(* Source: Labelnetworks *)

McDonald’s has been moving into new realms including video gaming and music in the last few months. Starting with sponsoring a music tour this summer in North America, which we discovered in Venice Beach, CA, featuring Neyo, they’ve ventured off their beaten path and joined the crowds of concert sponsorship. And now in Japan, McDonald’s is offering up basic, colorful video game toys with Happy Meals. But it’s not necessarily the little kids who are lovin’ it most, but rather collectors of toys and urban vinyl dolls, as well as sneakerheads.

There are 6 different video game Happy Meals called the “Happy Set” including PK Soccer, Rhythmic Dance, Bike Racing, Bowling, Music Drum, and F1 Racing. Like an LTD drop of sneakers in Tokyo, these games have quickly become a must-have item among a similar subculture—especially as the promotion ends September 6th.

This promo is also going on at the same time as a Hello Kitty collaboration McDonald’s has having in the States, which has captured the fascination of collectors as well. Obviously it’s a cross-cultural thing, but taps into the fascination American’s have for Japanese Hello Kitty, and that Japanese have for hand-held video gaming systems.