![Dokapon Gaiden - Honoo no Audition [Model SHVC-AGNJ-JPN] screenshot](images/game/61219_2.png "Dokapon Gaiden - Honoo no Audition [Model SHVC-AGNJ-JPN]")
Dokapon Gaiden - Honoo no Audition © 1995 Asmik.
Dokapon Gaiden: Honoo no Audition is a unique spin-off in the long-running Dokapon series. Unlike the main series, which typically plays out as a lengthy "board game RPG," this installment focuses on a more compact, narrative-driven structure centered around a competition or "audition" to prove one's worth in the world of Dokapon, blending traditional board-based movement with character-specific RPG progression.
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GAME ID: SHVC-AGNJ-JPN
Released on December 1, 1995 in Japan.
A "Gaiden" Departure: The title explicitly identifies as a "Gaiden" (side story). While it retains the iconic blend of tabletop luck and RPG stat-grinding, the focus here shifts toward a faster, more event-dense experience. It was designed to offer the "Dokapon experience" to players who wanted a more condensed narrative journey rather than a multi-hour board game marathon.
The Audition Mechanic: The core narrative hook—the "Audition"—serves as a clever meta-commentary on the game's own competitive nature. Characters are competing for a specific role or status, which dictates the flow of the game's events. This structural change keeps the tension higher throughout the play sessions compared to the more open-ended nature of the mainline Dokapon titles.
Asmik’s Design Philosophy: Asmik was known for taking experimental approaches to established genres. In this title, they refined the battle interface and item interactions, resulting in some of the cleanest and most visually distinct UI work in the series on the Super Famicom.