Tokyo Sport Present 2026 was busier than ever.
Ollie Barder
This was one of many largest Tokyo Game Shows in latest reminiscence, and console gaming in addition to Japanese video games on the whole have clearly made an enormous resurgence.
Every year it appears the Tokyo Sport Present will get busier and busier, and this yr was no exception. Even on the enterprise days, it was completely packed, however I nonetheless managed to play fairly just a few upcoming video games.
One further level is that the indie part was a lot bigger this yr, however I really feel that is right down to misnaming what “indie” video games at the moment are. In that, these will not be independently funded and clearly have groups of individuals engaged on them.
Broadly talking, the return of the mid-tier, which made up the backbone of the PlayStation 2 generation, is manifesting by way of the indie house. Though the terminology of “indie” is not at all accurate here.
My solely concern with this strategy is that there’s principally no method for the majority of those video games to get any type of significant PR or advertising and marketing traction. Nevertheless, the abundance of surprisingly succesful video games with cheaper price factors will trigger points for AAA video games within the very close to future, in the event that they aren’t already.
‘Last Mission’ has among the greatest pixel artwork presently.
Tengo Mission
This was inexplicably within the indie part, however is the newest Tengo Mission remake of a basic co-op shooter that originated on the NES. This performed very properly and actually shone with two gamers blasting away at nefarious aliens. Very similar to Shadow of the Ninja Reborn earlier than it, Last Mission seems to be genuinely beautiful and might be one of many best-looking pixel artwork video games popping out within the close to future.
‘Samurai Pizza Cats’ seems to be and performs like an anime.
Pink Dunes Video games
I’d been eager to play this for whereas, and the excellent news is that the sport not solely seems to be crazily correct to the host anime however performs very properly, too. Fight is nice as you turn between the primary characters, which every have their very own strengths. The areas you traverse additionally appear to be an interactive anime. That is positively a recreation value keeping track of.
‘Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse’ was properly difficult.
Konami
This was a really impressively made Metroidvania with fairly exacting fight and concerned exploration. It was additionally fairly unforgiving, however performed excellently. The artwork model can also be great, and the extent design was suitably labyrinthine. As you undergo the sport killing bosses, you unlock varied new skills, which in flip opens up exploration. I can see this being an excellent recreation as soon as it’s lastly launched in just a few weeks.
‘Muramasa: Revenant Blades’ has by no means appeared or performed this good.
Marvelous
I cherished the unique Wii recreation, and this seems to be and performs splendidly. Whereas quite a bit is targeted on the intricate fight, which is even higher than I keep in mind, a lot of the sport is definitely extra of an motion role-playing recreation. With a lot of exploration by way of exquisitely stunning areas and managing your varied upgrades. This recreation additionally nonetheless has the nicest-looking meals animations.
‘Earth Protection Pressure 6.2’ has a really huge variety of enemies to shoot at.
D3
The large characteristic of this replace to Earth Defense Force 6 is the massive increase in enemies that you simply struggle on any given stage. This isn’t to say the unique recreation held again on huge numbers of aliens to shoot at, however this takes the insect-blasting madness to entire new ranges, and I used to be additionally very impressed by how properly the sport’s framerate held up. I like the Earth Protection Pressure video games an excellent deal, and it will clearly be quite a lot of enjoyable as soon as it’s launched.
‘Gundam Rogue Orbit’ performed quite a bit higher than I used to be anticipating it to.
Bandai Namco
Whereas that is clearly Gundam meets Monster Hunter, though the monsters are big aliens referred to as Apocalypse, this can be top-of-the-line mecha motion video games ever made. The mecha dealing with and controls are extraordinarily easy and intuitive, with the fight being properly blended between ranged and melee utilizing a toggled orbit lock-on. You continue to have the stun setup from different mecha video games like SD Gundam Battle Alliance and Armored Core VI, however this performs and feels much more completed. Genuinely shocked at how properly this performed.
‘Ace Fight 8’ is a extra visceral expertise than the earlier recreation.
Bandai Namco
It’s been an extended whereas since Ace Combat 7 was launched, and Ace Fight 8 has quite a bit to reside as much as. The excellent news is that that is simply pretty much as good as Ace Fight 7, if not significantly better. The sport performs very equally to the final entry, however the results and suggestions you get are way more visceral. From missile explosions to the hefty gun sounds, and even the best way you break the sound barrier, all of it feels way more gritty whereas nonetheless retaining that basic arcade cleanliness by way of the controls and fight. This can clearly be a really particular recreation as soon as it’s launched.
Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance
‘Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance’ was very spectacular.
Capcom
Within the demo we performed, we fought Alpha Araketa within the new Skybound Eyrie space. The monster has hints of Qurupeco and Valstrax from earlier titles, and appears to be an earlier beginning monster positioned equally to Doshaguma in Monster Hunter Wilds. It’s one other pack monster that flies round in formation with different, much less brightly coloured Araketa and performs dive-bombs from the sky. Normally, this appeared and performed very easily and will likely be one thing we’ll be trying out on its launch.
Total, this yr’s Tokyo Sport Present had quite a lot of large titles to play and see, with a lot of these being main Japanese franchises. There was additionally a a lot higher emphasis on accommodating abroad gamers, whereas prior to now you at all times needed to play the video games in Japanese.
Whereas Thursday and Friday are meant because the Enterprise Days, the Tokyo Sport Present will likely be open to the general public on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, which can also be a primary for the occasion. You should buy tickets for the general public days from here.
Observe me on X, Facebook , and YouTube. I additionally handle Mecha Damashii and am presently writing an everyday column in Japanese about mecha video games for Game*Spark.