Summary
McDonald’s is offering up a new line ofPokemonHappy Meal toys, but only in Japan. The popular fast-food restaurant chain is no stranger to video game tie-ins, including Happy Meal toys to promote this year’sThe Super Mario Bros. MovieorspecialOverwatch 2skinsthat come with a particular meal. This relationship goes both ways too, as the beloved McDonald’s mascot Grimace recently starred in his own Game Boy Advance-style platformer as part of his birthday celebration event earlier this year.
Speaking of Nintendo handhelds and the games that made them famous, McDonald’s has also held special tie-in events forPokemonever since the originalRed and Bluewere released back in 1998. Most of these events involved McDonald’s children’s Happy Meal toys, which includedPokemon-themed toys orpromotionalPokemontrading cards. The most recentPokemonandMcDonald’s collaboration was announced in late July and features cards inspired byPokemon Scarlet and Violet. So far, these cards have only been confirmed for Germany and Austria, with a US start date still yet to be determined.
RELATED:Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Fan Art Predicted Paradox Raikou
This isn’t the onlyPokemonevent going on at McDonald’s, as a new wave of Happy Meal Toys inspired by traditional Japanese festivals is set to arrive in Japan later this month. According to SoraNews 24, McDonald’s will release thesePokemontoys from August 11 to August 12. The Pokemon Natsumatsuri Happy Set consists of the Festival Pikachu Taiko, which includes an illustration of Pikachu in traditional Japanese festival attire and makes different sounds based on where the drum is hit, and the Poke Ball Chochin, a Japanese-style lantern that glows in the dark and opens to reveal a secret compartment and stickers.
These two toys aren’t the only prizes being offered in McDonald’s latestPokemonHappy Meal tie-ineither, as the first round also includes miniature yo-yo-fishing and ring toss games. A second wave of toys is set to launch between August 18 and August 24, and it will consist of a Pikachu Target Shooting squirt gun set, a Pikachu-themed uchiwa fan, and a pair of pinball and disc-fishing games that mirror the activities available at a summer Japanese festival. A third round ofPokemonHappy Meal toys is said to come on August 25, but further details are still scarce at the moment.
Given how popular thePokemonfranchise still is in its native Japan, these latestMcDonald’s Happy Meal toyslook like a fitting way to end out the summer - though it isn’t clear if any of them will appear elsewhere around the world. While they might not be able to get their hands on these special McDonald’s toys,Pokemonfans in the US and abroad still have a great deal of exciting content to look forward to - as was revealed during this week’s Pokemon Presents livestream.
MORE:Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s New Applin Evolution is a Missed Opportunity
Source:SoraNews 24
