Despite its unconventional structure, Starship Project X is an undeniably creative endeavour. It's clear that the developer has enjoyed making it, and it manages, against all odds, to do something new and interesting with the often tired shoot-em-up premise. Once you learn its catalogue of obstacles and sync with its immediacy, it gets a lot more manageable and enjoyable, and trying to finish stages unscathed is a fun pursuit. Unfortunately, no matter how skilled you become, the experience is occasionally marred by unexpected attack overlaps and ensuing ship positioning struggles. While the balance isn't perfect, and its longevity in terms of holding your attention is questionable, it deserves applause for its originality and its short, fun, adrenaline-fuelled nature: the kind arcade gaming was designed for.
Although The Last Blade: Beyond the Destiny is an excellent little thing, one must keep in mind that it is still a 2001 handheld fighting game, and very much of its time. On its original hardware, it was heaven-sent, but on your Switch you might be somewhat disappointed if you're going in blind. For SNK aficionados and Last Blade fans, it will delight purely on historical value, but those with no experience of the Neo Geo Pocket or the SNK library will likely feel better served buying the actual arcade ports of Last Blade 1 and 2, which are also available on the eShop. To that end, this is a better bet for fans, collectors, and those enamoured by gaming curios. It's dinky, it's charming, and it's a testament to the craftsmanship of old SNK. And, while imperfect, it plays like The Last Blade should. For certain gamers, that will be more than enough.
Dariusburst: Chronicle Saviours is a successful cinematic rebirth of a classic, though it can be an acquired taste.