Critics have confirmed The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a hit. With an all-around score of 10/10, it’s fair to say the game largely lived up to the lofty expectations it had been set for. But beyond the game itself, there’s more Tears of Kingdom-branded products that haven’t yet been subjected to the same depth of critical scrutiny: Collaborative convenience store food.
In Japan, it is not uncommon for the three major convenience store chains (namely FamilyMart, Lawson, and 7-Eleven) to produce a small number of themed food items to coincide with the release of some major video game or movie.In the past year alone, both Splatoon 3 and Pokémon Themed items can be found in 7-Eleven stores across the country. With the release of Tears of the Kingdom, the Lawson Convenience Store has given us at least five unique food items that loosely tie in with the game’s theme.
In order to provide truly comprehensive critical coverage of Tears of the Kingdom, we did something no other outlet dared to do: we went hunting for these delicacies ourselves. From here, we’ve reviewed each available dish, taking into account each dish’s flavor, appearance, and legend accuracy.
‘Heavy Truffle’ Mushroom Focaccia
Attempting to represent the health-filling brilliance of the “Hearty Truffle” items found in the game, this Mushroom Focaccia does offer a strong, perhaps even “Hearty” flavor. The bread ingredients are soft and fluffy, and the tops are small, moist, tasty mushrooms.
The size of the bun is a decent size for the cost, and if you’re a fan of the humble mushroom, this is sure to be a good option for a quick lunch. Link can’t make focaccia in the game himself, but the simplicity of the dish is reminiscent of the kind he might throw together in a pinch. Mushrooms and bread – nothing exciting, but it’s a can’t-fail combo.
7.5/10
“Beast Meat” Curry Bread
“Curry pot” is a staple of Japanese convenience store cuisine. Combining the sweet and spicy flavors of Japanese curry with the soft donut appearance, curry buns are a very basic (yet very delightful) treat.
This Tears of the Kingdom-themed curry bun is virtually indistinguishable from its counterparts. It has the same basic flavor and texture as its contemporaries, with a soft and luscious crust filled with delicious curry paste and small cuts of beef. It’s a delicious curry bread, but in the competitive world of curry bread, it’s only slightly above average. Like Tears of the Kingdom, this won’t change your mind if you don’t already like the formula established by your predecessors (…curry bread).
6/10
‘Goron Spice Power’ Dry Curry Rice Balls
Onigiri is another common item in convenience stores, but curry-flavored onigiri are rare. Common onigiri flavors include salmon, tuna, seaweed, and plum – but curry doesn’t appear as often, so that’s exciting.
This particular onigiri boldly claims to be Season with Goron Spice PowderIt’s a mild flavor, in fact, and I wish Goron Spice Powders had a bit more intensity given their fiery nature. A bit of a kick, but the rice onigiri mostly tasted like curry rice you can find elsewhere.
All told, this onigiri has great synergy and goes well together. Chunks of seasoned beef and carrots are effectively distributed throughout the rice, and the curry seasoning makes it more exciting than most onigiri.like all
8/10
Salmon and Milk Clam Chowder
This salmon and milk clam chowder is visually the least appealing of the bunch. Chunks of salmon floated in the bisque, which, while plain bisque, tasted fairly natural and helped elevate the somewhat slushy texture.
This particular project didn’t do much for me, but it’s hard to describe it as “bad”. Clam chowder looks rather unassuming, but given that Link can actually make clam chowder, this might actually be one of the more game-appropriate items in the series, so it deserves credit.
5/10
‘Chili’ Chicken
This new flavor of “Karaage-kun” (Lawson’s signature fried chicken offering) features imagery of the hot peppers that can be found everywhere in Tears of the Kingdom, and could easily be a re-peeled version of the previous flavor collaboration — but that’s Well, because it’s delicious.
The chicken itself was a distinct red color and had a very well balanced texture with tender meat and a crunchy batter. Like the onigiri, it has a light spice flavor but not overwhelming. The chicken was not dry, but not overly soggy either, and went well with a variety of sauces. Overall, it’s a great addition to the co-op menu and, like Tears of the Kingdom, could be considered a series culmination.
9/10
As you’d expect from a video game tie-in food release, the quality of these Tears of the Kingdom projects can vary wildly. It’s a goofy novelty that’s incredibly loosely themed, but given that cooking remains an integral mechanic in Tears of the Kingdom, this collaboration sure at least makes more sense than they usually do.
Such collaborative projects come and go so often in Japan that it’s easy to be skeptical of the corporate motives behind such launches, especially without putting in much effort. After a game as well-crafted as Tears of the Kingdom, it’s nice to see at least some thought incorporated into convenience food pairings.
Few video 10/10 video games have had the honor of releasing at the same time as 8/10 Onigiri, and perhaps that’s a good reason for it to exist.
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