Setting Up A Kawaii Gaming Journal

Digital diaries and lists are a convenient way to log all of the games you’ve played (or plan to), but if you want to keep something more physical, here’s a guide on how to set up your very own kawaii gaming journal.

What kind of games should I log?

You can have a catch-all journal for all the games you play, however, here are some other ideas you can try:

• Games made by a specific developer (e.g., Hoyoverse)
• Analog games (i.e., board and card games)
• Games you play on mobile/PC/a particular console (e.g., Switch, PS5)
• Games under a certain series or franchise (e.g., Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and New Horizons)

Above are the gaming journals I’m currently working on using some of the examples listed. I recently got into board games, and I have way too many games on Steam I have yet to play, so I decided to use one journal for both instead.

What kind of journal and materials should I use?

You can use any kind of stationery that you prefer–personally, I’ve become fond of using 6-ring binders as the pages can be easily rearranged and removed however you like. You can add zipper pockets or envelopes, which can be very useful for storing stickers and washi tape samples if you’re also into decorative journaling. You can even hang a small charm or keychain on the topmost ring to make your journal cover even cuter.

For example, my Hoyoverse journal is already pretty thick as I placed zipper pockets to store related ephemera per game. In a way, they also serve as dividers in between each game/section of the journal.

Lots of artists create fanmade stickers and even memo sheets that you can use for your gaming journal, so you can help support small businesses at the same time. Etsy is always a good place to start off, but you can also look through Instagram. If you’re based in Southeast Asia like me, Shopee and Lazada are popular e-commerce sites to shop locally. Make sure to use the right filters/tags and double-check the stores you’re buying from. You can also support your favorite game devs by purchasing licensed merchandise.

Genshin Impact, for example, supports fanmade merch and also sells very cute stationery (among other goods) from their own Tmall store. Here are some sample layouts in my journal using both official and fan merch:

You can also use paper cutouts or draw on your journal. If you have a photo printer, you can even add your favorite in-game screenshots. These can include:

• Humorous and quirky lines
• Multiplayer/co-op moments
• Key cutscenes and story events
• Achievements (e.g., completing a difficult quest, getting a rare item)
• Landscapes and environments

Here’s what I did for my BOTW and ACNH spreads. Most of these screenshots are my favorite scenes/lines in-game. I definitely plan on adding a lot more!

For more ideas on journals and materials to use, you can look at my previous posts on the blog:

• Kawaii Journaling Setup Ideas
• Getting Started With Kawaii Journaling

What should I write about?

To get you started, you can give these a shot:

• Story – Plot summary / Themes (e.g., friendship, survival) / Pacing / Unique aspect/s
• First impressions
• Gameplay – Game mechanics and controls / Progression system / Level of difficulty / Achievements
• Overall replayability
• Characters When they joined your party / Your thoughts on them / How they developed as the story progressed / Their current levels/stats
• Team compositions you use or plan to use with them

Here’s what I did for my analog and digital games journal. I wrote about my initial thoughts and how I felt as I progressed playing each game.

Also, if you’re still very much into New Horizons and/or Pocket Camp, check out Andi’s post on Animal Crossing Journal Ideas.

And that’s about it! Keeping a gaming journal is a nice, cute way to help you look back on your thoughts and feelings as you played each game. Maybe it’ll inspire you to play again out of nostalgia, complete it on another difficulty level, or try new paths to achieve a different ending.

Thinking of creating your own kawaii gaming journal? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.