I was really skeptical about this game from the first time I seen video of it. Even after good reviews it still didn't impress me to the point I had to have it. I caved in and downloaded it today in spite of the bug going around! I'm really glad I did. This is one fine playing game! The visuals although N64ish work great and the graphics look polished at least. The towns while not big are fun with stuff to do to earn more money and prizes! Gameplay is where its at though. With precise timing you get a very fun and addictive experience. Getting hit makes you mad and restarts a count you will want to build back up again. Once you build it up to a certain level you can sell it for gold. It seems to go by ever 10 you get more gold. So far my precision points high is 19. The shop keeper keeps a record! Let's post our precision points records for everyone to see. Not how high you get it in combat but what the shop keeper has behind him. If you get hit it wont count for the shop keeper. You must sell it before you get hit and have to restart!

mine is 47 and i have beaten the first boss

Score comparison? Sure I'm in currently you have to beat 0 because I'm waiting for a patch to start, annoying bug

Edit;
precision points: 9
30 thug challenge: 30 thugs, 4:43:53
50 thug challenge: 26 thugs, 4:44:13
100 thug challenge: 0 thugs, 0:00:00

I'll be getting this by the end of the weekend. Glad to hear someone who was skeptical about it ended up liking it. Can't wait.

So updated the game and just conquered the first castle. So far, I'm hooked... gotta love that strategic pattern memorization as opposed to the mindless hack n slash games, feels like a breath of fresh air. As for the graphics, yeah, its N64 like with the muddy visuals, but I still like it as I feel that the game captures the charms of the 64 bit era. And that S3D, while being helpful for judging distances, does give out some great pop out effects. Yup, I am really enjoying it as much as Pushmo, just hope the last two thirds of the game delivers.

As for my scores, just tried out the 30 thug Challenge and got 26 thugs at 4:32 with a precision points around 20.

I'm currently stuck at the final boss. I fought him once and was slaughtered. The second time I managed to bring him down to one hit away from death, but then he goes into this bezerker mode that I have no clue how to dodge...

@Dark_TeeJay save your special attack for that and use it then, you'll hit them and stop the bosses attack, other then that all you can do is block it and wait for a different attack

people have already beaten the game and some are fighting the final boss.. hmm.. so how much content does this game really have if it can be beaten in 2 days? I'm considering getting it but not if it is low on content..

I'm on the last boss as well. I did fine till he got into his second wave. No way to heal and I was toast! Ill give it another shot later on tonight. Can see myself beating this game on hard mode with only three hearts all the way through! I take to many risks. The street games in town are a lot harder in the third stage! I thought the town before was really easy but having a hard time judging when thrown off the screen! I've still only recorded a 22 on my precision points. I guess if I really wanted to I could just go spam the weaker enemies but where's the fun in that! At least the use of money never runs out say like Zelda!

@curem If your looking for 10 or more hours of gameplay look somewhere else! This game does have a lot to do but for people who just want to beat a game as fast as they can will only get about 3 hours out of it. I like to pace myself a lot more and actually get good at the game. I'm problaby about 5 hours in and yes almost done. That doesn't mean there isn't stuff to do though. I'm really enjoying it even though its almost done. Ill try hard mode at least till I start to suck! I still think this game shouldn't be missed as most 3dsware games can be beat in under 5 hours!

@CureM - You get three challenge modes of various enemies and difficulties to each. It has a hidden but classic zelda death counter, I died 12 times. The cpus, have alot of attack and pause tricks to trip you up. Money involves fighting and your items are limited. Your attacks grow weak as you block attacks and in return have your attacks blocked. The difficulty is gradual but always highly stiff. It took me 4 hours to clear it but I skipped alot of special attack power ups and other rewards. The game also has a hidden hard mode where you cannot buy healing items, so save them.on hard, plus enemies get double damage, so you can only take a hit, worse later enemies will be able to preform one hit moves. The game has excellent use of 3d, this is the first time I feel I'm missing out if I don't have it on. Then it has 6 mini-games in the towns, two in each town and they force you to practice your skills and are fun little diversions with MASTER MELONBOWL! as they prove challenging and enjoyable, plus reward you with gold or stamps for items. Then lastly there is the rock garden, I'm yet to have enough steps for a tree, but it's beautiful already and gives you a reason to use the system as a pedometer on top of streetpass and play coins. It has alot in it, trying to build up your precision points is a hard challenge on it's own, I had 29, then I missed a dodge and had to start over.

I hope that helps, I found it completely wroth it and hard is very challenging.

@Tech101 & @Aqueous I see, thanks guys! I think I'll pass for now but I'll definitely buy it someday when I don't find a better way to spend $7 on other games.

Downloading as I type. Really excited for this one as Punch-Out!! is one of my favorite series. Homework must be done first, though.

EDIT: This is one stubborn game. Based on skill, yes, but it often feels pretty impossible to achieve some of the goals it sets out for you. Practice and a little bit of luck help, though.

@Oddy - It grows easier and once you get to the later levels and you go back to play an older level you see how much better you are.

Score updates for me;
Precision points: 52
30 thug challenge: 30 fiends, 4:03:87
50 thug challenge: 47 fiends, 7:18:90
100 thug challenge: 40 fiends, 5:11:25

Here are Nintendo's records, let's see if we can beat the staff!

Also if anyone is trying to buy things to stock up for the last level. Get the level 4 sword and go back to the first boss, he'll go down in two hits, you'll have earned precision points from the earlier guys and got gold from him, repeat this as you need.

I have a sakura samurai glitch that [revents the towns from loading up at all I cant save unless I beat the castles and MY FREAKING SWORD IS LIKE RIDICULOSLY DULL it takes forever to kill and I need to visit town to get stuff=(

Have you updated your game yet? Nintendo released an update yesterday on the eShop

oh ok ill check out the update I really hope this works Im loving this game

I was on the fence about this one. I took a chance and bought it, and now I love it. The trailers don't do it justice.

@Shadowflash - Your right they don't.

Hey here's a neat trick paper lanterns in the Wayward Monk's Castle can be cut for gold, hearts and items.

New Precision point score: 76 ponits

Precision Points: 21 (Although, I was just grinding on weaker levels to make sure I got to 20+).
30 Thug Challenge: 30 fiends, 5:45:11
50 Thug Challenge: 30 fiends, 5:14:02

I have the best record of precision points: 99 (but i guess i did cheat a bit. just played bamboo plains over and over-so i guess my score doesnt really count).easy way to get a ton of gold(i think it was 750 gold for the 99 points).

i've maxed out my special abilities and my sword is at level 4, and I still can't get through that final boss. once i get about half way through beating him-he just starts going nuts and i can't even touch him. I have 15 rice cakes (from purchasing the max amount then winning more in a street game), plus the amulet, and I burn through all of that without being able to land a single hit on him once he starts going crazy.