Crypt of the NecroDancer: Nintendo Switch Edition

Genre: Top-Down Roguelike / Music-Rhythm

Players: 1-2 Co-Op (Local)

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Review:

Crypt of the NecroDancer is a delightful blend of two very different genres that don’t seem to have much in common, but end up being that “peanut butter and chocolate” sorta’ combination that works so well you’d think Roguelikes and music-rhythm games were meant to be combined like this.

Players plunge through the dungeons collecting loot, fighting monsters, and very likely dying a lot (but retaining some of what they unlocked), very much like a Roguelike. However, all player movement, enemy movement, and attacks in the game all flow to the time of a beat, which not only gives you fixed timing to strike at enemies, but also propels the gameplay forward and ensures that fighting enemies is every bit as much about knowing where to move as it is knowing when to strike.

Actually, the two end up being much the same thing, since everything controls with the directional pad. Attacking is context-sensitive – if there’s an enemy in range in the direction you press, instead of moving you’ll attack. This greatly simplifies the action, making it more about watching the timing of things and enemy movements than complex commands.

Both elements of the game work very well, too. The Roguelike elements keep giving you tempting goals to strive forward if you can just make it a little farther into the dungeon without dying, and not only does the music-rhythm stuff enhance the gameplay, but the soundtrack to this game is truly worthy of a music-rhythm title.

The graphics also have an old-school charm to them, with solid animation and a great sense of humor – skeletons chase after their decapitated skulls, some enemies get visibly excited when they see you, and when you have a combo multiplier, the floor lights up like you’re in a disco. And the way the game moves, everything seems to be dancing to the beat.

The game is loaded with features, too. There are multiple playable characters that change the way the game works, a co-op mode, monster manageries where you can practice against a particularly frustrating foe, and plenty of secrets to discover.

If I had one complaint, it’s that this game is hard. Now, that’s not uncommon for Roguelikes, but sometimes it took multiple attempts at the dungeon before I made any headway, and it was frustrating at times to earn some diamonds (the one resource you keep from the dungeons after you die to spend in shops for more permanent upgrades) only to find I didn’t have enough to get anything worthwhile and I would have to dispose of them to make another attempt at the dungeons.

However, save for that one complaint, Crypt of the NecroDancer is an absolute joy to play. It’s lovingly-crafted, inspired, and the game’s soundtrack will stick in your head well after you put down the controller.

tl;dr – Crypt of the NecroDancer: Nintendo Switch Edition is a phenomenal mash-up of the Roguelike and Music-Rhythm genres with a great soundtrack and game design that makes it all too tempting to dance your way back into the dungeon for another punishing attempt at getting just a little farther.

Grade: A

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