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 the usual sales updates. 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 showcasing third-party titles and indie games, it lacked any major first-party announcements or news about the next-generation Switch console. You can watch the full presentation above; a detailed summary of the key highlights will be available tomorrow.

Reviews & Mini-Views

EGGCONSOLE Star Trader PC-8801mkIIsr ($6.49)

This untransalted EGGCONSOLE release presents a familiar dilemma: is the game itself enjoyable, and is it playable without knowing Japanese? Star Trader is intriguing but not exceptional. Falcom blends adventure game elements with side-scrolling shooter segments, neither of which are particularly polished. The adventure sections feature appealing art, and the shooter's attempt at narrative integration is unique. Players primarily engage in conversations, accept quests, and earn money to upgrade their ship – crucial for navigating the challenging shooter stages.

The shooter sections, however, suffer from the PC-8801's limitations, resulting in jerky scrolling. Even with smoother movement, the gameplay might not be outstanding. The game's structure is unclear, but Star Trader is more captivating than it is technically proficient. This leads us to the language barrier. The adventure segments are text-heavy, requiring player input for optimal outcomes. Without Japanese comprehension, players miss half the game and struggle with the other half due to insufficient credits for ship upgrades. While brute-forcing is possible, it significantly diminishes the experience.

Star Trader offers a glimpse into gaming history, showcasing a developer venturing beyond their usual style. However, the extensive Japanese text severely limits accessibility for Western players. While some enjoyment might be derived from 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 a mishap. Players explore, battle enemies with a broom, meet quirky characters, defeat 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 shooters with unique mechanics, the Dreamer series and Harpoon Shooter Nozomi are highly recommended. Also worth considering are 1000xRESIST, various Star Wars titles, Citizen Sleeper, Paradise Killer, Haiku, the Robot, and the Tomb Raider remasters. Check out the lists below for more details!

Select New Sales

(List of new sales)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 28th

(List of sales ending tomorrow)

That's all for today! We'll return tomorrow with a recap of the Nintendo Direct, new game releases, sales updates, and more reviews. Have a great Tuesday, and thanks for reading!