Kinnikuman Muscle Tag Match revival launches on smartphones

Bandai Namco Entertainment has launched Kinnikuman: Muscle Tag Match Reiwa Revival Edition on smartphones in Japan, bringing the 1985 wrestling game back with a larger roster and Bluetooth multiplayer. The one-time price is ¥1,000 including tax, according to the publisher's official site and the accompanying launch coverage.¹²

The revival is based on the original Kinnikuman: Muscle Tag Match, but it is not simply a straight emulation. Bandai Namco says the new version features 50 superhumans, selected through the 2026 popularity poll and recommendations, compared with the eight-character line-up in the original game. It also adds two-player matches over Bluetooth, giving the small-scale wrestling brawler a modern way to recreate its local-versus appeal.¹

Where it is available

The game is available through the Japanese App Store and Google Play links on the official website. The App Store listing names Bandai Namco Entertainment as the developer, gives the price as ¥1,000 and lists Japanese as the supported language.¹³ The supplied announcement is Japan-focused, so regional storefront availability, pricing outside Japan and any plans for an English-language release remain unconfirmed.

The official listing also describes the game as an action title and says it requires iOS 15 or later on Apple's platforms. Bandai Namco's site links to both mobile storefronts, but the announcement does not provide a separate international release plan or a broader launch timetable.¹³

What is new in the revival

The expanded roster is the headline addition. The original 1985 game was built around a compact group of characters and simple one-on-one battles; this version increases the available superhumans to 50. That should give returning players more match-up variety, while the Bluetooth mode makes the revival more relevant to friends playing on current phones rather than a single shared retro console.¹

The official material does not claim a remake with modern 3D presentation or a new story campaign. It presents the project as a powered-up return of the classic game, with the roster expansion and wireless two-player feature doing most of the work. That makes the ¥1,000 price easy to understand: this is a focused retro revival rather than a full-scale new Kinnikuman action game.

Our opinion

The most interesting part of this launch is not the nostalgia on its own; it is the decision to preserve a deliberately small game while adding a practical multiplayer feature. Bluetooth support gives the revival a reason to exist on phones, and 50 characters should make repeated matches less repetitive than the original line-up. The caveat is that the Japanese-only presentation and Japan-focused launch leave the game's wider appeal dependent on whether Bandai Namco chooses to support other regions. For now, it is a neat, clearly targeted return for Kinnikuman fans in Japan rather than a global mobile revival.

¹ Official Kinnikuman: Muscle Tag Match Reiwa Revival Edition site.² Famitsu's launch report.³ Japanese App Store listing.