Takara Tomy's RPG Piggy Bank: level up by saving up

Now here's a novel concept. Takara Tomy's BankQuest is half piggy bank, half old school RPG. Essentially, gamers / penny pinchers can purchase items to help them fend off pixelated ogres and the like by saving more money. The more coinage that gets deposited, the better the journey becomes. So, do you get some kind of prize when you cash it all out to buy your mum something nice, or what?

[Metkis @ Jun 21st 2008 7:16AM]

I'm not going to lie, I want it.

[Blaine Oliver @ Jun 21st 2008 10:20AM]

Surely the money spent buying this could be saved somewhere else, thus making you save more?

[Metkis @ Jun 21st 2008 10:47AM]

Nope man, I'm pretty sure I'd save even more money just to see this baby in action.

[Seanross @ Jun 21st 2008 11:59AM]

I'm actually horrible with saving, but I'm big on gadgets and games. So this is perfect for me :)

[King Kang @ Jun 21st 2008 7:20AM]

Whoa, best concept ever.

If I had kids, they'd get one of these! And a soccerball, of course.

[David @ Jun 21st 2008 7:28AM]

It's a good idea.... But like in the old days, kids will eventually tape a string to a coin and slide it in and out of the slot to cheat the vending machine. I guess this method is the "Action Replay" for Saving Quest V1.0?

[MikeG @ Jun 21st 2008 7:48AM]

Does that still work?

[Nytrojen @ Jun 21st 2008 7:55AM]

Only if you still believe you're living in the 90's

[The Apple @ Jun 21st 2008 12:51PM]

i am, But, only on weekends.

[Nytrojen @ Jun 21st 2008 7:33AM]

Brings a whole new meaning to the term "gold farming"

[Othello @ Jun 21st 2008 7:44AM]

Ok, this is one of the greatest things in the universe. Buyin it!

[Bernhard @ Jun 21st 2008 8:56AM]

An enemy has been sighted! Tackle it for only 5 $, run away for only 3 $!
Your sword broke! Buy a new one for only 50 $!
The Money Container is full! Send it in to Takara Tomy for emptying!Cheating will be caught!

[michas_pi @ Jun 21st 2008 1:21PM]

Cheating prevention is enforced by WGA! Don't try it!

:P

[bolezhinkov @ Jun 21st 2008 9:21AM]

wicked UI

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ Jun 21st 2008 9:38AM]

Leveled Up:
Pennies: +10
Nickels: +12
Dimes: +8
Quarters: +4

You learned: "Savings"

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ Jun 21st 2008 9:40AM]

Leveled Up:
Pennies: +10
Nickels: +12
Dimes: +8
Quarters: +4

You learned: "Savings"

[Tuxy79 @ Jun 21st 2008 9:46AM]

That's Awesome!

[dhytspam @ Jun 21st 2008 10:10AM]

I like this alot.

[kagai @ Jun 21st 2008 10:29AM]

This makes me miss my Dark Tower board game.

[jerbils @ Jun 21st 2008 10:35AM]

I have to get this. I mean, as an off-beat college student, it's practically required.

[Starvine @ Jun 21st 2008 10:38AM]

Advisor: "So why are you borrowing against your 401(k)?"
Me: "I can't kill the Wyvern on my frickin' piggy bank."

[o29 @ Jun 21st 2008 10:46AM]

This is so geeky, yet so awesome.

[Ethan @ Jun 21st 2008 10:57AM]

If I managed my money like I do in RPGs I'm fairly certain I would starve.

[Reader @ Jun 21st 2008 8:59PM]

The other side of that is if I made money like I do in RPGs I'd be a very rich man.

[BigD145 @ Jun 21st 2008 11:53AM]

Drill a hole in the bottom and set up a portal and you'll have an instant cheat.

[microlith @ Jun 21st 2008 12:02PM]

But does it support US currency?

Japan's largest coin is a 500yen peice, and their 1yen coins are super light. They're nowhere near similar enough to be equal...

[Mr. S. @ Jun 21st 2008 12:32PM]

Noooooooo!!! You just ruined my dreams with that logic! ;-(

[BigD145 @ Jun 21st 2008 1:04PM]

Yes, but you get less and less XP everyday.

[Josh @ Jun 21st 2008 1:18PM]

Looks cool, but the design is a bit shit - the plastic just looks tacky - awesome concept though :P

Will it work in any country? Ie it's not set to a specific currency?

[dirt @ Jun 21st 2008 1:38PM]

This is cool :)

But I think EA are behind this.... insert coin to level up....

O wait.... you get to have your money back at the end, perhaps its not EA then?

[Darkest Daze @ Jun 21st 2008 2:18PM]

This is pretty much pure awesome. I just wish it had dollar slots (and was American compatible) since I just rarely have change hanging around. Plus, I'd probably have a grand saved up in a month if they let me put more then a penny in at a time.

[Yuri @ Jun 21st 2008 2:48PM]

Haha I'm buying one when I move to Japan in a few months!!!!! =D

I'm excited now, ha!

[GenBanks @ Jun 21st 2008 3:09PM]

And who the hell are you?

[BigTeebo @ Jun 21st 2008 5:18PM]

Perhaps building in a scale at the bottom would prevent this? If the scale weight goes down suddenly(without you doing a legit withdrawl), it would detect tampering.

[Almadi @ Jun 21st 2008 5:33PM]

And when you save up enough, you go buy another, then another. So you extend your kingdom some more.

A cross between Final Fantasy and SimCity

[XenoX101 @ Jun 21st 2008 6:06PM]

In other news, WoW players finally realise where their money is going through a symbolic piggy bank

[anonymous @ Jun 21st 2008 7:58PM]

their money is going into Blizzard's piggy bank

[justpictures.net.tc @ Jun 21st 2008 6:10PM]

That is the collest thing this week!

[NoAndThen @ Jun 21st 2008 8:32PM]

Is anyone else reminded of the dreamcast VMU?

Uncanny... assuming those dark grey buttons are, you know, buttons.

[Echo1 @ Jun 21st 2008 10:52PM]

Reckon we could custom program these, place them in front of our elected officials, and it may encourage furgalness (ex save 30 quarters, your favorite lobbyist gets a good lawyer)?

[Danakin @ Jun 22nd 2008 12:19AM]

absolutely brilliant!

[Greg @ Jun 22nd 2008 8:30AM]

by all means get one if you speak Japanese....

[Andy @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:27AM]

If this was more advance we would save a lot more $ and become addicted to it like jews and world of warcraft.

[SteveJ @ Jun 23rd 2008 9:10AM]

It's a fantastic idea and I'd buy two for my kids if it supported US currency. I'd even import. They would love it.

[connmannic @ Jun 25th 2008 6:12PM]

ok, where do I buy this. I seriously want one. This is amazing. I think I'll buy four and give them to my geek friends for their b-days.