Released: March 10th 2009 (US)/February 27th 2009 (UK)
Developer: AQ Interactive (Japanese Site)
Publisher: Ignition Entertainment
Genre: Puzzle
Pros: Easy learning curve, explanation for each mechanic available in-game, relaxing to play.
Cons: Irritating music, occasional dead-end levels, short.
Docomodake is something of a japanese-targeted game. Why? The main characters in the game are all from the same Japanese company, NTT DoCoMo. The characters themselves are reiterations of the mascot for the company, which is the most popular Japanese mobile telecoms network. The weirdest thing about it is, unlike Crazy Frog Racing, and PETA Mama (please refer to here), this one is worth your time.
The story is paper thin, of Papa Docomodake wanting to gather up the rest of his family for a festival. All of them have ventured outward either by accident or on purpose, and you, as Papa, have to go and rescue Mama, Grandma, Grandpa, Grade School, Junior High, and Daughter Docomodake across the seven areas (two of which serve as your place to spend the coins you earn in-game, and a how-to-play area) and 40 levels of actual game. This story doesn’t really affect your enjoyment of the game, and it could be really anything that brought you to go through a set of puzzles. But it does make a nice surround for children, avoiding being too deep.
The concept of the game is simple: Get from point A to point B, by spawning ‘Minis’ (miniature Docomodakes) that you can use to form a ladder, stepping stones, things to throw at the bees that and dragonflies that chase after you, and to activate switches that change which areas are accessible. There are other uses for the Minis, but they are the main ones. Each use of the Minis is available in the game’s explanations, which are only two stylus touches away. There are more things do to than that, like collecting coins and treasure chests, but these are ultimately sidequests from the main endeavour, which can be used to unlock pictures and such at the Docomodake Home. The puzzles themselves are pretty ingenious, but some of them can trap you into a dead-end very quickly. There is a ‘retry’ option in the menu, but it doesn’t help with the frustration, thinking that there is a way out when there is none. These moments are few in number, but for a game that quite obviously plays to the younger audience as a primary one, it’ll cause a problem for what is ultimately a relaxing experience.
The touchscreen controls are well done, and the movement is dealt with by the D-Pad or ABXY buttons, for right-hand and left-hand stylus use respectively. I found no issues with trying to control where my Minis went, although there were a few times when my Minis would spawn directly on top of Papa, and would therefore remerge with him as soon as I tried to move them, but they were few and far between. Since the controls are so simplistic, there is very little to go wrong with them, and it shows.
The graphics are of the simple, pastel-y variety, and they work. The characters are cute, even down to the ones that want to attack you, and the differentiation between the foreground and the background makes it impossible to see something that isn’t there, like a platform or coin. They are not detailed, but show enough detail to fill their purpose, something that other portable games should learn to do as well. The main character constantly moves, even if it’s just swaying from side to side while doing nothing else, and have little quips that add to the charm of the game, like how Papa’s mushroom head spins when he jumps up. The graphics have a distinct japanese feel to them, and this can only be seen when the game is played; the whole game has the feel of a japanese developer.
The sound is good, with each action having a sound associated with it, and that never changes despite how the context of them might. The only problem that I have with the sound is the background music. It’s a loop that goes on for about 45 seconds, and then starts at the beginning again. This is only enhanced by the tinny whistling in the tracks, which makes playing the game with the sound on anything above a whisper almost impossible.
When all is said and done, this is a good game. It’s a puzzle game that can be played by all ages, in front of all ages, and will generate interest in all ages. It’s a relatively easy game, meant for something to help the player unwind rather than to challenge them at every step. The very child-like storyline, graphics and sounds make it a firm favourite for something to keep the little ones occupied on any occasions where they have to remain in their seat for longer than half an hour. The game is short, but this works to it’s advantage, allowing a child to complete the game in one roadtrip. The game doesn’t outstay it’s welcome, and for a $20 title that can keep the child occupied, and then keep you occupied when said child has long since forgotten it, it’s a great investment.
Popularity: unranked [?]
