The Power of a Convenience Store Management Training for Adults DS!

I remember when I first played Ori no Ryori as a rare import demo on a PlayStation Underground disc. It was a game in which you ran a restaurant by using the dual analog sticks to do such thrilling things as chop green onions, pour the perfect beer, and stir ramen. I loved it and played the demo endlessly, although I never tracked down an import copy of my own.

So you can understand how a game in which you run a Lawson brand convenience store may hold more interest for me than some. Translated as The Power of a Convenience Store Management Training for Adults DS, this is actually the fourth game in the series which was last seen on PlayStation 2. The game features ten scenarios with various goals like ‘open the most new stores’ or ‘draw in more customers than your competitor’ with the cute HABBO-esque graphics adorning the top screen. The touch screen is where all the action takes place as you learn how to manage a convenience store, execute marketing initiatives, rotate and order inventory, and plan new stores.

It sounds pretty extensive. When planning a new store you not only take into consideration how many other convenience stores are nearby but also the ratio of tobacco, liquor, and medicine to carry. Once your store is built you’ll need to staff it and by training your clerks you can eventually promote them to store manager and give them their own store. Drawing in new customers requires marketing in the form of TV commercials and direct mailings and it’s always a good idea to rotate your stock with seasonal products and continue to rearrange your store to find the best layout for your customers.

It’s like Rollercoaster Tycoon except based around convenience stores. Managing a DMV may be the only business left to turn Tycoon. Nevertheless, I’d totally play this game but I’m sure it’s text heavy and will never be translated, even for a European release. Maybe this one will also get a demo at some point before it’s Autumn release. I’d grab that, even in Japanese. A few more images over at GameWatch.