Devolver Digitals' fugue of an E3 2021 press conference reached a crescendo with the announcement of Demon Throttle, a game many viewers may not realize is real. Each year Devolver Digital offers a game up in a unique way, capitalizing on the oddness of its E3 event. Demon Throttle is this year's chosen game. The unique aspect of it being that Devolver isn't going to release it digitally, it's a physical-only game for Nintendo Switch available solely through Devolver's merchandise store.
Demon Throttle is developed by Doinksoft, the developer of indie hit Gato Roboto and Devolver's 2019 E3 oddity Devolver Bootleg. It's purchasable via preorder through Devolver's MaxPass+ website, via Special Reserve Games. The one problem is that Special Reserve is employing a queue system, so interested gamers may have to wait an hour or more to be able to purchase Demon Throttle.
As for what kind of game Demon Throttle is, it appears to be a top-down vertical-autoscrolling SHMUP, just like Ikari Warriors, DonPachi, or Xevious. That means that the screen will constantly scroll from the top of the screen down, as enemies flood in from all directions. Players will have to dodge around them and their unending projectiles, as well as the obstacle-laden environment, to reach a variety of challenging bosses.
Several bosses are teased in Demon Throttle's trailer. Like in classic autoscrollers, there's even a flashing screen that warns, "WARNING: DEMON GENERAL APPROACHING!" in bright red and black letters. The bosses shown included a horned ice demon, a red demon with long arms, and a woman whose top half is human bottom half is a giant scorpion. Those who defeat a boss will be rewarded with the prompt "DEMON GENERAL VANQUISHED," which itself is a nod to From Software's Dark Souls games.
In Demon Throttle, players take on the role of one of two characters - a revolver-wielding cowboy or his crossbow-wielding wife. It can even be played together via local co-op, which players might want to do if Demon Throttle is as challenging as its vertical autoscroller predecessors. Visible gameplay mechanics include jumping, as well as weapon upgrades that can add shot spread. It's a simple style, but completely fitting for a retro game.
The retro game also has a sense of humor, with the opening cinematic featuring what could become an iconic quote: "That Demon kissed my wife! Or something'!" People interested in Demon Throttle will have to pre-order the game and find out what else it includes upon release sometime in 2022.
Demon Throttle releases exclusively for Switch as a physical title in 2022.