For the uninitiated, Tokyo Game Show (TGS) is not a game show, even though that'd be highly appropriate given Japan's wackiness.

It is actually a video game convention, which features upcoming games in 2017 and 2018. Gamers and fans consider it as one of the key events in their calendar. Or life. But no game no life, right?

This year, Mothership.sg was invited to check out the Tokyo Game Show, and it was indeed a video game otaku's wonderland.

Here's some takeaways from this year's TGS from this Singaporean, who ran around Makuhari Messe to bring you this article.

1) The convention was huge.

Even if you've been to a couple of pop culture conventions in Singapore, nothing will sufficiently prepare an average Singaporean for the virgin experience that is TGS.

Because to completely cover 100 percent of the convention grounds, it's not just one or two halls you have to get through.

It's 11 full halls of exhibitors.

Assuming you've reached here via the Kaihimakuhari train station, you still have to walk to the venue itself which is a distance away, so please pack light and put on a pair of good walking shoes, because you're going to feel like you've walked forever.

It's also ideal to spread out your activities between two days, so it'll make your convention experience a lot more manageable, especially if you're a newbie experiencing Japanese convention culture for the first time.

You probably won't complain about walking a lot once you step in though, as you might be too busy admiring the huge displays that different exhibitors have set up.

Just take a look:

2) Sequel-saturated

Amongst the pretty booth babes and the occasional booth hunks, this year sees a wide range of rehashes and reboots, sequels and spin-offs from the bigger publishers.

Not to say there is no new blood, but they are comparatively fewer when matched up with the sheer number of familiar titles this year.

Too much deja-vu isn't a good thing, however. A well-loved series could be destroyed by milking it all too far.

Case in point: If you've been exposed to ads of mobile games on your phone, you'd definitely have seen ads for Final Fantasy 15: A New Empire, which was also heavily promoted in this year's TGS 2017.

To be frank, it's a little infuriating. This spin-off (loosely) relies on the acclaimed source material, which was married awkwardly with the mechanics of yet another mobile game, Mobile Strike.

This might be the reason why it's called a poor excuse of a game, 

Even as a casual gamer, it's disheartening.

3) Bandai-Namco, an ideal balance

Bandai-Namco sort of redeems itself from that general mood in this year's convention at least.

From the family-friendly to challenging console games, it's actually one of the few publishers I can safely say has something for everyone, with one of the most varied library of games a publisher can have.

For those who are up for a challenge (think Dark Souls, infamous for being hellish on players), you would probably dig Code Vein, which is one of their newest offerings.

The game was particularly popular and struck a chord with the fans, with people queuing up to two hours just to try it out.

And if your inner Singaporean voice thought "confirm got good stuff for queuing", your instincts are absolutely right.

Dragonball Fighters Z, which drops in February 2018, saw a warm, rousing reception, which is a good sign that people are not pushing these games aside simply because they were based on a well-known anime franchise.

It could also be a result of the fighting game's conscientious effort in its development, such as its close involvement with the comic's original creator, which is obviously paying off.

Of course, in the midst of their new games, they're also keen on what's already a marketable franchise for them, such as popular taiko drumming game Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session, which drops on Oct. 26 this year.

Noteworthy crowd favourite Ni No Kuni 2, while adding on to numerous sequels in the market, still wows fans. The makers once again worked closely with Studio Ghibli artists, and the result is a gorgeous-looking game with an immersive narrative.

From such uniquely-crafted games to many of their apps based on popular anime franchises (which are sadly, region-locked), they've really tried to reach out to vastly different audiences locally and abroad, which is something pretty commendable.

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4) Yes, there *are* Singapore-based works

You'd be surprised. There are Singapore-based game developers there.

Battlebrew Productions, which has gotten a lot of positive press lately, was also at TGS to promote Battlesky Brigade, is a real-time strategy game that involves the lovable and quick-multiplying bunnies, known as Smolians and the technologically-developed goldfish known as Tecks, which I'm certain would want to kill everything in their blubbering path.

Another local favourite which caught my eye was Holy Potatoes! What The Hell?! by Daylight Studios, which is part of the Holy Potatoes! series, but with a crazy twist to it.

This game involves punishing potato sinners in hell and serve them to the gods, which are, disturbingly, implied to be also potatoes.

Let's just say this game takes jiak kentang literally in the most sinister way possible.

If you're in it for something more chilling, another locally produced game, Stifled, from Gattai Games might be your cup of tea. Having gotten a lot of positive hype (and screams), the echolocation-based horror game is definitely one of the key VR titles to look out for in time to come.

5) You can say bye bye to the Wii U and 3DS. Switch and VR are the next big thing... soon enough.

Speaking of VR, it's definitely the buzzword, along with Nintendo Switch.

The Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U, though? They're on the demise, as seen in the tweet below:

幕張到着&プレス登録終了。
出展予定タイトル数では、
・スマホとPCはほぼ横ばい
・Vitaと3DSとPS3が減って、Switchがぐっと増える
・PS4/XBOは横ばい
・VRではViveが増えてPSVRが減る(ロケーション&PC増加傾向？) pic.twitter.com/nCwQxmrEde

— Munechika Nishida (@mnishi41) September 21, 2017

That's right, if you're a fan of the two consoles, it's bad news. There are only a paltry three new games for the Wii U, and nine new games for the 3DS that are coming up.

That being said, the output for VR games still lag behind PlayStation's this year and it's not hard to see why. Other than its cost, there still hasn't been that one VR game that would convince you to get a VR console anyway.

A casual player might not want to blow more than S$1,000 on a VR headset when it is possible to purchase an (arguably) more immersive VR gaming experience for a fraction of the price -- at least in Japan, where there are VR arcades that offer a wholesome experience.

6) You can do some otaku shopping here

Booth babes were giving out catalogues for visitors' shopping convenience, and, uh, slightly questionable merchandise are also on sale.

But yes, there are thankfully more exclusive souvenirs you can get for fellow gamer friends which are a lot more PG -- a Pac-Man shirt is probably easier to bring home (and explain).

Conclusion: Worth a visit -- if you are not scared to squeeze

Mothership.sg went on a "business" day, but "public" days are notorious for being crowded, and it makes buying merchandise virtually impossible if you're not part of the earliest arrivals.

Thus, it makes it subjective to say that it was "fun", and "worth a visit" but I feel that it might not be necessarily enjoyable to fans who are crowd-adverse, (i.e. curious, casual visitors who just want to look look see see).

Nevertheless, it definitely feels like there's a lot more to explore than an average convention in Singapore.

There's enough to go around to have a little something for everyone, including those who are here for the sexy body pillows and booth babes.

Top photo by Tan Guan Zhen