''Dokapon'' is a
role-playing video game
Role-playing video games, also known as CRPG (computer/console role-playing games), comprise a broad video game genre generally defined by a detailed story and character advancement (often through increasing characters' levels or other skills) ...
franchise created by
Asmik Ace Entertainment
, formerly , is a Japanese film production and distribution company. In the past, the company has distributed video games. It was formed in 1997 through a merger between the Asmik Corporation and Ace Entertainment, both in Japan. The name Asmi ...
and currently developed by
Sting Entertainment
is a Japanese video game developer, game development studio. Some of their titles include ''Treasure Hunter G'', ''Evolution: The World of Sacred Device'', and the Dept. Heaven, ''Dept. Heaven'' series of games. Its active properties currently ...
. The ''Dokapon'' franchise is primarily composed of multiplayer games with
role-playing video game
Role-playing video games, also known as CRPG (computer/console role-playing games), comprise a broad video game genre generally defined by a detailed story and character advancement (often through increasing characters' levels or other skills) ...
and board game elements. Since its debut in 1993, the series has sold more than one million copies.
Games
The first entry in the series, ''Kessen! Dokapon Oukoku IV: Densetsu no Yuusha Tachi'', was developed and published by
Asmik Ace Entertainment
, formerly , is a Japanese film production and distribution company. In the past, the company has distributed video games. It was formed in 1997 through a merger between the Asmik Corporation and Ace Entertainment, both in Japan. The name Asmi ...
for the
Super Famicom
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, commonly shortened to Super Nintendo, Super NES or SNES, is a Fourth generation of video game consoles, 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan, 1991 in No ...
in 1993. A remake, ''
Dokapon Journey'', was developed by
Suzak Inc. for
Nintendo DS
The is a foldable handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens worki ...
in 2008.
A sequel, ''Dokapon 3・2・1 – Arashi o Yobu Yuujou'', was developed and published by
Asmik Ace Entertainment
, formerly , is a Japanese film production and distribution company. In the past, the company has distributed video games. It was formed in 1997 through a merger between the Asmik Corporation and Ace Entertainment, both in Japan. The name Asmi ...
for the
Super Famicom
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, commonly shortened to Super Nintendo, Super NES or SNES, is a Fourth generation of video game consoles, 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan, 1991 in No ...
in 1994. A remake, ''
Dokapon Kingdom'', was developed by
Sting Entertainment
is a Japanese video game developer, game development studio. Some of their titles include ''Treasure Hunter G'', ''Evolution: The World of Sacred Device'', and the Dept. Heaven, ''Dept. Heaven'' series of games. Its active properties currently ...
for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...
in 2007, and for
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America, and in December 2006 for most other regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major home game console, f ...
in 2008.
A spin-off, ''Dokapon Gaiden: Honoo no Audition'', was developed by Earthly Soft and published by
Asmik Ace Entertainment
, formerly , is a Japanese film production and distribution company. In the past, the company has distributed video games. It was formed in 1997 through a merger between the Asmik Corporation and Ace Entertainment, both in Japan. The name Asmi ...
for the
Super Famicom
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, commonly shortened to Super Nintendo, Super NES or SNES, is a Fourth generation of video game consoles, 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan, 1991 in No ...
and
Satellaview
The is a satellite modem peripheral produced by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Famicom in 1995. Containing 1 megabyte of ROM space and an additional 512 kB of RAM, Satellaview allowed players to download games, maga ...
in 1995.
The third main game, ''
Dokapon Ikari no Tekken'', was developed and published by
Asmik Ace Entertainment
, formerly , is a Japanese film production and distribution company. In the past, the company has distributed video games. It was formed in 1997 through a merger between the Asmik Corporation and Ace Entertainment, both in Japan. The name Asmi ...
for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...
in 1998.
An
action role-playing
An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a video game genre that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing game genres.
Definition
Action role-playing games emphasize real-time combat wh ...
spin-off, ''
Dokapon?! Millennium Quest'', was developed and published by
Asmik Ace Entertainment
, formerly , is a Japanese film production and distribution company. In the past, the company has distributed video games. It was formed in 1997 through a merger between the Asmik Corporation and Ace Entertainment, both in Japan. The name Asmi ...
for the
Game Boy Color
The (GBC or CGB) is an 8-bit handheld game console developed by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on October 21, 1998, and to international markets that November. Compared to the original Game Boy, the Game Boy Color features a color TFT scre ...
in 2000.
The first game in the series to be released outside Japan was the 2001 action role-playing spin-off ''
Dokapon: Monster Hunter'', developed and published by
Asmik Ace Entertainment
, formerly , is a Japanese film production and distribution company. In the past, the company has distributed video games. It was formed in 1997 through a merger between the Asmik Corporation and Ace Entertainment, both in Japan. The name Asmi ...
for the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console, manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, and to international markets that June. It was later released in mainland China in 2004, under the name iQue Game Boy Advanc ...
.
The fourth main entry, ''Dokapon DX: Wataru Sekai wa Oni Darake'', was developed and published by
Asmik Ace Entertainment
, formerly , is a Japanese film production and distribution company. In the past, the company has distributed video games. It was formed in 1997 through a merger between the Asmik Corporation and Ace Entertainment, both in Japan. The name Asmi ...
for the
GameCube
The is a PowerPC-based home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, in Europe on May 3, 2002, and in Australia on May 17, 2002. It is the suc ...
in 2003, and for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...
in 2004.
The fifth main entry, ''Dokapon the World'', was co-developed by
Asmik Ace Entertainment
, formerly , is a Japanese film production and distribution company. In the past, the company has distributed video games. It was formed in 1997 through a merger between the Asmik Corporation and Ace Entertainment, both in Japan. The name Asmi ...
and
Sting Entertainment
is a Japanese video game developer, game development studio. Some of their titles include ''Treasure Hunter G'', ''Evolution: The World of Sacred Device'', and the Dept. Heaven, ''Dept. Heaven'' series of games. Its active properties currently ...
, and published by Asmik Ace Entertainment for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...
in 2004.
A mobile game, ''Dokapon Quest!'', was released in 2011 by Silicon Studio for the service
Mobage
is a portal and social network for games owned by the Japanese company DeNA. It derives its name from the Japanese slang word for mobile games.
History
In 2011, as part of a strategy to unify its services, DeNA rebranded Mobage Town as Mob ...
.
After 9 years of dormancy, Sting Entertainment revived the series with a collaboration with
Aquaplus’ visual novel ''
Utawarerumono
''Utawarerumono'' is a Japanese Tactical role-playing game, tactical role-playing visual novel developed by Leaf (company), Leaf, which released in April 2002 for Microsoft Windows as an Eroge, adult game. It was later Porting, po ...
'', ''Dokapon Up! Mugen no Roulette''; it was released for
Nintendo Switch
The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...
and
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...
in Japan in 2020.
A remaster of ''Dokapon Kingdom'' titled ''Dokapon Kingdom: Connect'', was released on Nintendo Switch and
Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
in 2023. It featured a new multiplayer mode and several new job classes.
A remaster of ''
Dokapon Ikari no Tekken'', was released for Nintendo Switch in Japan in 2024, with a worldwide release for Windows under the title ''
Dokapon! Sword of Fury'' scheduled for 2025.
Main series
Spin-offs
Gameplay
Players take on the role of adventurers with the goal of earning the most money at the end of each board, done by spinning a roulette to determine the number of spaces the player will move. This is done not only by saving towns from monsters, in the style of turn-based RPG battles, but also by gathering valuables after becoming the leader of said towns. The character with the most valuables by the end of the game wins.
The player has the option to use items before spinning, the effects of which range from recovering health to causing damage to other characters. When in the actual battle, the player chooses from one of four commands. After winning the battle, the player then receives money and experience points, leveling up after enough have been gained, like in a standard RPG.
References
{{Dokapon series
Asmik Ace Entertainment games
Sting Entertainment games
Video game franchises
Video game franchises introduced in 1993