Video: Nintendo Goes for the Zany Approach in North American Yo-Kai Watch Marketing

Not as random as I thought, but still pretty cute.

I played the demo, but I have no interest in this title unfortunately

It's cute. But I'm just shocked that while I was watching this commercial another Nintendo commercial came on TeenNick advertising Smash 3DS, Triforce Heroes, and Super Mystery Dungeon for Christmas. Anything to say, NintendoLife?

This game sucks.

Seems like Pokemon but weirder
That said http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/8/89/299Nosepass.png/250px-299Nosepass.png

I really wanted to like this game, but from the demo, the combat was just kinda boring. The setting and writing was kind of cute, but I don't know if I'll buy it or not

Really enjoyed the demo.

Had the game since I bought my Japanese 3DS. I love it. Sadly, I don't think the west will see any sequels of this series.

I really wanted to like it but the demo kinda put me off. I liked the production value of it and the music was good, but I don't know...something about the game just feels...off to me. The battles are my least favorite part of the demo. I want to like it because it seems like fun and I think given enough time I will like it, but I can't blindly buy a game I'm not sure about.

The game didn't captivate me, but it looks absolutely beautiful. It made me want Pokemon to look just as good, and I hope it raised the bar for Pokemon's visuals.

Those are actual names?They honestly sound like names from Starbomb's The New PokeRap.

"the big N is distributing the game in the West"

Thanks for that, I was genuinely wondering.

The commercial is cringe worthy, but fairly standard kids fair. Nothing has yet to come close to this for me.

I still don't understand how this is a real game or tv commercial, but it is, I've seen it on tv way too many times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDyOD1C67J0

Kinda liked the demo. Stellar reviews will sway me to a yes. Otherwise, it's a definite maybe.

Eh. I've seen weirder.

Brilliant.

I want this game, but the combat system from the demo made me feel like I was spectating more so than say...Pokemon.

Most people don't seem to understand the purpose behind the battle system:

At first glance/try, it comes across as boringly simple, particularly when fighting lower ranked/level yo-kai. But there is a method to the madness and the mini-games to unleash the Soultimate moves. By trying to concentrate on so many things at once (spinning your yo-kai in and out, purifying the ones that have taken status damage, the mini-games, targeting and using items) you have to keep on your toes and know when to do these things. It is boring when you take on weaker yo-kai but involves a great deal of strategy when engaging in boss battles which are generally a major leap in difficulty compared to normal battles. You have to know when to do a soultimate, when to heal/revive or boost with items, when/where to target a yo-kai's weak spot, when to shift your team for offense or defense....
The demo did a poor job of explaining anything but it's far more clear in the full game

@kyuubikid213 More spectating than pokémon? In name of arceus how!?

@ShikabaneHime13 Okay. Yeah, the demo was pretty bad at that.

@Torterror, in Pokemon, nothing's automated. I control my Pokemon's attacks and just feel like I have more control in general. In the YoKai Watch Demo, the YoKai at my disposal were rather competent and all I really did was occasionally spin the disc and pin the main enemy. The soultimates were neat, but since they were my only combat input, they didn't wow me as much as they could have.

@ShikabaneHime13 Thanks a lot! I was on the fence since the demo, but you hyped me again.

@LztheQuack

There is a demo? Time to boot up the e-shop for the first time in like half a year.

Demos are always iffy for me, 90% of the time the game demo doesn't even remotely represent the game itself. That being said I enjoyed Yokai Watch's demo, definitely made me more curious about the game. This commercial was zany and very Japanese. I love it! I'll probably pick this up when I go in on Monday night (11/9) to get Fallout 4.

@ShikabaneHime13 This is why sometimes demos can be a bad thing. Also your party feels like a 'rental' where as in the full game you care much more about your party and leveling them up.
Demos for RPG games are tough, especially for ones where you capture and battle with 'minions'. The best demo I have seen for such a game was for Denpamen, which basically gives you access to the beginning of the game and everything carries over if you decide to purchase it.

@Frank90 No problem! I've been playing since it came out in Japan in 2013 and it did take me a little time to get used to it but now it is almost second nature. This is why I hope the game at least succeeds and many people give it a true honest to goodness try as it is fun and charming and definitely not trying to be a "Pokemon Killer" as so many gaming sites have been bold enough to claim. And while the first game is totally loaded with stuff to keep a player entertained, the sequels are leaps and bounds better and far more jam-packed with content, including a great multiplayer mode. But of course, the potential to see the sequels hinges heavily on us supporting the franchise (I believe Level 5 recently said they definitely want to localize the sequels but will see how the franchise is received in the West first)

@DekuOnion Yeah, it made me think of the Bravely Default demo that was filled with content but dis little to nothing to explain any of the game mechanics to the player. So even though people are trying the demo to get an idea, it isn't the best demo Level-5 could've made (this same demo was released in Japan) and I fear it could disappoint and turn away those still on the fence

Another note about the battle system that I forgot to mention earlier: While it seems simplistic by allowing the yo-kai team to attack automatically, remember this was primarily aimed at children. Given how much one has to do in the midst of a battle, trying to maintain attacks as well would only further complicate the formula.

I also believe it was Level-5's intent that as the main character, you're meeting these entitites that technically already have some degree of an established background unlike Pokemon whom are generally blank slates that have to be nurtured to reach their full potential.

I liked it!
I really wish Nintendo would embrace more of it's "japanese-ness"

eh, strange, not sure the most effective, but I'll be getting it!

"Yo-Kai is why!" is a fantastic slogan if nothing else. I expect kids will really catch that hook.

I can't wait for the full game! I can agree that it's not for everyone, with its partly automatic combat being a huge factor (though the boss battles were far more interesting), but I still found it strangely addictive once I knew what to expect for my second playthrough of the demo (I disliked the first playthrough). As for the game's overall success, I feel it could be big with kids, especially if they're both willing to accept the Japanese culture of the series, and interested in the game's features for connecting multiple copies, like how collecting, trading, and fighting helped make Pokémon successful.

I'm a little disappointed with the Yokai's name if anything. I can understand changing Pokemon's name when localizing... but a lot of the Yokais have culture ties to their names, from Japanese urban legends and whatnot.

But I guess it's for the sake of the younger Western audience. I don't find Japanese pronunciations that hard (easier than English, at least) But the longer names can be understandably intimidating for those who don't. It just seems like a part of the soul of the game was removed by doing so.

I've been playing this again after a bit of a hiatus and it really is a great game. Once you get used to the auto attack system and realise your meant to be resource managing while minigaming and rotating your team for attack and defence it all clicks. It reminds me a bit of Final Fantasy XIII that way.
Plus it's got a ton of charm, engaging story and the 3D is amazing. If it doesn't sell well it'll be because it's being compared to unfavourably to Pokemon. But it's sold truck loads in Japan so why not.

That commercial taught me more about what Yokai Watch is than years of living in Japan.

They named Wasurenbou "Wazzat"?? Uhh... Okay?