2012

This is a sub-page of Prerelease:Yo-kai Watch (Nintendo 3DS).

2012#

August#

Famitsu August 2012 Issue#

To do: Find the full Famitsu issue rather than a third-party website repost and translate it.

In an interview, Hino has revealed that Yo-kai Watch is in it's "final stages".¹

October#

Famitsu October 2012 Issue#

After a year without any information, Yo-kai Watch resurfaced in the October 15, 2012 issue of Famitsu along with the website opening on October 17, 2012. It was revealed that the game was being developed for the Nintendo 3DS, and showed that the player can befriend Yo-kai and take on Quests.². Several new images were also released, now showing the top-down view, despite most of the screenshots not showing scenarios that happen in the final game. Many of the images are in notably clearer quality, likely because model tests were still being run to be shrunk down onto the Nintendo 3DS's hardware.

Though more screenshots were released on the website in November, the Famitsu issue showed more.³

Screenshots

October 2012	Final Game

An image of Nate saying "The Yo-kai Watch is reacting! Perhaps there could be a Yo-kai around here...?!".

• The text box was different, sporting a purple color with white text. It also could store three lines of text instead of two.
• Nate's headshot closely resembles his styled used in the anime cutscenes rather than video game artwork.
• Nate's model appears to have been taken from the LEVEL-5 WORLD 2011 trailer, abeilt downscaled.
• The Yo-kai Lens was originally a magnifying glass.
• The Yo-kai Lens is never activated during a conversation in the final, though this image may be a mockup.
• Yo-kai cannot be found on the tree bark in Springdale Elementary School's front entrance.
• The icon for the Yo-kai lens was bigger and more detailed.
• Whisper wasn't following Nate around.

October 2012	Final Game

An earlier version of the watch searching mechanic. Jibanyan says "???".

• Jibanyan cannot be found in the grass in the final game; he is automatically befriended at the beginning of the story instead and in Infinite Inferno.
• Jibanyan's tails on his model were always bent to the left side rather than one tail going on separate sides, which may have been a remnant of his earlier design which had tails like that.
• Conversations never happen while searching in areas in the final.
• The grass was more detailed and had smoother outlines.
• The animation of Jibanyan in the second image isn't in the final game.

October 2012	Final Game

An early version of Yo-kai Negatibuzz being found in the trees.

• The tree looked completely different. The Yo-kai Lens wasn't also present.
• Negatibuzz is still using his earlier design, despite the finalized one being shown in the issue.

October 2012	Final Game

A slightly later design of Uptown Springdale, looking more closer to the final product where Jibanyan says "???".

• Jibanyan is seen next to a house rather than at the intersection in the final game.
• Jibanyan appears to be doing his victory pose animation, which was likely finalized at that point.
• Jibanyan's talk portrait remains mostly the same, except that it shows him as putting his hands inside his haramaki.
• Judging from the layout of the house and in the next few images, it's likely the Adams House featured in this build.
• The camera is shown to zoom in when Yo-kai are being talked with in regular gameplay rather than certain cutscenes.
• The NPC of a little girl in an orange shirt is never seen in the final game.
• The yellow car is not seen in the final game, but it appears to be hastily downscaled judging from the uneven position and tire shape.

October 2012	Final Game

An earlier screenshot of Springdale Elementary School classroom, looking close to the final. Stephen says "???", while Katie says "???" and Bear says "???".

• The teacher, Mr. Johnson had a different design that would likely be reused for the NPCs found at the Springdale Office.
• Maya is never seen sitting on the classroom shelf in the final, and Megan also never moves around.
• Katie's portrait is also different and resembles the Yo-kai Watch anime style more much like Nate's.

October 2012	Final Game

An image of a playground, presumably the one that was seen in the Level-5 World 2011 Trailer except it may have originally been for Springdale Elementary judging from the fence. Bear also says "???".

• The area appears to have been rotated, implying that Springdale Elementary was located in a north-eastern area rather than a northern area in the final.
• There was an archery range area.

October 2012	Final Game

A screenshot of Nate's house, where quite a few differences are present.

• The stairs were located next to the kitchen rather than in the landing.
• There was a wall connecting to the kitchen counters.
• The design of the carpet in Nate's bedroom was different.
• The dining table wasn't rotated in the final.
• One of the colors on the watch lens icon were yellow instead of light-blue, despite the final color layout being shown in the original trailer. It may have either been a leftover from earlier in development or simply left in by mistake. Also, it appeared to have been an early day-night cycle judging from the clock-hand.
• Nate never looks at his Yo-kai Watch when switching the lens to the clock. Also, both of those animations aren't present in the final game.
• Walkappa is never found in the bathroom of Nate's house in the final game.
• Whisper's model was bigger than Nate.

October 2012	Final Game

A screenshot of Tattletell, at the Springdale Elementary School grounds. She says "I'm not sorry. Yoour secrets, those secrets, I'll get them all!"

• Tattletell never talks in human speech in the final game, where she says "Tell tell!" instead, with her speech translated as brackets.
• Curiously, Tattletell's original portrait ended up making its way to the final.

October 2012	Final Game

An earlier battle system, that looks close to the final, save for a few aesthetic changes and having the Yo-kai attacking animations finalized. The same screenshots can be found in the Switch port, suggesting they were mockup images.

• The battle background does not appear in the final at all.
• Some of the Yo-kai in the battle retain their earlier appearances from the Level-5 World 2011 Trailer:
  • Negatibuzz had his original design, despite his final artwork being used on the webpage.
  • Walkappa had a bigger shell and a purse.
  • Hungramps was bigger, showing more of his body than head and always held a rice ball.
• The pin target icon design was red and had a different design, as well as using a 2D graphic rather than a 3D model. The pin icon would likely be reused for the map.
• There was no health displayed on the top screen for Yo-kai.
• The opposing Yo-kai looked "bigger", an effect that wouldn't be carried over until Yo-kai Watch 3.
• The damage numbers had effect lines applied to them, resembling that of Inazuma Eleven.

Corocoro Oct. 2012#

This issue of Corocoro shows a little bit more of Springdale.

October 2012	Final Game

A screenshot showing another part of Nate's neighborhood. This image could also be seen in the December 2012 issue of Nintendo Dream.

• The camera looks more zoomed out.

Springdale Setting

The earlier setting of Springdale shown differs quite drastically from the final game, likely made before the layout was changed later in development. Many of the aesthetics were likely split up into the Uptown Springdale, Breezy Hills and to an extent, Blossom Heights.

November#

Nintendo Dream#

https://www.true-gaming.net/home/108077/

"今、ゲームの世界「モンスター」の時代から、「妖怪」の時代へと移り変わろうとしています！（笑）…という問題発言はさておき、妖怪ワールドは日本人にとって、ファンタジー世界の原点。そこで、レベルファイブの最新作として、妖怪をテーマにした作品を、満を持して世に送り出したいと思いました。これまでにはない新しい試みをふんだんに取り入れた一風変わった作品になっていますので、超絶にご期待ください！"

— Akihiro Hino⁴

Famitsu Nov 2012#

https://www.true-gaming.net/home/115262/

November 2012	Final Game

An earlier version of the intro sequence where Nate frees Whisper from the Crank-a-kai at Mount Wildwood.

• Mt. Wildwood looks like it was laid out differently, as it has a completely different camera angle.

November 2012	Final Game

Official Website#

The website was updated, revealing some more Yo-kai and where the setting would take place.

Screenshots

Some of the screenshots of the Yo-kai were already shown in Famitsu October 2012 issue, so those will be excluded.

November 2012	Final Game

A screenshot of Komasan at Mount Wildwood. Komasan says "???".

• Komasan's portrait has his hitodama flames aligned too close to his eyes.
• Komasan never says "zura" at the end of his sentence in the Japanese version. That's because his catchphrase wasn't conceived until development of the 2014 Yo-kai Watch anime series in early-mid 2013.⁵

November 2012	Final Game

An image of Katie's house, showing Noko.

• Noko's model looks bigger.

November 2012	Final Game

A screenshot of the Everymart with Hungramps.

• Interestingly, Hungramps' final model is used compared to an earlier screenshot.
• The schoolgirl NPC is never seen in the Everymart in the final.

November 2012	Final Game

An image of Walkappa at Mount Wildwood.

• Walkappa's talking portrait slightly is different.

November 2012	Final Game

A screenshot of Katie's bedroom.

• Katie's overworld model had a bigger bowtie.
• The rug was slightly repositioned, because in the final that's where the Yo-kai Medallium is located. She may not have been considered to be playable yet.
• The door in Katie's bedroom was closed while in the final it's always open outside of cutscenes.

November 2012	Final Game

A screenshot of Eddie's bedroom.

• The door was less opened.
• Eddie is never seen setting at the desk in the final.

Miscellaneous

Earlier Yo-kai Designs

November 2012	Final Game

Among the new Yo-kai to be shown, an earlier design of Dulluma can be seen, where it looked slightly different from the final game. It was likely changed so the design wouldn't look too complicated.

November 2012	Final Game

Wazzat had a slightly brighter color scheme.

December#

Corocoro Dec 2012 Issue#

Though the images of the characters from last month were shown again in the issue, it gives some more insight on some of the characters. Interestingly, it briefly mentions Jibanyan's quest to get back an item in order to be friends with him which ended up making it to the final game, except that it took place on the crosswalk rather than in the Springdale Elementary School grounds.

Famitsu Dec 2012#

New images from Famitsu were released. This is also the first issue to use the finalized logo.

• The article mentions that how the Yo-kai Watch is obtained is unknown, it would be retconned in Yo-kai Watch 3 that it was manufactured by Yopple.
• Whisper was also mentioned as a "Yo-kai World guide", implying that he had a slightly bigger role.

Scrapped Alternate Befriending Feature?

This part of the article says that when you find Yo-kai, they could have favors for the player but in other times they may fight with them in akin to Shin Megami Tensei. In the final game, Yo-kai found with the Yo-kai Lens always fight no matter what.

A few other changes are present in those images;

• Jibanyan's final model is being used now, judging from the split tails.
• This is the first appearance of Negatibuzz's final appearance, albeit with an earlier model.
• Noko originally looked a lot bigger, though this may have been the drastic effect of the increased enemy size mechanic.

Screenshot

December 2012	Final Game

Miscellaneous

• In the description for the Yo-kai Watch item, it is said that it is unknown where the player may have obtained it.
• Dazzabel's Japanese name was originally called "Osharekoube" (おしゃれこうべ) rather than "Sharekofujin" (しゃれこ婦人).
• It was said that Whisper was "a guide to the Yo-kai World", an event which happens in the final, meaning that the general plot has been planned out.

References#