Make A Virtual Friend Happy Through Saving

[Mulboyne]

Web Japan: Making a Game of Saving Money
In December 2006 toy manufacturer Tomy Co. came out with a piggy bank that combines saving money with the fun of a game. As users put coins into the Jinsei Ginko, meaning "bank of life," the life of a fictional character unfolds before their eyes. They come to identify with the character and cannot help but save more money to help their alter ego get a better life. The Jinsei Ginko is a white cube-shaped bank that accepts only 500 coinsyen . It can save up to 200 coins...On the front is a black-and-white LCD screen like that of a handheld game device, which depicts the life of a stick-like character. The user starts out by inputting a target amount and date. The character at first lives in a tiny room no more than three tatami mats large, like the boarding room of a poor college student. As the coins steadily pile up, the character's life gradually moves forward: He moves into a larger room, finds a job, and marries. He will reach a happy ending if the targeted amount is saved as scheduled, but an unfortunate fate awaits him if the goal is not achieved...more...

I wonder if the "unfortunate end" involves charcoal briquettes.

[Taro Toporific]

Looking at that “The Bank of Life” game, which made me wonder where the hell I had seen that before.
Wait, wait.
I wrote about it at the end of last year in my 3Yen and I wasted a lot time translating these screen shots of the game play.


However, I like this old skool piggybank version, Unchi-Neko Coin Bank.

[American Oyaji]

That sucker holds about a thousand dollars in coins. Must be heavy as hell once it's full.

I'd buy one, but it'd be hard to get 500 yen coins.