Tokyo Gacha World Review

5 / 9 / 175 / 9 / 17

These days, you can buy almost anything from Japan your heart desires online, but there’s one kind of item that’s always been particularly hard to find: Gachapon! Because gachapon toys are generally only sold through machines that spit out a random capsule toy, living outside of Japan means you miss out of the surprise of putting a few hundred yen into a machine, turning the knob, and waiting with baited breath to see what comes out… But with Tokyo Gacha World, a subscription box dedicated to gachapon, you can experience the delight of receiving random gachapon every month!

Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World Review

2 / 13 / 17

I’m not a big fan of platformers. Subsequently, I’m not much of a Mario fan, mostly because I’m hopeless at things like precision-based jumps, and I quickly tire of repeating the same level every time I fall into a pit. Despite that, Yoshi’s Woolly World for the Wii U was one of my favorite games of 2015 due to its adorable visuals, stellar soundtrack, and approachable gameplay. Frustrated with a seemingly unbeatable level? No problem! Yoshi’s Woolly World‘s Mellow Mode, which gave Yoshi little wings and the ability to fly infinitely, meant that players of all skill levels could enjoy what the colorful world of yarn had to offer.

For the 3DS port of Yoshi’s Woolly World, things have been tweaked slightly to fit the handheld setting. Yoshi’s puppy pal Poochy also has more of a spotlight, hence the updated title: Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World. Though the game is essentially the same aside from a few extra bells and whistles, I’m ecstatic that more people will finally have the chance to play one of my favorite titles on the Wii U!

OyatsuBox Bonanza! [October – December 2016 Review Roundup]

1 / 30 / 17

I’ve fallen way behind on my monthly OyatsuBox Japanese snack subscription box reviews, so instead of playing catch-up, I thought it would be fun to do one massive review of the last three months of 2016! Seeing the October, November, and December 2016 boxes laid out side by side in the same post is also a great way to quickly compare how the service fares from month to month. Hopefully this post can help you decide how long you want to subscribe if you’re on the fence!

As always, the following impressions are of the standard OyatsuBox, which costs $25 per month and contains 10-14 items, including a variety of snacks, chocolate, and one gachapon. My previous OyatsuBox reviews have all been very positive, but they’ve added something that makes it even easier to recommend than before – a list containing the ingredients of every snack in the box! Now folks who can’t read the Japanese labels will have a better idea what they’re eating, which is always a good thing.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Review

11 / 8 / 162 / 10 / 17

While I’m not one to lament the “fall of the JRPG” as so many have done in recent years, it’s been a long time since I really sat down with one. It’s certainly easier to put 40+ hours into a game when you’re living at home and don’t have to worry about paying the bills! Especially when you might only have an hour a night to play games, it can be disheartening to dedicate a session to an RPG where the most you might accomplish is making a little headway in a dungeon. But with its colorful world and snappy gameplay, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE had me hooked right away!

Oyatsubox September 2016 Review

10 / 26 / 16

I’m always thrilled to receive a new OyatsuBox Japanese snack subscription box in the mail, and with their new bright red box, there’s no way I’ll miss it! It may be the end of October, but today I’m going to be covering their September box, which came packed full of great snacks and candy, and one very interesting drink. Check out my unboxing video to see my reactions as I open it up!

Teddy Together Review

10 / 19 / 16

When an English version of Teddy Together was announced earlier this year, I was completely shocked. After the Japanese version came out way back in June 2013, there was not a peep of a localization. All of a sudden, Europe and Australia would be getting the teddy bear simulator fully voiced in English only a few months after the initial localization announcement! While I was initially a little skeptical of the whole premise due to being slightly creeped out by the talking bear character, after spending time with the actual game, I can say it’s actually really cute!

Yume Twins Kawaii Subscription Box Review

10 / 9 / 16

Now here’s a review I’m really excited for! Well, it’s always great to check out something new, but I’ve been especially eager to try Yume Twins ever since the new kawaii subscription box service was launched earlier this year by the folks behind Tokyo Treat. So far, I’ve only tried one kawaii subscription service, Doki Doki Crate, and I was left rather disappointed by the number of low quality bootleg items it contained (though I hear they have improved greatly since). I got my Yume Twins order in just in time for the September box, which had the theme “new lifestyle.” Let’s see what’s inside!