Yo-Kai Watch on 3DS, Level-5's RPG with Japanese spirits to collect and battle. Nate meets invisible Yo-Kai and recruits them to solve everyday problems. Accessible and charming for children.
Your verdict
Category
RPG4 players7+
Description
Nate Adams discovers the Yo-Kai Watch allowing him to see invisible Yo-Kai and team up with them to solve everyday problems. Published by Level-5, released in Japan in July 2013. Medal-based Yo-Kai collection and recruitment, automated turn-based battles, Sakura New Town exploration. Japan exclusive.
Youkai Watch review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Gameplay
"Solid"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Tracking down the Yo-Kai hidden around town with a magnifying glass, befriending them and lining them up on a semi-automatic battle wheel builds a hunt where every encounter renews the urge to complete your medallium. Exploring and clearing quests stretches out everyday life. The fights lack control, but this endearing collection and its mischievous world keep younger players hooked for the long haul.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Spotting invisible Yokai with the watch and befriending them opens a collecting RPG where every neighbourhood brims with secrets. The main quest, catching hundreds of creatures and side challenges hold you for long hours. That loop of collecting and friendship, full of humour, founds a lifespan dear to young players and completionists alike.
The first entry in Level-5's phenomenon series, Yo-Kai Watch follows a child who, thanks to a magic watch, perceives and bonds with Yokai, the mischievous spirits of Japanese folklore. The collecting, the recruiting through friendship and a semi automatic wheel based combat system give the RPG an identity of its own, carried by tender humour and an endearing neighbourhood life. The first episode's pace stays a little repetitive, a flaw fixed later. For a fan of monster RPGs or someone curious about Japanese folklore, the title keeps a definite charm.
