Being a big fan and addict of the original Dokapon Kingdom for the Wii, I was pretty much obligated to pick up a copy of Dokapon Journey for the Nintendo DS. For those who don’t know, the Dokapon games are an unusual hybrid of a Monopoly style board game, mixed with RPG elements set in a party game atmosphere similar to that of Mario Party. In order to enjoy such a title however, certain conditions must be met.
Tycho over at Penny Arcade pretty much hit the nail on the head with his review of this game. These games have received many bad reviews because the reviewer gets a copy, plays the single player mode, and quickly gives it a scathing review. But look at it this way, played alone, would anybody really enjoy Mario Party? Dokapon deserves the same treatment. Tycho even goes as far to say “if you scored Dokapon Journey badly, you’re going to fucking hell.” I’m inclined to agree with him.
So How does Dokapon Journey score in comparison to its predecessor? Quite a bit better then I expected! Dokapon Journey is a bit boiled down and less hardcore then Dokapon Kingdom. While Dokapon Kingdom had a massive class evolution system, with some pretty intense quests that could take ages to complete, Dokapon Journey does not incorporate that same class system. DJ (lets revert to abbreviations form here on out) has a system of 8 classes, all of which you can choose from at the start, each class has their own look and special abilities. While the class system of DK may be missed by some, it makes the game much more accessible for the less hardcore, as for some, making your first Robo Knight in DK could take weeks of playtime.
Another difference I would note is that this game is centered more around combat, with less random NPC encounters, more combat encounters, and it is also much easier to challenge another player (town spaces now trigger battles as well, in case you land on the same town as your opponent, in DK it was very rare to land on the right space to challenge another player. This makes DJ a lot more brutal in terms of competition). Also in DJ, you are allowed to play through story mode with friends, this means occasionally the king will hand out quests in which all players get to compete against for massive rewards.
The graphics are sprite based, and I’m honestly glad they did this, whether it be nostalgia or just plain preference, I find these more appealing then that of the ugly polygons in DK. The music is still a bit obnoxious, but I usually play my DS with the sound off anyways, so I wasn’t bothered by that. The touch screen is available for use, though you may find it quicker just to use the buttons, it really comes down to personal preference here. There is also no obnoxious chirping fairy in this one! A big plus in my book! The only thing here I really miss is the customizable haircuts, which just made things a little bit more fun.
mmm.. sprite based goodness
The gameplay here is exactly the same of that in DK, 100% random, although I will see it seems that less bosses cheat in this game then in that of the first one. Finally I can use that overpowered strike move without fear of being countered every single damn time. Also, I would like the note that the formula they use for counter was toned down to the point of not almost killing your character every time, making players more willing to take the risk. The darkling is still here, and as annoying as ever, but for some reason, a last place NPC doesn’t seem to switch to darkling mode nearly as much as they did in DK, making playing against NPC’s a bit easier.
looks like energy swords to me.. is Bungie is arming lawyers as we speak?
DJ does have a single card play mode, but this mode does not allow players to save, or choose from the same class category. This is great for giving your friends a taste, but if they really want to play a longer, better game, they’ll want to pick up their own copy so you can put the game down every once in awhile without fear of loosing your progress.
Once again, I will stress that this is NOT A SINGLE PLAYER GAME, if you do not have friends that intend to play this with you, just don’t even bother.
All in all, Dokapon Journey has simplified its structure a bit to appeal to the less hardcore, making this game more accessible and enjoyable to the masses. If this looks interesting to you, and your friends, then I highly recommend picking this up. Dokapon Journey can eat up hours in what seems like minutes, and best of all, its portable! So if you ever find yourself preparing for a long flight or road trip with friends, or simply enjoy playing with friends or family at home, this game would make an excellent addition to your collection
I really need to start busting out my DS more often. Although if I did, I’d probably just play Chinatown Wars. But this sounds like the “good times” for sure.
I’m actually thinking of busting out the psp for the first time in ages and hooking into Phantasy Star Portable, basically a dumbed down MMO that could be pretty fun to play with the wife and friends.
for some reason the older i get, the more interest i have in social gaming..