Yo-Kai Watch is a RPG exclusively for the 3DS by acclaimed developer Level-5 of Professor Layton and Ni no Kuni fame. It is similar to Pokemon in that you will encounter various yo-kai's that you can befriend and then use them for battle. Yo-kai are ghosts and apparitions that are normally invisible to most people and are responsible for mischief in daily life. Befriending yo-kai forms a large element of the gameplay. However, the mechanics of befriending is random with very poor chances. You can play through the whole game and if you're not farming for yo-kai, then you'll only naturally befriend around 30-40, of which many are story-related. You can bolster your chances with various items but even then, you're at the mercy of the random number generator. As there is a huge number of yo-kai but the way of befriending them being so out of your control, it puts a damper on your motivation to "catch them all". The design of some of the yo-kai's are also a bit unusual, as while they can be inventive and clever, they are also not that cute or likeable.
The battle system is one where you cannot control your party. You get to pick a party of six, where three will be in the frontline and able to attack. You can swap your party members by rotating a dial at the bottom screen, therefore your preset order of yo-kai's is important as you get bonuses for having similar types fighting at the same time. Your party members will automatically attack once it is their turn. As the player, you can only select when to use Soultimate Attacks, Purify, use items, rotate the dial to swap party members or select different targets. To keep the player involved, there are minigames for using an ultimate attack of when curing debuffs. These minigames are very simple such as tapping circles as they move across the screen, spinning a wheel enough times or tracing shapes. It is kind of annoying when the game is so reliant on touch controls that you have to keep the stylus out at all times, would have rather just a traditional button-based gameplay. Nevertheless, as these minigames take time and the flow of the battle continues, the player needs to be careful and manage their timing correctly.
Yo-Kai Watch is set in a huge open world for the player to roam. Sections are closed off at the beginning but will gradually unlock for exploration as the story goes on. There are optional dungeons not featured within the main story and a lot of sidequests. Unfortunately, sidequests are usually fetch quests made somewhat better by the dialogue of NPCs. After finishing sidequests, not only do you gain experience points and money, there are also short "bonus scenes" which are oftentimes quite humorous and enjoyable. Story missions have a marker and therefore it is easy to know where to go next to continue the story. The game is very player-friendly and the difficulty isn't too high, being just perfect even for longtime gamers. While normal encounters are easy, boss battles are surprisingly hectic and require a bit of strategy by balancing your super attacks, rotating your members, healing and dealing with the unique quirks of each boss. Boss battles are truly the highlight of Yo-Kai Watch. The game has a slow unlock of additional features such as fast travel and a bicycle but they make sense in the grand scheme of things. You never miss these before you get them because the pacing is just perfect and it doesn't overwhelm you with options.
Yo-Kai Watch has excellent graphics and makes good use of the 3D effect. The camera can be rotated to a certain degree with the game being played on a near top-down perspective. The bright colors and attention to detail in the environments makes it a joy to explore the city. Each section of the city is unique and doesn't feel generic. A nice touch is that the main character leaves his shoes when going into someone else's house, it's little details like these that make Yo-Kai Watch's world so engaging. There is a day/night cycle of sorts but as the player, you can control it easily through sleeping at a bed. The cycle affects the types of yo-kai you can find and a few sidequests. In addition to your standard sidequests, there are side activities such as catching bus and fish. They're not very rewarding and can get boring but it plays further into the element of catching them all. The story is simple. As the main character, either Nate or Katie (per the anime, you get to choose your character's name), they find a capsule machine in the woods. Out of the machine comes the yo-kai Whisper, who looks like your typical ghost. They end up saving the world from a yo-kai invasion. Along the way, they will solve problems with friends and helps out other people. It is a lighthearted story that's very down to earth at times and it all takes place within the same city.
There will be some scenes where it can be a bit scary and it touches on some more serious themes such as the nature of people and their arguments. It is sad once you reach the ending as you don't realize how much you enjoy the game until it has finished. The music can be quite powerful especially during the final boss battle where you notice how energizing it is. The game is a bit on the short side for a RPG as it takes only around 15 hours to finish the main story, which includes completing a bit of the sidequests and no farming for additional yo-kai. After the ending, there are some postgame activities, the most significant of which is the postgame dungeon which will give you another few hours' worth of playtime. Overall, do not let Yo-Kai Watch's kiddy graphics deceive you. Underneath the cartoony designs is a deep game that's easy to understand but presents a decent challenge. The open world aspect and the freedom it allows you have been executed well. most of all, it is a fun game with great pacing making it one of the best 3DS games available.
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