A new My Summer Vacation is on its way

Given how cold it’s been, I could use some summer right now

Whenever there is a Nintendo Direct, it always pays to hop over to the Japanese YouTube channel afterward to check out some of the games that didn’t make it into the English-speaking shows. Sometimes, the Japanese Nintendo Direct will have previews of games that eventually release worldwide. During yesterday’s show, there were a couple of games in it that didn’t show up in the western versions, including a new entry in the My Summer Vacation series.

Google-translated as Natsu-mon 20th Century Summer Vacation, the game puts players in the shoes of a ten-year-old boy as he celebrates a month of summer in a quiet seaside town. Like with other My Summer Vacation games, the boy will be able to catch fish and bugs to track in his journal. He’ll also be able to take a train to another town, help out with a circus troupe, and visit a night market. Unlike past games in the franchise, this one won’t rely on pre-rendered screens.

It is an absolute toss-up as to whether or not Natsu-mon 20th Century Summer Vacation will make it out of Japan. Last year, curious westerns were thrown a bone with the worldwide release of Shin-chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation -The Endless Seven-Day Journey-. While the Shin-chan character designs might have been a turn-off for those who don’t care for the series, the gameplay was a delightfully laid-back experience. I’m holding onto hope that Spike Chunsoft finds a way to localize this charming-looking game in the future.

Just maybe give it a less ridiculous name this time.