Get ready to catch 'em all at Tokyo's Pokemon theme park next year
The wildly popular Pokemon franchise will open its first permanent theme park in Tokyo in spring 2026, the Pokemon Company – a subsidiary of Japanese gaming giant Nintendo – announced.
Japan has welcomed a record influx of visitors in recent months, boosting demand for tourist attractions, including a 'Making of Harry Potter' film-studio park that opened in Tokyo in 2023.
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The Star
16 hours ago
- The Star
Review: 'Donkey Kong Bananza' takes a genre to new heights by digging deep
The best Nintendo games have extra magic to them. They capture a primal source of fun. With The Legend of Zelda , it's about the thrill of exploration and discovery. In the Super Mario Bros. titles, there's delight in overcoming the challenges of the whimsical platforming. When playing Donkey Kong Bananza , the core joy comes from digging in the dirt. It's simple, and as a father of a 3-year-old, it's a familiar sandbox pastime. As Nintendo's star primate, players find themselves working on Ingot Isle, which is where officials have discovered golden bananas. The rush for the valuable resource draws a whole industry, and DK becomes part of it, working the mines. While mining, Donkey Kong comes across a talking rock that turns out to be a 13-year-old girl named Pauline, who is mixed up with the villainous Void King. That's where Nintendo introduces players to the essential concepts. Donkey Kong can punch his way through dirt and rocks, burrowing into the ground in his search for the precious fruit. The destructible environments add a new layer of problem-solving and exploration. Reshaping the environment Players have to retrain their brains and realise that the world is more malleable and the unspoken video game rules are bendable. Players can dig until they hit bedrock or other impassable obstacles. If they see a wall separating them from a goal, they don't have to go around a corridor to reach it. They can smash through it. If enemies are charging at DK, players can take cover by digging into the floor. The protagonist has other unlockable abilities that players acquire by gathering golden bananas and earning skill points. He can rip a rock from the ground, spin it and ride it like a surfboard. He can also use those chunks as weapons to clobber hardened enemies up close or toss them from a distance. Because he's an ape, Donkey Kong climbs almost anywhere, easily scaling hills and walls before bashing through them. As Nintendo's star primate, players find themselves working on Ingot Isle, which is where officials have discovered golden bananas. While mining, he comes across a talking rock that turns out to be a 13-year-old girl named Pauline, who is mixed up with the villainous Void King. She's a singer and her voice carries a special ability that triggers five Donkey Kong animal transformations, each with their own skills. They include a super-sized ape with enormous punching power, a zebra with super speed, an ostrich that can fly, an elephant that sucks up obstacles and a snake with a powerful jump. Players obtain these talents as they delve deeper beneath the surface. DK and Pauline are chasing Void Kong and his corporate minions, who have caught on to the value of the golden bananas and are racing to the Planet Core, which is said to hold the power to grant wishes. Brilliant level design The pursuit takes players to sublayers that have their own biomes and have become corrupted as Void Kong callously drills to the centre of the planet. The environments feature hazards such as lava and snow, which interact with each other. Other areas have poisoned water and bouncy blocks, which introduce their own problems. The biomes also introduce notable enemy types and new materials that factor into level design, allowing DK and Pauline to reach new heights. Players can dig until they hit bedrock or other impassable obstacles. If they see a wall separating them from a goal, they don't have to go around a corridor to reach it. Donkey Kong Bananza is remarkable because of how the developers, who also worked on Super Mario Odyssey , managed to build a cohesive world that naturally builds momentum. The worlds that DK explores are larger than any that the Nintendo team has done in the past, with each map packed with opportunities to grab the coveted golden bananas and power-up the main ape's abilities. They're multilayered and take advantage of Donkey Kong's ability to dig, and it reward those who explore the depths by paying attention to clues. In addition, materials matter and players notice that softer substances such as dirt, leaves and snow mesh together. Crafty and patient gamers can create bridges and alter terrain for seemingly impossible problems. Holding up that clever design is an equally smart structure for Donkey Kong Bananza's campaign. The protagonists travel to new layers by jumping into the hole and doing a sky-diving minigame. This transitional level not only lets players collect more gold, which is used for functional gear for Kong and Pauline, but it also hides the loading times for the larger levels while making the journey feel natural. DK and Pauline are chasing Void Kong and his corporate minions, who have caught on to the value of the golden bananas and are racing to the Planet Core, which is said to hold the power to grant wishes. Although players will be mostly headed down, it doesn't mean that the trip is a one-way ticket. Players can fast travel to different sublayers through eels that ferry DK and Pauline through the strata. It lets completionists go back to grab the bananas they may have missed. It also lets players come back to harder challenges with the benefit of more powers or perks. In general, though, the campaign's momentum takes players down, and the further they go, the more complex and exceptional the level design becomes. Despite Donkey Kong Bananza having so many forward-thinking ideas that evolve the 3-D platforming genre, it does have one notable flaw. The camera system has trouble following the ape when he tunnels deep into the ground. It becomes disorienting because players can't see where DK is going and players can end up feeling trapped underground, trying to navigate the makeshift holes they dug up. That's an irksome issue to a game that otherwise sets a new bar for 3-D platformers and has that element that makes Nintendo titles so special. – The Mercury News/Tribune News Service
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
LaLaport BBCC adds Japanese retail flavour
The place to be: Located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, LaLaport BBCC boasts many lifestyle brands from Japan. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star KUALA Lumpur's LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC) has welcomed five new Japanese brands into its premises to give shoppers an enhanced retail experience. Four brands – Regal, Global Work, earth music & ecology, and Over Print, have set up their stores at the mall, offering premium footwear and attire, among others. A fifth brand, 3Coins, which sells lifestyle goods and home decor items, is expected to start operations on Aug 16. The new stores are part of LaLaport BBCC's effort to refresh its retail mix, in addition to offering a variety of activities and promotions in the coming months. These include lucky draws with prizes worth up to RM70,000, shopping vouchers and limited-edition merchandise. Shoppers also stand a chance to enjoy special discounts which are available for a limited period. In a statement, LaLaport BBCC said the latest promotions were to cater to shoppers' increasingly dynamic demands. 'We are inviting them to explore a distinctive mix of fashion, culture, entertainment and lifestyle products right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. 'From premium footwear to playful streetwear and minimalist decor, each store showcases distinct Japanese sensibilities,' it said. 'We will continue to evolve as a one-of-a-kind city centre destination, revitalised and ready for the next chapter,' LaLaport BBCC added. To kickstart the promotional campaign, media practitioners were given a preview of the new stores, as well as the newly launched Mitsui Outlet Park BBCC on Level 3, which brings together 30 branded stores. The products range from sporting attire and equipment, and fashion forward wear, all at attractive prices. Also unveiled was the entertainment hub Molly Fantasy on Level 4 that caters to families and gaming enthusiasts. Among the highlights are Pokemon Mezastar Stadium, where visitors may enjoy Pokemon battles, and Taiko no Tatsujin Dojo, which is the brand's first officially certified premises in South-East Asia. These are in addition to a wide variety of amusement and gaming machines brought in from Japan. The media were also given a walkthrough of the LaLaport Transportation Hub (LTH), slated to start operating in phases starting this month. LTH is set to launch bus services to Singapore and Thailand, as well as shuttle services to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Subang Airport. LaLaport BBCC, which boasts more than 2,000 parking spots, also has pedestrian connections to the Hang Tuah LRT and KL Monorail stations, while the Merdeka station of the Kajang MRT line is only a five-minute walk away.
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Taste of Japan in Kuala Lumpur
Pavilion Bukit Jalil has been transformed into a cultural haven with spectacular performances for the Matsuri Festival – 'Konnichiwa' Japan! Together Here. — Photos: LOW LAY PHON/The Star MALAYSIANS will not need to board a plane to experience the vibrant culture of Japan this week. Pavilion Bukit Jalil is hosting Matsuri Festival – 'Konnichiwa, Japan! Together Here'. The five-day celebration, which ends tomorrow, is organised in collaboration with Japan Graduates Association of Malaysia (Jagam). The festival brings the essence of Japan to Kuala Lumpur, featuring traditional performances, authentic street food, cultural showcases and family-friendly activities throughout the mall. Highlights include Japanese pop music as well as Yosakoi and Bon Odori dance performances Look out for comedy performances by 3 Gaga Heads and a show by idol group KLP48 today and tomorrow. People enjoying the performances at the mall and recording the show. Pavilion Kuala Lumpur chief executive officer (retail) Datuk Joyce Yap said it was part of their mission to create an immersive experience beyond retail. 'We believe in curating experiences that go beyond shopping – bringing people together and enriching lives with the best the world has to offer. 'Through our collaboration with Jagam, we are proud to present an authentic cultural journey where families and friends can discover the rich traditions and modern delights of Japan,' she said in a media statement. According to Yap, the festival is a celebration of connection, learning and shared memories that inspire visitors long after they leave. Other attractions include a bonsai showcase highlighting the intricate art of Japanese miniature trees, a Tamagotchi Pop-Up by Cotton Blue and the Doko Koko Pop-Up by Nijigen. Visitors can also explore displays of traditional arts and crafts, enjoy cosplay performances today and tomorrow, and witness a maguro cutting show today, which is a demonstration of the traditional Japanese technique of butchering a whole bluefin tuna. Grab the opportunity to try on a yukata for RM40 at the venue too.
