You’ve just turned 11, so what do you do? Why, go adventuring, kill monsters and earn a fortune, of course. But the world is wide open and there are many sights, treasures to capture and monsters to vanquish. After all, Dokkano Island is a mystical place full of strange creatures. Some may call them monsters, but you think of them as wild game, or prey.

Dokapon, from AIA for the Game Boy Advance, is a sweet little role-playing game with a host of features, attractive graphical elements and enjoyable game play.

You take on the role of a young adventurer, who must first pass your adventurer’s exam in the town of Poponga before you can start taking on jobs (a.k.a. quests). The first task is to venture from the city to a mine and vanquish all that stand in your way in order to snag the prize and earn that coveted adventurer’s license.

This is a game that is thoroughly enjoyable and addictive. Unlike releases for the Game Boy Color, like Dragon Warrior III (a nice two-dimensional outing), Dokapon features solid three-dimensional elements that make it a wonder for the eye.

Throughout the course of the game you may encounter up to 150 monsters, 120 weapons and 50 shields. The weapons and shields can be combined to make new weapons and shields. And you can collect beaten monsters to partner with in latter battles.

There are eight levels, and to aid replayability, the game maps are randomized. What was there before may not be there again. And the monsters are diverse. From spores to weasels, miners and other critters, this game features increasingly harder opponents and requires more cerebral play than reflexive.

The combat sequences are turn-based and are founded on a rock, paper, and scissors style of fighting. The order of combat is random, and if you choose the right defense or attack, you will succeed. The treasure is also a random element. Once you encounter a treasure, you spin the roulette wheel and can wind up with a wide variety of rewards.

The control elements are fairly straightforward: the D-pad controls movement, the Left and Right buttons allow the character to move diagonally, select pulls up map or battle information, the A button is for action or investigation, and the B button with either cancel an action or make the character run if you are moving at the time.

The graphical elements are a mixture of two- and three-dimensional renderings. When traversing through dungeons and such, the game is two-dimensional. But during combat, it takes on a 3D look, with very nice special effects. The game sound is indicative of GBA games – nothing extraordinary, but still supportive of the graphics.

Options include allowing you to save adventures along the way by writing them into your diary. However, you may be so caught up in the exploration and adventure that you forget to do that. Healing is something each player must ensure they have the necessary potions to do, and you upgrade your equipment with each successful leveling up.

Dokapon is thoroughly enjoyable. It has very nice graphical elements and solid game play. This game gives the realm of GBA RPGs a new look and enjoyable feel.

Gameplay: 8.5
The action and levels are deep, and worth exploring.

Graphics: 8.5
This game features a mix between 2D- and 3D-graphical elements, but it is a nice blend.

Sound: 6.5
Typical of a Game Boy Advance system, though there is nothing special here, they do a nice job of supporting the graphics.

Difficulty: 8
The player interface it very easy to navigate, and since the combat is turn-based, and actualizes the rock, paper, scissors, it is random and luck that plays a factor there.

Concept: 8.5
This may seem a simple adventure/quest driven game, but it is very nicely realized.

Multiplayer: N/A

Overall: 8.5
This is enjoyable, addictive fun. The special effects are excellent, and the game features some of the standard elements of Game Boy RPGs, but does a very nice job of providing a little something extra.