From Hello Kitty to fighter jets and Dragon Ball, we went hands-on with three upcoming Bandai Namco games at Bonus Level Philippines.

There’s a lot of fun to be had and games to discover at Bandai Namco’s Bonus Level Philippines!

Running from 17 to 19 July, 2026 at the Glorietta Activity Center along Palm Drive in Makati, the event is open from 11.00 AM to 9.00 PM daily. Visitors can try upcoming games including ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE, Hello Kitty Party Land, DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 3, CAPTAIN TSUBASA 2: WORLD FIGHTERS and ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition, or head to the ever-popular TEKKEN 8 booth to test Season Pass 3 fighter Kunimitsu.

There is also plenty to do between demos, with exclusive goodies, special guests, booth challenges, and prizes up for grabs throughout the weekend. The Blood of Dawnwalker, ONE PIECE: Grand Gourmet, GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT, Taiko no Tatsujin, and FINAL FANTASY VII REVELATION are also represented through themed displays and photo opportunities around the venue.

Aside from everything happening on the show floor, we also had the opportunity to go hands-on with some of the upcoming games on Day 1. Here are our first impressions.

 

Hello Kitty Party Land

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3

Release Date29 October 20262 October 20262027PlatformsNintendo Switch and Switch 2PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|SPC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|SDeveloperG-Style Co. Ltd. and Sanrio GamesBandai Namco AcesDimps Corporation

Hello Kitty Party Land gameplay and first impressions

Probably one of the most unexpected highlights of the event, aside from the ultra-popular TEKKEN 8 booth, was Hello Kitty Party Land.

Who would have thought something super simple and adorable would be loads of fun? The game did not have the longest queue, but we noticed that everyone who tried it walked away smiling, with quite a few even returning with friends for another round.

Launching on 29 October, 2026 for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, Hello Kitty Party Land lets players explore a colourful town alongside more than 145 Sanrio characters. Players can choose one of 16 partner characters while taking on over 45 mini-games, alongside other activities including dress-up, fishing, sticker collecting, and board game-style modes. The game supports solo play as well as local multiplayer for up to four players.

The first time we tried the game, we sat down with complete strangers and each picked up one of the four controllers. The second time was with friends and friends of friends. Either way, the game's colourful visuals and expressive Sanrio cast instantly loosened everyone up. It is an instant icebreaker.

Whether with friends or strangers, Hello Kitty Party Land is a fun icebreaker.

Character customisation also has a surprisingly decent amount of variety. You can change your character's eyes, hairstyle, skin colour and hair colour, with more than five choices available for each category. On top of that, there were a handful of costume sets and stickers available during the demo.

The lobby itself is like a playground where you can interact with Sanrio characters, collect stickers, and simply hang around before entering the Play Park. Honestly, even this part was charming. You can chat with the characters, run around with the other players, or even head down the slide before jumping into the mini-games. It is the sort of space that encourages everyone to slow down, have a laugh, and soak in the atmosphere before the games even begin.

The Play Park is where the mini-games begin, with the first featuring Pompompurin and giant pudding trampolines that everyone could use to bounce around and collect as many stars as possible. While it was designed as a co-op game, I could not help but feel like it would be hilarious as a competitive mode too. Stepping on another player launches you higher, letting you reach more stars, while being the one underneath sends you straight back down. It quickly turned into everyone accidentally, or very intentionally, bouncing off each other.

Actually, all three mini-games we tried felt like they could easily work as competitive modes too, since they revolve around collecting stars or scoring points individually. Even so, the co-operative approach still made them an absolute blast.

There is clearly a lot more waiting beyond the demo. While Hello Kitty Party Land is pretty simple overall, it already feels like the sort of game that is easy to pick up with family and friends. Because who said only children can enjoy Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll and the rest of the gang?

Hello Kitty Party Land launches on 29 October, 2026 for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve gameplay and first impressions

Another one of the biggest games on the show floor was Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. With more than 30 playable aircraft and the return of wingman controls, longtime Ace Combat fans should have plenty to look forward to.

The game impresses with hyper-realistic visuals and incredible attention to detail, doing a fantastic job of selling the fantasy of piloting a fighter jet in the middle of an aerial battle.

The demo opens with a fairly lengthy cutscene, which can thankfully be skipped, before dropping players into the first campaign mission. Here, you can choose your aircraft and weapons, while also customising your wingmen's loadouts before taking off.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve booth at Bonus Level Philippines.

I quickly discovered that I was not very good at this kind of game. The controls and aerial manoeuvres were fairly overwhelming for a first-timer. Thankfully, another member of our group had experience with these kinds of games, and watching him surgically pick off targets, execute classy aura-farming manoeuvres and effortlessly evade incoming missiles showed exactly how satisfying Ace Combat 8 can be in capable hands. When played the right way, the game absolutely shines.

Simply put, it might not be a game for everyone, but fans of aerial combat, flight simulators, and the Ace Combat series will probably feel right at home.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launches on 2 October 2026 for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 gameplay and first impressions

Finally, we also got to try Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, the upcoming action RPG from Dimps Corporation. Serving as the next-generation follow-up to Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, the game is set in AGE 1000, an unexplored future 148 years after the previous title, while continuing the series' signature mix of custom characters, RPG progression, and iconic Dragon Ball battles.

Like the other time-limited demos, we did not get much of a look at AGE 1000, as the game quickly pushed us into combat after a short cutscene.

Combat does a great job of capturing what it might feel like to be part of the Dragon Ball universe. You are tasked with clearing waves of enemies using quick attacks, Ki blasts, and combo strings, while the larger Super Saiyan transformation serves as one of the demo's bigger power-up moments. There is more to it than simple button mashing too, as stronger attacks require proper combinations, making battles feel a little more involved than they first appear.

Things ramp up significantly once the boss fight begins. Suddenly, it is no longer just about landing combos. You also have to avoid enormous Ki blasts and hide behind fragile icebergs for cover. Escaping those attacks was not always obvious during our short session, and there were moments where it became more frustrating than challenging as we tried to work out exactly what the game wanted us to do. That may simply come down to learning the mechanics, but it definitely stood out during our brief time with the demo.

That said, this early build was still plenty of fun, and hopefully the full game gives players a proper look at what AGE 1000 has to offer.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 launches in 2027 for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Even with only around 15 minutes on each demo, every game managed to leave a very different impression on us. Whether you are looking for a relaxing party game, intense aerial combat or explosive anime action, there was plenty to get excited about.

Bonus Level Philippines continues today and runs until tomorrow, 19 July, at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati from 11.00 AM to 9.00 PM daily.