Earthbound exhibit happening right now in Tokyo! We chat about Earthbound’s 30th anniversary events, the analog nature of game design in the 90s, and if Life Noodles will make us live longer. In the games section I run down the roguelite monster battler Dicefolk! Plus, thoughts on the upcoming Nintendo Museum in Kyoto! F...

Joshua ‘Nantenjex’ Goldie AKA The Nintendo Chronicler returns as we explore Eiji Aonuma’s directorial debut: the Japan only Marvelous: Another Treasure Island! We touch on the game’s origins as a CD title, the unique three person gameplay structure, its impact on Zelda and everything else! In the feature, I take you down to Yokohama to experience the Dragon Quest Carnival! Follow our guest! YouTub...

Author Oscar Bown joins to chat about Club Nintendo, the rewards program that was the predecessor to My Nintendo which featured dozens of amazing, one of a kind items. We explore the history of Club Nintendo, talk about the weirdest rewards, and dig into our guest’s upcoming book featuring every single Club Nintendo item! In the games section, I aim for the top with Nintendo World Championships. P...

Tako no Himitsu developer Christophe Galati returns to talk about the newest octopi related project: Tako no Himitsu: Ocean of Secretss, a GBA inspired JRPG! We explore the game’s origins in Kyoto, what it takes to make your dream game, and how to get Motoi Sakuraba to write a song for your game! In the feature, I take you to Kawasaki to visit Pokemon Fit Shop XY, a Kalos-themed pop up shop featur...

Author Matt Alt joins as we chat about Nakano Broadway, one of the most iconic geek hotspots in Tokyo! We delve into how a symbol of Asian modernity turned into a haven for retro enthusiasts, our rarest and most exciting finds, and discuss possible futures for this otaku pirate hangout. Plus, I give some final thoughts on the Switch version of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and dig deep into...

Ryan from Autumn Pioneer, the developer of Shashingo: Learn Photography With Japanese joins the podcast to talk about his photo-snapping edutainment game with a Tokyo flair! We dig into using video games to learn languages, the joy of photography games, and tons of obscure Japanese oddities. In the feature, I take you to Odaiba’s amazing retro arcade that is one of the best in all of Tokyo! Check...

Wizardry co-creator Robert Woodhead and Digital Eclipse’s Justin Bailey join the pod to talk about Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, the new remaster of the iconic 1981 dungeon crawler. We explore that game’s incredible legacy, how Digital Eclipse is bringing it to modern audiences, and it’s important impact on the Japanese gaming scene. I also take a look at the Paper Mario: The Thou...

Danny Bivens from The Famicast returns to chat about the Nintendo 64 in Japan! We unravel the Japanese side of Nintendo’s first 3D console, highlight our favorite Japan-only games, chronicle the 64DD, and of course tell you the greatest N64 color you may have missed! Plus we venture back to Hyrule to chat about The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s one year anniversary. I also look at the in...

Alola Pixie returns to chat about Poké Lids, unique Pokemon themed utility lids all over Japan! We chat about how these lids are promoting local culture, give our recommendations on which ones to check out, and debate whether or not you should take a week-long trip to find Mew. In the games section, I dive into Endless Ocean Luminous! Plus, a bit of news including a surprising upcoming Nintendo ga...

Kelsey Lewin joins the pod to chat about WonderSwan turning 25 years old! We examine the unique legacy of the handheld, recommend what games to put on your radar, and chronicle the saga of getting a pregnancy peripheral. In the games, I look at the first western release ever of Wrecking Crew ‘98 and the Japanese indie horror hit The Exit 8! Follow our guest! Twitter: https://twitter.com/kelslewin...

Vincent from Gamer Travels Japan joins the podcast to chat about the interactive augmented reality exhibit Pokemon Colors! Bicycling to chase Charizard, shaking trees to lure Snorlax… we give you the details on everything to do and see at this unique event! In the games section, I bite into the wagashi themed board game KASHIDO and give the final verdict on Princess Peach: Showtime! Follow our gue...

Josh from the Still Loading Podcast returns as we explore Akira Toriyama’s incredible legacy in gaming. From Dragon Quest to Chrono Trigger to Tobal, we delve into his one-of-a-kind art and amazing contribution to video games. In the games section, I give early impressions on Princess Peach Showtime and post-game thoughts on Splatoon 3 Side Order! Follow our guest! Still Loading Podcast: https://w...

Chris from KaniPro Games returns to chat about porting games to the Switch! We chronicle the journey to get his game, Violet Wisteria, from Steam to consoles and dive into what’s it like to develop for a Nintendo console! Also, I share some early thoughts on Unicorn Overlord and tell you what Pokemon Z-A is going to be about! Follow our guest! Violet Wisteria on Nintendo eShop: https://www.nintend...

Vincent from Gamer Travels Japan returns to take us to the official Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo! We run down every detail about this chill cafe including what Charmander tastes like and what you need to know before your visit! Plus I look at a trio of exciting Switch releases: Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Splatoon 3 Side Order, and Balatro! Follow our guest! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gamertravelsja...

David from Project Goemon takes us on a trip to a wild version of Edo era Japan as we chat about the Ganbare Goemon series, aka Mystical Ninja starring Goemon! We explore the series’ unique blend of Japanese culture with comedy, recommend some Japan only Goemon games, and of course tell you Goemon’s ultimate Smash move set. In the games section, I share some thoughts on the first part of Another C...

Joshua ‘Nantenjex’ Goldie aka The Nintendo Chronicler joins the podcast as we take a thorough look at Another Code Recollection! We explore the franchise’s unique place in Nintendo history, discuss the surprising changes of the remake, and finalize Ashley’s Smash move set. And I take you to Yodobashi Camera Shinjuku, one of the coolest game stores in all of Japan! Follow our guest! YouTube: https:...

Official Hard Off ambassador Alex Kraus returns to chat about Book Off, the biggest chain of used bookstores in Japan. A hotbed for retro games, we chat about the history of the store, amazing finds, and how you can get retro games for cheaper. In the game section I chat about Konami’s arcade run and gun Mystic Warriors and the physics platformer Giga Wrecker Alt from Game Freak! Follow our guest!...

Tokyo resident Dale from Dale Plays Games returns to dish out some predictions for Nintendo in 2024! What big games do they have on the horizon? What’s the next step in Nintendo’s expansion to other media? Will the Switch 2 logo still be red? We look at our crystal ball to answer all. Plus we also chat about the final piece of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC, The Indigo Disk! In the feature I give...

Josh from the gaming history podcast Still Loading returns to chat about Game of the Year 2023! We share our favorite games we played this year, both old and new! And this year includes the bonus Omake Awards! Plus, a feature on Japanese gaming pamphlets you can pick up at game stores, and some news including Pokemon theme parks taking over the world! Follow our guest! Still Loading Podcast: https...

Archivist MrTalida of Keshi Corner joins the podcast to talk about keshi toys, unique retro figures with a strong Nintendo connection! We explore the history of these Japanese erasers, dig into the amazing Nintendo collaborations, and reveal how a dental scanner is preserving video game history! Plus, I give some final thoughts on the wonderful Super Mario RPG remake! Follow our guest! Keshi Corne...

Photographer and modder Christopher Graves joins to discuss the Game Boy Camera! Formerly the world’s smallest digital camera, it’s a unique piece of Nintendo history that still inspires people today. We dig into the history of the device, how to take good photos, and dig into the custom built Game Boy Mini Camera from our guest! Plus, some early thoughts on the joyous Super Mario RPG remake and s...