Review: Sakura Momoko no Ukiuki Carnival

By Jenni Lada // 5.29.185.29.18

Sometimes, first-party Nintendo games do not manage to get a worldwide release. Sakura Momoko no Ukiuki Carnival is one of those games. An adventure game with input from Sakura Momoko, the mangaka behind Chibi Maruko-chan, Shigeru Miyamoto, Indieszero and Nintendo, it tasked people with throwing a carnival using the power of the internet. It was unquestionably charming and odd, offering an aesthetic not often seen in the medium. It is also to the rest of the world’s detriment that it never appeared outside of Japan.

GBA

Sakura Momoko no Ukiuki Carnival recognizes the value of online interactions

By Jenni Lada // 4.18.186.8.18

Sakura Momoko no Ukiuki Carnival is an unusual Game Boy Advance game. Players end up being befriended by a carnival fairy, which means they are required to join the committee, convince residents of Colortown to attend and wake the eight guardian gods so they will decorate their respective boroughs. What is interesting is that even though this was a game made in 2002, it understood how important the internet is in connecting with people. Players can only progress when they participate in the “real” and “virtual” worlds present within the game.