Early Access Impressions of Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu

Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu dropped into Early Access and within five minutes my household had devolved into the exact same beautiful chaos the original game unleashed years ago. I don’t know what Onion Soup Interactive puts in their code, but it’s clearly some kind of slapstick‑infused energy drink, because the moment we started sprinting, tripping, and being assaulted by fruit, it felt like coming home.

The first game was a staple in my house, it's the kind of game where my kids laughed so hard they couldn’t breathe, and I laughed so hard I forgot how to parent. This sequel? It’s already shaping up to be even more unhinged.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THksIQzNh-o

The ragdolling. The flailing. The “why are my legs doing that” energy. It’s all here, but smoother, sillier, and somehow even more committed to making me look like a complete fool in front of my children.

Every race feels like a fever dream directed by a hyperactive game show host. One moment I’m confidently sprinting ahead, the next I’m being blindsided by a rogue melon and launched into the stratosphere while my kids scream with joy. Truly a bonding experience.

The Early Access build gives you a handful of new courses, and each one feels like it was designed by someone who asked, “What if running was dangerous?” and then doubled down.

There are:

• Octopus attacks

• Traffic that absolutely does not care about your hopes or dreams

• Shiba Inus with the speed and determination of Olympic sprinters

• More opportunities to fall off things than any responsible parent should allow

Every time I think I’ve mastered a stage, the game politely reminds me that I have not.

The new Create‑A‑Contestant mode is a gift and a curse. A gift because my kids can now design racers that look like rejected mascots from a theme park that went bankrupt in 1987. A curse because they insist on making me play as them.

I have never been so thoroughly humiliated by a neon‑green shark‑man wearing a tutu.

This is still the perfect “family game night but with more screaming” experience. The controls are simple enough for kids, unpredictable enough for adults, and chaotic enough that nobody can claim they lost because of skill. Which is great, because I lose constantly.

Even solo, the smarter bots make races feel lively but nothing beats the sound of your kids cackling as you get flattened by a shopping trolley.

The roadmap promises more characters, more stages, more weapons, online multiplayer, and even party games. Honestly, if they add any more ways for me to embarrass myself, I might need to start training.

Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu already captures everything I loved about the original with the absurdity, the slapstick, the “I can’t believe that just happened” moments but with more polish and even more ways to fall on my face.

It’s ridiculous. It’s chaotic. It’s perfect for playing with kids. And it’s already one of the funniest Early Access games I’ve touched in ages.