Nintendojo in Japan, Part 2: Osaka

Partly 1 of our Nintendojo in Japan collection, I lined all of the locations I went in Tokyo that I’d advocate any Nintendo fan or gamer try in the event that they’re planning a visit to the town. This time, our journey takes us to Osaka, the third-most populous metropolis in Japan identified for its nightlife and unimaginable avenue meals. Earlier than even leaping into the gaming-specific suggestions, I’d extremely recommend that anybody’s journey to Japan embody a while in Osaka. It’s an unimaginable metropolis that’s simply as enjoyable and thrilling as Tokyo, with its personal distinctive quirks and issues to see and do.

Now, let’s dive into my gaming-relating suggestions for considered one of Japan’s cities that by no means sleeps.

OSAKA BAY AREA: HOME OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN

Osaka is a port metropolis, and the largest draw to its Bay Space is Common Studios Japan. The park is huge and residential to a lot of totally different lands and rides devoted to varied IPs and popular culture icons, however there are a number of areas within the park that might be of curiosity to Nintendo followers.

Common Studios Japan (USJ)

Tremendous Nintendo World was excessive up on my to-do listing in Osaka, and I’m glad we made the trouble to go. I nonetheless haven’t gone to Tremendous Nintendo World right here in California, however needed to have the ability to evaluate the 2 once I finally do make it down there. Earlier than you even make it to the Tremendous Nintendo World space of the park, there are quite a few memento retailers alongside the way in which promoting park-exclusive merchandise that you simply’re not going to search out anyplace else in Japan. Whereas most merchandise is identical from store to buy, each store does have some objects that others don’t, so it’s price trying out each one. Plus, when you see a t-shirt or different clothes objects in a single however they don’t have your dimension, the opposite retailers may need it.

The Mario Cafe & Retailer has an entire line of Mario and Luigi themed merchandise that isn’t anyplace else within the park, not even in Tremendous Nintendo World, so it’s price stopping by if you wish to seize some, no matter whether or not you’re taking the time to face in line for the particular Mario, Luigi, and friends-themed drinks and snacks.

The NO LIMIT! parade occurred to begin whereas we have been ready for our flip to enter Tremendous Nintendo World, which options Mario Kart and Pokémon floats (amongst others) which might be actually spectacular. One of many well-known Pikachu mascots which have gone viral seems on the Pokémon float, as squishy and energetic as ever, accompanied by quite a few Pokémon round and in tow. Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Yoshi seem of their karts on the Mario Kart float.

Whereas Pikachu seems within the parade and in advertising and marketing across the park, there’s a lot much less Pokémon merchandise than Mario merchandise within the park. The merchandise they do have is de facto cute, and since we have been there at Halloween, there was a particular line of Pokémon Halloween souvenirs that featured Pikachu, Gengar, and different Ghost-type Pokémon.

If you wish to partake within the interactivity of Tremendous Nintendo World, ensure to purchase a Energy-Up Band wristband on the cart on the entrance to this a part of the park. There are a selection of various designs based mostly on among the foremost characters of the Mario universe (I obtained the Mario one). Additionally — and that is necessary — ensure to obtain the USJ app earlier than you allow your lodge room, in any other case you gained’t have the ability to observe your progress or see the fruits of your labor after spending the day hitting ? Blocks and scanning your wristband at each alternative. You’ll unlock stickers and achievements the extra you partake in these actions, and whereas it isn’t in any respect needed, it’s positively a enjoyable a part of the expertise.

As soon as contained in the park, be ready for lengthy wait instances for essentially the most central attraction — Mario Kart: Koopa’s Problem. We waited someplace between 70 and 90 minutes for our flip. As you snake via the inside of the attraction, you’ll end up winding round a life-sized recreation of Lakitu’s TV manufacturing van earlier than being taken into Bowser’s research. Right here, you’ll discover all types of neat Easter eggs, like journal entries on Piranha Plant feeding instances, a framed photograph of Peach resting on Bowser’s throne, an in depth diorama of a floor degree, airship, and planet, a stained glass Piranha Plant lamp, and a lot extra.

After winding your method via, you stroll out right into a Bob-omb, Bullet Invoice, and Mecha Koopa manufacturing unit, earlier than lastly reaching a room that has race fits themed after Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Peach hanging on the wall. The experience itself places you and three different folks right into a kart carrying AR visors, the place it’s important to take out Bowser, the Koopa Youngsters, and Bowser’s minions as you race via acquainted programs and attempt to rack up the very best rating amongst everybody within the kart. Friends exit the experience into the Mario Motors reward store, the place you’ll discover a ton of Mario Kart themed merchandise (you can even enter the store from outdoors the experience).

Yoshi’s Journey is the opposite experience on this park, with a barely shorter wait time however nonetheless lengthy nonetheless. This can be a slower-paced, extra relaxed experience the place two friends soar right into a Yoshi to benefit from the acquainted sights of characters lengthy related to the Yoshi video games. The character fashions all through the experience are extremely detailed and lovely to take a look at, and the experience itself gives a pleasant break from the fixed hustle and bustle of the park.

Seize a chunk to eat at Kinopio’s Cafe, the place Toad is cooking up scrumptious meals to eat. The road for the restaurant moved surprisingly quick, and the meals was genuinely good. I’d advocate the Aim Pole Cake (SO good), Mario’s Bacon Cheeseburger, and the Tremendous Mushroom Pizza Bowl.

There are photograph alternatives with Mario and Luigi, Toad, and Peach. The one one I missed was Peach, although I did see her below a pergola outdoors her citadel taking images whereas I used to be on my method to one other attraction. I had a lot enjoyable at Tremendous Nintendo World that I used to be sorry to have to go away, however we did yet one more attraction in USJ earlier than we left for the day.

Within the New York space of the park (the place you’ll discover rides like The Wonderful Adventures of Spider-Man), we stumbled throughout a Resident Evil attraction that was half haunted home, half arcade shooter. Friends might select between the “Leon journey” and “Claire journey,” however we ended up having to do the Claire journey as a result of Leon’s was offered out for the day. We additionally needed to wait till after 9:00 pm for our time slot; fortunately, it took so lengthy to get via the whole lot at Tremendous Nintendo World that we solely had about an hour to kill earlier than it was our flip.

The attraction relies on the occasions of Resident Evil 2, and the whole lot is in Japanese. Friends begin outdoors the Raccoon Metropolis police division and are hurriedly ushered in by a cop, who’s guiding you thru the hellish scenes inside the division. Actors dressed as zombified officers soar out at you and create severe soar scares, and the frenzy and chaos of the “cops” dashing you thru the division helps create a real sense of terror. Ultimately, an actress enjoying Claire reveals up outdoors one of many home windows preventing a deformed William Birkin (Claire is changed with Leon within the Leon journey), who chases the group all through the division earlier than friends are corralled right into a room with an enormous TV display screen and a bunch of mounted “machine weapons.” At this level, Birkin seems on-screen, and friends should hearth at him till he’s taken out. On the finish of the experience, friends are handed small playing cards with their remaining grade on it, identical to what gamers see on-screen on the finish of a chapter in Resident Evil video games.

USJ is an all-day affair, so attempt to get there when the park opens. Tremendous Nintendo World alone will take up an enormous chunk of time, primarily due to how lengthy the wait instances are for the sights. Plan accordingly, particularly if you wish to eat on the specialty cafes and eating places.

DEN-DEN TOWN: OSAKA’S ANWSER TO TOKYO’S AKIHABARA

Most avid gamers and anime followers have heard of Akihabara, however much less are acquainted with Osaka’s Den-Den City. This district inside Nipponbashi is smaller than Akihabara, however there are some gems price visiting for.

Pokémon Card Outlets

Sadly, I did a poor job of documenting store names whereas in Den-Den City, partly as a result of the truth that it was pitch black once we have been strolling round and I used to be too excited to essentially listen. Nevertheless, there are a lot of Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Magic card resellers in Den-Den City — the one I went to was simply considered one of numerous retailers to see. All of them show their playing cards in tall glass cupboards they usually all vary in value from extremely low-cost to eye-wateringly costly. 1000’s of {dollars}, costly. I walked away with a number of playing cards that, whereas not uncommon, I simply actually appreciated for the artwork and since I’d by no means seen their English equivalents within the US. Nevertheless, I additionally walked away feeling extra strongly than ever that I really want to consider insuring the rarest and most classic playing cards in my assortment…

Used Collectible Outlets

Each in Den-Den City and Akihabara, there’s store after store promoting used gaming and anime collectibles. Those that caught my consideration and that I spent plenty of time and yen in have been the retailers that have been promoting random assortments of small figures and collectibles, individually bagged and sorted by IP. One store was divided by part (Kirby, Mario, Zelda, and many others.) and had all types of stuff, from mini collectible figurines to keychains to playing cards, pins, and a lot extra. So most of the issues I grabbed occurred to be on sale, too (most have been 30% off). Since it seems that they get their inventory from folks promoting objects, you by no means know what’s going to indicate up right here. There have been a lot of classic objects, particularly within the Sailor Moon part, however sadly these have been normally priced accordingly — this store knew what that they had, to a level. However different objects have been already priced extremely low (lower than ten bucks) and have been even cheaper in the event that they have been on sale. So, evidently, I went a bit loopy right here and got here residence with some absolute treasures.

Video Sport Tie-Ins and Collaborations at Chain Companies

This can be a factor throughout Japan’s main cities and never simply in Osaka, however chain companies like ramen retailers and comfort shops will commonly partake in collaborations with online game builders to rejoice the discharge of a brand new sport or some gaming occasion. After we have been in Osaka, Kamukura (a ramen chain) was celebrating the discharge of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Title with a restricted version mapo tofu ramen (which was extremely scrumptious). 7-Eleven was celebrating the discharge of Tremendous Mario Surprise with a bunch of chain-exclusive merchandise (which was offered out at each single 7-Eleven we went to all around the nation). And Household Mart had a wide selection of Kirby meals and merchandise on the market, however, just like the Mario stuff, was all offered out at each one we went to.

NINTENDO OSAKA: THE SECOND OF JAPAN’S MASSIVE NINTENDO STORES

Each Nintendo retailer in Japan — Tokyo, Osaka, and the newly-opened Kyoto location — has its personal distinct character, and, as I found, can carry objects that both the others don’t carry or that the others have been out of inventory of. Regardless that I’d already completed some main harm at Nintendo TOKYO, I popped into Nintendo OSAKA each to get this retailer’s distinctive expertise and to test to see if that they had an merchandise that the Tokyo location was out of. Positive sufficient, this location had it in inventory. So when you go to one of many Nintendo shops in Japan in search of an merchandise they usually don’t have it, be sure you test the others throughout your journey in case your itinerary permits for it.

Osaka was a unbelievable metropolis and plenty of enjoyable, and there have been loads of gaming-related issues to see and do. Be sure to spend time right here in your subsequent journey to Japan. Our remaining cease on this three-part collection might be Kyoto! Look out for it quickly.