Kapital Koopas: PS5 and Xbox Series in the Mainland, Taiko Blind Box, New Amiibos

Press F to pay respects to all the fallen goombas. It's time for a deep dive into China's gaming culture in our column, Kapital Koopas.

PS5 and Xbox Series X/S mainland version coming in a month

Sony Entertainment and Microsoft are gearing up to expand their territory by releasing their newest consoles – PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, respectively – in mainland China.

According to the Playstation news conference we reported on earlier, the mainland version of PS5 will be available in official stores and on Chinese e-commerce platforms beginning May 15 with a price tag of RMB 3,099 for the Digital Edition and RMB 3,899 for the Standard Edition. Not to be outdone, the day before Playstation's sales went live, Microsoft announced that Xbox Series X and S will be available for preorder beginning May 19 and will officially hit shelves on Jun 10. The price for Xbox Series S will be RMB 2,399 while the Xbox Series X will cost RMB 3,899.

While these consoles are no stranger to Chinese gamers given that the overseas versions are available online, we're left wondering if the mainland versions will bar access to games that haven’t acquired publication approval here in China.

Taiko no Tatsujin dons Chinese costumes for limited-edition toys

Not everyone who frequents the arcade is looking to shoot zombies, race cars, or engage in hand-to-hand combat. Taiko no Tatsujin is a music game in the vein of Rock Band or Dance Dance Revolution, in which players beat taiko drums to famous songs, showing off their rhythmic chops for all in attendance. What's more, the life-size taiko makes it more fun to play in the arcade than at home. The franchise has been around for two decades with numerous titles and series under its belt, however, the game's official mascots – the lovable taiko twins, Don-chan and Ka-chan – have delighted audiences since the beginning, and are loved by fans.

Now, Bandai Namco – the company behind Taiko no Tatsujin – has teamed up with domestic toy and figurine studio ACTOYS to create a special edition blind box. In this series, Don-chan and Ka-chan are veritable explorers of Chinese culture, dressing up as everything from the stone lions poised outside traditional mansions and bronzeware discovered at Sanxingdui, to the Terracotta Warriors and actresses of Peking Opera. With more than eight variations – including a couple of surprise costumes – each box runs RMB 69, or you can opt for the full set at RMB 552 ( though that doesn’t include the secret ones). The preorder has already started and you can find more details here.

New amiibo available on Taobao, Mario Party released on Tencent Switch

Before you go blowing all your money on the Taiko blind box though, there's also a brand new Nintendo amiibo collection that landed on TMall earlier this month, including a glow-in-the-dark Boo. What's more, compared to some of the prices overseas, a cool RMB 89 is a steal for sure. While amiibos make for some of the finest home decor a gamer could ask for, they can also be used to acquire extra goodies in many of Nintendo's titles, regardless of where you purchased the console.

Besides the amiibos, Nintendo's ultimate party game, Mario Party, was recently released on Tencent Switch. Its 80 mini-games and various modes are perfect for just about every occasion, from family reunions to sleepovers with friends, and ice-breakers for a group gathering to game nights at the pub. Nintendo recently added an online gaming mode to Mario Party, allowing players to enjoy a little friendly competition even if they're alone or have to stay indoors. Unfortunately, however, that update currently isn't available for Tencent Switch, though Tencent promises it's due shortly.

Timi teams up with Xbox Game Studio

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Xbox and besides releasing a new generation of the console, Xbox Game Studio has also announced that they will collaborate with Timi Studio Group, one of the largest gaming studios under Tencent's umbrella, and the visionary creators behind the wildly successful MOBA game Honor of Kings. More details about the various projects to stem from the partnership will be revealed later this year.

Read: Kapital Koopas: Mario Kart Medals Come Alive, and Mainland China Gets the PS5

Images Courtesy of corresponding game developing, publishing companies, ACTOYS, Tenki