Great news, MV readers! To celebrate production beginning on our next issue, we’ve marked down Mega Visions Issue #01 to only $4.99! That’s half the price of our standard print issues!!!
Each issue of Mega Visions Magazine contains 64 pages of gorgeous SEGA and neo-retro coverage, with original art and design.
Here’s what to expect in Mega Visions Issue 01: Cover/Neo Retro: Final Fantasy VII x Final Fantasy VII Remake Modern Reviews: Streets of Rage 4, Doom Eternal, Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX Retro Reviews: Golden Axe: Beast Rider, Punisher (Arcade) Preview: Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis Interview: Corey Marshall, Shenmue’s Ryo Hazuki voice actor Features: Making Mutant League, Top 10 video game reboots, Remembering Streets of Rage Remake, The ’90s Consoles That Time Forgot, Column: What Did I…
Back when the Switch 2 came out, I looked at some Snakebyte accessories that appeared at launch. They were fine. You know, standard bags and extra charging options. They weren’t exciting or colorful, but they were practical items for a system at an affordable price. Now that we’re a bit more into the thick of things, I’ve been using the Snakebyte Switch 2 Ergo Grip S2 for the Joy-Con 2 controllers and Gamepad Pro S2 controller and they’re a bit more exciting. Especially since I hit a point at which there are more multiplayer options or situations when I will play for hours at a time.
Both of these items are docked Switch 2 sorts of controller options. So if you’re playing in handheld mode primarily, these probably aren’t for you. That’s totally fine! I could see the Ergo Grip S2 maybe being helpful if you switch to tabletop mode for a while and want to use the Joy-Con 2 controllers like that instead of separated whiel playing the Switch 2.
Photos by Siliconera
Speaking of which, the Ergo Grip S2 is the Snakebyte Switch 2 accessory I played with the most, since I always have my Joy-Con 2 controllers on-hand. But that’s primarily because of its usefulness for certain situations. It’s handy for if you’re going to play away from home and perhaps are taking the dock or plan to go with tabletop mode. It relies on the same sort of magnet system as the console to quickly pop them onto the grip. It has an over six foot long cable for charging purposes, in case you want to play while it is connected to a dock or charging cable. There are also gaps so you can see battery life indicator lights while using the grip, so you can tell if charging is needed. It’s comfortable and I sort of feel like a budget version of the $40 official Nintendo option, considering Snakebyte is selling it for $20.
Like that being Snakebyte’s budget option approach to one Nintendo Switch 2 peripheral, I kind of feel like the Gamepad Pro RGB S2 is a budget alternative in some ways for the official Pro Controller. That’s $89.99 after all, and this is $50. It isn’t an exact double, of course. There’s no HD Rumble 2 as an example, and it requires a Bluetooth dongle. It does feature two additional programmable back buttons, and there are locks on M1 and M2 to keep them from being triggered accidentally. Similar locks are present on the triggers. The RGB lighting is there, for those who like that type of thing. But I think the most valuable parts are the Hall Effect sensors on the joysticks and the fact it has its own firmware. Considering we saw third-party docks stop working on the Switch 2 after a firmware update, it’s reassuring.
Photos by Siliconera
Basically, both the Snakebyte Ergo Grip S2 and Gamepad Pro RGB S2 are something of economy options for folks who might not want to pay for the official Nintendo Joy-Con 2 grip or Pro Controller. They might not have all the same features, especially in the case of the controller. But what is here is stable and strong, especially when they’re at least $20 cheaper.
The Snakebyte Ergo Grip S2 and Gamepad Pro RGB S2 are available now.
Dreams, the company behind collectibles like Sonny Angel and Smiski, announced it is teaming with Sanrio for a Hello Kitty and Friends Hippers peeking character figure line. These are items with an adhesive on their stomach that can be attached to electronics or household items to make the mascot look like they are peeking over the edge at a person. They will be sold in blind boxes for ¥1,430 (~$9) each, and they will appear in Japan on January 23, 2026. As other figures in the line from the company are sold worldwide via stores like Amazon, Kinokuniya, Miniso, or Teso, we should eventually see these everywhere.
There are seven characters in the Hippers Hello Kitty and Friends figure collection. As is common with blind boxes, with a purple version of Kuromi as a secret with lower rates of being acquired. (The odds of getting her weren’t announced ahead of launch.) Based on past Hippers releases, each one will be about two inches tall and feature sticky tape on their stomach that is pressed against a surface.
Here’s a list of every character in this collection:
Cinnamoroll
Hello Kitty
Kuromi (standard with black hood)
Kuromi (secret with purple hood)
My Melody
Pochacco
Pompompurin
Dreams and Sanrio also released a number of photos showing off each of the figures. Some of these show what the characters would look like in-use peeking at people on objects like picture frames or cell phones. There is also a photo showing what the adhesive looks like on the Hello Kitty version of the figure. The photo showing the box art and display also highlights what to expect when they appear in stores.
Images via Sanrio and Dreams
The Dreams Hello Kitty and Friends Hippers figures of six Sanrio characters will launch in Japan on January 23, 2026, and we should see them worldwide after.
Gift issued an apology in both English and Japanese for selling Umamusume: Pretty Derby plush toys of the character Vivlos in which she has human ears in addition to her normal horse ones. This happened at Comic Market 107 in December 2025, as well as the AmiAmi Akihabara Radio Kaikan Store. It confirmed refunds and exchanges are available until March 31st, 2026. The correct version of the plush will be released in May 2026.
Of course, Gift shared photos of the Vivlos Umamusume: Pretty Derby plush of her with human ears. The photo is a close-up, however. So we don’t get to see what she looks like officially with both human ears and horse ears. The company also circled the ears on the photo, to show what shouldn’t have been.
You can see a picture of the full plush as it should have appeared alongside the close-up of her with human ears below.
Images via Gift and Cygames
As for the return process, people who don’t want an Umamusume Vivlos plush of her with extra human ears can choose either a refund or a replacement by emailing the official address at support@oh-ami.com. If someone isn’t in Japan and had purchased the doll, they can only choose the exchange option. If someone gets a refund, they get 6,500円 back. With the exchange, the defective plush is returned and the new one will ship in May 2026.
Vivlos is pretty popular when it comes to Umamusume merchandise in Japan. Her and her sisters Cheval Grand and Verxina appeared as Sega crane game plush in August 2025.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is available for PCs and mobile devices, and the replacement Vivlos Gift plush will appear in May 2026.
Good Smile Company used social media to reveal a number of new Blue Archive figures, with three of them being Nendoroids. Kanna Ogata, Shiroko Terror, and Kisaki Ryuuge are all the inspirations for the new merchandise, with Kisaki appearing both as a scale figure and Nendoroid. There are no release windows for any of them yet, but they’ll follow items based on characters like Asuna Ichinose, Mari Iochi, and Plana.
It looks like we might end up seeing some of the Blue Archive Nendoroids first. That’s because the Kanna and Shiroko ones already appeared as painted prototypes. When that happens, Good Smile Company typically opens pre-orders for the products a few days or weeks later. The Kisaki one only showed up as an unpainted prototype. Each example photo showed one face plate and possible pose, with the Kanna one including a coffee mug accessory and both Shiroko and Kisaki holding guns.
Here’s how those three look:
Images via Good Smile Company and Nexon
The scale figure of Kisaki also appeared as an unpainted prototype. That will feature the character in the same outfit as the Nendoroid. In the pose, she’ll be sitting in an armchair with her gloves on one arm and a jacket on the back.
You can see that first photo below:
Image via Good Smile Company and Nexon
The Blue Archive Kanna Ogata, Shiroko Terror, and Kisaki Ryuuge Nendoroids and Kisaki figure are in development. The game is available on mobile devices and PCs.
Taito and Square Enix announced the next piece of merchandise heading to Japanese arcades, and it will be a The Great White Tsuchinoko plush based on the FFXIV Heavensturn New Year’s event. This will show up at the end of December 2025, perhaps just ahead of New Year’s Eve and day. Only one store that ships worldwide is taking orders, and that is Aitai Kuji. It is selling it for ¥4,500 (~$29).
The Great White Tsuchinoko appeared as a minion reward in the 2025 FFXIV Heavensturn celebration. It is designed to resemble both The Great Serpent of Ronka and Japanese New Year kagami mochi rice cakes with an orange on top. This plush will be almost 10 inches tall (25cm). It will be posed with the character sitting up, so the pose will look even more like kagami mochi. The preview image for it also shows someone pulling at the surface, to highlight it will be stretchy like mochi.
Here’s the first photo of it:
Image via Square Enix and Taito
This is the second recent item from the game to appear in arcades. Taito revealed a piggy bank that resembles a Fat Cat in November 2025.
Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the FFXIV Great White Tsuchinoko plush will show up in arcades in Japan at the end of December 2025.
Journal Standard announced the Baycrew’s site will begin selling the Dragon Ball Daima Champion shirts and hoodies on December 6, 2025. These will ship worldwide via Buyee. There are 12 designs available, all featuring characters and logos from the newest anime based on the series.
All 12 of the Dragon Ball Daima Champion shirts and hoodies are gender neutral items for adults that are available in medium, large, and extra large sizes. The three hoodies are the most expensive items at ¥ 18,700 (~$120). The nine sweatshirts are ¥17,600 (~$113). In addition to expected and returning characters like the mini versions of Goku and Vegeta, folks original to this storyline like Glorio, Gomah, and Panzy appear.
Here’s a look at all the Dragon Ball Daima hoodies and sweatshirts in this collection:
Image via Journal Standard, Baycrew's, Toei, and Shueisha
In other news related to the series, the Dragon Ball the One worldwide character popularity poll is running. Stage 2 just ended, and the Stage 3 vote to get it down to 21 characters begins later this week.
Journal Standard and Baycrew’s Dragon Ball Daima Champion shirts and hoodies will be available in Japan on December 6, 2025, and the online store is shipping them worldwide. Dragon Ball Daima is streaming on services like Crunchyroll.
Taito announced even more Cardcaptor Sakura x Sanrio Characters are on the way, with the latest four being a batch of plush keychains that include Cinnamoroll and Pompompurin. These designs will head to Japanese arcades in the middle of December 2025. There’s no word on whether we’ll see them worldwide eventually or not, but items like acrylic standees based on the crossover did show up everywhere.
The four options in this collection involve two versions of heroine Sakura Kinomoto, Cinnamoroll, and Pompompurin. One version of Sakura features her with Cinnamoroll’s ears in her school uniform. The matching Cinnamoroll one has him in the same outfit. In the case of the Sakura and Pompompurin pair, both of them are wearing the costume from the second season anime opening “Open the Door.” Each one has a ball-chain keychain at the top and is almost five inches tall (12cm).
Here’s how those look:
Image via CLAMP, Sanrio, and Taito
It has been a few weeks since we’d seen any new plush from this Cardcaptor Sakura and Sanrio crossover. Ones of Sakura Kinomoto and Hello Kitty in Clear Card second anime opening outfits appeared in Japan in October 2025. However, there were some keychain pouches with the heroine alongside Cinnamoroll and Pompompurin that showed up in November 2025.
The Cardcaptor Sakura x Sanrio Characters plush featuring Sakura Kinomoto, Cinnamoroll, and Pompompurin will launch in mid-December 2025 in Japan. The anime can be found on Crunchyroll, and Kodansha handles the manga.
Bandai Namco announced its Bandai Candy division is new selling Tales of Series 30th Anniversary Card Wafers that feature wafer cookies with one of 39 different cards based on the JRPG games inside. These are now available in Japan for 155円 (~$1) per pack. While this specific item isn’t showing up worldwide at the moment, ones like the Hololive set from Bandai Namco showed up on Amazon in the past.
The 39 cards in the Tales of Series 30th Anniversary Card Wafers set are broken up into the cover art from the games and characters from the JRPG entries. There are 19 game covers in the set, which run from Tales of Phantasia to Tales of Arise. 20 playable heroes and heroines show up, again starting with Cress Albane from Tales of Phantasia and closing out with Alphen from Tales of Arise. Every package gives someone one card and one wafer cookie with chocolate cream inside.
Here’s a closer look at the Tales of cards that come in this set, including an image that shows what number each one is.
Images via Bandai Namco
As a reminder, Bandai Namco is celebrating the Tales of JRPG series’ anniversary in other ways as well. There is also going to be a museum exhibit in Japan. That starts its run on November 28, 2025, and its second part starts on December 19, 2025.
The Tales of Series 30th Anniversary Card Wafers packs are now available in Japan.
Taito announced its next Final Fantasy XIV item will be a bank based on the Fat Cat minion added in FFXIV 2.4. It will show up as a prize in Japanese arcades at the end of November 2025, with Dengeki Hobby Web stating it will arrive on November 28, 2025. The only store that ships worldwide showing it at the moment is Aitai Kuji, which has a listing up for ¥3,000 (~$19).
The FFXIV Fat Cat piggy bank is smaller than the traditional decoration, as it will only be just under five inches long (12cm). It looks exactly like the calico feline from the game, so it’s mostly white with some black and orange spots on the back and an orange tail. The product listing didn’t mention the materials it is made of or show a possible plug on the underside that can be removed to retrieve collected coins.
Here’s the first photo of the prize:
Image via Taito and Square Enix
Since its launch, the FFXIV Fat Cat has been turned into all kinds of merchandise. For example, there’s a cushion that looks like it available worldwide, as well as a plush tissue box. It also appeared in the LINE sticker set based on minions from the series.
Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the Fat Cat bank based on the minion from this entry will appear in Japanese arcades on November 28, 2025.
An upcoming Bring Arts figure of Aerith will use her design from the original Final Fantasy VII game. This figure is also available for pre-order via the North American Square Enix site.
On the Japanese Square Enix store, the Final Fantasy VII Aerith Bring Arts figure costs 13,200 JPY. It’ll come out on March 28, 2026. Meanwhile, the North American version of the store lists it for $129.99, and it’ll come out in June 2026. Another version of the original Aerith Bring Arts figure already came out and is available for purchase on the store. This one costs cheaper at $119.99, but unlike the new one that Square Enix announced, she’s not wielding her Mythril Rod.
Images via Square Enix
Like the previous Final Fantasy VII Bring Arts figures, this one will come with two face plates and multiple hand parts. While it comes with the Mythril Rod, you don’t have to pose Aerith with it if you don’t want to, and it counts as yet another optional part. Since it’s fully-articulated, you can customize how Aerith is displayed based on your preferences or current set-up.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is available on the PS4, PS5, and Windows PC. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is on the PS5. The original game came out on the PlayStation, but it’s also available on the PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Windows PC, and mobile devices.
Square Enix will release Kingdom Hearts necklaces in gold and silver, with the charms resembling common motifs and items from the series. These necklaces are available via the Japanese Square Enix store and although the North American store has necklaces for other series by the company, it does not, as of the time of writing, carry these particular necklaces.
Each necklace costs 41,800 JPY ($272.45), and pre-orders are open. Square Enix will ship these items out on April 18, 2026. The gold necklace has two charms: a heart and the Keyblade. The heart represents Kingdom Hearts, which appears as a heart-shaped moon in the game. A keyhole is on the back of the heart charm, too.
Images via Square Enix
As for the silver necklace, there’s a bit more room for customization. The main charm resembles a coat of arms. Keyblades act as the supporters, and you can choose a design to appear in the top right corner of the shield. There are six options to choose from: Sora, Riku, Kairi, Roxas, Axel, and a Thalassa Shell. A symbol represents each character. For instance, Sora’s symbol is the crown, Riku’s is the Heartless symbol, and Kairi’s is a Paopu fruit.
Both Kingdom Hearts necklaces are available to order from the Japanese Square Enix store. Other jewellery based on Kingdom Hearts that is coming out soon includes Keyblade-like earrings from Mayla.
Good Smile Company shared release windows for the Saya no Uta (TheSong of Saya) Nendoroid, and it confirmed the figure will come with a background based on what Fuminori Sakisaka sees when he looks at a room in his home for display purposes. The item arrives in Japan in July 2026, then shows up worldwide in Q4 2026. It will cost $42.99/￥6,800.
This figure doesn’t attempt to depict the true form of Saya at all, and instead the Nendoroid involves a chibi version of the one Fuminori and us players see as we go through Saya no Uta. She comes with three face plates. One features a normal smile, she looks sly in a second one, and the third looks like her eyes are closed and she’s about to kiss someone or something. She comes with optional wings that can be attached to her back. There’s also some of the gel meat she can hold. The package also comes with the meat room, which can be removed and used as a background when displaying her.
Here are some example pictures showing how TheSong of Saya figure looks:
Image via Good Smile Company and Nitroplus
Good Smile Company confirmed another figure of the character too. That’s a scale model of her with her wings showing.
TheSaya no Uta Nendoroid will come to Japan in July 2026, the figure will appear worldwide in Q4 2026, and the game is available on PCs outside of Japan in English as The Song of Saya.
Intelligent Systems’ next Fire Emblem: Three Houses figure of female Byleth will feature the avatar as a Dancer, and Good Smile Company opened pre-orders for it. It is $194.99/￥26,950. We’ll see it launch first in Japan around October 2026. A worldwide release is planned after that, but that won’t take place until Q1 2027.
This is a static figure of the protagonist of Fire Emblem: Three Houses. It stands at almost 10 inches tall (250mm). There are no additional face plates or arm parts to change her pose. The costume is designed to be a replica of the one she wears if she changes into the Class in-game.
Here’s how the Fire Emblem: Three Houses female Byleth Dancer figure will look from different angles:
There’s also a YouTube video showing it from different angles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6LLgqRTPOM
In Fire Emblem: Three Houses, the Dancer class is a more limited one. You unlock access to it after getting to a December White Heron Cup event in-game. Only one member of your party can take part and, as a result, get Dancer as an option if you ensure their Charisma is high enough before it takes place.
The Fire Emblem: Three Houses Byleth Dancer figure will debut in Japan in October 2026, and the female version of the avatar as this Class will appear worldwide around Q1 2027. Pre-orders are open until January 14, 2026. Fire Emblem: Three Houses is available for the Switch, and the Fortune’s Weavesequel will be on the Switch 2 in 2026.
Takara Tomy has revealed a new lineup of Tomica toy cars that it will release in January 2026. The list also includes Dream Tomica cars inspired by characters from Nintendo and HAL Laboratory's Kirby franchise.
These cars will appear with inspiration from Carby or Karby, which is derived from Kirby using the Mouthful Mode on a car in the Nintendo Switch game Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Takara Tomy is not the only company to produce merchandise based on that, as Medicom Toys had also released a Car Kirby toy in February 2025.
The Kirby toy cars will be available at 880 yen (~$5.75) apiece. However, they will appear randomly via a kuji lottery format inside blind boxes. A total of six character models will be available, with two designs set to appear for Kirby (regular and sleep) and Waddle Dee (regular and bandana), and Meta Knight and King Dedede filling the last two slots.
Kirby will not be the only franchise that gets new Dream Tomica toys in January 2026. The company will also release two My Hero Academia Dream Tomicas, modeled after Izuku "Deku" Midoriya and Katsuki "Kacchan" Bakugo, in the same month. However, the latter two products will be available for sale earlier at Jump Festa in December 2025 via Takara Tomy's booth.
The Dream Tomica Kirby of the Star Collection will be available in January 2026.
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