Dokapon: Monster Hunter Game Sample - GBA
0Original Air Date: October 27th, 2009
Dokapon is a role-playing video game developed by Asmik Ace Entertainment and published by Asmik, AIA Games and Ubisoft. More specifically, it is a "Rogue-Like" dungeon crawler or "Rogue-RPG" that functions like Torneko's Last Hope, Azure Dreams, etc., but with some of its own innovations. The game did not sell well (especially in the U.S.), which would explain why we didn't get another Dokapon game for about seven years (Dokapon Kingdom). It stars an eleven year old boy named "Hero" by default.
The Dokapon series actually goes back to the early-mid 90s and most games in the series are considered "Board Game RPGs" similar to Gaia Master and Monopoly with RPG elements. This is just one title that breaks that trend, though it incorporates some of the board game aesthetic into its gameplay, primarily the luck factor.
Like many games of its kind, you are mainly confined to a small village that acts as your base of operations. Usually, the towns are made relatively small in these games so you can quickly get comfortable and the smaller cast meant you could get to know more about the few characters that populate the world, but not here. Most characters stay fairly one-dimensional. Like many games of its kind, the many dungeons are randomized and consist of random rooms with connecting paths and an exit located somewhere on each floor.
Unlike other games of its kind, this game makes you play a roulette to earn items and you can make equipment better with experience. Skills are issued to "Rock-Paper-Scissors" commands and you can overide them with basic attack or defense, but skills are more powerful or useful. The main items, weapons and shields, each have a different appearance when you wear them, which is a nice touch. Battles are largely turn-based as well, which is another factor that sets this game apart somewhat, though in actuality, it's not so different as moves consisted of turns in many other Rogue-Likes anyway. Winning battles is even based partially on luck. Additionally, you can trap monsters by setting up traps and capturing them when they're weak, and keep them at a monster farm. They can assist you in combat.