Video Game Review: Crown Trick

Crown Trick

NExT Studios

Genres: Roguelike, RPG

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch is becoming a fantastic little console for roguelike games. Being able to pick up and play a few rounds of these punishing games is ideal, and the Switch makes the most out of this. Naturally, as more roguelikes make their way onto the console, they are needing to find creative ways to stand out. Crown Trick makes itself known to the world through a great combat system and charming visuals.

Players drop into the world of Crown Trick controlling Elle, a girl who finds herself in a nightmare. She finds a talking crown that informs her that she needs to fight off the nightmares of the world. The sudden hero is given a couple of items and is sent on her way.

The gameplay consists of dungeons runs in which players try to find and defeat a miniboss. On every run, the player is given two random weapons and needs to move around the grid-based dungeon. Crown Trick moves as fast players want it to. With every step that the protagonist takes, the enemies will take a step too. Players will need to strategically pick apart the nightmares by planning out their own attacks and anticipating their enemy’s.

It sounds simple, but the game is much more complex than it looks at a glance. The various weapons all come with strengths and weaknesses, and players will spend plenty of time learning how to maximize what they are given. Players will gain access to relics, spells, and familiars that add more depth and variety to the combat. Players will need to consider their surroundings too, with attacks that can affect surrounding tiles for both friends and foes.

The gameplay loop is certainly difficult, but it isn’t unfair. Crown Trick follows a clear set of rules and makes everything easy to understand. Players will need to learn how to play the game, but they won’t need to worry about being blindsided by an unfair attack. In fact, most enemy movements are easy to follow and their future attacks are even visible to the player sometimes.

There is much more to Crown Trick than the combat. There are tons of NPCs to interact with and decisions to be made outside of battle. The NPCs are full of charm and a joy to chat with. The dungeons are full of personality, making them a joy to walk around.

Of course, the game’s visuals are a huge draw. The beautiful bold lines and expressive faces give Crown Trick a unique aesthetic. The colors are vivid and enhance the game’s personality. The gloomy dungeons are juxtaposed with eccentric attacks and cute character designs.

Crown Trick runs great on the Switch, but the experience isn’t flawless. For one, the UI is a bit cluttery and can sometimes hide important things going on in the dungeon. The random nature of the game can make it a bit frustrating sometimes. From the start of a dungeon, the feel of a run can feel annoying if the player is given a weapon that doesn’t suit the situation. Still, fans of the genre will likely be used to inconveniences like this and will accept Crown Trick’s shortcomings.

Crown Trick is a charming roguelike that oozes personality. The gameplay is challenging but fair, It’s a rewarding experience for those who stick with it. Fans of the genre will want to give Crown Trick a play.