Yo-Kai Watch review, 3DS: 'A welcome addition to the monster hunting genre'

Monster hunting games are big business, and it’s impossible to play Yo-kai Watch without comparing it to the largest of all. But despite its obvious Pokemon parallels, this quirky game has enough personality to mount a decent challenge to Pikachu and co.

You play as a boy or girl who discovers the titular watch and gains the ability to see invisible creatures called Yo-Kai. It soon becomes clear these spirits are everywhere, stirring up trouble and hiding under cars and vending machines around town.

Yo-kai Watch is clearly targeted at younger players and the "real-world" problems encountered in the game will be familiar to most children. Fights between your parents and a falling out at school both turn out to be the work of mischievous Yo-kai, who the player must befriend to battle other monsters.

You can choose characters such as cat spirit Jibanyan, who chases down cars after being run over in his former life; old man Hungramps who makes people suddenly starving; and Dismarelda, a girlish purple blob who forces happy couples to argue out of jealousy. Compared to Pokemon’s damage-dealing monsters, the Yo-kai have personality in spades.

Unfortunately, it’s the battle system which is likely to let down older gamers. It’s overly simplistic and relies on minimal involvement from the player. Yo-kai can attack on their own, though you can activate each creature’s special move using a touch-based mini-game. While this stops battling feeling like a grind, it’s easy to be so distracted trying to tap spots in the lower screen that basic fights can be over before you’ve finished. Though only three of the six active Yo-kai can battle at once, the player can rotate which party members are in the field using a wheel-type system.

It’s also a shame that most of the side quests are fairly predictable fetch-and-find affairs, but the main storyline is filled with enough interesting characters and jokey dialogue to keep you entertained.

In fact, the more you play through this game the more the Pokemon comparisons seem unfair. Yo-kai Watch has snappier writing, and a far cheekier cast of creatures than can ever be found lurking in tall grass. While it’s unlikely to knock Pikachu off his throne just yet, this big-hearted game is a welcome addition to the monster hunting genre.