During its E3 2021 livestream, publisher Devolver Digital unveiled the upcoming exclusive Switch game Demon Throttle, which will be developed by Doinksoft, who previously worked on a 2D Metroidvania indie game called Gato Roboto. With a similar retro visual style, Demon Throttle more closely resembles an old-school 8-bit Legend of Zelda game with a top-down isometric view and charming MIDI music.
So far, almost nothing has been revealed about Demon Throttle, but it seems to possess some of the tongue-in-cheek humor that Devolver Digital has become known for. From the game trailer released during the E3 showcase, it appears that players can select between one of two characters: a revolver-wielding cowboy or his wife, who brandishes a crossbow. The game will also apparently feature two-player local co-op and epic boss fights, as one would expect from a classic Legend of Zelda-style game.
One of the unique aspects of Demon Throttle is that the game will be released as a physical version only and cannot be purchased digitally, unlike many Nintendo Switch games. This is an unusual move, especially considering that many publishers seem to be veering towards digital-only release models in order to save distribution costs. Devolver Digital, however, appears to enjoy breaking from the norm and the company’s official Demon Throttle website proclaims: “Only Physical Never Digital.” The game will be distributed through Special Reserve Games, who note on the product page that the company creates rare edition collectibles that sell out quickly.
Another company that recently chose to release a game as a limited edition was Nintendo with Super Mario 3D All-Stars, which was only available for six months in celebration of Mario’s 35th anniversary. When the game was removed from storefronts, fans did not take it well, with many declaring that Mario had lost his status as Nintendo’s mascot.
The limited availability of Super Mario 3D All-Stars also brought the scalpers out in droves, and the same happened with another physical-only Switch exclusive called Razion EX, a remake of a Neo Geo horizontal shooter. Both games can be found for sale on auction sites like eBay with extremely hiked up prices, and copies of Demon Throttle may have a similar fate if the game proves popular enough to be profitable for scalpers.
Devolver Digital and Doinksoft's Demon Throttle is currently scheduled for release sometime in 2022, but preorders have already opened through distributor Special Reserve Games until October 13. There will be two versions available: the Reserve Edition and the Standard Edition. The Reserve Edition comes with the Switch game cartridge, a special Reserve box, reversible jacket artwork, stickers, an instruction booklet, and sequentially numbered packaging. The Standard Edition will come with the same items as the Reserve Edition minus the special Reserve box.
Demon Throttle is currently in development exclusively for Nintendo Switch and will release in 2022.
Source: Special Reserve Games