Nintendo Direct Highlights on SwitchArcade

Hello fellow gamers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for August 27th, 2024! We'll start with some news, then dive into a review, followed by a look at a new release, and finally, our usual sales updates. Tonight's Nintendo Direct is a mystery, but you'll know the answers soon enough! Let's begin!

News

Don't Miss Today's Nintendo Direct/Indie World Showcase!

As predicted by some insightful insiders, Nintendo sprung a surprise Nintendo Direct on us! We're getting a 40-minute presentation covering both Partner and Indie World Showcases. Don't expect any major first-party reveals, and definitely forget about any Switch successor news. By now, the Direct is likely over, but you can watch it above! I'll provide a summary of the highlights tomorrow.

Reviews & Mini-Views

EGGCONSOLE Star Trader PC-8801mkIIsr ($6.49)

These untranslated EGGCONSOLE releases always boil down to two questions: Is the game itself any good? And is it playable without knowing Japanese? Star Trader is interesting, but not amazing. Falcom blends a Japanese-style adventure game with side-scrolling shooter segments, and neither aspect excels. The adventure part features nice artwork, and the shooter's attempt at narrative integration is unique. You'll mostly converse with characters, take on quests, and earn money to upgrade your ship. This is vital for progressing through the action sequences.

The shooting sections, however, suffer from the PC-8801's limitations. The scrolling is extremely choppy, even if it were smoother, the gameplay might not be top-notch. It's unclear which element is meant to be the primary focus, but Star Trader is more intriguing than it is enjoyable. This leads to our second question. The adventure sections are text-heavy and require player input for optimal results. Without understanding Japanese, you'll miss half the game and struggle in the other half due to insufficient credits for ship upgrades. While you can brute-force your way through it more easily than some EGGCONSOLE titles, it won't be a pleasant experience.

Star Trader offers a glimpse into gaming history, showcasing a developer venturing outside their typical style. Sadly, the abundance of Japanese text significantly hampers enjoyment for Western players. You might find some minor amusement, but a strong recommendation is difficult.

SwitchArcade Score: 3/5

Select New Releases

Crypt Custodian ($19.99)

This top-down action-adventure game stars Pluto, a recently deceased cat who's banished from the afterlife palace for a mishap with the Afterlife Guardian and sentenced to eternal cleaning duty. Explore, fight enemies with your broom, meet quirky characters, battle bosses, and upgrade your abilities. It's a familiar formula, but executed well. Fans of the genre should definitely check it out.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

If you're into colorful shooters with unique mechanics, I suggest checking out the Dreamer games and Harpoon Shooter Nozomi. I enjoyed all three. For those looking for something different, grab 1000xRESIST – you won't regret it! Other titles worth considering: Star Wars games, Citizen Sleeper, Paradise Killer, Haiku, the Robot, and maybe some Tomb Raider for a treat. Browse the lists below!

Select New Sales

(List of new sales)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 28th

(List of expiring sales)

That's it for today! We'll be back tomorrow with a Nintendo Direct recap, new releases, sales, and maybe another review or two. Have a great Tuesday, and thanks for reading!