Category Archives: Video Games

PIXELATED: Honda celebrates 30 years of gaming with new ad

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Ryan Senensky

Honda has a new commercial celebrating 30 years of video games. Apparently, the company sponsors a team of professional gamers that is competing in the upcoming League of Legends championships, and released the ad to commemorate the occasion. Can you … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged civic, Civic EG, Civic Type R, crx, ef, honda, nsx, Ridgeline, video games | 7 Comments

PIXELATED: The latest Gran Turismo Sport update is packed with Japan’s best

Posted on August 26, 2019 by Ben Hsu

The next Gran Turismo Sport update features an all-Japanese lineup of performance icons from five different carmakers. This is unusual, as these updates typically feature a smorgasbord of machinery from all around the world. For update 1.43, though, no matter … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged 3000GT, ae86, corolla, gran turismo, Gran Turismo Sport, gto, honda, impreza, Impreza GC, mitsubishi, nissan, s13, s2000, silvia, subaru, toyota | 4 Comments

PIXELATED: Gran Turismo Sport gets Fugu Z, new track

Posted on December 5, 2018 by Ben Hsu

Polyphony Digital has announced the December update to Gran Turismo Sport. It includes a bunch of classics, like the Bandit Trans-Am and split-window 1963 Corvette, but JNCers are probably most concerned with Sung Kang’s Fugu Z. Actually, though, there’s an … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged 240z, datsun, Fugu Z, gran turismo, Gran Turismo Sport, nissan, s30 z | 7 Comments

JNC THEATER: A review of Velocity’s JDM Legends

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Ryan Senensky

The premiere of JDM Legends on Velocity Channel premiere is old news by this point, but as a watcher of many automotive-themed TV shows I wanted to sit down and actually think about how I feel about the program. As the first TV series … Continue reading →

Posted in media, Video Games | Tagged 240z, ae86, corolla levin, datsun, jdm legends, nissan, s30 z | 17 Comments

JNC THEATER: Behind the scenes with JDM Legends on the eve of their Velocity Channel premiere

Posted on April 16, 2018 by Ben Hsu

Until now, the world of automotive-themed television shows has been pretty lackluster when it comes to Japanese cars. That’s all about to change with the Velocity Channel’s JDM Legends, titled after the Utah shop of the same name and premiering tomorrow, April 17. … Continue reading →

Posted in JNC Theater, Video Games | Tagged 240z, datsun, Eric Bizek, fairlady z, jdm legends, mazda, nissan, rx-7, S30Z, sa22, skyline, toyota | 25 Comments

PIXELATED: JNCs of the Grand Theft Auto universe

Posted on March 9, 2018 by Ryan Senensky

With rumors of the next installment of the Grand Theft Auto franchise taking place in Vice City, we began to ponder the possibilities for in-game cars. If publisher Rockstar Games does indeed return to their caricature of 1980s Miami, it could make way … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged 2000gt, 240z, accord, ae86, c10, CA Accord, corolla, corolla levin, crx, datsun, ef, fairlady z, Hakosuka, hilux, honda, mazda, nissan, rx-3, s30 z, skyline, toyota | 15 Comments

PIXELATED: Kat’s Run Zen-Nippon K Car Senshuken

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Ryan Senensky

Have you ever played Mario Kart and thought, “I wish these were all kei cars.”? If so, we have a game for you. Kat’s Run: Zen-Nippon K Car Senshuken produced by Atlus Games in 1995 was available exclusively for the Super … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged alto, Autozam AZ-1, beat, cappuccino, daihatsu, honda, jimny, kei car, mazda, minica, mira, mitsubishi, Nintendo, Sega, Super Famicom, Super Nintendo, suzuki, today, Toppo, video games, Wagon R | 16 Comments

PIXELATED: Toyota C-HR ad stars cast of Street Fighter game

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Ben Hsu

The car may not be nostalgic, but the game certainly is. Toyota has enlisted the help of the Street Fighter II cast to promote the new C-HR. In the new ad, Ryu drives the car around the world through some familiar … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged celsior, CH-R, Lexus LS, tomica, toyota | 6 Comments

RIP Namco founder Masaya Nakamura, 1925-2017

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Ben Hsu

Video game pioneer Masaya Nakamura passed away on January 22 at the age of 91. News just broke in Japan, leading to an outpouring of love for the man whose company gave the world Pac-Man. However, before the round yellow ghost-hunter became a global phenomenon, … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged dax, fuji speedway, honda, Masaya Nakamura, Mitsukoshi, Namco, pole position | 6 Comments

PIXELATED: Tokyo Xtreme Racer is coming back

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Ben Hsu

Video game publisher Genki recently tweeted an picture of a Nissan GT-R idling at a Tokyo expressway pull-off zone at night, ready for action. For JNCers of a certain age, then image should instantly evoke the thrill of Tokyo Xtreme … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Video Games | Tagged alto, gt-r, honda, nissan, r35, s660, shutoku battle, suzuki, Tokyo Xtreme Racer | 18 Comments

PIXELATED: Hooning a Brumby through the Outback in Forza Horizon 3

Posted on September 30, 2016 by Ryan Senensky

Eleven years ago when the Forza franchise originally launched there was an AE86, an R32 GT-R and that was about it for JNCs. Over the last decade, however, more and more have been added to the game. Over the weekend, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged 240z, a20, brat, brumby, celica, csp311, datsun, fairlady roadster, forza, Forza Horizon, Forza Horizon 3, legacy, nissan, Pixelated, s30 z, silvia, subaru, toyota | 1 Comment

PIXELATED: Scoot Scoot‘s Motocompo gymkhana will drive you insane

Posted on September 9, 2016 by Ben Hsu

Okay, so Scoot Scoot isn’t a driving game per se, but any time a Honda Motocompo is the star vehicle consider our interest piqued. The premise is simple. Pilot the folding bike from the back of a Honda City around a richly colored parking … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged city, honda, motocompo, Pixelated, Scoot Scoot | 10 Comments

PIXELATED: A Datsun Cherry stars in the most realistic car simulator ever created

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Ben Hsu

Forget Sega GT. Forget Forza. Forget Gran Turismo. Though we haven’t even played it yet, we’re beyond certain that the most realistic car simulator ever created is My Summer Car, a Finnish game where you restore an E10 Datsun Cherry one frustrating part at a time.

Posted in Video Games | Tagged cherry, datsun, e10, My Summer Car, nissan | 8 Comments

PIXELLATED: Gran Turismo Sport in-game trailer looks amazing, and you can now race on the Shuto

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Ryan Senensky

Playstation owners, rejoice! Your racing sim is here. After a console generation of Forza giving Gran Turismo a run for its money, it looks as if Turn 10’s David has not beaten Polyphony’s Goliath. In graphics alone, Turn 10’s Forza … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Video Games | Tagged Akihabara, FT-1 Concept, gran turismo, gtr, Hakozaki Junction, mazda, miata, Miata ND, MX5, nissan, shuto, subaru, Super GT, toyota | 9 Comments

PIXELLATED: Forza Motorsport 6

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Ryan Senensky

Welcome to a new series about JNCs in video games. Perhaps you can’t have the garage of your dreams in real life, but you can have it in pixels. One of the best series of all time for JNCs, Forza has … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged datsun, forza, honda, mazda, nissan, toyota | 7 Comments

The Top 5 video games featuring Japanese Nostalgic Cars

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Ryan Senensky

With winter fast approaching for the majority of the country and the fall onslaught of video game releases on its way, we felt that it is high time that we feature some of the best in home console games to feature … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged Auto Modellista, datsun, forza, gran turismo, Hakosuka, honda, mazda, mitsubishi, Need for Speed, Nintendo, nissan, Playstation, subaru, Tokyo Xtreme Racer, toyota, video games, Xbox | 18 Comments

JNC THEATER: Gorilla: Metropolitan Police Squad 8 DVD box set

Posted on December 16, 2014 by John Roper

Strap into your gull-winged Starion, because the entire 46-episode run of Gorilla: Metropolitan Police Department Squad 8 goes on sale tomorrow, December 17. What is Gorilla: Metropolitan Police Department Squad 8? It’s an 80s cop show produced in Japan, complete with shootouts, explosions, car chases, … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged Debonair AMG, galant, galant sigma, Galant VR-4, Gorilla: Metropolitan Police Squad 8, JNC Theater, mitsubishi, pajero, starion | 8 Comments

RIP Ken Takakura, 1931-2014

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Ben Hsu

Ken Takakura, one of Japan’s most famous actors, has passed away at the age of 83. Known as the Japanese Clint Eastwood, he portrayed many tough guy roles, from noble ex-cons to hard boiled detectives to chivalrous gangsters, but you might know him … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | 4 Comments

Winning Paul Newman documentary seeks Tom Cruise

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Ben Hsu

Adam Carolla and his crew are hard at work putting together the Winning, the documentary about Paul Newman‘s racing life. We recently met Carolla and producer Nate Adams, and we can confirm that the level dedication and work they’ve committed … Continue reading →

Posted in Video Games | Tagged adam carolla, datsun, nissan, paul newman, Winning | 9 Comments

PROFILES: Touring Osaka in a Seibu Keisatsu Skyline

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Ben Hsu

Driving through Japan in a red-on-black DR30 Skyline festooned with emergency lights is akin to prowling rural Georgia in an orange ’69 Dodge Charger. Or Miami in a white Testarossa. Or Los Angeles in a black ’82 Firebird with a … Continue reading →

Posted in nissan, profiles, Uncategorized, Video Games | Tagged 117, co10t, corona mark II, cosmo, crown, daihatsu, Hiroyuki Narazaki, isuzu, mazda, nissan, osaka, president, r30, r31, rx-5, Ryu Asada, seibu keisatsu, skyline, toyota, x20 | 19 Comments