Yo-Kai Watch Reviews

Yo-Kai Watch is ranked in the 67th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
7.5 / 10.0
Apr 20, 2016

Yo-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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Emma Schaefer
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Nov 10, 2015

Yo-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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7.5 / 10.0
Nov 4, 2015

Yo-kai Watch's charm overcomes its repetitive nature

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7.8 / 10.0
Apr 20, 2016

As 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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8 / 10
Apr 19, 2016

Yo-kai Watch revels in the mischievous world that it inhabits, in equal parts charming as it is kooky.

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4 / 5.0
Nov 11, 2015

With its own cast of wacky and memorable monsters, Yo-Kai Watch sets itself apart from other RPGs with a unique battle system and captivating world.

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8 / 10
Dec 19, 2015

Yo-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. With a huge amount of media related to it out there, being accessible to anyone who might want to play through it is a major strength. Despite its kid-friendly appearance, there's a lot to like here, either for fans of the animated series, or just for someone looking to pick up a low-stress RPG. With hugely appealing characters and highly addictive gameplay, Yo-kai Watch has really set itself up for long-lasting success as a franchise.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 4, 2015

For a pocket-sized RPG that will provide hours of gameplay, it's certainly worth a look.

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4 / 5.0
Nov 19, 2015

It's easy to compare Yo-Kai Watch to Pokémon (which we're we're guilty of ourselves), but Level-5's creature-collecting RPG is a delightfully unique adventure.

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80%
Dec 4, 2015

Once 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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Apr 20, 2016

Forget any sneering Pokémon comparisons. Yo-Kai Watch looks sure to be a monster hit with the 3DS's school age audience, but it might also make a fair few friends among older gamers. It's not the deepest or richest game that Level 5 has ever come up with, with character development linear and limited, but it's smart, innovative and funny. You won't grow to love it any less.

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4 / 5.0
Nov 5, 2015

Yo-Kai watch is a promising addition to Nintendo's stable of games, thanks to a polished presentation and intriguing game mechanics. Admittedly, the questing can get a bit repetitive and the battle system isn't quite as dialed down as Pokemon's from a competitive standpoint. Still, with its sizable stable of interesting ghosts, solid gameplay and oodles of charm, Yo-Kai watch should tickle the fancies of the young and young at heart.

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Nov 24, 2015

Yo-Kai watch might seem like another Pokemon clone, but it's anything but. Don't be fooled by its kid-friendly nature; it's chamring, endearing, and one of the best 3DS games of the year.

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Nov 4, 2015

"Yo-Kai Watch" is an immersive, hard to put down RPG with tons to do that will more than fill up the time until the next real Pokemon game. Although the fetch quest-filled gameplay and mediocre map take away some of the fun, it's still a tough game to put down and the best new Nintendo 3DS series in North America of 2015. In the end, "Yo-Kai Watch" is not "Pokemon," but it's just as cool, in its own unique way.

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Will Greenwald
Top Critic
Nov 17, 2015

Yo-Kai Watch isn't quite the next Pokemon, but this friendly, light-hearted RPG is still a fun game to pop into your Nintendo 3DS.

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Apr 20, 2016

Yo-Kai Watch is an RPG that continued to surprise us. What we thought was going to be a Pokemon rip-off is much, much more than that.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 25, 2015

Yo-Kai Watch's vast array of collectible monsters aren't very cute or cuddly, but they are weirdly memorable

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8 / 10.0
Apr 20, 2016

Yo-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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Nov 5, 2015

By and large these are all minor gripes. The battle system is a lot of frenetic fun, the writing is sharp, and visually the game is that Level-5 cel-shaded colorful anime that looks fantastic. The 3D is unnecessary, but they appear to have learned from what was irritating in a game like LBX (recent as it was) and really worked to smooth out the rough and awkward edges. Aside 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. And it's a great and action-ish way to invite newer RPG players into the party without entirely scaring away the more hardcore fans. Just because it's cute and funny doesn't mean it doesn't get tense, like seeing a g-g-g-GHOOOOOOST!

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USgamer
Top Critic
Nov 4, 2015

Don'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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