The Pokemon Killer Has Been Confirmed For A Western Release

It's a game called Yokai Watch released by Level 5 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. It has grown massive in Japan, so massive that it has replaced Pokemon in pop culture entirely, that its sales performance has completely cut the legs and sustained sales performance of Pokemon.

What is Yokai Watch? Well, it's very similar to Pokemon, really. It follows a kid, who is given a unique device that can catalog and 'capture' mythical creatures that he can then use in turn based battles against other such creatures, or people who wield them. It's a charmingly simple setup, and the game, along with its anime, toy line, and so on, has basically become in 2014 in Japan what Pokemon was back there in the 1990s.

Now the question is if Yokai Watch can replicate that success over here in the west.

At the very least, it has been confirmed for a western release.

Here are some screenshots of Yokai Watch (click to enlarge):

Gallery

Here is an article by Kotaku that talks about the kind of success we may expect from Yokai Watch.

Here's an article talking about the insane success Yokai Watch has seen in Japan (the second game sold 1.2 million during its first four days).

Finally, here's a gameplay video for you all to check out (obviously in Japanese, but it'll help you get a feel for the game):

This is a game I am very excited to check out once it hits here. How about you? Are you going to look into it when it does come?

Is this a mature rated Pokemon that more intricately tells the story of how humans and Pokemon came to live and coexist together while explaining the mentality of Pokemon and how they view their servitude at the hands of their trainer masters?

Nope, it's pretty much as kid friendly as Pokemon itself is.

It's a Level 5 game so it's probably shit.

Bawls.

I want that Pokemon game, explain some of the things in the Pokemon world that have never even been mentioned but are completely normal in the Pokemon world.

Where did Team Rocket come from? Who is Giovanni? Where did Pokemon come from?

Why did Professor Oak tell Red and Blue that? Who missed the day in elementary school when you learn to spell "professor"?

@R3FURBISHED: You might want to check out the Megami Tensei series for that.

This has no chance of popularity in the States and Europe. So Pokemon, I think will hold it's ground in the west.

@R3FURBISHED: Fanfiction dot net would explain much of the universe. If none of them satisfy you, then write it yourself. I'll probably consider your work garbage and throw into the deep sea called the Internet.

The game looks great. I can see why its taking off the way it is. Who is the publisher?

There is a lot more Eastern culture behind "Yokai" than culturally-neutral Pokemon, so the West may overall prefer Pokemon due to cultural differences.

However, I've always been the fan of both cultures so I am indeed looking forward to this title. The 3DS is really earning its keep.

Level-5.

I just want to point out that these were the exact same concerns that people raised regarding Pokemon itself, Animal Crossing and Tamodachi Life, all three of which then went on to find insane success in the west (with the first two becoming pop culture sensations, even).

You never know how well this will be localized to appeal to the west. If Nintendo and Level-5 are behind the localization, you bet it will be great.

dont think so, no

But it's not Pokemon

Vita's digimon is the true pokemon killer lol

@charizard1605: when the title said Pokemon killer I thought you ment I game called Pokemon killer, about killing Pokemon haha.

I was thinking that is a bit dark for Nintendo.

I'd play that game I just made up though "the pokemon killer" an fps were your a marine tasked with killing all 600+ pokemon because they are infected or something like that.

I'm in. Looks quite charming. Even if it's not as good as Pokemon, it's still a game that intrigues me and that I'll probably enjoy.

Im up for it...bring it. :p

Thanks for the link charizard1605. the Demo look okay but I'm not gonna lie, I'm very skeptical about this but I will wait for Gamespot review on this one.

Also isn't time for Gamefreak to announce Pokemon Z?

They're not gonna announce Pokemon Z before they release Pokemon OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire lol.

Here's the freaking thing? When has Level 5 EVER hit massive popularity in the west? Sure, Layton is fairly popular, but it wasn't that big. And I kind of see the same with this.

So essentially, what you are saying is, if something has never had popularity before, it will never have popularity again?

brb, going to stop Square Enix from releasing FF7 in the west, what's the point anyway, it's not like previous releases were especially popular or anything

No, I'm saying Level 5 was never THAT high in popularity in the west, having doubts that Yokai will hit the same stride in EU and NA as it does in Japan.

Wow that looks pretty decent. Reminds me of an snes/psx game. I don't think I know this series. It is pokemon to a T? Or is it more rpg?

As I said:

brb, going to stop Square Enix from releasing FF7 in the west, what's the point anyway, it's not like previous releases were especially popular or anything

I'm not saying... you know what, screw it.

Dragon Quest IX?

That game was more under Square Enix's control though.

Aren't pokemon X and Y still charting in Japan? Yeah it's legs are still fine

No lol. I'm not into such things myself, but I can definitely see why this is appealing to the Pokemon crowd. It looks basically the same. Good luck.

So what? They still created the gameplay systems and made it popular. I'm not a fan of their games outside of DQIX but it's not fair to write them off just because their past games weren't successful. It would be like hating on Rocksteady right before Arkham Asylum released.

Looks interesting. I already have a pokemon game for my 3DS, so I don't want another one, but I might get this.

Jeez, I never said it would do bad in the west (nor do I think it's pointless to localize). I only took DQ to the side because it's a Square IP, not Level 5 unlike Layton and this, adding my doubts of this reaching to similar heights in NA/EU where it already did in Japan.

Oh, and one more thing about the "Pokemon Killer". Since it's released on the 3DS, it's actually beneficial to Nintendo in the long term, as opposed to being released on the Vita or smartphones and tablets.

"not caring about Pokemon" is becoming a game?

@charizard1605: What is Yokai Watch? Well, it's very similar to Pokemon, really. It follows a kid, who is given a unique device that can catalog and 'capture' mythical creatures that he can then use in turn based battles against other such creatures,

Not my bag, confirmed

@cainetao11: :(

I will play this game.

@charizard1605: oh brother, I do keep trying every so often. The only turn based combat games I got into were Miracle Warriors: Seal of the dark lord on Sega master system; and the Metal Gear Acid games on PSP. But kids with monsters?

Why do you consider this game a Pokemon KILLER? Does it surpass Pokemon in any way?

Very colorful happy game. Even though animal cruelty.

I sort of like the game but I don't see the appeal actually. I see a lot of bug catching on trees and monsters. What is the point of this game and why is it so appealing?

BTW I thought a Pokemon killer came a long time ago by the name Monster Rancher. I enjoy that more than any Pokemon Game to date. I do like pokemon games though.

So... it's essentially a rebranded Pokemon.

Looks like SMT and Pokemon had a baby.

I'm interested.

What's the main appeal of this over Pokemon? Does it do anything better/different?

from what I've heard about it, it's basically the same thing; and if that's the case, why bother with it when Pokemon games come out pretty regularly?

How does a rip-off become so popular? I mean the way you explained it, it sounds EXACTLY like pokemon.

Looks just as lame as Pokemon. I outgrew that game YEARS ago.

Looks meh, that one Digimon game for the Vita though looks pretty damn fine.