Nintendo Direct Reveals Key Announcements, 'EGGCONSOLE Star Trader' Review Now Live

Hello, gaming enthusiasts! Welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 27th, 2024. Today's update begins with some exciting news, followed by a review and a look at new releases. We'll wrap things up with our usual sales lists. 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 focused on third-party titles and indie games, it lacked any major first-party announcements and, unsurprisingly, no news on the next-generation Switch console. A detailed summary of the key highlights will follow tomorrow.

Reviews & Mini-Views

EGGCONSOLE Star Trader PC-8801mkIIsr ($6.49)

This untranslated EGGCONSOLE release presents a familiar dilemma: is the game enjoyable in itself, and is it playable without understanding Japanese? Star Trader is intriguing but not exceptional. Falcom blends an adventure game structure with side-scrolling shooter segments, neither of which are particularly polished. The adventure elements feature appealing artwork, while the shooter attempts a unique narrative approach. Players interact with characters, undertake quests, and earn money to upgrade their ship, crucial for navigating the challenging action sequences.

The shooter sections, however, suffer from the PC-8801's limited scrolling capabilities, resulting in a jerky, subpar experience. The game's core structure is unclear, but Star Trader proves more interesting than genuinely good. The significant amount of Japanese text severely impacts the Western audience. While some elements can be deciphered through gameplay, a complete understanding is unattainable without Japanese proficiency. It’s a fascinating historical artifact but difficult to wholeheartedly recommend.

Star Trader offers a glimpse into a developer's experimentation outside their usual style. However, the extensive Japanese text significantly hinders enjoyment for non-Japanese speakers. While some experimentation is possible, 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 a mishap and sentenced to eternal cleaning duties. Players explore, battle enemies using a broom, interact with eccentric characters, defeat bosses, and enhance abilities. While familiar in its mechanics, Crypt Custodian delivers a surprisingly enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

For fans of colorful shooters with unique mechanics, consider 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 the Tomb Raider remastered collection. Check the lists below for details!

Select New Sales

(List of new sales)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 28th

(List of expiring sales)

That's all for today! Join us tomorrow for a more detailed Nintendo Direct recap, new game releases, sales updates, and more reviews. Have a fantastic Tuesday, and thanks for reading!