![]() ![]() On the other, there is definitely some depth to the game’s real-time combat. On the one hand, this is a gorgeous, fun multimedia property aimed squarely at the grade school set. I’m really of two minds concerning Yo-kai Watch. What about adult gamers? Will we enjoy it? These are powerful enemies that can easily waylay your more common Yo-kai, but, while admittedly a little intense, the Oni, as well as some of the later themed level bosses, are more creepy than startling–likely only prone to frighten the timidest of geeklings. It hinges on escaping from Oni (demons) as you navigate the darkened streets. There is an element unlocked a few hours into the game called “Terror Time” that takes place during nighttime play. ![]() The visual style is truly engaging, especially for those already hooked on the cartoon, and everything from the infectious music to the heavily touchscreen-centered control scheme seems engineered to make this game exceptionally accessible. ![]() In addition to exploring the game world and locating hidden Yo-kai, there are additional diversions like fishing and bug collecting that actually feel perfectly at home within this particular property. Hell, my children played the demo for hours on end! This game really has a lot to offer, especially for the younger player. Sure, the cultural touchstones are a little different than our own, but it’s really just another story of a regular kid on an unexpected, epic adventure. As you explore the game world, you find and battle more and more fantastical creatures, and sometimes, once defeated, they ask to be your friend and give you their summoning medal for your watch, further strengthening your growing roster of rotating, evolving Yo-kai. Calling himself your “ghost butler,” Whisper charges you with the task of dealing with the Yo-kai currently causing mischief in your town using that titular timepiece, the Yo-kai Watch. He pops in a coin, but what comes out is the Yo-kai Whisper. The game unfolds as your player character discovers an abandoned capsule machine (basically a jumbo Japanese gumball machine that dispenses collectible toys) in the forest. It is, but it’s far from a genuinely foreign concept. Some manifest as animals, like the popular cat Jibanyan, while other represent everything from emotions to the common cold to uncontrollable flatulence. Instead, they are supernatural beings of Japanese legend and folklore that reflect elements of the natural world or prevailing cultural memes. Simply put, Yo-kai are ghosts–just not in a Ringu or Ju-On: The Grudge sense. It premiered on Disney XD last month, but have no fear, my fellow cord-cutters this week it was announced that the series will also be made freely available via the official Yo-kai Watch YouTube channel. There’s even an all-ages Yo-kai Watch anime, which certainly lends it to further Pokémon comparisons. Also, since it’s such a powerful property back home, there’s a veritable army of related games and other merch waiting in the wings. Plus the cut-scenes, breezy dialog, and even the game world, which nicely blends the mundane and the magical, give it a comparable feel. It certainly has a similar monster-catching/RPG-lite aesthetic. ![]() This week marks the launch of the first domestic entry in the game franchise, and, since it’s Nintendo-published and developed by the always amazing team at Level-5 ( Professor Layton, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch), the production value and overall polish is really top notch. Some have even gone so far as to call it the next Pokémon. Yo-kai Watch, while brand new here in the States, is already a very popular Japanese property. The supernatural Yo-kai can make you laugh, cry, and fart, but can they make their way into your family’s 3DS systems? Read on to find out. Nintendo’s first big bet of the holiday season, Yo-kai Watch, is both an established property and a virtual unknown. ![]()
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