Crystal Crisis Switch NSP + Update  Free Download Romslab

Crystal Crisis Switch  Free Download  The concept of mashing together a puzzle game and a fighting game isn’t too out there. Super Puzzle Fighter did it ages ago. Crystal Crisis is a little denser than the strange chibi style Street Fighter spinoff, so let’s start with just how the puzzle mechanics work.Bouts begin as a fight between you and your opponent. Like Tetris and Puyo Pop, blocks descend from the heavens, in this case, two-by-two.

Crystal Crisis Switch NSP + Update  Free Download Romslab

Matching colors is essential here, and you’re encouraged to make many same-colored blocks connect. However, to rack up points and power, blocks must be destroyed with corresponding colors. It works similarly to how Toad uses bombs to off creatures in Wario Woods, save for the scrambling across the screen. Doing this not only weighs down your opponent’s playfield with more blocks, but it builds up your “Burst Gauge.” And that’s where things get even more interesting. ROMSLAB.COM Best Switch Games

Attacks

Burst attacks add another angle of strategy to the game. They’ve split in two: Defense Bursts and Attack Bursts. Defense Bursts help you mow down trouble areas on your screen, to save you from an onslaught or maybe even set up a combo. Attack Bursts rain hell on your opponent’s screen, forcing them into troublesome situations or if you’re lucky, their doom.

Crystal Crisis Switch NSP + Update  Free Download Romslab

In my experience, it made bouts last quite a bit longer, where a victory might be within reach at one moment, but never truly secure. It made for some intense puzzle action that was occasionally infuriating, especially when I found my rhythm in a few rounds. I wouldn’t call this a fault, quite the opposite. The way the mechanics fleshed out an exciting experience over falling blocks was a pleasant surprise.Little Nightmares II Switch 

Story Mode

Aside from the innovative puzzle mechanics, the game’s presentation is downright cinematic. There’s a story mode, complete with animated cutscenes and even a light sprinkling of character development. Oh, and it’s also narrated by Peter Cullen, a voice known to many as Optimus Prime.

Crystal Crisis Switch NSP + Update  Free Download Romslab

The story mode comes complete with branching paths, letting you play as different characters with varying block patterns and unique Attack and Defense Bursts. Among this gorgeous roster are familiar faces like Isaac from Binding of Isaac and Quote and Curly Brace from Cave Story. For the few among you like myself who scoured the internet for freeware games in the early ‘00s, inclusions like Akuji the Demon blew my mind and sent a wave of nostalgia at me I was not prepared for. Oh, and Astro Boy. Legendary anime icon Astro Boy is also playable. These are just a few of the 20 unique offerings on the roster, though, you’ll need to unlock many of them.Metro Redux Switch NSP 

Hints

Although the tutorial does an admirable job of explaining the basics, it should be noted that the skewed perspective of the default view does make aligning crystals slightly more fiddly than it needs to be. Thankfully, you can easily turn this view off, which then places your crystals on a more manageable 2D grid. My only other gripe with Crystal Crisis is that the loading screens take much longer than one would expect from such a relatively simple game. Thankfully, the candy-coated presentation and the odd cheeky hint, such as “Eat your broccoli” or “Beware of penguins” do at least serve as an endearing distraction while you wait.

Crystal Crisis Switch NSP + Update  Free Download Romslab

The twenty-strong roster in Crystal Crisis pulls from several disparate franchises, including Cave Story, The Binding of Isaac and Astro Boy. Character selection is more than skin deep though, because each has their own unique Burst Powers which can quickly turn the tide of battle. My personal favourite here are Isaac’s abilities, which seem to be selected completely at random; a knowing wink towards Isaac’s procedurally generated roots. That chaotic randomness aside, learning the defensive and offensive moves of each character brings a strategic depth that encourages experimentation, almost demanding that you don’t simply pick your favourite character and stick with them forever.Ori and the Will of the Wisps Switch NSP 

Add-ons (DLC): Crystal Crisis Switch NSP