Level-5's Yokai Watch Confirmed for 3DS

Despite two well-established and popular franchises under its belt (Professor Layton and Inazuma Eleven), Level-5 has had trouble launching newer IP properly over the past year or so. Fantasy Life has been stuck in development for ages, going from a 2D DS title to a 3D 3DS game over the course of two years...and Yokai Watch, originally announced just over a year ago in Japan, is only now getting new information divulged on it.

If you're expecting much new info, however, keep on waiting. The preview published in this week's issue of Famitsumagazine doesn't give out much, other than confirming that Level-5's anime-influenced adventure is a Nintendo 3DS title. The publisher hasn't given out a release date, price, or even a genre for the game, although judging by the screenshots it's an RPG with a tilted overhead view.

Yokai Watch is the story of Keita, a grade-schooler who comes across a wristwatch that allows him to see the ghosts and ghouls (yokai in Japanese) that populate the neighborhoods of Sakura New Town. Working with his school pals and the ghouls that become his friend, Keita deals with occult-related incidents and occasionally has to fight off not-so-nice demons, suggesting that the game will be something like a cutesy anime version of Shin Megami Tensei.

Level-5 hasn't given much clue about when we can expect some real meaty info on this game, suggesting that it may be well into next year before Yokai Watch sees a release.