Yo-kai Watch Busters 2: Secret of the Legendary Treasure Bambalaya

Yo-kai Watch Busters 2: Secret of the Legendary Treasure Bambalaya[a] is a 2017 role-playing video game developed and published by Level-5 for the Nintendo 3DS, released exclusively in Japan. A sequel to 2015's Yo-kai Watch Blasters, the game was released as two different versions: Sword and Magnum. Busters 2 sees the player controlling a team of up to four Yo-kai, who explore the fictitious Karakuri Island in search of treasure.[1]

Yo-kai Watch Blasters 2: Secret of the Legendary Treasure Bambalaya
Official cover art depicting some of the game's main characters
Developer(s)Digital Works Entertainment
Publisher(s)Level-5
SeriesYo-kai Watch
Platform(s)Nintendo 3DS
Release
  • JP: December 16, 2017
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Busters 2 was received positively by critics; Famitsu stated that the game rewarded "hard work"[2] and 4Gamer.net felt that the game was better than mainline Yo-kai Watch entries, due to Busters 2 being "easier to manage".[3] Busters 2 also received positive sales, being reported to have sold over 465 thousand copies in the first month of its release.[4]

Gameplay

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The player fighting against one of the game's Big Bosses as Jibanyan T.

Busters 2 is a role-playing game that sees players controlling a team of up to 4 Yo-kai who explore the Karakuri Island in search of treasure. While exploring, players will come across enemy Yo-kai, who they must defeat using their own Yo-kai. After defeating an enemy Yo-kai, the player may get a chance to befriend it, meaning that a player can put the befriended Yo-kai on their team. To befriend a Yo-kai, players must successfully perform a minigame. The game includes over 750 Yo-kai, some of which first debuted in Busters 2. The game is divided into chapters, with each chapter typically ending in the player fighting a "Big Boss". Each Big Boss utilizes a unique attack method.[1] After clearing a chapter, the Karakuri Island expands with new areas.[3]

Randomly during exploration, the words "Bambalaya!" are shout, which is followed by a random effect.[3] A returning element from previous Yo-kai Watch games is the Crank-a-Kai, a gashapon machine where players can befriend Yo-kai and receive items by inserting and cranking digital coins.[5]

Plot

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Characters

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Development and release

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Busters 2 was developed and published by the Japanese company Level-5,[6] who had also developed and published all other installments in the Yo-kai Watch series.

Busters 2 was first announced by Level-5 in the August 2017 issue of CoroCoro Comics.[7] Level-5 later announced further details in the September issue of CoroCoro[8][9] and showcased the game's gameplay later the same month in a Japanese Nintendo Direct.[10] A trailer for the game was later uploaded to Level-5's official YouTube channel, which showcased further gameplay and some of the Yo-kai that would be debuting in the game.[11]

The game was scheduled for release on December 7, 2017; however, it was delayed to December 16.[12] Each of the game's versions included a physical Yo-kai Medal.[11] To promote the game's release, Level-5 held an event in the Japanese version of Yo-kai Watch: Wibble Wobble, which included a world themed around Busters 2.[13] The game's initial release featured numerous bugs, which caused Level-5 to release multiple patches.[14][15][16][17]

Reception and sales

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Busters 2 was received well from critics, being rated 34/40 by Famitsu.[2] Akiru Miyashita, writing for 4Gamer.net, was positive towards the game and recommended the game to players who wanted to be rewarded for "hard work". Miyashita stated that he enjoyed the Busters series more than the traditional Yo-kai Watch series, due to the Busters series being easier to manage.[3]

Famitsu called the act of befriending Yo-kai in the game "fun and satisfying", and described the game's balancing of its mechanics as "exquisite". Multiple Famitsu reviewers were positive towards the "Bambalaya!" mechanic; Honma Urara called it a "good stimulus" and Gigolo Ashida described it as "unique". Ranbu Yoshida was more mixed towards the mechanic, stating that some players wouldn't enjoy its "extremes".[2]

Busters 2 sold over 208 thousand copies in its first week of release, making it the best-selling video game in the week of December 11.[18] In January 2018, Busters 2 was reported to have sold over 465 thousand copies across its two versions.[4]

Notes

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  1. ^ Japanese: 妖怪ウォッチバスターズ2 秘宝伝説バンバラヤー Hepburn: Yōkai Wotchi Basutāzu 2 Hihō Densetsu Banbarayā

References

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  1. ^ a b Midori, Takayuki (November 15, 2017). "「妖怪ウォッチバスターズ2 秘宝伝説バンバラヤー/ソード」、冒険のカギとなる「バンバラヤー」などの最新情報を公開". Game Watch (in Japanese). Impress Corporation. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Uchizawa, Rolling; Yoshida, Ranbu; Ashida, Gigolo; Urara, Honma. "妖怪ウォッチバスターズ2 秘宝伝説バンバラヤー ソード/マグナムのレビュー・評価・感想". Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Game Linkage. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Miyashita, Akiru (January 11, 2018). "男色ディーノのゲイムヒヒョー ゼロ:第463回「頑張った分だけ報われたい気分の人にオススメしたいゲイム」". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Aetas. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Sato (January 18, 2018). "This Week In Sales: Splatoon 2 Starts 2018 With A Big Splashdown And A Loud Woomy". Siliconera. Enthusiast Gaming. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  5. ^ Matsumoto, Ryuichi (December 16, 2017). "「妖怪ウォッチバスターズ2」発売。今ならSランク妖怪「百鬼姫」や,「おおばんぶるまいセット」が手に入る". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Aetas. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  6. ^ "妖怪ウォッチバスターズ2 秘宝伝説バンバラヤー ソード". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Aetas. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  7. ^ Sato (August 8, 2017). "Yo-kai Watch Busters 2 Announced, To Release In Japan This Winter". Siliconera. Enthusiast Gaming. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  8. ^ McFerran, Damien (September 11, 2017). "Yo-Kai Watch Busters 2 Will Come In Two Flavours Later This Year". Nintendo Life. Nlife Media. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  9. ^ Sato (September 11, 2017). "Yo-kai Watch Busters 2 Releases In Japan On December 7 With Sword And Magnum Versions". Siliconera. Enthusiast Gaming. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  10. ^ Romano, Sal (September 13, 2017). "Yo-kai Watch Busters 2 first gameplay". Gematsu. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Sato (September 15, 2017). "Yo-kai Watch Busters 2's First Trailer Shows More Action And Yo-kai From The Sequel". Siliconera. Enthusiast Gaming. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  12. ^ "『妖怪ウォッチバスターズ2 秘宝伝説バンバラヤー』の発売日が12月16日(土)に変更". Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Game Linkage. November 22, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  13. ^ "「妖怪ウォッチ ぷにぷに」,「妖怪ウォッチバスターズ2」との連動イベント第2弾を本日開催". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Aetas. January 17, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  14. ^ "「妖怪ウォッチバスターズ2」の最新版更新データVer.1.5が本日配信". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Aetas. April 25, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  15. ^ Gueed (March 7, 2018). "「妖怪ウォッチバスターズ2」,一部不具合に対応する更新データVer.1.4が本日配信。データ取得で「5つ星コイン」「妖気のつぶ」を入手できる". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Aetas. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  16. ^ "『妖怪ウォッチバスターズ2』 更新データVer.1.1をダウンロードすると、Sランク妖怪"百鬼姫"が仲間に!". Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Game Linkage. December 18, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  17. ^ "『妖怪ウォッチバスターズ2』 無料更新データVer.1.2を配信! "5つ星コイン"もゲット". Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Game Linkage. December 25, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  18. ^ Sato (December 21, 2017). "This Week In Sales: Yo-kai Watch Busters 2 Finds Its Mountain Of Treasure". Siliconera. Enthusiast Gaming. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
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