When people see Yo-Kai Watch at first glance and just take a little bit of the storyline, they might think, “so it’s just like Pokémon?” Well, they’re not wrong. In this game, you collect cute, or even some terribly ugly, critters then battle them against other, well, critters. Then collect more critters to battle even more critters with them. Seems familiar? It does, but this game adds some interesting things into the mix. These “things” results in a more quirky and engaging experience that may even let you say “this is something new.”
Yo-Kai Watch Looks and Sounds Familiar, But Adds Interesting Features to Separate it From Other Games
Yo-Kai Watch is clearly made for younger audiences, but do not let that reality take it for a spin even when you’re already in your twenties, thirties, or even fifties. In this game, you play the role of a little boy or girl who releases Whisper, a ghost. Whisper is also a self-professed “Yo-kai butler” from his own enchanted prison. This “butler” will then give you the Watch. The thing that he places on your wrist is no ordinary time-keeping device. It allows you to see, and speak with all Yo-kais.
The Yo-kais can be found everywhere you go. For example, they can found in vending machines, trees, or can even be caught harassing your in-game friends and family. After you progress a bit in the game’s story, you will find that there is something amiss and more evil-minded with everything that is happening.
Instead of colleting Yo-kai by weakening them then throwing a sphere to catch them, you get them as allies through befriending them. In the Yo-Kai Watch game, once you are successful in befriending them, you can call them anytime in battles against other Yo-kais. To befriend them, you are presented with a number of challenges. This goal can be accomplished by giving them food to enjoy at the start of a battle and then defeating them.
What makes this game entertaining because each Yo-kai has their own individual personalities. Unlike in Pokémon wherein you can only hear grunts, squeals, or even their roars, these Yo-kais actually talk to you. Combat also moves very quickly and can be done quite easily.
However, even if you do meet the conditions of befriending a Yo-kai in Yo-Kai Watch, capturing them is not a guarantee. It just ups the percentage of their capture significantly. It is still left up to chance and the game forces you to grind in an unfun way.
