Justin is again to deal with one other sugary Nintendo deal with.
Kung Fu Tea has achieved it once more! That’s proper, one other Nintendo promotional beverage for 2023 is right here. I assume final 12 months’s Kirby impressed beverage from the boba franchise did effectively sufficient to entice them to tackle Pikmin. After barely surviving the earlier beverage, I needed to come again for extra to deal with the Pikmin Tropical Punch and Slush.
First, I simply wish to thank Kung Fu Tea for having the heart to again Pikmin in such a approach. I do know it’s not considered one of Nintendo’s most recognized franchises, however it’s for that purpose it feels all of the extra particular. Pikmin 4 is a superb recreation and effectively deserving of its personal speciality drink.
Anyway, onto the Pikmin beverage journey. Kung Fu Tea isn’t the most important chain, so I do need to go a bit out of my technique to even get to 1. Fortunately the primary retailer I referred to as claimed to have all objects included on this particular promotion, so I excitedly headed off. Upon arriving, I seen that the shop had a poster for the 2 marketed Pikmin drinks, along with having these drinks showing on in-store screens to assist promote them.
I ordered one Pikmin Tropical Punch and two Pikmin Tropical Slushes. Why? There are three totally different cups–that sane individuals would throw out–displaying the Purple, Blue, or Yellow Pikmin on them. Moreover, there are three particular Straw Toppers that may be collected that depict every stage of a Pikmin’s energy, so there are the Leaf, Bud, and Flower toppers.
The excellent news is that I used to be in a position to purchase all three Straw Toppers. Sadly, even after being advised the shop particularly had all of them, and asking for them when ordering, there was solely the Purple Pikmin cup to be discovered at this location. I used to be upset, however took the prizes I did have outdoors for a number of footage. The cups look cool particularly with the collectable Straw Toppers that serve little objective afterwards, however I’m positive Nintendo lunatics like myself shall be clutching them to the grave.
First up in my style check I tackled the Pikmin Tropical Slush. The beverage tastes like a slushy model of fruit punch; it was actually good! The downfall, in my view, is that the bubbles used on this drink had been a bit totally different than those in final 12 months’s Kirby drink. I bear in mind the Kirby bubbles being chewy, however the bubbles within the Pikmin Tropical drinks are like a skinny sugary movie stuffed with goo. Upon popping them in my mouth I felt the flavour gush out, however that movie nonetheless remained to be eaten. That is effective general, however as somebody who doesn’t drink a lot boba I’m not used to those variances.
The worst a part of the drink is that these bubbles are stuffed with mango taste. I’m not large on mango and was fearful stepping into. That mentioned, the flavoring in these bubbles wasn’t tremendous robust, and I even got here to love them a bit of. It wasn’t the overwhelming mango I’m used to in different merchandise. Nonetheless, I want they’d have chosen a unique fruity taste to enrich the icy chilly drink.
One other factor I seen was that I didn’t really feel like dying whereas making my approach by the drink like I did with final 12 months’s Kirby’s Fruity Flurry. I’m simply going to imagine that the Pikmin Tropical Slush has much less sugar or that I’ve someway constructed up a tolerance for ingesting these absolutely unhealthy treats. Serious about it, it’s form of unusual {that a} drink primarily based on vegetable creatures isn’t higher for you.
I sampled the Tropical Punch on the primary day however dove in on day two after it had sat within the fridge for an evening. Truthfully, I feel the 2 drinks are about the identical, and it simply comes all the way down to the way you wish to devour them. In case you want slush drinks, go together with the slush choice. If you’d like the beverage to be extra like a particular fruit punch, go together with the punch. Consuming the punch is simpler although and goes down clean. It additionally nonetheless has the identical mango bubbles. These seeking to strive each on a funds may drink half of the slush after which strive letting it soften into its punch type. Possibly there’s extra of a distinction, however I couldn’t actually inform.
Total, I feel the Pikmin Tropical Slush and Punch drinks are respectable, however I positively loved Kirby’s Fruity Flurry extra. I say that figuring out full effectively that I positively felt approach worse after ingesting Kirby, so there’s that caveat to the comparability.
Anyway, even after I loved my first beverage on day one, I knew my quest wasn’t over. I nonetheless wanted the Blue and Yellow Pikmin cups. I then traveled to a different close by Kung Fu Tea location in a crowded space with terrible parking. That proper there ought to inform you my desperation. Once I bought in I advised them my story and the man behind the register responded with a mixture of shock and confusion, “You’re attempting to gather the cups?”
Sadly this location additionally solely had the Purple Pikmin cups. The worker was good although and advised me to strive again within the coming weeks after which requested if I had the Kirby cups. I coolly replied, “You recognize I do.” The clerk estimates that the Pikmin drink will final for about two months, however these most likely should not wait. Who is aware of how lengthy these straw toppers will maintain out. Good luck on the market Pikmin followers. Hopefully we will all return to our Onions with the treasures we want!