Review: Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda Is Casual and Fun

We don’t get many Hanafuda games outside Japan. When one does appear, even if its made for a niche audience, it can be a big deal. That’s the case for Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda from Gemdrops,  one of the latest holo indie titles, as it pairs up Vtubers from Cover with the card game. It’s such a solid showing, especially since it has an online multiplayer that supports cross-play with the console release and is quite well-populated, that anyone interested in the card game should consider at the very least trying out its demo.

The Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda campaign (yes, there’s a story mode) follows Vtubers Nakiri Ayame, Ookami Mio, Sakura Miko, and Shirakami Fubuki as they prepare for a tournament, then get sucked into themed worlds based on the months and flower suits in the deck. It’s not an earth-shattering story, but it is quite cute and could be helpful when easing people unfamiliar with the card game into the experience. Especially since it also introduces the Holo Awase ruleset with power-ups tied to specific generations for claiming cards that show certain performers on them.

It’s the actual card game that matters here, and Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda is great at providing that experience with a Vtuber coating. In addition to the campaign, you can play offline or online. The rulesets are traditional Koi-Koi, a variant of that with power-ups that include buffs and debuffs called Holo Awase, and Oicho-Kabu. (You don’t have to fire up one of the Yakuza games for rounds of that last one anymore!) Cards are very clearly presented on the table, information is laid out well, and it’s easy to check set lists or toggle help on and off. 

The online multiplayer impressed me too! I played on a handheld gaming PC, and I had no trouble finding matches. When I did get into one, it was responsive with no lag. It also didn’t take too long to find fellow players, though I did make sure I played around Japanese time zones to ensure I wouldn’t be alone. Cross-play seemed competent. The only qualm is that it is a bit of a rudimentary multiplayer mode, as there’s no ranked option. Given this is part of that indie line, I suppose I understand. And, in the time I was playing, Gemdrops did end up patching it to penalize people who would ditch matches if it looked like they were losing, so at least the developers seem like they’re keeping an eye out for feedback.

Images via Gemdrops

Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda also looks so great. The cards all feature Hololive Vtubers, but at the same time nail the classic Hanafuda card aesthetic. It looks lovely. I’d buy physical cards with those types of prints. (You know, if Trump tariffs and the end of de minimis exemption weren’t making those kinds of those impulse purchases near impossible.) If you aren’t a Vtuber fan, you can also opt for more traditional looking cards, but I really recommend going with the themed approach since they’re so pretty. 

The downside to Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda is, while enjoyable, I didn’t feel like I someone who picked it up would end up learning to play the card game well by playing it. The tutorial is comprehensive, but it doesn’t really get into learning about why you should play certain cards where or when you should try for certain groupings. Instead, it will just remind you that you’ll see automatically if cards could be played and used to claim via outlines when that option is enabled. There can also be hints about special moves. So as long as you’re placing cards as suggested in a way that let you keep building up collections you claimed, you could be fine and have a great time. But if you do already know how to play, it’s a fantastic way of getting into the card game. Ironically, I feel like a trailer for it did a better job of explaining how to play the card game.

Image via Gemdrops

Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda is a pleasant, casual Hanafuda experience that is great for anyone interested in the card game, not just Vtuber fans. It covers a few different rulesets. Its original Holo Awase option with power-ups adds a little extra flash. It also seemed like there’s a pretty active online multiplayer scene tied to it. And since there are different card themes, you could swap to that, largely ignore the campaign, and enjoy more typical Hanafuda experiences instead.

Hololive Holo’s Hanafuda is available for the PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch. 

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