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 lists. 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 World highlights. While no first-party titles or Switch successor news were revealed, the show is now over, and you can watch the full video above. A detailed summary of the key announcements will be available tomorrow.

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 game and side-scrolling shooter, is intriguing but not exceptional. The adventure elements feature appealing artwork, and the unique fusion of genres is noteworthy. Players interact with characters, undertake quests, and earn money to upgrade their ship, which is crucial for the shooting stages.

However, the shooting segments suffer from the PC-8801's limited scrolling capabilities, resulting in a jerky, unpolished experience. The game's structure is unclear, with neither genre fully supporting the other. While Star Trader holds some historical interest, its heavy reliance on Japanese text significantly hinders accessibility for Western players. Without understanding the text, players miss out on crucial plot points and struggle to progress. While some aspects might be playable through trial and error, a fully satisfying experience is unlikely.

Star Trader offers a glimpse into a developer's unconventional approach. Unfortunately, the significant amount of 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 to eternal cleaning duty. Explore the afterlife, battle enemies with a broom, encounter quirky characters, defeat bosses, and upgrade abilities. While familiar in its gameplay mechanics, Crypt Custodian delivers a solid experience for fans of the genre.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

For fans of colorful shooters with unique mechanics, check out the Dreamer series and Harpoon Shooter Nozomi. Don't miss out on the sale for 1000xRESIST! Other notable sales include Star Wars titles, Citizen Sleeper, Paradise Killer, Haiku, the Robot, and Tomb Raider games.

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 Direct recap, new game coverage, sales updates, and more reviews. Have a great Tuesday!