Yami Kids Is Launching on 22nd September
Monster-taming RPG fans will get one final chance to try Yami Kids before its release, as developer Yanako RPGs has confirmed that the dark-themed adventure will be playable at Tokyo Game Show 2026.
The game will be available at booth 09-C23 in the Indie Game Area at Makuhari Messe throughout the event, which runs from September 17 to September 21. The game will then launch on Steam on September 22 at 10:00 PM JST (9:00 AM EST), just one day after the show ends.
Unlike the colorful monster-taming experience offered by Yanako RPGs’ Dokimon Quest, Yami Kids takes the genre in a much darker direction. Players summon more than 80 Oni and build their teams from spirits tied to the Underworld.
One of the game’s standout mechanics is the Shadow Duel system. Losing a duel after nightfall does not simply mean defeat. Instead, players are dragged into the Underworld, where the deal they make to return can influence the story all the way to its ending. Players will follow twins Yuki and Yuumi as they explore both the surface world and the mysterious Underworld, with each realm featuring its own rules. The game also draws inspiration from darker monster-taming titles such as Shin Megami Tensei: DemiKids and Yu-Gi-Oh.
Yami Kids previously secured its Kickstarter funding in just five days. With Tokyo Game Show serving as its final public demo opportunity before launch, fans now have a chance to see what makes this darker take on monster taming stand out.