With the first YO-KAI WATCH game and its popular sequel YO-KAI WATCH 2 capturing the imaginations of children across Australia and New Zealand, fans of the games and the popular TV series can now enjoy an all-new story, befriend old and new quirky Yo-kai and experience a revamped battle system.

The story begins when Nate Adams’ father is offered a new job forcing them to leave Springdale and relocate to a town called St. Peanutsburg in the country of BBQ. Having just replaced his inoperable Yo-kai Watch with the new Yo-kai Watch Model U, it’s not long before Nate finds himself caught up in another series of mysteries. One day, FBY agents and hilarious duo, Blunder and Folly, come knocking at Nate’s door asking if he’s aware of the UFO which recently crash-landed in the area. Unable to help, Nate sets off to investigate with his beloved friends, Whisper and Jibanyan, and finds himself getting caught up into an assortment of exciting adventures, while meeting with a cast of bothersome, friendly and quirky Yo-kai along the way.

Meanwhile, back in Springdale, a geeky detective wannabe, Hailey Anne Thomas, gets more than she bargained for after trying to hunt down a limited-edition character figure. After entering a shop with high hopes, a mysterious voice entices her to purchase a Yo-kai Watch Model U. Once Hailey Anne discovers the voice belongs to a Yo-kai named Usapyon and understands why he was so eager for her to buy the Yo-kai Watch Model U, they join forces, inspiring Hailey Anne to open a detective agency to solve the troubles of Springdale.

Why has there been so much mysterious activity in Springdale and St. Peanutsburg lately, and why do Nate and Hailey Anne both possess a Yo-kai Watch Model U?

Nate and Hailey Anne must travel their own separate paths to discover their shared destiny and unravel the mysteries in each of their towns. Aside from Nate’s and Hailey Anne’s key objectives, players can immerse themselves in many exciting side quests – also known as Requests and Favours – by answering the needs of the local residents, with the hope of a nice reward at the end. They can also take on a range of mini-games and challenges, which include rafting down rapids in BBQ or unearthing treasure maps as they seek out hidden treasures.

The reimagined battle system is the most exciting and tactical in the series to date, so players will have to think and act fast if they’re to win. Using the new Tactics Board, players have the freedom to place their three preferred Yo-kai anywhere on a 3 x 3 grid. Yo-kai positioned on the front row will see their physical attacks become stronger and will protect Yo-kai behind them. Players can also place Yo-kai next to each other to trigger Linking effects, resulting in combo attacks. There are lots of possible combinations so experiment with different Yo-kai to discover your perfect team.

Players who are eager to test their battle skills against fellow Yo-kai rivals can participate in a range of multiplayer battles including Local Battle, Friend Battle and ‘Merican Dream Battles. In ‘Merican Dream Battle, players can choose between Casual Battle, which has no rules, and Official Rank Battle, where they can battle to gather Rank Points. Outside of the battle arena, players can trade Yo-kai via StreetPass and trade medals over Wi-Fi or local communications.

Fans of Jibanyan can get creative with a feature called Build-a-Nyan, where they can design their own cat Yo-kai by giving it a name, changing its colour and selecting which tribe it represents. Collect Originyan parts through the game to change its voice and appearance, and befriend cat Yo-kai along the way to pass their moves onto your customised moggy.

By visiting the in-game Post Office, players can present download codes, QR Codes and passwords to the receptionist to redeem special items and Yo-kai. The Crank-a-kai of which Whisper first appeared in the original YO-KAI WATCH game and popular TV series makes a return and this time it can be used to receive more items and Yo-kai. Both Crank-a-kai coins – an in-game currency – and Play Coins, earned by walking around with a Nintendo 3DS family system, can be used as tender.

It’s also possible for owners of previous games in the series to link their games with YO-KAI WATCH 3 to unlock in-game content. Link YO-KAI WATCH 2: Bony Spirits, Fleshy Souls and Psychic Specters to befriend an S-Ranking Yo-kai from each game. Players can also link with YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: Red Cat Corps and White Dog Squad to unlock an exclusive Yo-kai from each of these titles.

Join Nate and Hailey Anne on an epic adventure with alternating storylines and befriend some familiar and new mischievous Yo-kai along the way when YO-KAI WATCH 3 launches on Nintendo 3DS family systems on 8th December 2018 in Australia and New Zealand.

The post EVEN MORE YO-KAI MISCHIEVOUSNESS IS COMING appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

YO-KAI WATCH is back and more action-packed than ever, as YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: Red Cat Corps and YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: White Dog Squad are set to launch for the 3DS and 2DS in Australia and New Zealand.

In this latest game in the YO-KAI WATCH series, players can team up with up to three other friends either locally or online to fight towering Big Bosses, using skills and powerful Soultimate Moves. While previous YO-KAI WATCH games focused on turn-based battles, YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS drops you into real-time skirmishes, in the first ever action RPG for the series. During these battles, you directly control your Yo-kai as you strategise with different skills and equipment to defeat huge bosses. By taking on various fast-paced missions, players will embark on a journey to meet, befriend and battle more than 400 new and returning Yo-kai.

Training Yo-kai will also affect your team’s strength in battle. By training, you can create items and equipment to use on your personal Yo-kai team! By completing missions, more powerful and useful items can be earned.

Each of the two versions of the game contains different Yo-kai, missions and bosses. By trading between the two, you can collect all the Yo-kai! And by linking save data from YO-KAI WATCH 2: Bony Spirits, YO-KAI WATCH 2: Fleshy Souls or YO-KAI WATCH 2: Psychic Specters, you can get one of three special Yo-kai to take into battle. 

To keep the action and content going, a free post-launch update to the game will add new side stories, Yo-kai, bosses and missions.

YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: Red Cat Corps and YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS: White Dog Squad will be released exclusively for Nintendo 3DS and 2DS on the 8th of September 2018. Stay tuned for more information between now and launch!

The post GET READY FOR A FRESH BLAST OF SUPERNATURAL MISCHIEF appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Level 5 Studios came out with, what I believe is best described as, pretty much their own version of Pokémon with Yo-Kai Watch and as it has been immensely popular in Japan, I guess it only made sense to make a second entry. That however was released in Japan back in 2014. Japan is already onto the third in the series. Us westerners are only now getting a release of the second instalment duel titles Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits and Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls on the 3DS.

This open world RPG style game has you, a young child, roam around the world fighting and collecting creatures known as Yo-Kai.

You are the only child around who can see these mischievous critters thanks to, would you believe, your Yo-Kai Watch. Yo-Kai are spirits that can be found almost anywhere within the world and can be both helpful and troublesome. It is up to you to keep these odd creatures in check.

The world starts out limited to your local area but as you complete various side and main quests more becomes available for you to explore along with new types of Yo-Kai to catch. Most of the quests are fetch quests or involve you finding and battling some naughty Yo-Kai. It didn’t really venture too far from this blueprint.

If you haven’t played the first game, well that’s not really an issue.

Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits plays quite similarly to that of first and even the starting sequence doesn’t vary too much. It is certainly one title that can be picked up by any new comer and they shouldn’t have too many issues following what is going on as while some references are made to prior happenings the story makes room for re-explaining things and important events from the first game, almost to the point where it is very much the first game.

The combat too is very much the same as the first entry. You have six Yo-Kai available to be used when in battle but only three can be active in combat at one time. You have all six on a wheel that you can spin on the bottom screen of the 3DS to change who is in active combat. Doing so also allows the player to heal status effects for Yo-Kai in the ‘out of battle’ side.

Yo-kai also have different classes or just to be dissimilar, Tribes, and grouping the same Tribes next to each other makes them collectively more powerful. All Yo-Kai automatically attack while in battle but special attacks or “Soultimates”are initiated by you. Outside of combat you can choose in which order on the wheel the Yo-Kai go. This allows, alongside the different effects each Soultimate can have, for some level of strategic battle plans from this aspect.

The style of the game is a somewhat generic cartoon style apart from the actual Yo-Kai there isn’t much standout about the environments or setting but it still provides and adequate world to roam and explore. The sound isn’t anything too special either but once again does its job amicably.

Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits is delightful and a fun little 3DS title that will certainly capture your heart and imagination. It is a bit on the quirky side but contains decent amount of content for players. The combat system is different to anything you might be used to but still offers an engaging affair despite being a bit haphazard. The story does a decent job to keep you interested. The world and visuals take on a generic cartoon style that isn’t anything stand out but has its own charm to it, specifically the style of the Yo-Kai themselves. They range from adorable to incredibly creepy and contribute to provide an enjoyable game.