You probably remember Shin-chan as that crude, thick-eyebrowed kid from the early 2000s Adult Swim block who couldn't stop talking about his "elephant." Or maybe you know him from the manga. But in the last couple of years, something weird happened on the Nintendo Switch. This loud-mouthed five-year-old became the face of "cozy gaming."
It’s a bizarre pivot.
How did a franchise built on butt-dances and inappropriate jokes turn into a series of beautiful, melancholic summer vacation simulators? Honestly, if you haven’t looked at Crayon Shin chan Nintendo titles lately, you’re missing out on some of the most visually stunning art on the console. It isn't just about the jokes anymore. It’s about the vibe.
The Kaz Ayabe Connection (Wait, Who?)
To understand why Crayon Shin chan Nintendo games suddenly got good, we have to talk about Kaz Ayabe. He’s the mind behind the legendary Boku no Natsuyasumi (My Summer Vacation) series. Those games were PlayStation exclusives that never really made it out of Japan. They were all about catching bugs, fishing, and that specific, bittersweet feeling of a summer that has to end.
In 2021, Ayabe teamed up with Neos Corporation to make Shin-chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation – The Endless Seven-Day Journey.
It was a match made in heaven.
The game took the Nohara family and dropped them into a lush, hand-painted rural village in Kyushu. It looks like a Studio Ghibli film brought to life. But because it’s Shin-chan, there are also dinosaurs and a mad scientist. It’s a very strange mix of grounded nostalgia and absolute nonsense.
People loved it.
👉 See also: Dandys World Ship Chart: What Most People Get Wrong
The Western release in 2022 was a minor miracle. For decades, Shin-chan games stayed in Japan or maybe South Korea and Spain. Suddenly, English speakers could play a high-budget Shin-chan adventure that wasn't just a cheap licensed platformer. It paved the way for the sequel, Shiro and the Coal Town, which hit the Switch in late 2024 and is still making waves in 2026.
Why Shiro and the Coal Town Hits Different
If the first game was a "spiritual successor" to My Summer Vacation, the second one, Shin-chan: Shiro and the Coal Town, is where the series found its own identity.
In this one, the Nohara family moves to Akita. Shinnosuke (Shin-chan) spends his days in a quiet, snowy village. But then his dog, Shiro, leads him to a mysterious train that takes him to "Coal Town." It’s a steampunk-esque, soot-covered city that feels completely different from the rural serenity of the village.
The gameplay is simple. Maybe too simple for some.
You’re basically running errands. You catch bugs. You fish. You collect ingredients for a local restaurant. There is a trolley racing minigame that adds some much-needed speed, but mostly, you’re just soaking in the atmosphere.
Reviews on Steam and Metacritic hover around the 75-80 range. Critics usually say the same thing: it’s incredibly beautiful, but the gameplay is thin.
"It feels like living in a movie," one user on Reddit’s r/NintendoSwitch noted. "But you’re mostly just walking back and forth."
✨ Don't miss: Amy Rose Sex Doll: What Most People Get Wrong
Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. In a world of 100-hour open-world RPGs with map markers everywhere, there's something genuinely nice about a game where the biggest challenge is finding a specific type of ginger for a stir-fry.
A Quick History of Shin-chan on Nintendo Consoles
Before these "slow-life" simulators, Shin-chan was a staple on Nintendo handhelds. It’s easy to forget how many of these exist.
- The Game Boy Era: The first game, Crayon Shin-chan: Ora to Shiro wa Otomodachi da yo (1993), was a basic platformer.
- Super Famicom (SNES): Arashi wo Yobu Enji is a bit of a cult classic. It’s surprisingly hard.
- Game Boy Advance & DS: This is where things got creative. Inti Creates—the studio behind Mega Man Zero—actually developed Cinema-Land no Daibouken. It’s a platformer where Shin-chan goes through levels based on his various movies.
Most of these never left Japan. If you wanted to play them, you had to import them or find a fan translation. The fact that we now have two fully localized, high-quality adventures on the Switch is a massive shift for the brand.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Games
The biggest misconception is that these are "kids' games."
Sure, the protagonist is five. Yes, there are fart jokes. But the target audience for the Crayon Shin chan Nintendo titles—especially the Neos Corp ones—is actually adults. Specifically, Japanese adults who grew up with the show and are now stressed out by corporate life.
The games are designed to trigger "Natsukashii," that specific Japanese brand of nostalgia. It’s the sound of cicadas in the afternoon. The way the light hits the floorboards of an old house. The feeling of having nothing to do but explore the woods.
If you go in expecting a complex challenge, you’ll be disappointed. If you go in expecting a "vacation in a box," you’ll get exactly what you need.
🔗 Read more: A Little to the Left Calendar: Why the Daily Tidy is Actually Genius
Is It Worth Buying in 2026?
Honestly, yeah.
If you own a Switch, these games are some of the best-looking titles on the hardware. They don't push the processor with 4K textures; they use artistic style to hide the console's limitations.
Here is the reality:
- Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation is the one to get if you want that "classic" summer vibe.
- Shiro and the Coal Town is better if you want a bit more "story" and a cooler, more surreal setting.
They frequently go on sale on the eShop. Don't pay full price if you can help it; they often drop to around $20 or $30 during seasonal sales.
Actionable Steps for New Players
- Check your region: While the games are available digitally worldwide, physical copies are often published by companies like Limited Run Games or specialized Asian publishers. If you want a box on your shelf, look for the Multi-Language Asian editions—they usually include English on the cart.
- Adjust your expectations: Don't rush. The game is literally about a vacation. If you try to "speedrun" it, you’ll finish in 6 hours and feel cheated. Talk to the NPCs. Listen to the music.
- Watch the movies first: If you want to appreciate the references in Shiro and the Coal Town, watch a few of the "Adult Empire Strikes Back" era movies. It helps you understand why the tone is so much more "poetic" than the early episodes of the TV show.
- Try the demo: Both major Switch titles usually have a demo on the eShop. Play for 20 minutes. If the slow walking speed annoys you now, it’ll annoy you for the next 10 hours.
The "Shin-chan Renaissance" on Nintendo consoles has been a weird, beautiful surprise. It took a crude comedy icon and turned him into the king of the cozy genre. Whether you're here for the jokes or the hand-painted sunsets, these games are a rare example of a licensed property actually having a soul.
If you're looking for your next "chill" game to play before bed, you could do a lot worse than hanging out with a five-year-old and his dog in the Japanese countryside.
Next Steps for You:
Check the Nintendo eShop for the Shin-chan Bundle. Neos Corporation often bundles both major Switch titles at a significant discount, which is the most cost-effective way to get the full experience. If you prefer physical media, search for the Play-Asia listings for the "Multi-Language" physical editions to ensure you get English subtitles.