Nintendo Direct Presentation Today; 'EGGCONSOLE Star Trader' Review & More

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 new releases. We'll wrap things up with the usual sales reports. 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 covered partner showcases and indie titles. While no first-party announcements were made (and certainly nothing about the next-gen Switch), the showcase offered plenty to discuss. You can watch the full presentation above; a detailed summary 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, and is it playable without knowing Japanese? Star Trader is intriguing but not exceptional. Falcom blends adventure game elements with side-scrolling shooter stages, but neither aspect fully shines. The adventure segments feature attractive art, and the shooter's attempt at narrative integration is unique. Players mainly interact with characters, accept quests, and earn money to upgrade their ship. This is crucial for success in the action sequences.

The shooter sections, however, suffer from the PC-8801's limitations, resulting in choppy scrolling. Even without this technical issue, the gameplay might not be outstanding. The game's structure is unclear, but Star Trader is more interesting than truly good. The significant amount of Japanese text in the adventure segments presents a major hurdle for Western players. While some progress might be made through trial and error, the lack of translation significantly impacts enjoyment.

Star Trader offers a glimpse into a developer's experimental work. However, the heavy reliance on Japanese text makes it difficult to recommend wholeheartedly.

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. Players explore, battle enemies with a broom, meet 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 vibrant shooters with unique mechanics, the Dreamer series and Harpoon Shooter Nozomi are highly recommended. Don't miss out on 1000xRESIST – it's a must-buy! Other noteworthy titles on sale include Star Wars games, Citizen Sleeper, Paradise Killer, Haiku, the Robot, and Tomb Raider titles.

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!