Nintendo Direct Recap, Star Trader Review, New Games, and Sales

Hello again, gaming enthusiasts! Welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 27th, 2024. Today's update begins with some breaking news, followed by a review, a look at a new release, and our usual sales summaries. Let's dive in!

News

Nintendo Direct/Indie World Showcase Recap

As predicted by some industry 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 showcasing third-party titles and indie games, it notably lacked any major first-party announcements or news about the next-generation Switch console. A detailed summary of the key announcements will be available tomorrow.

Reviews & Mini-Views

EGGCONSOLE Star Trader PC-8801mkIIsr ($6.49)

This week's EGGCONSOLE release, Star Trader, presents a unique challenge. Is the game enjoyable, and can it be played without knowing Japanese? Star Trader blends adventure game elements with side-scrolling shooter stages, but neither aspect truly shines. The adventure segments offer appealing artwork, but the shooter sections suffer from the PC-8801's limitations, resulting in choppy visuals. The gameplay feels disjointed, with the two styles not quite complementing each other.

The adventure sections are text-heavy, requiring player interaction and comprehension for optimal progress. Without understanding Japanese, players will miss crucial information, hindering gameplay and preventing the acquisition of necessary in-game currency for ship upgrades. While some brute-forcing is possible, the experience is significantly diminished.

Star Trader offers a glimpse into gaming history, showcasing an unusual project from Falcom. However, the significant amount of Japanese text makes it difficult to recommend wholeheartedly to a Western audience. While some might find enjoyment in exploring the game's mechanics, the language barrier significantly impacts the overall experience.

SwitchArcade Score: 3/5

New Releases

Crypt Custodian ($19.99)

This top-down action-adventure game follows Pluto, a recently deceased cat, who's tasked with eternal cleaning after a run-in with the Afterlife Guardian. Players explore, battle enemies using a broom, meet quirky characters, and expand their abilities. Despite its familiar formula, Crypt Custodian delivers a surprisingly enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

This week's sales highlight several noteworthy titles. Fans of colorful shoot 'em ups should consider the Dreamer series and Harpoon Shooter Nozomi. Don't miss out on the sale for 1000xRESIST—it's a must-buy! Other notable sales include various Star Wars games, Citizen Sleeper, Paradise Killer, Haiku, the Robot, and the Tomb Raider trilogy. Check out the full lists below!

New Sales

Return ($10.49 from $13.99 until 9/2) Summer Daze: Tilly’s Tale ($2.99 from $14.99 until 9/9) Please Fix the Road ($5.99 from $9.99 until 9/9) Ticket to Ride ($26.99 from $29.99 until 9/9) King ‘n Knight ($9.59 from $11.99 until 9/9) Spiritfarer ($7.49 from $29.99 until 9/9) Harpoon Shooter Nozomi ($6.98 from $9.98 until 9/16) Like Dreamer ($5.99 from $11.99 until 9/16) Cosmo Dreamer ($4.10 from $8.20 until 9/16) Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate ($8.99 from $59.99 until 9/16) Gluck ($5.59 from $6.99 until 9/16) Love Love School Days ($4.19 from $10.49 until 9/16) Ugly ($6.79 from $19.99 until 9/16) Replik Survivors ($3.44 from $4.99 until 9/16)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 28th

1000xRESIST ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/28) Citizen Sleeper ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/28) Genesis Noir ($4.49 from $14.99 until 8/28) Haiku, The Robot ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/28) Heads Up! Phones Down Edition ($1.99 from $39.99 until 8/28) Legend Bowl ($18.74 from $24.99 until 8/28) MythForce ($14.99 from $29.99 until 8/28) Paradise Killer ($5.99 from $19.99 until 8/28) Star Wars Battlefront Collection ($28.00 from $35.01 until 8/28) Star Wars Bounty Hunter ($14.99 from $19.99 until 8/28) Star Wars Episode I Racer ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/28) Star Wars Jedi Academy ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/28) Star Wars Jedi Outcast ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/28) Star Wars KotOR ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/28) Star Wars KotOR II: Sith Lords ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/28) Star Wars Republic Commando ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/28) Star Wars The Force Unleashed ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/28) Super Mutant Alien Assault ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/28) Suzerain ($4.49 from $17.99 until 8/28) The Pale Beyond ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/28) Times & Galaxy ($17.99 from $19.99 until 8/28) Tomb Raider I-III Remastered ($22.49 from $29.99 until 8/28)

That's all for today! Join us tomorrow for a full Direct recap, new game coverage, sales updates, and more. Thanks for reading!