Yo-Kai Watch: Wibble Wobble is an addictive mobile game that manages to be thoroughly enjoyable without leaning too heavily on the usual free-to-play microtransactions.
Yo-Kai Watch: Wibble Wobble
Developer: Level-5
Price: Free to Play
Platform: iOS, Android
MonsterVine was provided with an iOS code for review.
It’s no secret that I’m an enormous fan of Yo-Kai Watch. It was my favorite game of last year, and I still consider it to have a fantastic and refreshing version of the “catch-em-all” formula. So naturally, I was excited at the opportunity to play another game that was a part of the Yo-Kai Watch franchise.
Yo-Kai Watch: Wibble Wobble is in some ways similar to various connect-three games you may have seen on the app store. The main differences, however, come in various gameplay mechanics adapted from the original Yo-Kai Watch. These additions make Wibble Wobble stand out in comparison to the many similar games on the market, in an incredibly enjoyable way.
The main gameplay system uses your finger to link numerous different Yo-Kai orbs to battle other Yo-Kai. Each orb has the face of a Yo-Kai from the original game,which adds a bit of the “catch-em-all” addiction to the game. Linking these orbs makes them larger, which means tapping them will not only do more damage to your enemies, but also fill your different Yo-Kais’ Soultimate meters.
Using a Soultimate move is as simple as tapping on the Yo-Kai’s icon once it’s bar is full, leading to the Yo-Kai’s Soultimate animation from Yo-Kai Watch. Each Soultimate has a different effect, ranging from damaging opponents, to increasing the amount of experience received at the end of a battle.
Experience makes each Yo-Kai’s Wibble Wobble do more damage, and increases the team’s overall health. Each Yo-Kai has a level cap that limits every ten levels, but it can be surpassed for a surprisingly fair amount of the game’s currency.
Wibble Wobble adapts some of the best features from Yo-Kai Watch in a truly original way. Food can be bought and thrown at enemy Yo-Kai in an attempt to befriend them. This expands your Yo-Kai collection immensely, and allows for a great amount of customization in selecting your Yo-Kai team.
Even the concept of Fusion has been translated into Wibble Wobble in a fun and faithful way. Yo-Kai Wib Wobs can be fused together to create new and interesting Yo-Kai. This creates more powerful and varied Yo-Kai, which have vibrant and entertaining designs.
The only problem with the gameplay is the somewhat jumpy difficulty curve. Some encounters are easy enough, while random ones are very difficult, and could easily require a retry. This can normally be solved by level grinding in re-doing previous battles, but it’s still odd that the curve is so seemingly random.
Unlike most free-to play mobile games, Yo-Kai Watch: Wibble Wobble doesn’t lean on microtransactions. While the option to purchase additional game currency is available, it never feels necessary. Battles and missions provides a decent amount of currency, making gates, level caps, and retries more than manageable. This is particularly impressive, as many mobile games tend to make microtransactions nearly necessary, if not just plain obnoxious.
Yo-Kai Watch: Wibble Wobble looks fantastic for a mobile game. The 3D models of each Yo-Kai from the 3DS game look practically identical to their original versions, which is rather impressive. The small illustrations of the locations and characters around the game’s map are great as well, as they look particularly charming in the game’s more chibi-esque art-style.
The game’s music is composed primarily of slightly changed-up tunes from the original game, meaning the soundtrack is just as good as it was in Yo-Kai Watch. Each track sounds a bit more chipper and more enthusiastic, in order to match the game’s bright and happy visuals.
The Final Word
Yo-Kai Watch: Wibble Wobble is an addictive and surprisingly generous free-to-play game that provides and enjoyable experience not only for fans of Yo-Kai Watch, but for anyone who enjoys puzzle games.
MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
