Skip to main content

Long read: How TikTok's most intriguing geolocator makes a story out of a game

Where in the world is Josemonkey?

If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Nintendo Badge Arcade brings microtransactions to your 3DS home screen

Buy five chances at grabbing badges for 90p.

Here's something of a surprise: free-to-play 3DS software Nintendo Badge Arcade launches in Europe this Friday, 13th November.

Badges can be arranged around your home screen, just like apps.

The home screen personalisation app - hosted by Nintendo's rabbit shopkeeper who also sells you StreetPass extras - lets you decorate your desktop with badges. It first arrived in Japan back in December 2014.

The app is based around an arcade crane game - those grabber machines that gobble up all your money.

You get five free goes on a practice machine every day and can win free entry to play on a real machine to earn real badges.

Or you can pay real money - 90p for five tries - and keep whatever you win.

In Japan, new badges have been added at regular intervals. More than 3000 are now available.

To be honest, the fact that it had not arrived in Europe so far suggested to us that Nintendo had thought twice about releasing this here. Parents, keep your credit card details safe.

See how it all looks below:

Watch on YouTube

Read this next