the idea is cute but the game felt a little clunky and i didn't really enjoy it too much - currently only playing to get some more achievements as i like to have a higher completion percentage.

I played this game at release when I was very young, and replayed it almost every year since. It's a game I hold very close to my heart.
The battle mechanics are fun and easy to use while still being a bit difficult to master (and, in my opinion, much better than the second game's). The story is very cute and fun to follow along with this mostly being a comedy game. I love all of the fun little optional collectibles and, especially, the costumes. You have to search quite a bit to get all the costumes, and each one has neat little abilities that are fun to discover.
It's really become a game I try to replay every October, and it's a great length to do so with. 10/10, honestly can't think of a single complaint.