Important Importables Mini: Save money while playing an LCD game

Brian Ashcraft, of Wired and Kotaku, discovered and wrote about an interesting new Japanese toy for both sites – Tomy’s LCD video game banks. There are three varieties released so far, a virtual life game called Jinsei Ginko, Ikemen Bank and BANKQUEST, and Ashcraft was lucky enough to get to play and invest with all three of them.

The three different banks all represent three different gaming genres, and each one is primarily played by inserting money. Jinsei Ginko is a life simulation, where your thriftiness can help a virtual man find his way to a better life. Ikemen Bank is actually an otome (girl’s dating sim/life sim) style bank, where saving money helps make the guys like you more. BANKQUEST is an RPG where you help the hero advance by contributing cash.

I have to say, I found the BANKQUEST site charming. From the old school midi music, to the RPG presentation. Its worth taking a look at, even if you can’t read Japanese. You can even put fake coins into the virtual bank, to get an idea of how it works. Its charming.

Alas, I didn’t see any of the three Tomy banks on any of my usual online Japanese retailer’s sites. Oh well. They only work with Japanese currency anyways.

Read [Wired] Via [Kotaku] Also Read [Infomap Japan] Site [BANKQUEST (Japanese)]