Take a look at Nintendojo’s suggestions for avid gamers of must-see locations and issues to do in Osaka!
Partly 1 of our Nintendojo in Japan collection, I lined all of the locations I went in Tokyo that I’d suggest any Nintendo fan or gamer take a look at 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 unbelievable avenue meals. Earlier than even leaping into the gaming-specific suggestions, I’d extremely counsel that anybody’s journey to Japan embody a while in Osaka. It’s an unbelievable 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 one in every of Japan’s cities that by no means sleeps.
OSAKA BAY AREA: HOME OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN
Osaka is a port metropolis, and the most important draw to its Bay Space is Common Studios Japan. The park is very large and residential to numerous completely different lands and rides devoted to numerous IPs and popular culture icons, however there are a couple 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 wished 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 outlets alongside the way in which promoting park-exclusive merchandise that you simply’re not going to seek out wherever else in Japan. Whereas most merchandise is similar from store to buy, each store does have some objects that others don’t, so it’s value trying out each one. Plus, in the event you see a t-shirt or different clothes objects in a single however they don’t have your dimension, the opposite outlets might need it.
The Mario Cafe & Retailer has an entire line of Mario and Luigi themed merchandise that isn’t wherever else within the park, not even in Tremendous Nintendo World, so it’s value stopping by if you wish to seize some, no matter whether or not you are taking the time to face in line for the particular Mario, Luigi, and friends-themed drinks and snacks.
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The NO LIMIT! parade occurred to start out whereas we had 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 vigorous 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 admittedly cute, and since we had 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, make certain 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 primarily based on a few of the primary characters of the Mario universe (I bought the Mario one). Additionally — and that is vital — make certain to obtain the USJ app earlier than you allow your resort room, in any other case you received’t be capable 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 essential, it’s undoubtedly a enjoyable a part of the expertise.
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As soon as contained in the park, be ready for lengthy wait occasions for probably the most central attraction — Mario Kart: Koopa’s Problem. We waited someplace between 70 and 90 minutes for our flip. As you snake by means of 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 examine. Right here, you’ll discover all kinds of neat Easter eggs, like journal entries on Piranha Plant feeding occasions, 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 means by means of, 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 trip itself places you and three different individuals right into a kart sporting AR visors, the place you need to take out Bowser, the Koopa Children, and Bowser’s minions as you race by means of acquainted programs and attempt to rack up the best rating amongst everybody within the kart. Visitors exit the trip into the Mario Motors present store, the place you’ll discover a ton of Mario Kart themed merchandise (you may also enter the store from outdoors the trip).
Yoshi’s Journey is the opposite trip on this park, with a barely shorter wait time however nonetheless lengthy nonetheless. This can be a slower-paced, extra relaxed trip the place two company 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 trip are extremely detailed and beautiful to have a look at, and the trip itself offers a pleasant break from the fixed hustle and bustle of the park.
Seize a chew 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 suggest the Aim Pole Cake (SO good), Mario’s Bacon Cheeseburger, and the Tremendous Mushroom Pizza Bowl.
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There are photograph alternatives with Mario and Luigi, Toad, and Peach. The one one I missed was Peach, although I did see her underneath a pergola outdoors her fort taking pictures whereas I used to be on my solution to one other attraction. I had a lot enjoyable at Tremendous Nintendo World that I used to be sorry to have to depart, 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 Superb Adventures of Spider-Man), we stumbled throughout a Resident Evil attraction that was half haunted home, half arcade shooter. Visitors may 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 bought 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 by means of every little thing at Tremendous Nintendo World that we solely had about an hour to kill earlier than it was our flip.
The attraction is predicated on the occasions of Resident Evil 2, and every little thing is in Japanese. Visitors 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 critical soar scares, and the frenzy and chaos of the “cops” dashing you thru the division helps create a real sense of terror. Finally, an actress taking part in Claire reveals up outdoors one of many home windows combating a deformed William Birkin (Claire is changed with Leon within the Leon journey), who chases the group all through the division earlier than company 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 company should hearth at him till he’s taken out. On the finish of the trip, company are handed small playing cards with their closing 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 occasions are for the points of interest. 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
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Most avid gamers and anime followers have heard of Akihabara, however much less are aware of Osaka’s Den-Den City. This district inside Nipponbashi is smaller than Akihabara, however there are some gems value visiting for.
Pokémon Card Retailers
Sadly, I did a poor job of documenting store names whereas in Den-Den City, partly attributable to the truth that it was pitch black after we had been strolling round and I used to be too excited to actually 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 one in every of numerous outlets 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. Hundreds of {dollars}, costly. I walked away with a couple of playing cards that, whereas not uncommon, I simply actually favored 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 actually need to consider insuring the rarest and most classic playing cards in my assortment…
Used Collectible Retailers
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 loads of time and yen in had been the outlets that had 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 so on.) and had all kinds of stuff, from mini collectible figurines to keychains to playing cards, pins, and a lot extra. So lots of the issues I grabbed occurred to be on sale, too (most had been 30% off). Since it seems that they get their inventory from individuals promoting objects, you by no means know what’s going to point out up right here. There have been numerous classic objects, particularly within the Sailor Moon part, however sadly these had been normally priced accordingly — this store knew what they’d, to a level. However different objects had been already priced extremely low (lower than ten bucks) and had been even cheaper in the event that they had been on sale. So, evidently, I went a bit loopy right here and got here house with some absolute treasures.
Video Sport Tie-Ins and Collaborations at Chain Companies
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This can be a factor throughout Japan’s main cities and never simply in Osaka, however chain companies like ramen outlets and comfort shops will commonly partake in collaborations with online game builders to have a good time the discharge of a brand new recreation or some gaming occasion. Once we had been in Osaka, Kamukura (a ramen chain) was celebrating the discharge of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Identify with a restricted version mapo tofu ramen (which was extremely scrumptious). 7-Eleven was celebrating the discharge of Tremendous Mario Marvel with a bunch of chain-exclusive merchandise (which was bought out at each single 7-Eleven we went to all around the nation). And Household Mart had a big selection of Kirby meals and merchandise on the market, however, just like the Mario stuff, was all bought 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 had been out of inventory of. Regardless that I’d already finished some main harm at Nintendo TOKYO, I popped into Nintendo OSAKA each to get this retailer’s distinctive expertise and to verify to see if they’d an merchandise that the Tokyo location was out of. Positive sufficient, this location had it in inventory. So in the event you go to one of many Nintendo shops in Japan searching for an merchandise they usually don’t have it, make sure to verify the others throughout your journey in case your itinerary permits for it.
Osaka was a incredible metropolis and loads of enjoyable, and there have been loads of gaming-related issues to see and do. Make certain to spend time right here in your subsequent journey to Japan. Our closing cease on this three-part collection might be Kyoto! Look out for it quickly.