Astro Duel Deluxe Review

"Asteroid Battles"

Campaign

Astro Duel Deluxe is a local multiplayer game that's been ported perfectly for Nintendo Switch. The game is split between three party modes that feature a combination of player and bot options. These modes include Classic, Party and Chaos which each bring their own slightly different spark. Classic is the regular version of the game with support for 1-4 players whether that's with bots or other people. Party mode allows for touch screen controls as well as traditional options which was neat and this mode is for 2-4 players with no bots.

The final mode is Chaos, a slightly larger version of the game for 1-6 players with the options for AI or local multiplayer. This one is a bit busier and more focused for intense action. It would have been nice to get some online options, but it works surprisingly well with local. You can split your Joy-Cons, use the touch screen or throw other controllers in. It's simple to play and looks great whether you're on the TV or taking the Switch out on the go.

Gameplay

It's a very simple looking and playing game, you control a little ship and then fly around shooting each other. You can do this in so many ways on the Switch and that creativity is rather interesting while also very convenient. The visuals aren't crazy as the game does aim to go for a retro look. There are lots of particle effects and some funny ones when you blast ships. This mostly comes from the pilot mode where the ship gets destroyed and the player attempts to scurry away as a pilot while waiting for his ship to respawn. It felt balanced, the control setup was simple and it was fun to play in hectic little rounds.

The Conclusion

Astro Duel Deluxe is a great little party game that you can whip out for quick matches anywhere or blow up on the big screen for some large scale action. There's a decent selection of modes, gametypes and map layouts. It's very simple in design and gameplay, but this helps for making it accessible to all. It was enjoyable to play with options for whatever group of people you have around at any time. It would have been nice to see online multiplayer included, but with the option for bots and a high number of players it works well enough.

Astro Duel Deluxe for Nintendo Switch
Review Code Provided by Panic Button Games

Rating Overall: 7.5