Kapital Koopas: Eastward Becomes First Chinese Game Highlighted During Nintendo Direct Conference

Press F to pay respects to all the fallen goombas. It's time for a deep dive into China's gaming culture in our column, Kapital Koopas.

Nintendo Direct "encore segment" showcases Chinese indie game studio for the first time

For many Nintendo fans, the gaming giant's Direct conference is something of a festival full of exciting news and sneak peeks at upcoming titles. What's more, as each conference comes to a close, audiences eagerly wait for the host to announce the “One More Thing” segment, an encore of sorts that often features the most unexpected and thrilling news of the entire affair. Years after this tradition was established, Eastward – a high-profile and much-anticipated project produced by Pixpil, a Chinese game developing studio located in Shanghai – became the first Chinese indie studio to be honored as the “One More Thing” at the Aug 11 Direct. 

As a Zelda-esque adventure game, Eastward strikes a fine balance between thrilling combat and sophisticated puzzles and mazes. But more importantly, it is one of the few games that – thanks to a ridiculous amount of time and effort – culminated in a unique and convincing virtual dimension. The retro yet delicate pixel art style transports players to a charming post-apocalyptic world fused with steampunk, cyberpunk, wasteland, and even a bit of Hayao Mizayaki aesthetics, while interactions between characters are carefully designed to produce an enriching narrative.

As a Chinese gamer myself, as well as something of an indie game buff, I am more than happy to see local studios get their well-deserved recognition from an industry-leading giant. Eastward will be released on Nintendo Switch and Steam on Sep 19 this year while the physical copy will be available upon reservation beginning Nov 25, though you can preorder it now. 

Tencent Switch's first exclusive game released this week

Since its arrival, Tencent Switch has produced nothing that can truly set it apart from its international cousin. However, with Rabbids: Adventure Party having launched in Tencent Switch Eshop on Aug 5, the platform finally acquired its first exclusive title, if only for a limited time. 

As its name suggests, Rabbids: Adventure Party is a party game produced by Ubisoft's Chengdu branch. This time, these raving bunnies take on the guise of iconic characters from the classic fantasy novel Journey to the West. You can revisit this whimsical adventure with your squad in adventure mode, or throw your vocation out the door and party your ass off in party mode, which includes a whopping 44 mini-games. Expect to see this title around next year's Spring Festival.

Cheaper, healthier, happier: Tencent Switch’s Summer Gaming Carnival

Summer may be gradually coming to a close, but if you still find yourself sinking into the couch, popsicle in hand and AC blasting above your head, it's time to make a change. Fortunately, for Tencent Switchers, it's not too late to pick up a healthier lifestyle by the end of summer. 

Recently announced on their official Wechat, from Aug 5 to Sep 5, all patrons of Ringfit Adventure and Just Dance on Tencent Switch can participate in a summer fitness challenge by logging the number of calories they burn while playing either (or both) game(s). On their fifth and tenth sign-in, players will earn lottery tickets capable of winning various prizes including a panda man figurine from Just Dance, limited Just Dance drawstring bag, Ringfit Adventure blanket, vouchers, and more. 

Likewise, Tencent Switch's Summertime Gaming Carnival is set to kick off this Friday and includes a ton of other limited-time offerings. Games listed in Tencent Switch Eshop will have discounts up to 35 percent, and you can even get vouchers that can be used on top of those discounts every day. Mario Party, when purchased during the event period, will come with some new special merch, and there are more vouchers and lucky draws that will be disclosed after the carnival officially begins.

Read: Kapital Koopas: Kris Wu's Music Removed From "Just Dance," Mario Kart Tournament Hosted by Nintendo Hong Kong

Images: Pixpil, Ubisoft, Tencent, Nintendo