The original Yo-Kai Watch was a rather jarring game to come back to as my last in the western-released trilogy. Many mechanics were obviously absent, though I never expected Jibanyan would only become a main character in the second game, and most of all I noticed a massive difference in the game's structure. Instead of having chapters follow a connected storyline, Yo-Kai Watch 1 instead goes for a slice-of-life format similar to its corresponding anime.
While not nearly as long as its successors, therefore not putting its mark on me the same way the second installment did, I still found myself having a wonderful time with this game. It did exactly what it set out to do, and then it ended. I love that it doesn't just feel like a lesser version of its sequels, it simply feels like its own thing. It's still as cozy and charming as I had hoped, and set a sublime groundwork for the future of the series. Would highly recommend.
While not nearly as long as its successors, therefore not putting its mark on me the same way the second installment did, I still found myself having a wonderful time with this game. It did exactly what it set out to do, and then it ended. I love that it doesn't just feel like a lesser version of its sequels, it simply feels like its own thing. It's still as cozy and charming as I had hoped, and set a sublime groundwork for the future of the series. Would highly recommend.