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

Hello gaming enthusiasts, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 27th, 2024. Today's update starts with some exciting news, followed by a game 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, featuring a combined Partner Showcase and Indie World Showcase totaling 40 minutes. While primarily focusing on third-party titles and indie games, the presentation is now complete, and a detailed summary of key announcements will be provided tomorrow. You can watch the full presentation above.

Reviews & Mini-Views

EGGCONSOLE Star Trader PC-8801mkIIsr ($6.49)

This untranslated EGGCONSOLE release presents a familiar dilemma: is the game enjoyable despite the language barrier? Star Trader, a blend of Japanese adventure and side-scrolling shooter elements, is intriguing but not outstanding. The adventure segments feature appealing artwork, while the shooter aspects, hampered by the PC-8801's limited scrolling capabilities, result in a choppy experience. The game's structure is unclear, with neither genre fully complementing the other. Ultimately, Star Trader is more captivating in concept than in execution.

The significant Japanese text presents a major hurdle for Western players. Understanding the narrative is crucial for both the adventure and shooter sections, as progress often depends on completing quests to earn upgrades. While some elements can be overcome through trial and error, the overall experience is significantly diminished without language comprehension. Star Trader offers a glimpse into gaming history but is ultimately difficult to recommend wholeheartedly.

Star Trader showcases a developer venturing beyond their typical genre, but the substantial Japanese text significantly limits its appeal to a Western audience. While some enjoyment might be derived from experimentation, the lack of translation makes a strong recommendation challenging.

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 and tasked with eternal cleaning duties. Players explore, battle enemies using a broom, interact with quirky characters, and overcome bosses. Despite its familiar formula, Crypt Custodian delivers a solid experience and is recommended for fans of the genre.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

For fans of colorful shooters with unique mechanics, the Dreamer series and Harpoon Shooter Nozomi are worth considering. Also recommended are 1000xRESIST, various Star Wars titles, Citizen Sleeper, Paradise Killer, Haiku, the Robot, and the Tomb Raider remasters. Check the lists below for more details!

Select New Sales

(List of new sales – same as original)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 28th

(List of expiring sales – same as original)

That's all for today! Join us tomorrow for a deeper dive into the Nintendo Direct announcements, along with new game releases, sales, and additional reviews. Have a great Tuesday!