A surprisingly interesting manga/anime-inspired DS game has just been released in Japan by Konami – Shugo Chara! Amu no Nijiro Chara Change. It is a life simulation with RPG elements for girls that follows Amu Hinamori, a young girl who has four guardian characters who help Amu become more like the person she wants to be. Its the job of the player to help guide Amu become stronger, smarter and more popular, while also protecting people against corrupted dreams.
Shugo Chara! Amu no Nijiro Chara Change takes place after the point in the Shugo Chara! storyline where Amu has discovered her fourth guardian, Dia. So she’s already a member of Seiyo Elementary’s Guardians student council as the Joker. This means that, through-out the game, there will occasionally be RPG style battles against X Eggs and X Characters Amu will have to handle with the help of Ran, Miki and Su.
Battles aren’t everything though. Amu also has to keep up with school. So, each school day, you can have her study, play sports or rest to try and boost her stats. Each month there are athletic assessments and tests, and its in Amu’s best interests to pass.
There are also mini-games with Ran, Miki and Su, Amu’s three main guardians. Each one has two mini-games that relate to the guardian’s specialties. Ran is sporty, Miki is artistic and Su is very domestic. Playing these games earns Amu money, which she can use to buy new clothes.
Amu is also able to talk to and meet new friends, all characters from the original Shugo Chara! series. After school and on weekends, Amu can explore the town and talk to people if their faces appear on the map. During the conversation, Amu may have the opportunity to get help from one of her guardians to boost (or hurt) her relationship with the character she’s talking to. At first, only Tadase, Rima, Kairi and Yaya are available to talk to, but as you progress through the story and make friends, more will show up.
Since Shugo Chara! Amu no Nijiro Chara Change is by Konami, which also handled the Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side DS games, you can tell it will be a capable and well executed title. Since it is a simulation/RPG with very little voice acting, it looks like it will require basic knowledge of some katakana and hiragana in order to make it through successfully. Especially since a large part of the game is making friends with the rest of the Shugo Chara! cast.
Images courtesy of Konami.
