Update []: Whoops! Looks like this one slipped by us (and many others), but Clear River Games announced last week that Under Defeat "will be arriving later than expected" in the West, and has been moved to early 2025.
The game launched on the Switch yesterday, 5th December, in Japan, and we were wondering "where on earth is the game on the eShop?" Well... right at the start of the Thanksgiving long weekend, the publisher shared an update.
Don't worry, the physical release is still coming!
Original Story: Published Tue 5th Nov, 2024 17:30 GMT
Publisher Clear River Games and developer City Connection have today announced that the arcade shoot 'em up Under Defeat will be flying onto Switch on 5th December.
Originally released in arcades in 2005 by G.rev, this shmup will see you taking to the skies to defend a world in all-out war. You'll take command of a heavily armoured 'copter and shoot down any foes unlucky enough to stumble into your path with Under Defeat's unique shot-tilting mechanic — a way to take on enemies from all angles.
This Switch release houses both the original Arcade Mode for that vertical scrolling feeling and a New Order Mode for those who like things a little more modern. There's also a 'New Order Mode+', a boosted soundtrack from Ridge Racer and Tekken composer Shinji Hosoe, a fresh two-player option and all the game's DLC content previously locked to Japan.
If the above trailer has whet your appetite, here are some screenshots for you to check out the action in more detail:
And yes, this one will be landing a physical edition of Switch, too. A recent Clear River Games tweet claimed that "more info will follow" on the physical front, so stay tuned over the coming weeks if you've got your heart set on a boxed release.
Will you be blasting off with this one next month? Fly down to the comments and let us know.
Comments 21
I'm a sucker for this genre, so this is good news! I'd never heard of this game before, tbh.
Whoa, this was the last game I bought for my Dreamcast years ago! Defo picking this one up
Yes Under Defeat looked and sounded great in a City Connection presentation I saw not long ago, and I ended up ordering the Collector's Box set from Japan, due out on Nov 17th.
I never came across this game before, but it just looked like a fun shoot 'em up I'd enjoy - hopefully like Seta/Taito's Twin Eagle arcade game, but with the rotating field of fire mechanic.
If I understood correctly, the basic premise is: at the end of a long war, you're piloting a super-weapon developed by the losing side on one last vindictive strike before surrendering (hence "Under Defeat").
Got this on my Dreamcast great game tho a little tricky at times.
Hope it includes Tate mode like the DC version
While I'm not interested that much in it myself this looks pretty cool so I'm happy to hear that it's coming to Switch!
I think I have this on os3 but never played it. As much as I love shmups, they just don’t have a lot of meat but I may double dip anyway
This is a great game have it on Dreamcast been playing it for years but if this switch release includes a Tate mode I’m definitely double dipping
Never played this one but excited to check it out, it's recommended pretty often by shmup players.
Nice, I did enjoy the PS3 port so I may check this one out.
Hopefully Strania comes next.
Shmups are my favorite genre but I never felt comfortable with the controversy surrounding this game to actually play it.
@miwa dont't leave us hangin' ... what controversy?
@miwa
You made me curious! So the protagonists in the game are German speakers, blasting away at distinctly US- and British-looking enemies? I didn’t know the game cleaved so close to the Axis and Allies of WWII. I’m sure that hits too close to home for those descended from victims of Nazi atrocities. Though I suppose from the Japanese devs’ point of view, it’s an interesting reversal of the 194X games.
Was the original so accented with its application of color?
@Teksetter On the other-hand is the Wolfenstein series a big seller in Germany?!
@Glasso @Teksette
Sorry for the late reply, guys.
You got it exactly right, Teksette!
Maybe it's because I'm German myself and deeply troubled by the artrocities caused by my country during the nazi era, but I wouldn't be able to play the game with good conscience.
I don't blame anyone for playing it of course, gameplay-wise I've only heard good things about it.
@GrailUK - Oddly funny; My last GCN game I bought was also a SHMUP, which I said this exact thing about when Ikaruga released.
Just bought it this week from Play Asia, I guess I won't be playing this come Xmas after all... but my Dreamcast version is still around here somewhere.
Wasn't this the one with Gary Busey and Steven Segal? I feel like 100% sure this was a movie in like '91.
@miwa Ugh, this is going to make me feel bad about buying it, if I do. Thanks for the game's history lesson. I want to support great gameplay in shmups to keep the genre going, but just like games that go heavy in loli anime, I want nothing to do with this game. :/
jake1421 wrote:
In 20 years of voting, it is one of 64 games to make it on the Shmups Forum's "Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time" lists.
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