| Yo-kai Watch Jam: Yo-kai Academy Y | |
| Developer: | Level-5 |
| Publisher: | Level-5 |
| Series: | Yo-kai Watch |
| Released: | Nintendo SwitchPlayStation 4 |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Modes: | Single-player, multiplayer |
Yo-kai Watch Jam: Yo-kai Academy Y – Waiwai Gakuen Seikatsu, also known as Y School Heroes: Bustlin' School Life, is a 2020 role-playing game developed and published by Level-5 for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. A spin-off installment in the Yo-kai Watch series, Yo-kai Watch Jam focuses on Jinpei Jiba, a student at the fictitious Y Academy, who investigates mysteries occurring in the academy and surrounding areas.[1] He is also joined by his friends, who are among the playable characters.
Yo-kai Watch Jam was received positively by critics, who praised the game's combat system, environment, and school life mode, due to its routine feeling and open world-like style.[2] [3]
Yo-kai Watch Jam is a role-playing game that focuses on Jinpei Jiba as he attends Y Academy, an elite boarding school and the main setting of the Yo-kai Academy Y anime series. Yo-kai Watch Jam main gameplay occurs during "school life",[4] which takes place during the day at Y Academy as the player attempts to raise their popularity by receiving "Likes", which can be obtained through solving fellow students' quests.[5] During school life, players can also befriend other students and join clubs.[6]
Yo-kai Watch Jam has a combat system that is drastically different from mainline Yo-kai Watch games, with battles happening in real-time.[3] During battles, players can transform into a Yo-kai Hero using the YSP Watch,[7] which makes the player stronger.
Yo-kai Watch Jam was developed and published by Level-5,[8] who had developed and published other Yo-kai Watch games. The game is based on the Yo-kai Watch Jam: Yo-kai Academy Y: Close Encounters of the N Kind anime series,[9] whose first season was ongoing at the time of the game's release. Development of Yo-kai Watch Jam was prioritized over , due to Level-5 wanting Victory Road to be "a hit".[10] [11]
The game was first revealed by Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino on Twitter in December 2019,[12] and was officially announced in the March 2020 issue of CoroCoro Comic.[13] Further details were unveiled in the lead-up to the game's release.[14] [15] A demo for the game was released on the Nintendo eShop on August 3, 2020.[16]
Yo-kai Watch Jam was released on August 13, 2020, on the Nintendo Switch,[17] and on the PlayStation 4 on October 29.[18] The game was released physically on December 17.[19]
Yo-kai Watch Jam received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised the game's combat and school mode.[3] Akiru Miyashita, writing for 4Gamer.net, stated that Yo-kai Watch Jam was his favorite entry in the Yo-kai Watch series,[4] due to the game's open world-like environment and combat system, which he opined had a "good tempo".[2]
The game's school environment was received positively by critics. Namco Kushida of Famitsu described it as a "miniature garden", writing that she could "not help but patrol every corner". Totsuka expressed that going to and from school felt routine.[3] Miyashita also enjoyed the routine feeling of school life, calling it "comfortable".[4]
The combat system was also received positively. Keiichi Totsuka of Famitsu wrote that the combat system was accessible to newcomers of the Yo-kai Watch series, comparing the system to that of the Yo-kai Watch Blasters series. Gigolo Ashida of Famitsu appreciated the Yo-kai Hero mechanic, due to it being a "good accent". Amemiya, also of Famitsu, criticized how the game uses a chibi art style during battles, as he felt it makes it harder to see what's happening.[3]
Yo-kai Watch Jam sold over 3,000 copies on the Nintendo Switch in its first three days of release, making it the 25th best-selling video game in the week of August 10.[20] In late December 2020, Yo-kai Watch Jam was announced to have sold over 42,000 copies on the Nintendo Switch.[21]