Daibakushou Jinsei Gekijou - Dokidoki Seishun is considered to have a different style of game play than most of the games in the Bakushou!! Jinsei Geikjou series. Instead of moving in a linear fashion in order to reach the ultimate goal, the players move in a circle. During the simulated months of game play, new buildings are eventually constructed and the railway system reveals new areas for travel as the players progress through the months of the year and mature. However, incarceration and sickness are included in the game. The circle-style game board would later be used in Daibakushou Jinsei Gekijou - Zukkoke Salary Man Hen, depicted the rut of the workday.

Original elements that are used in this game include meeting the opponents' mother, enhanced mother-child interaction like a mother forcing her daughter to wear a long skirt to school, knowledge of what square the player will land on before making the spinner come to a complete stop, and cut sequences that cannot be controlled by the player (with the exception for answering questions). Occasionally, a school uniform inspector comes to the players and gives them marks on how closely they match the proper Japanese school uniform. Certain non-conforming items like a long skirt (instead of a short skirt) can cause the female avatar that was forced to wear the outfit by her mother to be penalized. However, bonus points are assigned as long as certain features are similar to that of a Japanese school uniform.

While traveling is initially restricted to railroad travel and city bus in the beginning of the game, eventually an airport is constructed as the players evolve in maturity and experience. Traveling to new places in the game constantly increased in cost as players are forced to use more of their in-game currency in order to maintain a balanced character. Eventually, the player must balance traveling "far away" with academics and spending time in the "local area." There is no formalized year system in the game, the players simply go from January to December and back to January again. The only difference is that new ideas and concepts added during the months help create an illusion of the players growing older, wiser, and more mature in their outlooks. This game can be played with one to four players with computerized players being completely random. Using a similar system that used to name the player's avatar in The Sims and The Sims 2, players must create a given name and a surname in either hiragana or katakana.

External links

GameFAQs - Daibaushou Jinsei Gekijou - Dokidoki Seishun