Don't Forget Your Mushiking Cards!

When I was in Phoenix I played an ideal arcade game. Ideal? Here's the premise: beetles fighting each other. It's called Mushiking and it is one of the latest fads from Japan. Hear's why I think it's a great arcade game: first up there's no joystick. Three buttons, one for throwing, one for pinching and one for hitting. Read as "rock, paper, scissors". That's the mechanic behind the game. Pick what you think will beat your human or computer opponent. Secondly, the game is narrated and the player is guided by Popo, a earnest and exuberant forest elf. Popo explains to the player how beetles lead by an evil wizard are destroying the forest! And how the player has to use their beetle to defeat him! Very exuberantly! Finally, after defeating (or being defeated by) a series of evil beetles, the game gives you a trading card. This card has a barcode on the edges and when playing the game the next time, scanning this card will give your beetle new and more powerful moves. It's fun and strange and I wanted to tell everyone!

There's also a Dinosaur King and a similar game called LOVE AND BERRY Dress up and Dance!