Dokapon Kingdom: Connect
- September 7, 2023
- Compile Heart
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Dokapon Kingdom: Connect" is a revival of the hybrid RPG/board game first released for PlayStation and Wii. Up to 4 players can compete in collecting the most wealth to win the Princess' hand and the throne, now with online multiplayer capabilities. The game offers 5 modes and a massive game board, ensuring varied gameplay and heated battles among friends.
Reviews
- Dokapon Kingdom is a chaotic and fun party game that tests friendships, providing hours of entertainment with friends.
- The game combines elements of RPGs and board games, offering a unique experience that keeps players engaged and laughing.
- The nostalgia factor is strong, as many players fondly remember the original game and appreciate the online multiplayer features in this port.
- The AI is frustratingly overpowered, often cheating and ruining the experience for players who choose to play solo.
- The port has several technical issues, including poor controls, lack of full-screen support, and a high price point that many feel is unjustified for a remastered game.
- The game can lead to significant frustration and conflict among friends, as the competitive nature and random events can easily turn fun into anger.
- story30 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story mode is extensive, offering a lighthearted narrative that can take over 30 hours to complete, with various chapters and events that enhance replayability. While it serves as a fun backdrop for competitive gameplay, some players feel it leans too heavily on randomness rather than deeper RPG mechanics. Overall, the story mode is best enjoyed with friends, providing a unique blend of party game dynamics and RPG elements, though some players express a desire for additional content and character development.
“If you're looking for a party game that will take 40ish hours to complete, that has all the unfairness of Mario Party and Monopoly in the body of a turn-based RPG, a game that will either build you up to be the storybook hero or spit in your face at your lowest lows, a game that will test the strengths of your friendships and could potentially even lose you some, then I would highly recommend this.”
“The game is broken down into a series of chapters and plays out a lighthearted story that doesn't take itself too seriously.”
“Extremely balanced and well-paced in the story mode.”
“Story mode is quite basic and really just acts as a gated experience to the world map and random events that occur as a means to learn the game.”
“It is borderline impossible to convince 3 other people to pay this price to get a story mode campaign going with friends.”
“I hope the official team considers adding some new content such as storyline, characters, jobs, and weapons into the game; otherwise, it doesn't seem worth it.”
- gameplay21 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Dokapon Kingdom is a chaotic blend of party game mechanics and RPG elements, featuring a mix of absurdity, randomness, and strategic depth that can lead to both hilarious and frustrating moments. Players appreciate the engaging mechanics, including catch-up features and a class system, though some criticize the heavy reliance on luck and RNG. Overall, it offers a unique experience that thrives on multiplayer interactions, making it a memorable, albeit brutal, friendship-testing adventure.
“The game has plenty of chances for comeback mechanics.”
“Dokapon Kingdom is a classic friendship-ruining experience that feels like Mario Party on steroids with the mini-games replaced by RPG mechanics, a class system, and a huge world map to explore instead of a small game board.”
“Its one of those releases where the gameplay is engaging enough to be fun but light enough where the memories and moments that really shine are due to the people you play it with.”
“Even now, I could never quit this scuffed pile of polygons, 'cause the sheer absurdity (stupidity) borne from the gameplay will always bring me back.”
“I do however love this concept of a party board game crossed with story RPG mechanics, but they lean too much on coin flips like roshambo and other random things instead of leaning into the less random RPG elements.”
“This would be alright, but there are rubber banding mechanics that give losing players a chance to catch up, and the AI knows how to use items wisely along with other strategies, so the cheating AI isn't needed.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players highlighting its silliness and the joy of backstabbing friends, leading to laughter and nostalgic memories. Many reviews note that the chaotic and unpredictable nature of gameplay, including AI antics and unexpected events, contributes to a fun and entertaining experience, especially in multiplayer settings. Overall, the game is described as a source of endless laughter, making it a standout for those seeking a humorous gaming experience.
“Stabbing your friends in the back (or front) is funny every time.”
“Me and a friend started a campaign of this game because I had played the Wii version before and knew it was funny beyond belief because it's so silly and provoking.”
“If you and your friends can tolerate having your balls stomped on for hours at a time while laughing at how the entire map just got reset 20 hours in because the guy in last place nuked the board, this is the game to play.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics have been described as "classic," with minimal changes made to update the visuals for modern displays, resulting in a polished but straightforward port. While some users rated the graphics highly, they expressed disappointment over the lack of customization options and the absence of controller-specific graphics, making the $50 price tag feel unjustified for what is essentially a direct port.
“Graphic: 10/10”
“Also, there have been some graphical changes to connect.”
“However, the $50 price tag is a tough pill to swallow with this being a fairly straightforward port. The only new features added are online multiplayer, which is a welcome change, but at $50 you'd hope to see a little more than just keyboard prompts and basic graphical options.”
“Graphics - I'd call them 'classic'; nothing has been changed, just updated to look good on modern monitors.”
“No graphics for different controllers like PS5/4 or Xbox controllers; it's literally a 1:1 port of the Switch game, for better or worse (mostly worse).”
- stability5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting a flawless experience during lengthy campaigns, while others encounter significant issues such as freezing, low frame rates, and online connectivity problems. Despite good performance on certain platforms like the Steam Deck, the presence of bugs and disconnections in multiplayer modes has led to dissatisfaction, especially given the game's full price.
“I went ahead and checked, it runs great out of the box on Steam Deck, and by limiting the thermal power, you can easily get 3.5+ hours on a full charge.”
“I'd be fine with that if this was a $10 game, but this is a full-priced game and it should not be this buggy.”
“Continually freezes and always plays at less than 1 frame per second.”
“Very buggy online; most of the time it will not reconnect. The 4th player does not work or cannot join the lobby.”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed feedback, with some users noting its oddities, such as music bleeding and a lack of synchronization with character mouth movements. Additionally, the soundtrack is described as reminiscent of "Harvest Moon," but overall, there are no significant enhancements or new modes to improve the musical experience.
“It's not a perfect port; there are some oddities, such as music bleeding and a strange lack of mouth movements present in the original. Aside from those, the only real bad thing I can think of is the lack of cross-play.”
“Same ugly models and weirdly Harvest Moon music, no new modes, and very little additions to speak of.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report that the game offers a profound emotional experience, often described as an "emotional roller coaster" that can lead to deep reflections on friendships and personal connections. The intensity of the gameplay can create memorable moments, but it may also result in a sense of isolation as players become engrossed in the game.
“This game is awesome; I played it for 30 hours and went on an emotional roller coaster with it.”
“You'll remember having good times with your friends before playing this game, only to never speak to them again afterward.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, particularly through its lengthy single-player story mode, which provides near infinite replay value, while also extending beyond the typical duration of a Mario Party session.
“The average game can take much longer than a Mario Party session, and the single-player 'story' mode offers near infinite replay value, making it quite lengthy for a 'party' game.”
“The average game can take much longer than a Mario Party session, and the single-player 'story' mode, which is supposed to have near infinite replay value, is quite lengthy for a 'party' game.”
“Once you've played through the main content, there's little incentive to return, making replayability a major issue.”
“The lack of varied gameplay mechanics means that after a few rounds, the experience feels repetitive and dull.”
