Ubisoft
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is the primary essential darling of 2024. In my very own four-and-a-half star overview, I name Ubisoft’s new sport “a monumental achievement in approachable, seamless Metroidvania design.” I positively advocate you choose that sport up as soon as it launches on January 18. And I feel that it’s a implausible match for Nintendo Switch particularly.
If you’ve already performed via The Lost Crown’s demo a number of occasions and are questioning what else you possibly can play to whet your urge for food for Ubisoft’s newest, then I like to recommend testing these video games on the Nintendo eShop.
Metroid Dread
Nintendo
The Lost Crown is a Metroidvania, so it’s useful to know why the style’s identify partially honors this franchise. Developed by Mercury Steam and launched in 2021, Metroid Dread was the primary authentic 2D Metroid sport in virtually twenty years. The formulation didn’t lose any of its luster throughout that point. Dread is one other tightly designed platformer that performs to the style’s strengths. It gives a satisfying feeling of development with every new room or capacity found, alongside eerie worldbuilding.
Metroid Dread lives as much as its identify, as this is among the tensest video games Nintendo has ever launched. Encounters with enemy E.M.M.I. robots are notably nerve-racking, as these enemies can simply kill Samus and solely get smarter all through the journey. Most of the time, you’re probably the most highly effective being in a room in The Lost Crown; the alternative is true for a lot of Metroid Dread. As a end result, which means the video games pair collectively fairly properly. Once you acknowledge that The Lost Crown can stand toe-to-toe with a Metroid sport, it’ll offer you a greater sense of simply how well-crafted this new Prince of Persia sport is.
The Making of Karateka
Digital Eclipse
If you need to higher perceive the historic context of how the Prince of Persia franchise got here to be, you must take a look at The Making of Karateka. Jordan Mechner is the creator of the Prince of Persia, and this interactive documentary totally delves into the creation of Karateka, a sport Mechner made earlier that closely influenced the collection. Because The Lost Crown is a throwback to the franchise’s 2D period, gaining an understanding of what led as much as the creation of Prince of Persia ought to offer you a greater appreciation for all the things prefer it that has come after.
Regardless of the Prince of Persia connection, that is additionally an extremely modern “remaster,” expertly capturing the cultural affect of a basic by emulating it for contemporary consoles. It’s a museum exhibit come to life as an interactive sport, and also you’ll by no means take a look at remastered collections the identical once more after taking part in The Making of Karateka. It flew underneath the radar in 2023, however should you’re a fan of gaming historical past, play it previous to The Lost Crown.
Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition
Ubisoft
I like to recommend testing Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition so you possibly can see the roots of The Lost Crown‘s developer, Ubisoft Montpellier. For the last decade, this team has been relegated to mobile games like Rayman Mini and Valiant Hearts: Coming Home, but it’s really the group behind Ubisoft’s basic PC and console platformers. The most up-to-date of those is Rayman Legends, which initially launched in 2013 earlier than being remastered for Nintendo Switch in 2017. By going again and taking part in this one, you’ll perceive why The Lost Crown feels so nice to play. This is a group that is aware of the way to refine their platforming mechanics and controls right into a buttery easy state, and Rayman Legends additionally appears lovely due to its utilization of the attractive 2D UbiArt engine.
From the extra commonplace platforming phases to musical ranges, Rayman Legends is a pleasure to play. Unlike The Lost Crown, Rayman Legends additionally helps co-op, so you possibly can share the expertise with a buddy. It’ll offer you a greater understanding of the expertise behind the video games at Ubisoft Montpellier, in addition to an ever larger appreciation for the truth that Ubisoft lastly let that group make one other 2D console platformer. The outcomes are implausible, so I hope it will get one other stab at engaged on Rayman or Prince of Persia sooner or later.
Celeste
Maddy Makes Games Inc.
Most of the time, platforming in The Lost Crown isn’t too troublesome; the journey even encompasses a Platforming Assist accessibility choice that permits gamers to skip the tougher story-required platforming challenges. That function doesn’t apply to sure aspect areas although, and that’s the place a few of the sport’s most exhilarating platforming impediment programs are hidden. When Ubisoft’s new Prince of Persia is shining in these moments, it’s paying homage to the darling indie Celeste. Released in 2018, Celeste is in regards to the titular character’s journey to succeed in the summit of a mountain.
Underneath that easy premise is a narrative addressing relatable subjects like anxiousness, melancholy, and id. That alone is price experiencing, however Celeste additionally gives some of the enthralling 2D platformer experiences of the final decade. With simply an air sprint and soar, Celeste will get probably the most out of the character’s capacity set with some actually difficult, but charming degree design. You’ll die typically, however respawn shortly and infrequently not too far-off. If you play Celeste, you’ll already be aware of the way to greatest use a few of Sargon’s talents, just like the air sprint, in The Lost Crown, and also you’ll have a greater concept of the way to receive Xerxes collectibles, as that course of is just like acquiring Strawberries in Celeste.
Hollow Knight
Team Cherry
Finally, Hollow Knight is one more Metroidvania I’d advocate you take a look at. It exemplifies the variations between the tense tone and worldbuilding of Metroid Dread and the Souls-inspired components and fight of The Lost Crown. It excels at each, which makes this 2017 indie one more Metroidvania style nice. The Lost Crown’s amulet system additionally takes inspiration from the allure system in Hollow Knight. Players can equip these to broaden their talent set and acquire minor, but useful new talents.
Hollow Knight is on the tougher finish of the spectrum for Metroidvania video games, however The Lost Crown may draw much more inspiration from it than Metroid Dread. As such, you possibly can’t go incorrect taking part in Hollow Knight earlier than The Lost Crown. There’s additionally an excellent likelihood its extremely anticipated sequel, Hollow Knight Silksong, might drop this 12 months, so that ought to supply but one more reason to lastly play this indie basic.
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