Kapital Koopas: Games Dubbed With Regional Chinese Dialects, Martial Arts Simulators & More
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.
Sichuan dialect and Cantonese? Games pick up different tongues
Chinese subtitles in video game releases are nothing new, but have you ever played a game dubbed with Chinese audio? Not Mandarin, mind you, but a regional dialect?
Two games released last year decided to pioneer the trend. One of these, Raving Rabbids: Adventure Party, produced by Ubisoft Chengdu, cleverly combines the style and gameplay of party games like Super Mario Party with Chinese cultural elements from the likes of Journey to the West.
Tailored to Chinese aesthetics and a great choice for your upcoming Chinese New Year family reunion, Raving Rabbids: Adventure Party is currently an exclusive gift for those who play Nintendo Switch.
Meanwhile, Crayon Shin-chan: Ora to Hakase no Natsuyasumi, is an adventure game affiliated with the famous Japanese anime franchise Crayon Shin-chan. Back when I was a kid, Crayon Shin-chan was one of the first Japanese anime to be broadcast on Chinese television, and it quickly garnered a lot of fans thanks to the titular character's trademark voice and cute but slightly annoying personality.
When this game was officially released last year, a lot of Chinese fans lamented the game's lack of Chinese language options. Well, its producers clearly heeded their calls, because this year will see the release of an Asia-exclusive edition that not only supports Simplified and Traditional Chinese but will even use the same voice actors that dubbed the original show in Mandarin and Cantonese. A thoughtful choice that will surely tug on some nostalgia strings.
Kung fu simulator lets you practice martial arts at home
Even though the age of Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and Jackie Chan has come and gone, I would dare to say that learning a trick or two from these kung fu masters still lingers in many a foreigner's mind when they come to China. What's more, many people don't have the privilege of training in person at the Shaolin Temple or Wudang Mountain, especially with the pandemic still ravaging both international and domestic travel.
But for those still longing for a chance to learn some kung fu, 中国传统武术 八卦掌 六十四手 Chinese martial arts (kungfu) The 64 Hands of Bagua Zhang is here to save the day. According to its official page on Steam, this is a martial arts teaching software, developed by a Beijing-based firm, which allows users to rotate the camera 360 degrees and view the action list performed by a 3D coach based on the motion capture of the real kung fu master Mr. Gao Jiwu.
You can also zoom in to have a closer look at subtle hand gestures when you need them. Moreover, this full coaching program won’t cost you hundreds or even thousands of RMB. During its promo release period, spending just RMB 9.9 will grant you access to all the game's functions.
Switch OLED is now available on Tencent Nintendo's TMall store
While everyone anticipates publication approvals for video games in China, Tencent decided to level its game by upgrading the hardware first. Beginning Jan 11, the new OLED edition of Tencent's version of the Nintendo Switch will be available for purchase from its official TMall store for RMB 2,599.
This new version of Switch was released overseas around four months ago, and the biggest change is the full lamination OLED screen that has greatly reduced the black margin around the screen while enhancing the console's clarity and color. For gamers who tend to use the Switch as a portable console, it is an upgrade that may warrant consideration.
Rumor has it that the government will loosen up its restrictions on issuing publication approvals later this year, and Tencent has already sent a dozen games for further inspection, including some that gamers have been waiting years to see, such as Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild. Fingers crossed that it sees an official release in China prior to its sequel's release overseas.
Images Courtesy of corresponding game developing and publishing companies, Tencent, Nintendo
