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Yo-kai Watch series
| Yo-kai Watch | ||||||
| 妖怪ウォッチ Yōkai Wotchi | ||||||
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Yo-kai Watch is a series of role-playing video games developed by Level-5, themed around the mythological Japanese spirits known as yōkai. After achieving success in Japan, the games began to be released worldwide in 2015, published by Nintendo.
Contents
Overview
Main series
The concept of Yo-kai Watch came about when Level-5 were planning and researching concepts to create a long-lasting franchise.[1] Yo-kai Watch was originally released in Japan in 2013, and was later released internationally in 2015. The games involve players using their befriended Yo-kai to battle against evil Yo-kai, rotating between their currently selected party members at will. The game has since received three follow-up installments; while the second and third titles were initially released as separate versions featuring different Yo-kai to collect, the fourth was released as a singular title.
Spin-off games
Several Yo-kai Watch spin-off titles have been released for mobile devices. Yo-Kai Taiso Dai-ichi Puzzle da Nyan is a match-three puzzle game released in 2013 in Japan. Yo-kai Daijiten was released in 2015. Yo-kai Watch: Wibble Wobble is a mobile puzzle game released in 2015 in Japan, and later released in 2016 internationally. Yo-kai Watch Land is a minigame collection featuring various AR features released in 2016. Finally, Yo-kai Watch: Gerapo Rhythm is a rhythm game that scheduled for release in 2017 in Japan.
A Data Carddass game called Yo-kai Watch: Tomodachi Ukiukipedia was released in early 2014. Following the release of Yo-kai Watch 3, the game was rebranded Yo-kai Watch: Ukiukipedia Dream.
The Oni-Busters side mode featured in the Yo-kai Watch 2 games would be expanded into its own side series, known as Yo-kai Watch Busters. The first games, Red Cat Squad and White Dog Team, were released in Japan in July 2015, while a third version, Moon Rabbit Team, was later released in December, and an arcade version, Iron Oni Army, was also released in December. A pair of sequel games, titled Yo-kai Watch Busters 2: Sword and Magnum, are set to be released in December 2017.
Ubisoft and Level-5 would collaborate to release Yo-kai Watch Dance: Just Dance Special Version, a Yo-kai Watch-themed Just Dance game featuring songs from the anime series soundtrack. The game was released by Ubisoft exclusively for Wii U in Japan in December 2015.
Yo-kai Sangokushi is a spin-off title developed by Koei Tecmo and featuring the structure and gameplay of their Romance of the Three Kingdoms series. The game was released in 2016. A follow-up game, Kunitori Wars, was released in January 2018.
Other media
Multiple manga series based on Yo-kai Watch have been published. Before the release of the original game, a manga adaptation written by Noriyuki Konishi started publication in CoroCoro Comic in December 2012. Another series, titled Yo-kai Watch: Exciting Nyanderful Days, was published in Ciao magazine starting in December 2013. The franchise has also spawned two yonkoma series: 4-Panel Yo-kai Watch: Geragera Manga Theater, written by Coconas Rumba and began serialization in CoroCoro Comic SPECIAL in October 2014; and Yo-kai Watch 4-Panel Pun Club by Santa Harukaze and published in CoroCoro Ichiban! starting in April 2015. A short-lived series titled Komasan 〜A Time for Fireworks and Miracles〜 was written by Shō Shibamoto and released through Big Comic Spirits between April and September 2015. Finally, a short manga based on the Yo-kai Watch Busters series by Atsushi Ohba ran in CoroCoro Comic from June to October 2015.
The Yo-kai Watch anime series premiered in Japan in January 2014, produced by OLM, and aired for three seasons. The series was later broadcast internationally in October 2015, accompanying the release of the first game. A follow-up series, Yo-kai Watch Shadowside, began airing in Japan in April 2018. Five feature-length animated films have also been produced.
IDW Publishing began releasing a Yo-kai Watch comic series starting in April 2017.
Games published by Nintendo
| Game | JP release | NA release | EU release | AUS release | KOR release | Platform | |||
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Main games
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| Yo-kai Watch | 2013 | 2015 | 2016 | 2015 | 2015 | Nintendo 3DS | |||
| Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls | 2014 | 2016 | 2017 | 2016 | 2017 | Nintendo 3DS | |||
| Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters | 2014 | 2017 | 2017 | 2017 | 2017 | Nintendo 3DS | |||
| Yo-kai Watch 3 | 2016 | 2019 | 2018 | 2018 | 2019 | Nintendo 3DS | |||
Spin-off games
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| Yo-kai Watch Blasters | 2015 | 2018 | 2018 | 2018 | 2018 | Nintendo 3DS | |||
External links
References
- ↑ How Yokai Watch Was Engineered To Be A Massive Hit. Kotaku (July 10, 2014). Retrieved September 27, 2017.
