In 2008, Castle Crashers was released on Xbox Live Arcade, garnering critical acclaim and a large fan base. Seven years later, Castle Crashers Remastered arrived on Xbox One and Steam, and today, this remastered version is landing on Switch. Castle Crashers Remastered is an upgraded version of the original game, featuring added game modes and an online multiplayer feature running at 60 fps. So how does Castle Crashers hold up after all these years? Let’s take a look!
Castle Crashers Remastered is a side-scrolling beat ’em up with vibrant colors, a zany story, and plenty of action. All the beat ’em up essentials are here, including light attacks, heavy hits, hordes of enemies, and enormous bosses. Play as one of seven knights, with each knight sporting a different color and a unique special attack. Unlike most beat ’em up games, Castle Crashers Remastered features an RPG-style system for leveling up. As you level up, you earn points, which are used to enhance your strength, defense, magic, and speed.
Among the various play modes, Story Mode takes center stage, allowing players to explore a large map of individual levels that must be cleared one by one. Arena Mode is another option, challenging players to survive as long as possible against an infinite onslaught of enemies. Then there’s Back Off Barbarian, a mini-game where players must avoid enemies by paying attention to the directions indicated on the tiles that surround them. For example, if a player wants to move to the left, the player must look at the direction displayed on the tile to their left, then touch the button indicated on that tile.
Castle Crashers Remastered looks, runs, and plays well on Switch. Here’s a tip for couch co-op players who each have an account on the same Nintendo Switch: when P2 is selecting their character, they need to press “Y” to select their account so that their progress may be saved. If P2 fails to do this, their progress will not be saved. We feel this isn’t made very clear in the user interface, but it seems the developers plan to address this down the line.
Whether you’re new to Castle Crashes or just really excited to see it on Switch, this game is a solid beat ’em up with lots of replayability, and although it can be enjoyed alone, it’s best when played with friends in online or local play. If you’re looking for a new beat ’em up, Castle Crashers Remastered might be just what you’re looking for.
Platform – Nintendo Switch eShop Download
Developer – The Behemoth
Publisher – The Behemoth
Price –$14.99
Genre – Action, Adventure, Multiplayer, Role-Playing
Size – 153 MB
Nick and Sarah are the ultimate gaming couple. Nick is a Super Mario Maker 2 enthusiast, but working with Nintendeal has fostered a love for tough-as-nails indies such as Enter the Gungeon, Celeste, and Cuphead. Sarah prefers sim games like Animal Crossing, Don’t Starve, and Stardew Valley, but she challenges herself by grinding Slay the Spire from time to time.