Boing! Docomodake – NDS – Review

Docomodake
is the mascot of a Japanese cell phone company called NTT
docomo. Didn’t know that? Neither did I? The stylized cuteness is what
caught my attention.

Boing!
Docomodake is a platformer
with elements of puzzle strategy. The premise is simple.
Docomodake is looking for his family. To find them
Docomodake must jump, climb and dig his way past more than 50 stages.
However, the level of difficulty will vary by age.

To accomplish this,
Docomodake has an arsenal of tiny little mushroom
men that do his bidding. A mini mushroom can be peeled out of
Docomodake one at a time with the stylus. As they
are removed, he grows smaller. His size and weight are directly connected to
the challenge of getting around each level.

In addition to that, a quick push
of either shoulder button will allow all the minis to pop out of
Docomodake simultaneously. Once the minis are
released, they can be used to create platforms in order to gain access to
higher portions of the environment. They can also be stacked up to create a
ladder.  

A double tap with the stylus will
morph a mini into a roly-poly. This is essentially a bullet that can be used
to destroy or stun the insect enemies. Sometimes it is necessary to use the
minis as a counter-weight on elevator platforms. They can also be dropped onto
mushroom switches that alter the environment and allow access to areas that
are blocked off otherwise.

The character is controlled by the
directional pad. It may sound like a minimalist set of controls, but it works
surprisingly well. Docomodake can dash, jump, dig
and walk all at the touch of your thumb.  The stylus sensitivity to manipulate
the minis is intuitive and implemented correctly where it adds to the game
instead of being a detriment. I’m looking at you, Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance.

During later levels the challenge
increases. However, any hardcore gamer will be able to blast through the
entire game in a day or so of moderate gaming. Boing!
Docomodake seems tailored toward a younger, casual
audience. Despite that, it does offer a bit of replay value that may appeal to
all gamers.

Each stage has several collectable
objects. Coins should always be retrieved because they allow the player to
purchase artwork and music tracks in the main menu. There are hidden treasure
chests too. Inside players will find a secret goody. It can be a batch of
coins or another mushroom mini that you can add to
Docomodake’s army.

When a stage is complete the
player is given a rank. The rank is determined by how many coins and treasure
are found and the time in which it took to finish. Here is where the real
challenge is found in Boing!
Docomodake.
Finishing the more difficult stages toward the end of the game in a small
amount of time to receive an A rank kept me busy.

As the E rating suggests,
Boing! Docomodake is
slated toward a younger, more casual gamer.  With that in mind, the game is an
easy recommendation for the intended audience. For those gamers looking for
the insane level of difficulty found in a game like
Prinny for PSP, I’m afraid Doco does not
provide that experience.

Gameplay: 8.0
Simple yet addictive fun
that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Graphics: 8.0 
Stylized cuteness that even adults may enjoy.

Sound: 7.0

Boing!
Docomodake is full of silly sounds and infectious
tunes that can be unlocked with the coins collected.

Difficulty: Easy

Concept: 7.0 
A platformer based on a charming Japanese cell phone mascot and only 20
bucks!

Overall: 8.0
Good entertainment
for young and casual players with enough quirky, stylized cuteness for curious
gamers who find Japanese mascots endearing.