Prototype will port Key’s romance and family-themed visual novelClannadon Nintendo Switch in spring 2019. The game will be digital only, will include 5.1 surround sound for all voices and movies (switching to 2ch stereo is possible), along with touch controls and easy controls, making the game playable even with one joy-con. Last but not least, it will include an English translation, seeing the game has already been officially localized in the past. Voice-overs are only in Japanese. You’ll also be able to switch between English and Japanese at any time, something great for people wanting to practice Japanese. The game will also include “Dangopedia” a collection of different explanations regarding Japanese terms and culture.
Clannadfirst released in 2004 and is the third game developed by Key, followingKanonin 1999 andAirin 2000. Just like these two, it is part of the “Nakige” subgenre, designing games with a tragic story bringing players to tears.Kanon, Air,andClannadinfluenced many, and there are multiple game developers who started making their own visual novels thanks to them. This is the case of Ryukishi 07th, main writer on 07th Expansion games, such as theWhen They Cryseries, which includesHigurashi no Naku Koro ni, Umineko no Naku Koro Ni, and the newCiconia no Naku Koro nicoming in summer 2019.
Summer Pockets, Key’s latest game, will also be ported to Switch by Prototype in Spring 2019. The game first released in June 2018 on PC, and is a romance visual novel with no sexual content, like most of Key’s games. While the game isn’t translated yet, and won’t support English like withClannad,a fan-translation is already in the works for the PC version.
Nintendo Switch is gaining more and more visual novels, with old classics such asClannadorEve Burst Errorbeing ported to the console, and with brand new visual novels coming as well, like Idea Factory’s newest otome games. PC will always remain as visual novels' main platform, but the Switch is inheriting the PlayStation Vita’s place when it comes to enhanced remakes and easy ports, made by developers to rake in more money, easily please fans and bring in newcomers. Many of these enhanced ports on Vita were later brought back to PC as well, adding back the games' adult content if they had some in the first place. Vita is far from being dead in Japan though, with some new visual novels still releasing there, like Red Entertainment’sKenka Bancho Otome 2nd Rumble!!coming in 2019.
You can find screenshots for the Switch versions of bothClannadandSummer Pocketsin the gallery below.
