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

Greetings, readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 27th, 2024! Today's update begins with some noteworthy news, followed by a game review. We'll then explore a new release, and conclude with our usual sales summaries. Intriguingly, a Nintendo Direct is airing tonight, promising potential excitement for tomorrow's update. Let's dive in!

News

Nintendo Direct/Indie World Showcase Now Available

As predicted by some industry insiders, Nintendo surprised us with a last-minute Nintendo Direct for August. This 40-minute presentation features both Partner and Indie World Showcases. While first-party titles and news about the Switch's successor are unlikely, the showcase should be available for viewing by now. You can watch it above; a detailed summary of key announcements will follow tomorrow.

Reviews & Mini-Views

EGGCONSOLE Star Trader PC-8801mkIIsr ($6.49)

These untranslated EGGCONSOLE releases always pose the same questions: Is the game itself enjoyable? And is it playable without understanding Japanese? Star Trader presents an interesting, albeit not exceptional, gameplay experience. Falcom blends an adventure game structure with side-scrolling shooter elements, but neither aspect shines particularly. The adventure portion features appealing artwork, and the shooter’s narrative approach is unique. Players interact with characters, accept quests, and earn money to upgrade their ship. Financial management is crucial for success in the shooting stages.

The shooting segments, however, suffer from the PC-8801's limited scrolling capabilities, resulting in a jerky experience that wouldn't necessarily be top-tier even with smoother visuals. The game's core design is unclear, but Star Trader is more intriguing than truly excellent. This leads to the crucial question of language accessibility. The adventure sections are text-heavy, requiring player input for optimal outcomes. Without Japanese comprehension, players miss half the game and likely struggle in the other half due to insufficient credits. While brute-forcing might work better than with some EGGCONSOLE titles, it won't be an ideal playthrough.

Star Trader offers a glimpse into gaming history, showcasing a developer venturing beyond their usual style. However, the extensive Japanese text significantly hinders enjoyment for Western players. While some might find casual engagement worthwhile, a strong recommendation is difficult to make.

SwitchArcade Score: 3/5

Select New Releases

Crypt Custodian ($19.99)

This top-down action-adventure follows Pluto, a recently deceased cat, banished from the afterlife for a mishap. Pluto's eternal punishment? Cleaning! Explore, battle enemies with a broom, encounter quirky characters, fight bosses, upgrade abilities, and so on. It's a familiar formula, but executed well. Fans of the genre should definitely consider it.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Fans of colorful shooters with unique mechanics should check out the Dreamer series and Harpoon Shooter Nozomi. I've enjoyed all three. For those looking for something different, 1000xRESIST is highly recommended. Other titles worth considering include Star Wars games, Citizen Sleeper, Paradise Killer, Haiku, the Robot, and perhaps some Tomb Raider titles. Explore the sales lists below!

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 recap of the Nintendo Direct, new game releases, sales updates, and potentially more reviews. Have a great Tuesday, and thanks for reading!