Nintendo Direct News and Indie Game Reviews

Hello fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 27th, 2024! Today's update starts with some exciting news, followed by a review and a look at a new release. We'll wrap things up with our usual sales updates. Let's dive in!

News

Nintendo Direct/Indie World Showcase Recap

As predicted by some insightful insiders, Nintendo surprised us with a last-minute Nintendo Direct! The 40-minute presentation featured a Partner Showcase and an Indie World Showcase. While primarily focused on third-party titles and indie games, it lacked any major first-party announcements and, unsurprisingly, no news on the Switch's successor. You can watch the full presentation above; a detailed summary of the key highlights will be available tomorrow.

Reviews & Mini-Views

EGGCONSOLE Star Trader PC-8801mkIIsr ($6.49)

This untranslated EGGCONSOLE release presents a familiar dilemma: is the game itself enjoyable, and can it be played without knowing Japanese? Star Trader is an intriguing, if not outstanding, title. Falcom blends an adventure game structure with side-scrolling shooter elements, but neither aspect fully shines. The adventure portion features appealing artwork, and the shooter's narrative approach is unique. Players primarily interact with characters, undertake quests, and earn money to upgrade their ship – crucial for navigating the action sequences.

The shooting segments, however, suffer from the PC-8801's limited scrolling capabilities, resulting in a jerky, less-than-ideal experience. The game's overall balance is unclear, but Star Trader proves more interesting than truly great. This leads to the language barrier issue. The adventure sections are text-heavy, requiring player input for optimal progress. Without understanding Japanese, players miss half the game and struggle to earn sufficient credits for ship upgrades. While brute-forcing might work better than with some EGGCONSOLE titles, it won't be a satisfying experience.

Star Trader offers a glimpse into gaming history, showcasing a developer venturing beyond their typical style. However, the extensive Japanese text significantly hinders enjoyment for Western players. While some might find it worthwhile to explore, a strong recommendation is difficult to give.

SwitchArcade Score: 3/5

Select New Releases

Crypt Custodian ($19.99)

This top-down action-adventure game follows Pluto, a recently deceased cat, banished from the afterlife palace for a mishap with the Afterlife Guardian. Pluto's eternal punishment? Cleaning! Explore, battle enemies with a broom, meet eccentric characters, defeat bosses, and upgrade abilities. This familiar formula is executed well; fans of the genre should definitely check it out.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

For fans of colorful shooters with unique mechanics, I highly recommend the Dreamer series and Harpoon Shooter Nozomi. Don't miss out on 1000xRESIST – it's a must-buy! Other notable titles on sale include various Star Wars games, Citizen Sleeper, Paradise Killer, Haiku, the Robot, and some Tomb Raider titles. Check out the lists below!

Select New Sales

(List of new sales)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 28th

(List of sales ending tomorrow)

That's all for today! Join us tomorrow for a deeper dive into the Nintendo Direct announcements, along with new game releases, sales, and more reviews. Have a great Tuesday, and thanks for reading!