T-ARTS, a toy brand under Japan's TAKARA TOMY company, will launch its latest gashapon toy this September, based on Japan's national board game "The Game of Life (人生ゲーム)"! Titled "The Game of Life Miniature Package Collection" (tentative translation, 人生ゲーム 歴代ミニチュアパッケージコレクション), there are 8 types to collect, with a suggested retail price of 300 JPY per capsule.
"The Game of Life," which was adapted from "The Game of LIFE" released in the United States in the 1960s, was introduced by Japan's "Toy King" and founder of TAKARA, Yasuta Sato, and launched in Japan in 1968. It is a game where players can experience various lives within a few hours, with the winner determined by who accumulates the most assets. Similar to the familiar "Monopoly," the biggest difference between "The Game of Life" and "Monopoly" is that a "spinner" is used to determine the number of steps to advance. During the game, players can experience a wealth of events and professions, leading to different feelings and experiences each time they play at different stages of life.
Over the decades, "The Game of Life" has also continuously released various versions as times have evolved. In addition to the main series, which is currently in its 8th generation, there is also "The Game of Life FIRE" with a 1.5x board, as well as variant versions created based on popular IPs such as Disney, Doraemon, Mario, Kitaro, and more.
This gashapon collection transforms the packaging of "The Game of Life" into charm gashapon. It includes all generations, from the very first one released in 1968 up to the eighth generation from 2023. Not only are the original game box designs meticulously reproduced, but the patterns within the transparent window frames of the 5th to 7th generation "The Game of Life" are also presented with exquisite printing. Furthermore, vehicles and human figures used in the game, roughly the same size as those in the actual board game, are included as charms along with the package box. The back of each package box features the representative copy (代表的なコピー) for that game. The size is approximately 3-5 cm, making them incredibly cute.
▼ Introduction to "The Game of Life" on the TAKARA TOMY official website.
"The Game of Life - 1st Generation"
"The Game of Life - 2nd Generation"
"The Game of Life - 3rd Generation"
"The Game of Life - 4th Generation"
"The Game of Life - 5th Generation"
"The Game of Life - 6th Generation"
"The Game of Life - 7th Generation"
"The Game of Life - 8th Generation"
The Game of Life Miniature Package Collection
Suggested Retail Price: ¥300 / capsule, Product Specifications: Approximately 3-5 cm, 8 types in total, Estimated Release Date: September 2024
Source: TAKARA TOMY A.R.T.S