Review: Cocoro 3DS

Cocoro – Line Defender is a strategy game in which you control the Yoko of each of the four elements. In an Asiatic game world, you must unlock heroes with different characteristics and an array of weapons which can be upgraded throughout the battles.

Pros:

• Lush Japanese inspired almost water colour art style graphics.
• Line defender game where you send out your troops to attack and destroy your enemies base.
• Easy control scheme with most of the work being done on the touch screen. Select your troops and literally throw them into battle with the stylus.  You use the analogue to scroll the battle ground.
• HUD on screen has the full battle field on show and dots to symbolize characters.
• Unlock new soldier types through play, Some are melee fighters whilst some prefer to throw arrows or use long staffs to attack. Each type of troop has its own set of attributes such as health, attack speed and movement.
• Each soldier type not only has its own attributes, But also has its own timer. For every trooper has a spawn timer and this is what you need to be mindful of when selecting which troops to send out.
• Earn money from battles and the quicker you finish it, The more money you get.
• You use money to upgrade troops and in particular there weapons. Each trooper has a limit to how much you can level up but the level increases through play.
• Loads of different locations to visit all with a nice vibrant atmosphere.
• Mellow almost oriental soundtrack with some good sound effects.
• The story is not actually that bad.
• Main Hub screen allows you to upgrade troops, recap on the story, see who is unlocked and of course access to the map.
• Cheap price point.
• Good 3D implementation.
• The entry level to get into the game is low and the game is easy to learn but hard to master as you juggle the various troop types.

Cons:

• Doesn’t save when you quit, Only after a level completion so don’t do any upgrades after a level and then quit.
• Difficulty spikes throughout as you struggle with the not knowing who you are facing problem.
• All enemies act the same and the only difference is there actual look.
• After just a few unlocks, The early troop types become useless and kind of messes the balance of the game up.
• No health bars above your troops so you never know when they are going to die so you cannot get a plan in place to replace troops in time.

In Summary, The game is a beauty to look at and for the most part is a fun game to play. Levels can be as long as you want them to be really with all the tug of war style fighting. Unlocking and upgrading troops is easy and whilst the story will entertain you, It wont become your soul reason for playing. The game has a few missing elements that could of helped, That being health bars for your troops so instead you have to guess when the best time is to get the longer to spawn troops ready. Its a mixed bag and one where you will either love it or hate it but my god it is nice to look at.