5 Reasons Why The World Ends With You Remix is a Big Deal

During the Nintendo Direct Mini yesterday, a Switch version of The World Ends with You, often acronymed TWEWY, was announced. The World Ends with You released in 2007 and is a wacky, inventive spin on the JRPG genre. TWEWY never quite broke into the gaming mainstream, but still managed to accrue a devoted following. By bringing TWEWY to the Nintendo Switch, Square Enix is doing an enormous favor for owners of Nintendo’s uber-popular handheld/console hybrid. Those who never got a chance to experience the original TWEWY now have the chance to play a title that many have gleefully sunk hours into. This upcoming TWEWY remix is a bigger announcement than most realize, and here’s why. 

An Alternative to the Original’s Combat

TWEWY is not universally adored, much in part to the original’s combat. A heavy reliance on the touchscreen makes TWEWY awkward for some, and hectic battlefields add to the frustration. Different moves require different touchscreen maneuvers, and the relative similarity between a few motions occasionally makes the experience cumbersome. However, the Nintendo Switch remix will feature a different control method – one that uses the Joycons.  The standard touchscreen gameplay will remain an option, but this move increases accessibility and calms the anxieties of those who fear mashing their precious Nintendo Switch screen like a lunatic.

More controller options is always better. Seeing Square giving players the choice is a good thing to see and a positive step forward for accessibility in games. Juggling more than one character isn’t an easy task for most, and allowing different methods to achieve this balance makes the game more approachable for everyone.

This post was originally written by Sean Pyle.

 A Great JRPG Addition to the Switch Library 

While likely changing in the future, the Nintendo Switch library is relatively light on the JRPG front. Pokemon is a juggernaut capable of shifting this paradigm entirely but, until then, smaller releases will be propping up Switch owners’ access to anime-esque games. 2018 promises Octopath Traveler, which is an intriguing JRPG with classic influences, but TWEWY Remix bolsters the lineup and provides a great way for Switch RPG fans to pleasantly pass their time between other big releases. While an exact release date for TWEWY Remix is not yet announced, the game will assumedly come after the point when those interested have had the chance to power through the Switch’s current JRPG goliath, Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

Hopefully, TWEWY isn’t the last DS RPG to make its way to the Nintendo Switch. Radiant Historia, several Shin Megami Tensai games, and Dragon Quest IX are just a few awesome candidates for later ports; the success of TWEWY, sales-wise, may dictate whether or not such ports eventually happen.

TWEWY Looks Perfect on Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo DS is not a powerful machine by today’s standards, but the original The World Ends With You still manages to look beautiful. The Nintendo Switch Remix is another story entirely, though. The quick snippet of gameplay shown during the Direct makes the highly-stylized, highly-detailed visuals of TWEWY pop like never before, and the beautifully coherent chaos of the game’s more hectic combat scenarios are now more intense. Plus, the Nintendo Switch’s ability to put games on the big screen adds another option for viewing TWEWY’s anime beauty.

Whether on-the-go or at home, TWEWY’s remix looks to be a massive visual upgrade – one that fleshes out the game’s aesthetic to a level perhaps envisioned by its creators originally. While just about every game could be called “perfect for the Switch,” TWEWY is especially so, and first-time players and returning veterans alike should be thrilled for this remix. 

A New Scenario

If it isn’t clear yet, The World End With You Remix is not a straight port. Along with the game’s technical changes, Square Enix is adding another scenario to this version of TWEWY. Spending 50 hours on the original was the tale of many who played through it, so the addition of more content makes this remix even sweeter.

The amount that this scenario will ultimately add to the game is still unknown, but having a new experience to go through incentivizes double-dipping from those who already played the game on DS. The addition has been phrased as “sizable,” and the hope is that the new scenario layers on even more depth to a story that already has plenty.  Whether this scenario will be woven into the middle of the game’s original story or if it will be post-game content remains to be seen. Either way, an expansion of Neku’s journey is much appreciated, especially for those who have experienced the original multiple times already. 

A TWEWY Sequel Might Be Coming

The rebirth of The World Ends with You may indicate further interest in the franchise from Square Enix. TWEWY carries a devout following of die-hard fans, but another explosion of sales would likely increase the odds of a true sequel to TWEWY down the line.

Alternatively, this remix may indicate that a sequel is already in production. Jumping straight into a sequel does not make much sense from Square’s end. Considering the time elapsed since the original, giving the Switch’s install base a chance to play the original is a logical way to stir up interest in the franchise before the release of its sequel. Capcom has taken a similar approach with Bayonetta, and we may be seeing the preliminary stages of a full-on resurgence of The World Ends With You. The bizarre but well-executed ideas of the original deserve to be expanded on. If done correctly, Square could establish TWEWY as the next great JRPG franchise and help bolster the genre’s comeback.

Make JRPGs great again! Wait, no. Sorry.