- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Date: Nov 6, 2015
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May 8, 2016With its fantastic soundtrack, gorgeous visuals and sky high production values, Yo-Kai Watch belies its years to deliver one of the better looking game on the Nintendo 3DS. It’s unlikely to match Pokémon’s success in the West, but judged upon its own merits, this is one of the better 3DS games released in the last few years and a genuine match for the ever-popular Pokémon franchise.
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Apr 26, 2016Yo-kai Watch is the best game for Nintendo 3DS in recent months. Its combat system is deeper than it looks, and collecting is very present throughout the game. Pokémon has a serious competitor.
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Apr 20, 2016Level 5 has created yet another brilliant JRPG with a huge amount of content. Yo-Kai Watch is a neat game with some great absurdist humour and an incredibly original combat system. We believe the hype.
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Dec 10, 2015So, while Yo-Kai Watch is pitched firmly at children, I found it to be utterly delightful, absorbing, and lengthy. I'm about 60 hours in, at the end of the main quest, but still have enough side quests to keep me going for a while.
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Nintendo Force MagazineNov 30, 2015Yo-kai Watch is Pokémon's new, modern, more dynamic evolution. [Issue #18 – November/December 2015, p.75]
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Nov 17, 2015It’s a great start to a new franchise, one of the best looking 3DS games I’ve ever played, and if you’re looking for a RPG with heart and spirit, Yo-Kai Watch is the right choice and a great start to a new franchise.
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Nov 8, 2015This could easily be the best Leve-5 game so far. The dynamic rock-paper-scissors battle system will keep you definitely entertained for more than fifty hours.
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Nov 4, 2015Yo-kai Watch is a surprising hit that builds on itself the more you play, demanding more thought and focus than its cheery exterior suggests.
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Apr 28, 2016Derivative but not too much, aimed to children but also to many grown-ups, we can finally understand why Yo-Kai Watch has unleashed, in Japan, a craze second only to that of Pokémon itself.
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Apr 25, 2016Yo-Kai Watch is better than expected. It's a long game, with an enjoyable difficult balance and a great sense of humor after all. And take this into consideration: this is not Pokémon. This is a Level-5 game.
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Apr 25, 2016As the beginning of this new and ambitious series, it effectively introduces the charismatic Yo-kai and the peculiar (and fun) battle system. On the other hand, the plot is simple and there are no online battles. But as an alternative to Pokémon, it's one of the greatest ones so far and has its own essence.
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Apr 20, 2016Yo-kai Watch is a story-driven JRPG with one of the funniest, detailed and rich universes we've ever played, with a tons of quests and secrets waiting to be discovered. Be sure to wear your nostalgic shorts, before jumping in the life of a kid who's about to live the most exciting adventure of his life.
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Dec 14, 2015Yo-Kai Watch on the 3DS is a fun RPG that targets the younger gamer or those older gamers who want to reminiscence about those classic Gameboy titles!
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Nov 23, 2015Yo-Kai Watch is an endearing, charming title with some minor missteps, but it overcomes those with the pure joy of discovery and intrigue that can only come from a well-crafted collection-RPG, reminiscent of my youth spent behind a dim GameBoy light.
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Nov 17, 2015Though Yo-Kai Watch does borrow a lot from the Pokemon franchise, the game does strike out a spot for itself in the monster-collecting market. The game is still really fun to play, and the feeling of collecting and discovering new Yo-Kai is exhilarating.
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Nov 4, 2015Comparing Yo-kai Watch to Pokémon is more than fair as the game borrows from the series that helped establish what has become its own genre, but there’s no reason to pick one over the other. Yo-kai Watch is a worthy competitor that stands comfortably next to Nintendo’s monster collector as a distinct peer.
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Nov 4, 2015If you love to sit by the fire and train your Pokémon for hours, perfecting their EV and IV levels so you can be the very best, you likely won't find the same depth in Yo-Kai. Its world and philosophy is much simpler than that. But as a result, none of it feels frustrating or like work, and I'm constantly tempted to jump back into my adventures with Nate and Whisper.
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Dec 11, 2015RPG veterans won’t find the journey all that difficult, but younger fans and the young at heart will find plenty to love.
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Apr 20, 2016Yo-Kai Watch is a game with a great personality and a highly approachable combat system, but not free from major flaws: the random Yo-Kai capture system can be kinda frustrating, and it's a shame that it doesn't have an online multiplayer feature.
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Jan 5, 2016A spirited good time.
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Nov 4, 2015It’s deep, but not overly complex.
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Apr 27, 2016The foundation is there: Yo-Kai are a good albeit not perfect alternative to Pokémon.
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Games Master UKJul 5, 2016An expertly paced and enjoyable Pokemon-like RPG, tailored beautifully for younger audiences. [June 2016, p.68]
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Apr 25, 2016Yo-kai Watch is a great adventure, fun, addictive and very interesting. We don't know if it's going to be the next Pokémon, but the foundations are solid enough to reach similar levels of popularity.
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Apr 25, 2016This is not the game that will make us forget Pokémon, but it's a nice RPG that will show us the next Japanese franchise that will hit our countries.
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Apr 25, 2016A fun an interesting JRPG with tons of content and world with a life of its own -- Yo-Kai Watch sets a new universe that young fans will enjoy from the beginning to the end. Although the combat system might be a little bit of a lackluster, its story-driven gameplay offers a great deal of life lessons and a not-too-demanding adventure.
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Apr 23, 2016Yo-Kai Watch does a good job at presenting the atmosphere of a small, Japanese city, which makes the less hardcore setup of this game less bad. Don't get us wrong, this game motivates you to catch 'em all, while enjoying a pretty cool adventure.
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Apr 20, 2016Yo-Kai Watch is both on the outside as the inside a very attractive game. The funny and unique Yo-Kai truly make this game worthwhile, even though it involves too much walking and searching. This is a great introduction to the franchise.
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Apr 20, 2016After three years YO-KAI Watch has been finally released in Europe. Despite its age the game is still good and the Italian localization does a great job in turning a deep Japanese experience into something entertaining for a very different audience.
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Apr 20, 2016It builds and evolves to eventually become an RPG that stands firmly on its own, borrowing from its peers but making sure it's also totally unique. We haven't been able to put it down, and we've not said that about a 3DS game for a while.
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Apr 20, 2016Yo-Kai Watch is a charming and sprawling RPG, one that appeals to a younger audience with its adorable characters and moral-heavy story, but also to mature players with its intense and complex battle system.
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Dec 19, 2015Yo-Kai Watch is definitely an all-ages RPG. Everything from the dialogue to the battle system feels very light-hearted, and that's definitely not a bad thing.
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Dec 5, 2015Once you get over the fact that it’s not Pokémon, Yo-Kai Watch is sure to delight adventuresome types looking for a good laugh.
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Nov 25, 2015as it turns out, Yo-Kai Watch is pretty fun. Weird. But also fun.
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Nov 24, 2015Yo-Kai watch might seem like another Pokemon clone, but it's anything but. Don't be fooled by its kid-friendly nature; it's charming, endearing, and one of the best 3DS games of the year.
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Nov 19, 2015Yo-Kai Watch may lack the epic plot and deep, challenging combat system of other RPGs, but its cheerful spirit and culturally infused world make it one of the most joyful experiences on 3DS.
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Nov 9, 2015The various stories told through Yo-Kai Watch feel like they’ve been written to impart life values and lessons most of the time, which may not exactly jive well with a mature audience.
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Nov 6, 2015A lighthearted and enjoyable mix of Level-5 styled adventure game and creature collection combat, Yo-kai Watch may not become as popular as Pokémon outside of Japan, but it's definitely a charming adventure that children will definitely enjoy precisely for the reasons some adults will not get it: lot's of exploration, stylus combat and lots of potty jokes.
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Nov 5, 2015Aside from a few clumsy design choices, mostly regarding side mission requirements and scrounging around awkwardly for the few required missions, Yo-Kai Watch is a charming gem that’s only helping bolster the claim that fun and full RPG experiences are only getting better on portable hardware.
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Nov 4, 2015For a pocket-sized RPG that will provide hours of gameplay, it’s certainly worth a look.
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Nov 4, 2015Don't let Yo-Kai Watch's kiddie appeal fool you: It might not be as deep as your average, adult-style RPG, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Level-5's gradual evolution of their "house style" has amounted to a true successor to Pokemon—one entirely free of its predecessor's 8-bit baggage.
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Apr 20, 2016As many other games developed by Level-5, Yo-Kai Watch is a well-rounded RPG, perfect to address a younger audience. On the long run, though, the battles become somehow boring and the narrative weakens.
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May 5, 2016By no means this is the “new Pokemon”, but Yo-Kai Watch is cute, addictive and probably justifies the “fever” that has started in Japan and is now spreading all over the world.
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Apr 20, 2016Yo-Kai Watch might look like a pocket monster clone with a fumbling battle system, but it’s the genuinely endearing cast of characters and Yo-Kai who give it enough heart to be more than just a simple copycat. It’s not the next Pokémon, but it certainly is going to be something in the future at this rate that other games will aspire to emulate.
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Nov 10, 2015Yo-Kai Watch is a kid-oriented, lighthearted game packed with quirky characters, secret areas to explore, and bizarre Yo-Kai to befriend. The unwieldy process of recruiting Yo-Kai to your team and an incredibly unhelpful map bog the side content down a bit, but the battling system is unique and fun and there’s always more to discover.
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Nov 4, 2015With a combat system that really shines during the slower-paced, strategic boss battles, Level-5 has created a game that's successful in its own right, and not just as an advertisement for a broader product line.
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Jun 7, 2016Pokémon's younger brother has a lot to learn. Yo-kai Watch is hugely recommended for young teens and kids, but I struggle to imagine any adult 3DS owner finding it to be an essential purchase.
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Apr 21, 2016Yo-Kai Watch is a gorgeous and unique Pokémon clone for everyone that loves Japanese culture and cutesie animals. We don’t expect the series to become as prolific as its big inspiration though, the gameplay is simply too shallow to allow for that to happen.
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Nov 4, 2015As an RPG, Yo-Kai Watch mostly fumbles its battle system and creates a relatively passive experience. However, I adored exploring every corner of its compelling world.
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May 5, 2016Yo-Kai Watch leaves a positive first impression, providing just enough creativity and content to help you see past most of its misgivings and flaws.
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Apr 21, 2016Combat is not as tactical nor as deep as one could expect from a RPG. Moreover, befriending Yo-kai can be pretty frustrating at times. However, the game tells a light story full of hope, laughs and happiness. Discovering Yo-kai Watch is a very enjoyable experience that we gladly invite you to try.
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Apr 21, 2016An interesting and pleasant adventure, not too demanding alternative for Pokémon fans, who are perhaps a little bit tired with the same formula. Yo-Kai Watch won't offer any deep gameplay system, but maybe that's the point.
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Apr 20, 2016A stunning looking RPG with fun interactions and gameplay, Yo-Kai Watch packs over one hundred hours of lifespan to explore fully. While it could have invested more in developing its plot, it's a very welcome arrival to the European market of a game that has spawned a successful series in its home country.
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Apr 20, 2016While it does not usurp the Pokémon franchise in any way, shape, or form, Yo-Kai Watch is a viable alternative for those who can get past some of the inconsistent design choices.
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Nov 16, 2015While the battle system could use some work, the charming world of Yo-Kai Watch features a solid blueprint for the future of this already ongoing franchise.
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Nov 10, 2015This is definitely a game that you should play if you're attracted to the concept, but there are caveats to bear in mind before hunting down spirits on your 3DS.
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Nov 9, 2015While it's not Pokemon-killer, Yo-kai Watch delivers a delightfully simple and engaging experience that'll keep you coming back time and again.
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Nov 6, 2015Ultimately the appeal of Yo-Kai Watch will depend heavily on you as a gamer. If you’re interested in a light JRPG with a twist on standard turn-based mechanics, you will find Yo-Kai Watch to be a delight. If you’re looking for something deeper, you might want to stick with Pokémon.
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Nov 5, 2015Yo-Kai Watch is filled with charm, monsters to befriend, unique battle mechanics, and gameplay that keeps players engaged. Still, the title is filled with redundancies.
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Nov 4, 2015Yo-Kai Watch is a good variation on the monster collection genre of RPGs that will definitely please fans and earn a few new fans, but has just enough tiresome elements to keep it from being great.
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Nov 4, 2015It's a neat twist on the creature-collecting game with a lot of heart.
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May 16, 2016Yo-Kai Watch wants to make it simple, but it's far too simple for anyone, even for the kids Level-5 want to attract. The game hence becomes boring and hardly justify the gap of difficulty between bosses and random fights. A shame, with its great graphics and interesting concept, it could have been really addictive.
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Nov 4, 2015It certainly isn’t up to Pokémon’s level: while exploring is fun, combat is a passive, frustrating slog that keeps it from being as enjoyable as it should be. Perhaps younger players will find more appeal in the fighting, but in terms of being strong enough to carry a global brand, the core game of Yo-Kai Watch still needs improvement.
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Jul 25, 2016It is still zippy and enjoyable enough -with touchscreen mini-games for purifying and Soultimates- but strikes an awkward middle-ground where combat isn’t involved enough for more experienced players, but is chaotic enough with its machinations to befuddle newcomers.
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Edge MagazineJul 5, 2016Thanks to a thoughtful, witty localisation, Yo-Kai Watch proves to be a kids' game that's capable of winning over adult players, too. [July 2016, p.123]
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May 23, 2016The detailed town is fun to explore, the dialogue is witty and consistently funny, and the Yo-Kai designs are wonderful (not to mention brilliantly animated). There are just too many occasions where you’ll feel like a spectator and, yes, wish you were playing Pokémon instead.
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Apr 29, 2016The cute monster battling fun is extremely familiar, but Yo-Kai watch has plenty of its own charm.
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Apr 21, 2016A charming and well-made role-playing adventure, but despite how much it might resemble Pokémon it has nothing like the depth of Nintendo’s games.
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Jan 3, 2016Yo-Kai Watch's main story can easily be completed in under twenty hours, though there's quite the meaty postgame for those who are enamored with the gameplay.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 158 out of 210
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Mixed: 30 out of 210
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Negative: 22 out of 210
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Nov 8, 2015
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Nov 8, 2015
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Nov 7, 2015