You know that crazy energy drink named "Cocaine" that caused such a ruckus overseas? Well, it may soon incite similar controversy in our part of the world. The Christchurch-based Wize Marketing has organised with manufacturer Redux Beverages to distribute Cocaine in Australia and New Zealand.

Cocaine contains 280mg of caffeine - 3.5 times the amount in an average can of Red Bull or cup of coffee. Enough to get you wired, cause heart palpitations or make your eyeballs combust.

While technically the drink is (mostly) harmless, I'm sure an angry parent of some description will ink a letter to their local MP condemning the beverage based on its name. Not that it bothers me - it's not like we don't have enough energy drinks to choose from as it is.

Drink up! This March, Capcom's got the Monster Hunter Portable 2nd energy drinks. Dubbed "Monster Hunter Drink" (clever!), the beverage will be manufactured by Hino Pharmaceutical. Ingredients include royal jelly, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B2, Caffeine and Niacin. Mmm, Niacin.

Each bottle will have a customised bottle cap of a different in-game icon. Ten total to collect — if you are into that sort of thing.
Monster Hunter Drink [Hobby Blog]

The gaming industry is growing by leaps and bounds every year, and as more and more people enter the gaming community, more and more companies are trying to find a way to capitalize on the exploding demographic. Furniture companies start producing gaming chairs, electronics manufacturers add high-definition gaming to their feature lists - I've even seen local apartment complexes advertising gamer-friendly DSL on signs outside their property. With brands like Mountain Dew already sharing a strong association with gamer culture, it makes sense that the energy drink industry would target our hobby in a big way. Game harder, faster, and longer with the help of various sugars and herbs in a tiny tin can - but which tiny tin can is the best? I took a look at thirteen of the more popular brands in my area to determine which energy drink packs the most kick without making you sick to your stomach.

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You already spend too much money and time playing World of Warcraft. So you may as well go all-out and endanger your health while you're at it. The Mana Energy Potion, an unlicensed "supplement" drink, looks like it's designed to do two things. One is cash in on WoW and make some money. The other? Kill you. Despite coming in at only 40ml, just one Mana drink is the equivalent of two Red Bulls or four cups of coffee. Those worried about their daily Vitamin B12 intake will also be chuffed to know it contains 6667% of your recommended daily intake.
[Mana Energy Potion]

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Square Enix and Japanese beverage maker Suntory teamed up twice to release Final Fantasy Potion, which is nothing more than a rebranding of Suntory's energy drinks. Most Westerns who tried the Final Fantasy Potions found them rather unsavory. But, that's how all Japanese energy drinks taste: Unsavory! A Japanese dude in a horse mask decided to do one better and use the Final Fantasy Potion as a key ingredient in an energy potion of his own, complete with a hundred bucks worth of energy drinks and various supplements — and even chopped garlic! (Yum.) The concoction was cooked and then poured into a single glass. The guy apparently drinks it and apparently throws up a few times. "Apparently", because he is wearing a horse mask. This clip ain't for the squeamish!

This morning's power breakfast was one slice of toast and one can of Final Fantasy Potion. Once again, Square Enix has teamed with Osaka beverage maker Suntory to create a "potion" promotion to promote FF. This time around, the drink is for the tenth anniversary of Final Fantasy VII.

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Guy with big hair leaves his giant sword at the door, walks into a convenience store, buys Final Fantasy VII Potion and recharges his power. Whoever he is, we bet even he thinks FF Potion is absolutely repugnant.

It's weird. Everyone at the Halo 3 launch here in NYC pretty much agrees that Mountain Dew Game Fuel is the most hideous thing to ever come out of the Mountain Dew scientists. At best, it's a mix of Code Red and Livewire. At worst, regurgitated original Mountain Dew mixed with Hostess cherry pies. Even so, they show up at the event and start handing out free shirts, doling out shot glasses full of the insidious liquid via marketing temps with ginormous backpacks, and suddenly everyone's going crazy. I had two cups myself. Two! I think you need to drink at least four to rank a free t-shirt, honoring your courage in the face of adversity. They even had 'Respawn' stations set up, where women were available to rub the kinks out of your hand, a statement that seems somehow jumbled, but really isn't.