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 reports, both new and expiring. 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 both Partner and Indie World showcases. While primarily focused on third-party titles and indie games, it lacked any major first-party announcements and, as expected, no news on the next-generation Switch console. A full summary of the key highlights will be available tomorrow.

Reviews & Mini-Views

EGGCONSOLE Star Trader PC-8801mkIIsr ($6.49)

This EGGCONSOLE release presents the usual dilemma: is the game enjoyable, and is it playable without knowing Japanese? Star Trader is an intriguing, if not outstanding, title. Falcom blends adventure game elements with side-scrolling shooter stages, but neither aspect shines particularly brightly. The adventure sections boast appealing artwork, and the attempt to integrate a narrative into a shoot 'em up is noteworthy. Players primarily interact with characters, undertake quests, and earn money to upgrade their ship – crucial for success in the shooting segments.

The shooting sections, however, suffer from the PC-8801's limitations, resulting in choppy gameplay, even if the scrolling were smoother. The game's structure is unclear, with neither element fully supporting the other. Ultimately, Star Trader is more interesting conceptually than it is fun to play. 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 likely struggle with the other half due to insufficient credits. While some brute-forcing is possible, the experience is far from ideal.

Star Trader offers a glimpse into gaming history, showcasing a developer venturing beyond their typical style. However, the significant amount of Japanese text severely limits its appeal to Western audiences. While some enjoyment might be gleaned through experimentation, a strong recommendation is difficult to justify.

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 for misbehavior and sentenced to eternal cleaning duties. Explore, battle enemies with a broom, encounter quirky characters, fight bosses, and upgrade abilities. It's a familiar formula, but executed well. Fans of the genre should definitely check it out.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

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

Select New Sales

(List of new sales)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 28th

(List of expiring sales)

That's all for today! We'll be back tomorrow with a more detailed look at the Nintendo Direct, along with new game releases, sales, and possibly some additional reviews. Have a great Tuesday, and thanks for reading!