From Steam to Switch? Castaway Paradise!

We have seen an influx of independently developed games to Nintendo’s hybrid console in 2018. And though the library of simulation games is improving, there still aren’t enough casual simulation games in the Switch.

In from Steam to Switch? I highlight a game weekly that would be a good one to port over. To play the casual simulation games whenever wherever you are. Of course, I have played none of them myself. The simple reason is that I don’t play games on my MacBook for the same reason I don’t play them on a home console. I want to play games on the go!

A week ago I told you about Deiland (you can read that here), this week I want to highlight a game that took another route: from mobile to Steam. So maybe we will see it on Switch as well? Let’s take a look at Castaway Paradise.

All Animal Crossing imitation is good

With Animal Crossing, a series that started out on the Gamecube in 2002, Nintendo has a hugely popular hit series, with a very dedicated and ever growing fan base. The game is engaging, you can play it any way you see fit, you can pore your creativity in it and you can live your virtual life together with the animals in your town doing your everyday chores.

Castaway Paradise is very clearly inspired by a love for Animal Crossing, which in my book, is always a good sign. After all, imitation is the highest form of flattery. And as Nintendo is making us wait for years for each new AC instalment, playing something similar is great.

You are washed ashore on, you guessed it, an island, but at least you’re not alone. The mayor is there to  welcome you, and after the kelp beard is taken off you your looks are revealed, dependent on whether you choose to be a girl or a boy. You spend your first time on the island sleeping in a tent, tending flowers, picking apples, fishing, catching bugs ( hey, nobody said it would be frightfully original) and doing chores for the islanders. Familiar eh?

Eventually you upgrade your house, build more bridges to reach other parts of the islands and get to know more islanders. Fill up the museum with bugs and such, and even play on the stock market to make more money.

Graphically a very different approach

Don’t expect the smooth and cute graphics of Animal Crossing, and you won’t be disappointed. It’s a blocky approach, and I’d even say the characters are kinds ugly. But the game keeps it very interesting to play, with festive times like Christmas, lots of decorations. Around the winter holidays for example, the island will be covered in snow, and you can help the villagers by decorating all the houses and the rest of the island.

In the mobile version, it had a good social component too, giving each other gifts. What I didn’t like in the mobile version though, is the rather aggressive approach to micro transactions. And that’s why this game would be perfect on the Switch for a set price. That way you could enjoy the game without further micro transactions needed.

I wrote a bit about the game back when I played it on mobile, you can find that here. 

Let’s see if this one makes the jump in the future!

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