Dokapon Kingdom is a role-playing video game developed and published by Sting Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It was released in Japan on November 22, 2007, and by Atlus USA in North America on October 14, 2008. It is a remake of the 1994 Super Famicom title, Dokapon 3・2・1 – Arashi o Yobu Yuujou.
The PlayStation 2 version was later re-released in Japan on November 20, 2008. A port to the Wii was released on July 31, 2008, as Dokapon Kingdom for Wii. The Wii version was published in North America by Atlus USA on October 14, 2008, and in Europe by Bigben Interactive on March 26, 2010. A Nintendo Switch remake published by Compile Heart, titled Dokapon Kingdom: Connect, was released in Japan on April 13, 2023, which was followed by an international release by Idea Factory on May 9, 2023. A Windows port of the remake was released on September 7, 2023.
⭐ Review Scores
Gameplay
The game is a hybrid board game and role-playing video game with modes varying from story mode to battle royale in which four players are assigned a mission. Players spin a spinner and then move to any spot on the board that is reachable by moving that number of spaces. Players will have the freedom to choose the direction they want to go. Landing on an “empty” yellow space or another player will typically cause a battle, but sometimes the player will encounter a strange traveler that may allow them to play them at a minigame, or hire their services to steal or harm the other players. The battle system plays out in roshambo style, with the attack option beating counter, the counter option beating strike, and the defend option resisting the attack option. Multiple magics and stat changes play out both in battle and on the game board, while class-specific skills increase with player’s job level.
Three starting jobs are available to the new adventurer (warrior, thief, and magician), and following a pattern of leveling, eleven character jobs and darkling (if someone hears the whisper of the dark revenge, usually the current last place player) are possible. The game is won by the player with the most money at the end. The winner gets to marry the king’s daughter if the player is male; the king makes an offer himself if the player is female, but will be rejected. However, regardless of gender, the winner takes the control of the kingdom.
Plot
The game takes place in a fictional land called “Dokapon Kingdom” which is being attacked by an army of monsters. Seeing this, the king offers Penny, his daughter, to be married to the player who finishes the game with the most money. 2–4 adventurers hear this, and attempt to save the kingdom. The game ends when each of the main bosses are defeated, although the player can select other game options to make the game end faster.
Reception
The game received “mixed or average reviews” on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, Famitsu gave the PlayStation 2 version a score of three sevens and one five for a total of 26 out of 40.
The Wii version was nominated for Best Wii RPG by IGN in its 2008 video game awards.
Notes
References
External links
- Official website
- Dokapon Kingdom at MobyGames
Source: Wikipedia – Dokapon Kingdom
Gamer24h Editor's Take
Dokapon Kingdom has made quite a name for itself in the gaming world, captivating us with its distinctive atmosphere and compelling gameplay dynamics. Thanks to Sting Entertainment's meticulous craftsmanship and Nacon, Compile Heart, Examu, Atlus USA, Idea Factory International's strong presentation, the high production quality is evident in every moment of the game. Masterfully blending Role-playing mechanics with modern standards, the game's fluid gameplay makes hours fly by unnoticed. All in all, the Gamer24h team stands firmly behind our rating. This is a unique journey you won't want to miss.