- 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」ISSUE #8 - 16 September 2026
HELLO DEAR READERS!it's Reiwa Man here with another issue of 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」!Yesterday it dawned on me that it's been six weeks since issue 7. After I stopped crying I decided I'd try to use my journalistic skills to find out why that was, so I hopped in my Kei Van and headed for Onion Soup HQ. I arrived to what looked like an abandoned building. After several minutes of politely knocking I decided to force open the door using an discarded oden skewer. Once inside I realised it was not abandoned, but that the developers hadn't been outside for what seemed like decades.Initially they were unresponsive to my prods and pokes, but after tearing open a fresh melon-bread I brought with my as a snack they began to animate much like the undead. Finally, after an hour or so of gentle coaxing and nibbling on Pocky Sweets, Andy had the following surprisingly energetic things to say:Hey ever…
- 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」ISSUE #7 - 5 August 2026
HELLO DEAR READERS!Sorry for shouting, I just got excited! I have another update for you today, don't worry though - it's a very DAIJOUBU update and I, Reiwa Man am here to guide your through it using my words and my GENKI!MAGNETIC PERSONALITYToday Nippon Marathon 2 was updated to v0.45a, there's loads of new features but the one I find most interesting is the new item, the CABBAGE MAGNET!Here's what the developers have to say about it:"Contestants release The Cabbage Magnet into the air, the glowing vegetable then starts pulling toward it any physics objects within a certain radius, it doesn't matter if they're dogs, children, spectators, mascots, fences... anything not nailed down will be pulled toward the Cabbage Magnet creating a terrifying obstacle for any contestants unlucky enough to be in the way" Andy Madin, Onion Soup"I'm happy that the Cabbage Magnet has been able to surprise…
- 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」ISSUE #6 - 17 July 2026
Hello and Happy DAIJOUBU to you!It's me, Reiwa Man! As usual I've got all the info on the latest developments from Onion Soup Interactive! ¡Hola! A New Localisation Appears!First up is the great news that NM2 is now available in Spanish. Here's what the devs and the translation team have to say about it:"We're really happy to announce that Spanish localisation is now available throughout the game, many thanks to tama2477 - Haveidy Yeizyre Moreno and Neolaris - Jeremy Yeraiser Chacón Telles, for the localisation. We're happy to be bringing our Spanish speaking friends along for the NM2 ride!"Andy Madin, Developer - Onion Soup InteractiveONLINE MODE Progress Report!You know what I get asked most? No, it's not got anything to do with my hair and no it's not about my stupid name either! Nope, it's about NM2 and the promised Online Mode, so I cornered Andy Madin, Onion Soup Monkey A who had…
- 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」ISSUE #5 - 7 June 2026
Big Fat Juicy Update - NM2 0.42fHey everyone, it's-a-me... Reiwa Man! Wait, can I say that? ... probably not right?Today a brand new update has been applied to Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu and there's so much to cover I'm going to close my mouth and let you dive right in...NEW! Dedicated Native Linux Version and Optimisation!Our goal is to make sure NM2 can be enjoyed at 60fps by as many players as possible, with that in mind we've taken some time to fully optimise the lighting, memory handling, texturing and more. We've coupled that with a Linux dedicated build too, here's the effect:Steam Deck Users: Now get a better looking game at TWICE the framerate of a solid 60fps!All users on all graphics settings should see a performance increaseLinux users are now welcomed into the Nipponverse!LOW and MEDIUM graphics settings have more consistent environment lightingThat's a pretty big visual i…
- 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」ISSUE #4 - 29 May 2026
KONNICHIWA!Did you know the number 4 is considered unlucky in Japan? The word shi (四) sounds like shi (死), meaning death. Well, not here at Onion Soup HQ, because Issue 4 of 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」 is alive and slurping with flavour. Today, we’re talking music through the analogy of an imaginary ramen excursion. THE RAMEN OF DESTINYSo it might be because I’m hungry, but game development seems a lot like cooking: the devs are taste-testing a recipe for fun gameplay while an angry chef (dog) yells about table orders. So if Nippon Marathon was a bowl of ramen:Gameplay would be the unpredictable broth, sometimes spicy, sometimes salty, always surprising.Obstacles - the homemade noodles, springy, weird, and occasionally airborne.Contestants - the juicy slices of meat (or tofu), full of personality and flavour!Stages - the warm bowl holding the madness together which you sometimes fall out of.…
- 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」ISSUE #3 - 9 May 2026
WHY THE LONG FACE?! 🐴 HAHAHA!?!Aren't the old jokes just really... really.... great? No? Ok. Well, I couldn't think of anything better so you'll just have to accept it. It's issue 3 of「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」, so let's get on with it and see what's up shall we?"YOU ARE SO KAWAII"Yesterday I stealth-ed my way into the Onion Soup HQ, hid in a cabinet until all 600 employees went to sleep at their desks and then started playing the latest development build of Nippon Marathon 2. I gazed lovingly into Nishibori's eyes and whispered "you're so kawaii" as I always do, but something weird happened. She looked right at me, blinked and smiled! I nearly fainted, twice!After further investigation it turns out all the contestants now have facial animations that react to the gameplay. Here's a few screenshots I managed to snag before anyone woke up and spotted me:Cool right? So I guess that's a new fe…
- 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」ISSUE #2 - 1 May 2026
Tadaima!It's the second edition of 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」 already? How time flies! I won't ramble in my preamble too much, let's just say that today's news is EGGSCELLENT - MR BREAKFAST is available to play in version 0.40d_ea RIGHT NOW! First though, let's get the patch notes out of the way:Patch Notes Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu v0.40d_eaImproved camera snapshots likelihood to get a front facing shot without going through wallsNerfed the pineapple balloon's lifetime by 0.4 secondsFixed CPU dive function so they dive forwards and with more vigour!Fixed missing glyphs in character creator menu for controllersFixed missing glyphs in controls menu and tutorial for Steam DeckTemporarily swapped out broken sailorsuit body type for female morph suit to prevent crashes (will replace properly soon)Improved the ending section of Let's Go Ramen MuseumImproved volume and editing some dialogue for…
- 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」ISSUE #1 - 24 April 2026
Welcome to the first edition of 「NIPPON NEWS DAIJOUBU」where we'll be sharing all the latest NM2 related news with you. My name is Reiwa Man and I'll be filling in until Wedy's game model has been completed by the developers (what the heck does that mean??).Without further ado, here's all the latest news!HERE COMES A NEW CONTESTANT!EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT MISTER BREAKFAST!How long has it been since the last time a new contestant entered the marathon? By my calculations it's been 5 years! Well the wait is almost over, check out this slick, professionally edited video to for the low-down on the latest contestant - MISTER BREAKFAST!MISTER BREAKFAST will be available as a main contestant in the next update (planned for release on 30th April 2026). He's voiced by the super talented voice actor Kinaoshita Alvin who has delivered some wonderfully expressive dialogue and has really helped the new char…
- Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu Is Out Now! - 17 April 2026
Hello everyone!The news you've been waiting for is finally here! After years of chaos, cucumbers, and questionable physics, Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu has officially launched into Early Access 🙌🙌🙌Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu is everything you loved about the original — just bigger, smoother, and even more bizarre. You’ll race across Japan, fling fruit at your friends, dodge hazards you definitely weren’t prepared for, and yes… Sora the Troll is back with brand‑new commentary to roast every glorious mistake you make.What’s in the Early Access Launch?Here’s what you can jump into right now:Three brand‑new stages set across exaggerated Japanese locationsFully revamped graphics and physicsCreate‑a‑Contestant mode for crafting your own beautiful-ly cursed racerA new Photo Mode with free‑cam controls for capturing mid‑action chaosA brand new, deadly melee weapon in the form of the Whirling…
- Nippon Marathon 2 - Update V0.38 - 9 April 2026
Hello everyone!With the April 17th launch just around the corner, we’re rolling out one of our biggest pre‑release updates yet. V0.38 adds difficulty upgrades, performance boosts, adds new voices, and injects even more personality into every race. Think of this as the final stretch before the marathon kicks off in just over a weeks time!New Difficulty SystemA full overhaul of difficulty options gives players more control over how chaotic their marathon becomes. You can find these options in the character select screen.Adaptive DifficultySome difficulty levels now adjust dynamically to your skill, keeping races exciting whether you’re a seasoned melon‑dodger or a first‑time runner.New Difficulty TiersNovice: more forgiving CPU, great for newcomersAmateur: the classic Nippon Marathon experiencePro: CPUs that will challenge even veteran racersCPU ImprovementsCPUs now plan routes more effic…
- Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu Enters Early Access on April 17th! - 27 March 2026
Konnichiwa everyone!We’ve got some exciting news that you might want to jot down in your notebook...✨ Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu is entering Steam Early Access on April 17th! ✨Get ready to dash through new courses, unleash new weapons, and of course, be chased by Shiba Inu!You can watch the brand new trailer here:Why Early Access? Making a video game is like running a marathon… except the course is still being built. And the builders are also racing, throwing fruit, and occasionally falling into the sea. It gets a little messy, a little sticky, and every so often someone gets knocked off the course by a bug we didn’t even know existed.That’s why Early Access exists. When development gets this chaotic, opening the gates early actually helps — it gives us room to breathe, lets us keep building the game at a sustainable pace, and invites the community to run alongside us, share ideas, and…
- Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu Takes Its First Public Lap at Bristol VGE - 27 February 2026
Hey everyone!We’ve got big news to kick off the year: Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu is about to make its first-ever public playable appearance at the Bristol Video Games Expo (VGE)!For the first time, players will be able to dive headfirst into the latest build, try out new courses, revisit returning favourites, and experience the full force of our signature slapstick athleticism. Expect wobbly legs, questionable obstacles, and the kind of Takeshi’s Castle–style chaos that only Nippon Marathon can deliver.You’ll find the demo at the DEBUG booth, where we’ll be hanging out all weekend to chat, gather feedback, and show you what’s coming next as development continues.🏃 What’s in the Demo?🦌 Play two new stages, including the exclusive Shika Shika Deer Town — and yes, the Ceiling Licker boss is waiting for you.🍍 Throw Fruit weapons and bizarre obstacles at your friends (or enemies… we don’…
- Wedy's Game Guide #8 - We went to Japan and discovered the DAIJOUBU - 11 January 2026
Konnichiwa everyone! 👋It’s me, Wedy Jones! We hope you had a good holiday break, because now it’s 2026, and we’re racing head‑first (and ever closer!) toward Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu launching into Early Access.As we prepare for that moment, we thought it’d be fun to show you how we build our stages: from the first spark of inspiration to full‑blown chaos, all cooked up inside Onion Soup Interactive HQ (The spare room in our house).So let’s rewind to the very start, where every stage truly begins.🧭 Step 1: Location Location LocationDid you know each stage is (loosely) based on real Japanese locations? So first, we need to do some research… and by “research,” we mean this:We travel to Japan.We admire the scenery.We eat a melon bun.We say something like:“Wow, Japan is beautiful.”Then immediately follow it with:“Yokohama reminds us of Shenmue. Let's make a Harbour stage and fill it wi…
- Wedy’s Game Guide #7 – Fall Down and carry on - that’s DAIJOUBU! - 29 November 2025
Konnichiwa everyone! 👋It’s me, Wedy Jones - your fearless guide through the glorious nonsense of Nippon Marathon 2.When you’re a foreigner in Japan, there are certain words you’ll hear all the time. Step into a shop? “Irasshaimase!” Greet a neighbor? “Konnichiwa!” Say thank you? “Arigatou gozaimasu!”.But there’s one wonderful word you’ll hear everywhere, in every situation. A word that can save you, confuse you, and make you sound like you know what you’re doing. That word is…✨ DAIJOUBU! ✨ 🎭 The Secret of DAIJOUBUIn Japanese, daijoubu (だいじょうぶ) means “I’m fine,” “It’s okay,” “No problem.” In Nippon Marathon 2, it means: “I just got knocked over by a Shiba Inu, but I’m still going.”Daijoubu is the heart of the game: chaos happens, you laugh, you keep moving. It’s no problem… It's daijoubu.And if you’re still not sure what that looks like, let me show you…🌀 When Chaos Strikes… that’s DA…
- Wedy's Game Guide #6 - Dash, Dive, Stream... Daijoubu! - 2 November 2025
Konnichiwa minna-san! 👋Wedy Jones here with exciting news…We’re kicking off creator outreach for Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu, and we need your help to spread the word faster than a shopping trolley on a downhill slope!🎮 About Nippon Marathon 2: DaijoubuNippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu is a physics-based party racer inspired by Japanese game shows, packed with slapstick chaos, unpredictable hazards, and fruit-based combat.Contestants dash through wild obstacle courses, dodge swinging bamboo men, and chuck melons at their rivals, all while dressed in lobster onesies. 🦞🍌The indie devs behind it grew up on Takeshi’s Castle and Mario Kart, and Daijoubu is their love letter to that era. No setup. No fuss. Just pure, plug-and-play fun; a throwback to when cartoons ruled Saturday morning TV and cereal turned your milk blue.Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu is nearly ready to launch into Early Access,…
- Wedy’s Game Guide #5 – Tokyo Game Show Special - 27 September 2025
Konnichiwa minna-san! 👋Wedy Jones here with an edition of Wedy’s Game Guide that’s a little different from the usual Nippon Marathon 2 content.I’m here to celebrate all things Tokyo Game Show, and to mark the occasion, Nippon Marathon is participating in the TGS Steam Sale! 👏👏👏 It’s currently 75% off, so the perfect opportunity to experience Japan for a fraction of the cost of a matcha latte!But if you happen to be in Tokyo — maybe you're visiting for TGS, want to visit, or just are interested in all things Japan — I’ve got a recommendation that’s 100% certified Wedy-approved…🕹️ Play the Arcade Edition of Nippon Marathon at Mikado Game CenterYes, you heard me.Nestled in the heart of Tokyo, right next to Takadanobaba Station, you’ll find the arcade edition of Nippon Marathon, aptly titled Nippon Marathon Turbo Hyper=Running.It features exclusive stages, new contestants, leader board…
- Demo Patch V0.23 - 25 September 2025
Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu Demo V0.23 Patch NotesFixed bug where pausing game or using photomode while using a pineapple balloon causes the contestant to fly into orbitCleaned up some sora audioAdded new customisation options, tails, ears, backpacks!Improved baked lighting in Yolko HarbourImproved cloth physics performanceFixed the issue where cloth physics would briefly stretch toward the ground in an ugly wayWaving octopus arm hazard now is always emerged instead of popping up when players are nearbyFixed a problem with loaded stages ignoring user's volume settingsAdded necessary invisible walls to Yolko Harbour
- Play the Updated Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu Demo - 14 September 2025
Konnichiwa minna-san! 👋 It’s Wedy Jones here with good news: the Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu demo has been updated! 🎉 After the first Playtest, the devs crawled back into their secret developer dojo (whilst dodging banana peels 🍌) and fine-tuned a bunch of fixes, updates, and brand-new features. And guess what? You can try them right now in the Steam demo! Here’s the deets: 🆕 What’s New in the Demo? 🏗️ Demo Stage YOLKO HARBOUR (Reworked!)Inspired by Yokohama, this fishing port-themed stage has it all: water, giant carp, anchor-twirling sailors, and yes… a very grumpy Giant Octopus 🐙.We’ve reworked most of the stage to include extra dockside hazards and new environments. Test your sea legs in the all-new cargo ship section, but watch out for Octopus attacks, the water’s about to get a little choppy.Find alternate routes by jumping on dockside machinery like forklifts and scissorlif…
- WEDY’s Game Guide #4 – Meet The Contestants You Can’t Forget (Even if You Tried) - 21 August 2025
Konnichiwa minna-san (everyone) 👋One of the things that made the Nippon Marathon so unforgettable was its wonderfully weird cast of contestants. They didn’t just steal your hearts, they sometimes stole your sanity too!That’s why for Daijoubu, we had to bring the original four back. After all, can you even call it the Nippon Marathon without them?Whether you’re meeting them for the first time or catching up with old favourites, let’s (re)introduce this eccentric cast, complete with updated quirks, likes, and dislikes to make them stranger (and funnier) than ever.We’ll also be sharing concept art for brand-new contestants during Early Access. But before the newcomers hit the track, let’s give a big DAIJOUBU to the OG MVPs! 👑 The OG MVPs ReturnContestant NameJ DARWINHeight173cmEye ColourRedBlood TypeOLikesFollowing Instructions, Tea soaked eggsDislikesAwkward social situationsPersonality…
- Wedy’s Game Guide #3 – Hilarious Ways to Get the Crowd to Love (or Hate You) - 3 August 2025
Konnichiwa minna-san (everyone)!👋In Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu, you’re not just racing… You’re also competing in a Japanese gameshow, and the audience is watching your every move.Sure, winning the race is great. But if you really want to stand on top of the podium, you'll need to win over the crowd too.That’s because the audience doesn’t just cheer - they score you too!Win them over, and you'll increase your Popularity — one of the game’s key scoring mechanics, and often the difference between victory and defeat.🧑🤝🧑Popularity ExplainedEvery stage in Nippon Marathon 2 is lined with spectators. They may not look judgmental, but trust us - they are.They know what they like.They definitely know what they don’t.And they’re not afraid to show it.We didn’t just add the popularity system for laughs; it’s a strategic layer that can boost your final score, even if you don’t finish first, y…
