Dokapon the World

Dokapon the World is the fifth mainline game in the Dokapon series of fantasy RPG-themed multiplayer board games, and the final title in the franchise produced by Asmik. Compared with the previous release, Dokapon DX, this iteration is more similar to earlier entries, with the world map once again being a large, interconnected map containing smaller regions that gradually open up throughout the story mode. Notably, this entry uses a stylized version of a real-life map of Earth for its play map, with the story involving real-world players intervening in Dokapon Kingdom by playing the game itself. The game also uses a distinct visual style, where the environments are 3D-rendered, but all characters are portrayed with 2D illustrations, used in a style reminiscent of paper cutouts. The major new feature in this game is the addition of a job system; rather than choosing a defined character, each player can change their class on the fly to adapt to the in-game situation. Job classes are ranked by tier, requiring increasing amounts of experience and sometimes specific requirements to unlock, and there are 25 total different jobs in the game. The game includes two main modes: a single-player Story Mode, as well as a multiplayer Free Mode which allows several different types of matches, with players competing for either the highest amount of assets after a set number of turns, or a specific target asset amount. A Windows port of the game, Dokapon the World Online, was released several years after the original PS2 version. This version of the game is largely the same, but includes online multiplayer functionality in the Free Mode along with an in-game chat feature. This version was only available as a paid digital download, and the online service for the game ended June 30, 2012.