Try Nintendojo’s suggestions for players of must-see locations and issues to do in Osaka!
Partly 1 of our Nintendojo in Japan sequence, 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 town. This time, our journey takes us to Osaka, the third-most populous metropolis in Japan identified for its nightlife and unbelievable road 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 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 all 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 plenty of totally different lands and rides devoted to numerous IPs and popular culture icons, however there are a number of areas within the park that shall be of curiosity to Nintendo followers.
Common Studios Japan (USJ)
Tremendous Nintendo World was excessive up on my to-do checklist in Osaka, and I’m glad we made the hassle to go. I nonetheless haven’t gone to Tremendous Nintendo World right here in California, however wished to have the ability to examine the 2 after I ultimately 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 best way promoting park-exclusive merchandise that you just’re not going to search out anyplace else in Japan. Whereas most merchandise is identical from store to buy, each store does have some gadgets that others don’t, so it’s value testing each one. Plus, if you happen to see a t-shirt or different clothes gadgets in a single however they don’t have your measurement, the opposite retailers might need it.
The Mario Cafe & Retailer has a complete line of Mario and Luigi themed merchandise that isn’t anyplace 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.
The NO LIMIT! parade occurred to start out whereas we have been ready for our flip to enter Tremendous Nintendo World, which options Mario Kart and Pokémon floats (amongst others) which are 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 across the park, there’s a lot much less Pokémon merchandise than Mario merchandise within the park. The merchandise they do have is absolutely 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, be 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 among the primary characters of the Mario universe (I obtained the Mario one). Additionally — and that is vital — be certain to obtain the USJ app earlier than you permit your resort room, in any other case you gained’t be capable of monitor 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 vital, it’s positively a enjoyable a part of the expertise.
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 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 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 manner 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 journey itself places you and three different folks right into a kart sporting AR visors, the place you need to take out Bowser, the Koopa Youngsters, and Bowser’s minions as you race via acquainted programs and attempt to rack up the best rating amongst everybody within the kart. Company exit the journey into the Mario Motors present store, the place you’ll discover a ton of Mario Kart themed merchandise (you can even enter the store from exterior the journey).
Yoshi’s Journey is the opposite journey on this park, with a barely shorter wait time however nonetheless lengthy nonetheless. It is a slower-paced, extra relaxed journey the place two friends bounce 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 journey are extremely detailed and beautiful to have a look at, and the journey 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 underneath a pergola exterior her fortress taking pictures whereas I used to be on my technique 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. Company 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 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 all the things 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 all the things is in Japanese. Company begin exterior the Raccoon Metropolis police division and are hurriedly ushered in by a cop, who’s guiding you thru the hellish scenes throughout the division. Actors dressed as zombified officers bounce out at you and create critical bounce 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 exhibits up exterior 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 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 fireplace at him till he’s taken out. On the finish of the journey, friends are handed small playing cards with their last 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
Most players 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 because of the truth that it was pitch black once we have been strolling round and I used to be too excited to essentially concentrate. 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 all numerous retailers to see. All of them show their playing cards in tall glass cupboards and so they all vary in value from extremely low cost to eye-wateringly costly. Hundreds of {dollars}, costly. I walked away with a number 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 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 so on.) and had all kinds 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 gadgets, you by no means know what’s going to point out up right here. There have been plenty of classic gadgets, particularly within the Sailor Moon part, however sadly these have been normally priced accordingly — this store knew what they’d, to a level. However different gadgets 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, for sure, I went somewhat loopy right here and got here residence with some absolute treasures.
Video Sport Tie-Ins and Collaborations at Chain Companies
It is 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 have a good time 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 Identify 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 gadgets that both the others don’t carry or that the others have been out of inventory of. Although I’d already performed some main injury 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 if you happen to go to one of many Nintendo shops in Japan searching for an merchandise and so they don’t have it, make sure to verify the others throughout your journey in case your itinerary permits for it.
Osaka was a implausible metropolis and loads of enjoyable, and there have been loads of gaming-related issues to see and do. Be sure that to spend time right here in your subsequent journey to Japan. Our last cease on this three-part sequence shall be Kyoto! Look out for it quickly.