Tiny Diggers – An iPad Construction Truck Game for Kids Age 2-5

Gashapon. I was just telling my wife how I want to buy all kinds of gashapon for my daughter to play with, just so she can have the coolest toys around, and so I can play with them too. I know I would have loved to have unique toys as a kid.

A gashapon is effectively a little collectible plastic Japanese toy. They get them out of vending machines, and we spend a lot more money to get them mailed to us from overseas, from places like Play-Asia, NCSX, and ToysnJoys. You buy them as a set and collect them all. They’re neat stuff, and not too pricy considering you just can’t buy them here in the US. Those who’ve played Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap will remember collecting shells to trade for Gashapon figurines in a little hut. They’ve also got a mode where you can spend earned coins on Nintendo-themed ones in Super Smash Bros Melee, which you can then look at and read about.

I first learned about these toys when I saw pictures of the Animal Crossing figurines on a Nintendo fansite, as part of the header image. There was no explanation as to what they were or where to get them. Of course, they’ve got little naked anime girls too, but who wants that stuff when you can get a little Tom Nook to keep you warm, am I right?

Any of you out there the proud owner of a gashapon or twenty? Let me know where you get them, I like to shop around. Thanks!