Denkiworks, an indie studio from Kyoto, revealed their first game, Tanuki: Pon’s Summer, during Xbox‘s Tokyo Game Show.
In this cozy adventure, you play as Pon, a tanuki who rides a BMX and delivers mail in a charming Japanese village. Unlike Animal Crossing, where everyone is an animal, Pon is the only critter among humans. You can collect bugs, go fishing, and meet quirky characters in the village. Pon interacts with villagers using simple emojis, which can help build or break relationships.
Besides delivering mail and doing odd jobs, Pon can perform cool BMX tricks like flips and grinds through a village inspired by real places in Kyoto and Sapporo. The main goal is to fix and decorate the Great Tanuki Shrine for the Matsuri festival at summer’s end. Pon can also enjoy other fun activities like making sushi, singing karaoke, sumo wrestling, and playing baseball.
Fans love how this game combines daily life with thrilling activities.
Denkiworks was started by three former Q-Games members: Liam Edwards, Taku Arioka, and Jan de Graaf. Edwards created and directed the praised “golf-like” game Cursed to Golf, with de Graaf as a programmer.
Tanuki: Pon’s Summer will be published by Critical Reflex and available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The release date is still a mystery.
