This game was originally covered as part of our Nindie Round Up series that sought to give coverage to a wider breadth of Switch eShop games beyond our standard reviews. In an effort to make our impressions easier to find, we're presenting the original text below in our mini-review format.

Note. This game has, unfortunately, been delisted from the Switch eShop.

We love a good couch multiplayer game and Big Crown: Showdown offers a (mostly) great time. The game delivers frantic versus action bound by a silly, generic story. The main issue is the lack of any kind of single-player function, but as a party game, its value is high.

You take up the mantle of one of four cute, multicoloured knights, trying to knock your opponents off the stage (or into one of the many hazards) and either make it to the end of the screen with the most lives or rid your enemy knights of all their lives, depending on the mode you opt for.

The control is brilliantly simple, only offering options to punch, jump, and block. Your punch is more a mad flail that’ll usually end in a scuffle with the victor coming down to luck. However, you’re also able to charge it up for a big hit, which can be incredibly satisfying when throwing your foe directly into a fire wall. The simplicity of Big Crown: Showdown makes it incredibly easy to pick up and play for players of all ages. The frantic nature of combat also means that it doesn’t get old, despite its repetitive nature, as clashes can quickly turn into heated, epic battles for the victory crown. The number of worlds is a bit disappointing, with only three to battle it out on, though the length and the above-average layer of detail on each do somewhat make up for this.

The presentation of these stages is great, with beautiful spring rivers, mixed in with intricate air traps, that take inspiration from numerous cultures. The adorable sounds made by the knights also match their endearing ‘chibi’ look, making them easy to get attached to. The coins you collect in stages can also be spent on hats to upgrade your player with, and while they don’t make a lick of difference to gameplay, they sure look handsome.

Overall, Big Crown: Showdown has great focus and a cute art style with plain-and-simple, party-gaming gameplay.