SwitchArcade Round-Up: Today’s Nintendo Direct, Full Review of ‘EGGCONSOLE Star Trader’, Plus New Releases and Sales

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. 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 focusing on third-party titles and indie games, it lacked any major first-party announcements and, as expected, held no news regarding the Switch's successor. A detailed summary of the key announcements will be available tomorrow.

Reviews & Mini-Views

EGGCONSOLE Star Trader PC-8801mkIIsr ($6.49)

This EGGCONSOLE release presents the usual dilemma: game quality versus the language barrier. Star Trader, a curious blend of Japanese adventure game and side-scrolling shooter, falls short of greatness in both aspects. The adventure segments boast appealing artwork, but the gameplay is unremarkable. Players navigate conversations and quests to earn money for ship upgrades, crucial for progressing through the challenging, choppy shooting stages. The PC-8801's limitations result in jerky scrolling, detracting from the overall experience. The game's structure is unclear, with neither gameplay element fully supporting the other.

The language barrier is a significant hurdle. The text-heavy adventure sections require player comprehension for optimal progress. Without Japanese proficiency, players miss out on half the game and struggle to earn sufficient credits. While brute-forcing is possible, it significantly diminishes enjoyment. Star Trader offers a glimpse into gaming history but is ultimately hampered by its reliance on Japanese text, making 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, on a quest for redemption after being banished from the afterlife. Players explore, battle enemies with a broom, interact with quirky characters, and defeat bosses. Despite its familiar formula, Crypt Custodian delivers a surprisingly enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

For fans of colorful shooters, the Dreamer series and Harpoon Shooter Nozomi are worth considering. Don't miss out on 1000xRESIST—it's a must-buy! Other notable sales include Star Wars titles, Citizen Sleeper, Paradise Killer, Haiku, the Robot, and the Tomb Raider remasters.

Select New Sales

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 28th

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!