For those who appreciate the charm of casual gaming with a fashionable twist, the JoJo’s Fashion Show series stands out as a memorable journey. While I might have missed my personal writing challenge, rediscovering this gem of a game series felt like a much more stylish achievement. Before diving into my anticipated anime countdown, I wanted to share my long-held appreciation for a game that, despite being a bit under the radar, has captured my attention for years.
I confess, I’m not deeply entrenched in the hardcore gaming world. My preferences lean towards the lighter side of gaming – the casual experiences, the forgotten gems, and the nostalgic classics from past decades. JoJo’s Fashion Show comfortably fits into the realm of casual time-management games, offering deceptively simple yet engaging gameplay. The core mechanic revolves around dressing models within a time limit, adhering to specific style guidelines for each model. The closer your outfit choices align with the requested style, the higher your score. It’s a concept that’s easy to grasp, yet challenging to master as the game progresses.
JoJo’s Fashion Show: The Original Runway
The first installment, simply titled JoJo’s Fashion Show, laid the foundation for what would become a beloved series. As the pioneering game, it’s remarkably well-crafted. The game features two primary modes: Runway Mode and Dress Up Mode. Runway Mode serves as the main campaign, where each level you conquer unlocks new clothing items in Dress Up Mode. Dress Up Mode is your creative sandbox, allowing you to experiment with the unlocked garments and style models to your heart’s content. You can even save your fashionable creations. While the sequels have undeniably refined the formula, the original JoJo’s Fashion Show holds a special place, primarily due to its engaging storyline. Even after numerous playthroughs, the narrative of renowned fashion designer JoJo Cruz’s retirement and her spirited teenage daughter Rosalind’s persuasive return to the fashion world remains captivating. Unlocking each level to unveil more of this story is a rewarding experience in itself.
JoJo’s Fashion Show 2: Las Cruces: Stepping into the Spotlight
The sequel, JoJo’s Fashion Show 2: Las Cruces, elevates the fashion stakes. Building upon the success of their initial world tour, JoJo Cruz and Rosalind embark on a new venture, retiring their previous fashion line to launch a fresh, collaborative collection. This installment introduces compelling new characters, including Avett Price, the charming photographer, and Katrina Yue, the sharp-tongued editor-in-chief of a prominent fashion magazine. Beyond the enriched storyline, Las Cruces expands its horizons with new global locations like Berlin and Santiago. A standout addition is the photography levels, where players step into the shoes of Avett, racing against the clock to capture models in outfits that precisely match the designated style. Of course, the beloved Dress Up Mode returns, alongside a broadened wardrobe featuring new styles and outfits, and the exciting inclusion of male models.
JoJo's Fashion Show 2 Las Cruces game cover featuring stylish models and fashion design elements, highlighting the time-management gameplay.
While Las Cruces introduces several successful innovations, some aspects feel less polished. The photography levels are a genuine highlight, adding a fun and challenging dimension to the gameplay, and the runway levels retain their addictive charm. However, certain features within Runway Mode can be frustrating or illogical. The style chain challenge, intended to reward players for achieving specific style sequences, often feels arbitrary and doesn’t significantly enhance the experience. Similarly, the signature outfit objective, particularly in later stages, becomes overly reliant on chance, often requiring excessive use of power-ups just to obtain the required one-piece garments. The narrative also suffers from inconsistencies, with moments like Rosalind addressing her mother by her first name feeling out of character, and occasional typos in the dialogue bubbles detracting from the overall presentation. Despite these minor shortcomings, JoJo’s Fashion Show 2: Las Cruces is a commendable sequel. The developers clearly strived to inject freshness and innovation into the formula, resulting in a game that largely succeeds in expanding upon the original.
JoJo’s Fashion Show: World Tour: A Global Fashion Phenomenon
The final game in the series, JoJo’s Fashion Show: World Tour, marks a significant evolution. Rosalind, now a mature designer, ventures out to establish her own brand, prompting JoJo to seek a new protégé. She discovers Hayley Ward, a promising young designer, who harbors hidden secrets. It’s evident that a different development team helmed World Tour, as evidenced by the completely revamped artwork and voice acting. While the visual style is a matter of personal taste – some find the models unsettling, I personally find them more refined than in the previous games – the voice acting for Rosalind is a noticeable downgrade, which is disappointing given her central role in the series. However, where World Tour truly shines is in its exceptional soundtrack. The music is phenomenal, far surpassing the soundtracks of the first two games. Each location boasts its own theme song, perfectly capturing the atmosphere of a fashion show in that specific region, truly immersing you in the global setting. Finding a way to download these tracks would be a real treat.
The gameplay formula in World Tour undergoes subtle yet impactful changes, retaining the core elements players love while introducing exciting new features. The dress-up mode and photography levels are replaced by a compelling clothes designer feature. This allows players to create outfits tailored to each style, which quickly became my favorite aspect across all three games. The satisfaction of designing high-scoring ensembles, utilizing the supermodel power-up, and witnessing your creations in the final outfit parade is incredibly rewarding. World Tour also distinguishes itself by meticulously incorporating global fashion influences. Each level’s styles authentically reflect its country of origin, such as Bold Betawi in Jakarta or Moulin Rouge in Paris, a significant step up from the somewhat arbitrary style introductions in the earlier games. On the downside, World Tour can feel somewhat rushed in its execution. For instance, pattern recognition in the clothes designer occasionally glitches, failing to register correctly and impacting scores even when the pattern aligns with the style guidelines. Some might also find the game too easy, as achieving signature outfits and 5-star show ratings is relatively straightforward. However, for players seeking a fast-paced, globally themed fashion adventure, this accessibility can be a positive aspect. JoJo’s Fashion Show: World Tour emerges as the strongest entry in the trilogy. A potential fourth installment, building upon World Tour‘s foundation while addressing its minor flaws, would be a dream come true. Perhaps we could even witness the culmination of Avett and Rosalind’s relationship? One can only hope for the future of this delightful fashion game series.
