Tag Archives: Party Game

Game News

Tensei Game: Karma x Cross Launches August 6 — Dragon Quest Creator Meets Blue Lock Author

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Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii and Blue Lock author Muneyuki Kaneshiro have joined forces on something delightfully menacing: a sugoroku party game expressly designed to end friendships. Tensei Game: Karma x Cross launches on Nintendo Switch in Japan on 6 August 2026 — this Thursday — via the Nintendo eShop at ¥3,980 (tax included).

Tensei Game: Karma x Cross promotional art featuring a masked figure and ghost characters
Image courtesy of ArtePiazza

Two Legends, One Very Dangerous Board Game

The collaboration sounds almost too good to be true. Horii — the mind behind the Dragon Quest series, one of the most beloved JRPG franchises in Japan and a longtime favourite among Singapore fans — serves as supervisor. The original concept comes from Kaneshiro, whose manga work includes Blue Lock (currently tearing up streaming charts) and the survival-horror series As the Gods Will. Development is handled by ArtePiazza, the studio behind the classic Dragon Quest remakes on Nintendo DS.

That As the Gods Will energy is unmistakeable once you hear the premise. You are dead — stranded in Rinnekai, a dark fantasy afterlife world — and your only way out is winning a 22-turn sugoroku (board game) race to earn reincarnation. The catch: only three of the four players can actually be reborn.

Tensei Game: Karma x Cross sugoroku board overview with four player stat panels and a purple eight-sided die
Image courtesy of ArtePiazza

How the Reincarnation Race Works

Spread across 22 turns split into two halves of 11, players roll an eight-sided die and accumulate Karma — the game’s currency — to purchase a Soul Vessel, their ticket to rebirth. Karma flows from cooperation and betrayal in equal measure: land on the right square and you can hire supernatural characters like the white wolf demon Kitsune Key to curse a rival, trigger board events that redistribute accumulated fortunes, or simply sprint ahead while your friends scramble.

Tensei Game: Karma x Cross wolf monster Kitsune Key offering to curse another player for Karma
Image courtesy of ArtePiazza

Multiplayer supports one to four players locally, with online play available for two to four participants (a Nintendo Switch Online membership is required). Friends can battle online with up to three players per console. The 22-turn structure keeps sessions tight and the chaos concentrated — very much by design.

Tensei Game: Karma x Cross bear character launching a powerful attack on the sugoroku board
Image courtesy of ArtePiazza

Watch the Trailer

「転生ゲーム カルマxクロス」はこんなゲーム！！ — via ArtePiazza on YouTube (Japanese)

Playing It in Singapore

Tensei Game: Karma x Cross is a Japan-exclusive eShop release at launch, with no global version announced. For Singapore players, that is not a hard barrier: the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 are fully region-free, and the Japan Nintendo eShop is accessible via a Japanese Nintendo Account. At ¥3,980, the entry price is reasonable for a local-multiplayer title.

Keep in mind the entire game — menus, event text, card descriptions — is in Japanese, with no English localisation announced. Blue Lock fans and Dragon Quest veterans comfortable with JP titles will find the sugoroku flow intuitive from the first roll; the deeper karma-spending mechanics will reward some reading ability. For anyone planning a gaming night, it is worth setting up accounts and practising the menu navigation before friends arrive.

Whether an English version arrives will likely depend on how the Japan launch goes. Given the profile of both creators and the surge in Blue Lock’s global profile, it would be a surprise if publishers left localisation entirely off the table. In the meantime, this Thursday is the earliest Singapore Switch owners can get in — via the Japan Nintendo eShop. Full details at the official Tensei Game site (Japanese).

Browsing for other upcoming releases? Check our game news archive for more Nintendo Switch 2 coverage.

Game News

Hello Kitty Party Land Launches 29 October — 145 Sanrio Characters and 45+ Mini-Games on Switch

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Bandai Namco and Sanrio have dropped a fresh pre-order trailer for Hello Kitty Party Land, and it’s confirmed: the party game arrives on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on 29 October 2026. With over 145 Sanrio characters and more than 45 mini-games, this is shaping up to be the ultimate year-end multiplayer pick for Singapore fans of all ages.

Hello Kitty Party Land – Pre-Order Trailer — via Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube

What Is Hello Kitty Party Land?

Hello Kitty Party Land is a family party game set in a colourful Sanrio-themed town. Players create a custom avatar, choose a Sanrio character as their companion, and then compete — or cooperate — in a mix of board game rounds and rapid-fire mini-games. It supports one to four players in both local multiplayer and online play, making it just as fun on the couch as it is over the internet with friends elsewhere in Singapore or across the region.

Beyond the competitive modes, the game layers in side activities — fishing, avatar dress-up, and sticker collecting — giving it the kind of casual depth that keeps players coming back between sessions. It’s published by Bandai Namco and marks the debut title from Sanrio Games, the brand’s in-house games label.

Board Game Mode: Spin, Move, Repeat

Hello Kitty Party Land board game mode showing four players on a flower-shaped spinner tile
Image courtesy of Sanrio/Bandai Namco

The backbone of Hello Kitty Party Land is its board game mode, which will feel immediately familiar to anyone who’s spent time with Mario Party. Four players move around themed boards, triggering mini-games at key spots and racing to collect stars before time runs out. The boards are set across different areas of the Sanrio town — each with its own Sanrio character host — and the petal-shaped spinner dice add a distinctly Sanrio flavour to every roll.

Sanrio companions appear throughout the boards, offering buffs, surprises, and character-specific interactions, keeping the game fresh across multiple sessions. The structure runs on an in-game day countdown, with each turn advancing the clock toward the final tally.

45+ Mini-Games Across Sports, Food, Music and More

Hello Kitty Party Land cooking mini-game with four player avatars and Hello Kitty in a kitchen
Image courtesy of Sanrio/Bandai Namco

With over 45 original mini-games on offer, variety isn’t a concern. The trailer spotlights a range of themes — a competitive food-prep challenge hosted by Hello Kitty, a group jump-rope game overlooking a swan lake, and quick-reaction sports rounds. Some mini-games pit all four players against each other; others are fully cooperative, asking the whole group to work together to beat a shared target.

Named mini-games confirmed so far include Hello Kitty’s Speedy Peeling, Little Twin Stars’ Stellar Fishing, and Cinnamoroll’s Home Run Derby. Each mini-game leans on the personality of its Sanrio host, giving characters like Pompompurin and Kuromi their own distinct flavour of chaos.

Meet 145+ Sanrio Characters — Including Some Deep Cuts

Hello Kitty Party Land jump rope mini-game with four player avatars jumping over a glowing rope
Image courtesy of Sanrio/Bandai Namco

This is where Hello Kitty Party Land stands out from other party games: the sheer breadth of the Sanrio IP on display. More than 145 Sanrio characters appear across the game, from the mega-popular faces — Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, My Melody, Kuromi, Pompompurin, Little Twin Stars, Badtz-Maru — to a long tail of obscure mascots that most fans will encounter here for the first time. Sixteen of these characters are available as playable in-game companions, while the rest show up as mini-game stars, board inhabitants, or sticker collectibles to discover.

For Singapore’s Sanrio community — where Cinnamoroll and Kuromi merchandise consistently sells out at local pop culture stores and conventions — that depth of roster is a genuine draw. The sticker collection system gives completionists a reason to keep playing long after the boards are memorised.

Pre-Orders Now Open for Singapore Nintendo Switch Players

Hello Kitty Party Land launches on 29 October 2026 for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 — meaning every Switch owner in Singapore can pick it up, regardless of which console they’re on. Digital pre-orders are live now on the Nintendo eShop; a physical edition is also confirmed, available at major game retailers when it launches. SGD pricing has not yet been confirmed — watch for an update closer to release.

The October 29 date lands just as Singapore’s year-end school holiday period begins, making this a strong candidate for family gaming sessions and holiday gift lists alike. Given how popular Sanrio characters are across all age groups here, expect Hello Kitty Party Land to move fast at retail.

Game News

Prinny Party: Going Overboard! — November 12 in Japan

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The adorable — and chronically explodable — Prinny penguin is finally getting its own party game, and Nippon Ichi Software dropped the full reveal today. Prinny Party: Going Overboard! lands in Japan on 12 November 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam. NIS America has confirmed a Western localisation is in the works, though a release date is yet to be announced.

Prinny Party: Going Overboard! key art featuring the Prinny and Disgaea characters
Image courtesy of NIS America / Nippon Ichi Software

What Is Prinny Party: Going Overboard?

Known in Japan as プリニーすごろく (Prinny Sugoroku), the game is NIS’s take on the board-game party genre — think Mario Party crossed with Dokapon Kingdom, filtered through the anarchic energy of Disgaea. Up to four players roll dice, move around a sprawling board, earn experience points, purchase equipment, and build facilities like armories and hospitals that rivals can drop into — for a fee, naturally.

The cooperative twist is very Nippon Ichi: when a boss spawns on the board, players can team up to bring it down — but only the one who lands the final blow gets the credit. Expect alliances to collapse at the worst possible moment. On top of that, the game features an Assembly system that lets you pass bills granting yourself special advantages, or just making everyone else’s day considerably worse.

Disgaea characters on a board game island square in Prinny Party: Going Overboard!
Image courtesy of Nippon Ichi Software

The World of Prinny Party

The game board spans multiple visually distinct biomes — frozen tundra, volcanic wastelands, lush grasslands, desert ruins, and open seas — all rendered in the chibi art style Disgaea fans will recognise immediately. Several Disgaea-universe characters appear alongside the flagship blue Prinny, who shows up briefcase in hand and ready to catch hands, as ever.

The full game board map of Prinny Party: Going Overboard! showing diverse biome regions
Image courtesy of Nippon Ichi Software

Nippon Ichi Software described the game as packed with “hachiyamecha” (ハチャメチャ — wildly chaotic) experiences that go well beyond a typical board game, promising surprises that will flip players’ expectations of the sugoroku format. The full reveal took place today on the official 日本一チャンネル YouTube livestream (Japanese).

Full reveal stream — 【ゆるっと日本一２】第2回 プロジェクトネーム「プリニーすごろく」紹介 — via 日本一チャンネル on YouTube

Platforms, Price, and When Singapore Fans Can Play

Concept art of the Prinny mascot holding a flag in Prinny Party: Going Overboard!
Image courtesy of Nippon Ichi Software

Japan pricing is set at ¥6,980 (¥7,678 with tax) across all platforms — no Switch 2 premium has been confirmed yet. No SGD pricing or Asia release date has been announced.

The good news: both the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 are region-free, so Singapore fans who want to play from day one can import the Japanese version when it drops on 12 November 2026. The PS5 physical edition will run on any region’s console too, though digital buyers will need a Japanese PlayStation Network account. As for a global release, NIS America is handling Western publishing and has confirmed a date is coming — so an English version covering Singapore and Southeast Asia should follow, even if the timing is not pinned down yet.

Game News, Manga Anime

Hatsune Miku Starry Party Is Coming to Switch 2 and PC in 2027

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Your favourite virtual pop icon is swapping the rhythm stage for a party arena. Good Smile Company announced Hatsune Miku Starry Party at Anime Expo 2026, and it is exactly what Singapore Vocaloid fans have been craving — a six-player party action game featuring the full Crypton Future Media cast reimagined as Nendoroid chibi figures, heading to Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam in 2027.

Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin and Kagamine Len as Nendoroid figures in Hatsune Miku Starry Party
Image courtesy of Good Smile Company

What Is Hatsune Miku Starry Party?

Developed jointly by Crypton Future Media and Good Smile Company, Starry Party (スタリパ, as fans are already abbreviating it) is a party action game built around the beloved Nendoroid figure line. Every character in the game is rendered as their compact, round-headed Nendoroid counterpart — the same design language that has made Good Smile’s collectible figures a staple at anime events from Akihabara to Singapore’s own Anime Festival Asia.

The game supports up to six simultaneous players competing across a variety of mini-games and party challenges. While the developers have teased that some stages will lean into the rhythm-game experience Miku fans know and love, there will be plenty of non-rhythm challenges as well, positioning this as a proper party title rather than a spiritual successor to the Project Diva series.

初音ミク 新作ゲーム ティザーPV「初音ミク スターリーパーティ」 — via GOOD SMILE CHANNEL on YouTube

Confirmed Playable Characters

The teaser trailer, set to the original track StargazeR by producer 骨盤P (Kotsupan-P) featuring Hatsune Miku, confirms six playable Vocaloids at launch:

  • Hatsune Miku
  • Kagamine Rin
  • Kagamine Len
  • Megurine Luka
  • MEIKO
  • KAITO

Good Smile Company has teased that more characters will be announced before launch, so the roster is not necessarily final.

Hatsune Miku Nendoroid figure glowing green in Hatsune Miku Starry Party
Image courtesy of Good Smile Company

Why Singapore Vocaloid Fans Should Be Excited

This is Miku’s first starring role in a dedicated game since Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Mega Mix+ launched in 2022. While she has made cameo appearances in titles like Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and crossover events in Persona 5: The Phantom X, Starry Party marks a full return to gaming as the lead.

For Singapore fans, the confirmed language list is a positive signal: the game will ship with support for English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese — all languages with strong player bases across Singapore and the broader Southeast Asian market. No Singapore-specific release date or pricing has been announced, but the multilingual support suggests a wide regional rollout is planned rather than a Japan-only or US-exclusive launch.

Close-up of Hatsune Miku's face in Hatsune Miku Starry Party teaser
Image courtesy of Good Smile Company

What We Still Don’t Know

A firm release date, pricing, and any details beyond the teaser are yet to be confirmed. With the 2027 launch window still far off, expect a fuller reveal — likely at a Nintendo Direct or a future Good Smile Company showcase — to flesh out the full mini-game roster and multiplayer modes. Keep an eye on the official X account @Starrypa_Miku for updates as they drop.

For more upcoming Switch 2 titles and Vocaloid news, check out our Game News and Manga Anime sections.

Game News

Hatsune Miku: Starry Party Announced for Switch 2 and PC

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Good Smile Company surprised Anime Expo 2026 attendees with Hatsune Miku: Starry Party, a brand-new party action game starring the world’s most famous virtual diva. It’s headed to Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam in 2027 — and full English language support is confirmed from launch.

Official teaser PV for Hatsune Miku: Starry Party — via GOOD SMILE CHANNEL on YouTube

What Is Hatsune Miku: Starry Party?

Hatsune Miku Starry Party announcement key art — Good Smile Company
Image courtesy of Good Smile Company

Details are limited to the teaser for now, but the party action game genre label places Hatsune Miku: Starry Party firmly in the same territory as games like Mario Party — short, energetic minigames built for multiplayer chaos. That’s a notable departure from Miku’s usual rhythm-game home turf (Project DIVA, COLORFUL STAGE!), and it opens the franchise up to a much wider audience.

Platforms confirmed so far: Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam. Language support includes English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese — meaning Singapore players can jump straight in without any localisation worries.

No SGD pricing or specific release date within 2027 has been announced. Given the Steam and Switch 2 global distribution, local availability on Singapore’s eShop and Steam storefront is the safe expectation once the game approaches launch — but nothing official yet.

Miku’s Party Game Moment

Hatsune Miku Starry Party visual from the AX 2026 announcement
Image courtesy of Good Smile Company

Miku has one of the most dedicated fanbases in Singapore’s pop-culture scene — she’s a consistent cosplay staple at local events like STGCC and AFA, and her music rhythm titles have moved serious numbers on handheld platforms here. A party game built around her world has obvious local multiplayer appeal, especially for the Switch 2 crowd looking for co-op titles to round out their library.

The Switch 2’s handheld mode makes Starry Party the kind of game you could easily bring to a gaming session, a cosplay event, or a convention floor — the short-session format is tailor-made for exactly that.

Watch and Wait

Good Smile Company has said more information will follow. Watch the official GOOD SMILE CHANNEL on YouTube for the next update, and check back on GameTrader’s game news section as the 2027 window gets closer.