Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The first thing to understand about Ichigeki Sacchū!! HoiHoi-san (Genteiban) is that this is not an edition you pick for a changed or expanded play experience. Its stated distinction is the physical bundle: the PlayStation 2 game arrives alongside a full-scale HoiHoi-san action figure. So when you sit down to play, the edition’s extra value is waiting beside the console rather than altering the session itself.

That sounds obvious, but it matters when weighing a limited release. A special edition earns its price when its bonus keeps you engaged between sessions, and a poseable figure has a more lasting pull than disposable packaging. You can set HoiHoi-san up with different weapon accessories, rearrange the display, and get a small hands-on reward that is separate from the disc.

For the gamer who judges every purchase by hours of interactive content, this package asks for a more collector-friendly mindset. Buy it because you want the game and want a tangible HoiHoi-san item sharing the shelf with it. Buy the standard release instead if the disc is all that matters to you; the Genteiban’s case rests on what comes out of the box with it.

Graphics

The concrete visual draw here is the 1:1 scale HoiHoi-san figure itself. Because it is poseable and comes with several weapon accessories, it offers more personality on a desk or display shelf than a fixed miniature would. The changing weapon loadouts also give you a reason to revisit how it is posed rather than leaving it in one default stance forever.

Story

This edition does not make its case through an added narrative hook. Its identity is tied to HoiHoi-san as a character, with the figure turning that connection into something you can own rather than merely encounter through the game.

That creates a particular kind of attachment. A character can remain in your mind after the credits, but a poseable figure gives that attachment a physical outlet: you can choose the pose and weapon combination that feels right to you. It is a small but real advantage for anyone invested in the license.

At the same time, the extra does not replace the need to care about the game itself. This is a companion piece, not a narrative shortcut. The best audience is someone already interested enough in HoiHoi-san to see the figure as part of the experience rather than as clutter added to a larger box.

Overall Experience

Ichigeki Sacchū!! HoiHoi-san (Genteiban) succeeds or fails as a collector’s package, and on that narrow question it has a clear, appealing centerpiece. A poseable, full-scale figure with several weapons is a much more personal bonus than a token insert. It gives the edition a reason to exist beyond a different label.

There is also a pleasing old-school quality to a PlayStation 2 limited edition that treats the physical object as part of the fun. You are not only acquiring software; you are getting a display piece that can change as you swap accessories and adjust its pose. That is the sort of extra that can make a sealed-box purchase feel worth opening.

Still, this is a recommendation with a bright line. HoiHoi-san fans and figure collectors should give it serious consideration, especially if they enjoy game memorabilia they can actually handle. Everyone else should treat it as a premium version of the same game and spend accordingly. The figure is the payoff, and it needs to be a payoff you genuinely want.

Retro Replay Score

7/10