Azur Lane: Crosswave for Nintendo Switch Announced for the West

Today Idea Factory International announced that Azur Lane: Crosswave’s Nintendo Switch version is coming west.

According to the announcement, the game will be released in North America and Europe in 2021 following the PS4 and PC releases which are already available.

The Switch release will include out of the box two of the six DLC packages releasing for PS4, specifically the ones dedicated to Taihou and Formidable.

On top of that, the photo mode has been updated so that you can take pictures of six girls at the same time instead of four.

Below you can check out the trailer.

Here’s an official description:

“In this high-octane 3D Action Shooter, Azur Lane: Crosswave brings historical, personified battle ships into a 3D plane with the help of the Unreal Engine! Control a fleet of 6 cute, but devasting characters and bring any enemy to their knees! With 4 modes to choose from, including Extreme Battle Mode that features over 100 battles to choose from, newcomers to the Azur Lane universe and returning fans can engage in maritime warfare, now… on-the-go! With the stage set and the toughest ships ready for battle, will you be able to sail your fleet to victory or sink deep into the ocean?

About Azur Lane

Azur Lane is a side-scrolling shooter created by Shanghai Manjuu and Xiamen Yongshi, originally released in 2017 for iOS and Android platforms. The Shanghai-based publisher, Yostar, published the Japanese and English version of the mobile game, popularizing the game to more mobile users across the world. The game takes place in a world where personified battleships from around the globe engage in side-scrolling shooter gameplay.

Key Features

Living in a 3D World – Azur Lane mobile, the beloved side-scrolling shooter, is now retrofitted for the Nintendo Switch™ as a cel-shaded, 3D action shooter with the help of Unreal Engine! Recruit over 50+ ship girls to help lead your fleet to victory. The Switch release will include the Shimakaze and Suruga, and also includes two-newcomers, Taihou and Formidable!

Switch it Up with 4 Game Modes – Choose from 4 different game modes: Story, Extreme Battle, Photo, or Episode Mode. Story Mode includes 7 riveting chapters through the lenses of Shimakaze and Suruga, plus an additional 2 story chapters with newcomers, Taihou and Formidable. In Extreme Battle Mode, choose from 100+ challenging fleets to battle for rare items and special materials. In the Nintendo Switch version, Photo Mode allows you to pose up to 6 characters, change facial expressions, alter backgrounds, and camera angles to create a picturesque moment. Episode Mode includes 50+ sub-stories that deliver bonus character backgrounds!

Arm Your Armada – Before setting sail, beef up your characters by equipping them with rare items found after a successful battle or by crafting items at Akashi’s Laboratory. Here, Commanders can exchange blueprints to create new gear, convert materials into rare items, and earn rewards. Experiment with different fleet arrangements to gain special Fleet Effects that can provide in-game stat bonuses.

Ready, Aim, Fire – Control, aim, and fire at incoming battleships, aircraft carriers, and other enemies! Depending on the character’s subtype, players can dash to evade attacks or activate defensive shields, unleash torpedoes or aircrafts, and switch-on character-specific special attacks to defeat unruly enemies!”

If you want to learn more about Azur Lane: Crosswave, you should definitely read the interview we published a while ago and our review.

The game shipped over 200,000 copies worldwide as of the Japanese release day of the Switch version.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Azur Lane franchise, it’s originally a free-to-play mobile horizontal scrolling shooter/RPG hybrid currently available for iOS and Android.

Recently, the game celebrated its third anniversary in Japan and you can check out the music video featuring popular musician T.M.Revolution and an anime-style trailer.

If you’re curious about the franchise’s popularity in Japan, you can check out my report about the anniversary event from last year that pretty much literally invaded Akihabara.