Docomodake is the mascot of a Japanese cell phone company called NTT docomo. Didn’t know that? Neither did I? The stylized cuteness is what caught my attention.

Boing! Docomodake is a platformer with elements of puzzle strategy. The premise is simple. Docomodake is looking for his family. To find them Docomodake must jump, climb and dig his way past more than 50 stages. However, the level of difficulty will vary by age.

To accomplish this, Docomodake has an arsenal of tiny little mushroom men that do his bidding. A mini mushroom can be peeled out of Docomodake one at a time with the stylus. As they are removed, he grows smaller. His size and weight are directly connected to the challenge of getting around each level.

In addition to that, a quick push of either shoulder button will allow all the minis to pop out of Docomodake simultaneously. Once the minis are released, they can be used to create platforms in order to gain access to higher portions of the environment. They can also be stacked up to create a ladder.  

A double tap with the stylus will morph a mini into a roly-poly. This is essentially a bullet that can be used to destroy or stun the insect enemies. Sometimes it is necessary to use the minis as a counter-weight on elevator platforms. They can also be dropped onto mushroom switches that alter the environment and allow access to areas that are blocked off otherwise.

The character is controlled by the directional pad. It may sound like a minimalist set of controls, but it works surprisingly well. Docomodake can dash, jump, dig and walk all at the touch of your thumb.  The stylus sensitivity to manipulate the minis is intuitive and implemented correctly where it adds to the game instead of being a detriment. I’m looking at you, Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance.

During later levels the challenge increases. However, any hardcore gamer will be able to blast through the entire game in a day or so of moderate gaming. Boing! Docomodake seems tailored toward a younger, casual audience. Despite that, it does offer a bit of replay value that may appeal to all gamers.

Each stage has several collectable objects. Coins should always be retrieved because they allow the player to purchase artwork and music tracks in the main menu. There are hidden treasure chests too. Inside players will find a secret goody. It can be a batch of coins or another mushroom mini that you can add to Docomodake’s army.

When a stage is complete the player is given a rank. The rank is determined by how many coins and treasure are found and the time in which it took to finish. Here is where the real challenge is found in Boing! Docomodake. Finishing the more difficult stages toward the end of the game in a small amount of time to receive an A rank kept me busy.

As the E rating suggests, Boing! Docomodake is slated toward a younger, more casual gamer.  With that in mind, the game is an easy recommendation for the intended audience. For those gamers looking for the insane level of difficulty found in a game like Prinny for PSP, I’m afraid Doco does not provide that experience.

Gameplay: 8.0
Simple yet addictive fun that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Graphics: 8.0 
Stylized cuteness that even adults may enjoy.

Sound: 7.0
Boing! Docomodake is full of silly sounds and infectious tunes that can be unlocked with the coins collected.

Difficulty: Easy

Concept: 7.0 
A platformer based on a charming Japanese cell phone mascot and only 20 bucks!

Overall: 8.0
Good entertainment for young and casual players with enough quirky, stylized cuteness for curious gamers who find Japanese mascots endearing.