Sawaki Takeyasu and Ignition Games’ El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron somehow came out over 12 years ago. Takeyasu’s company Crim purchased the rights a couple years after launch, and now the HD remaster finally has an April 28, 2024 date for Nintendo Switch.
Crim announced the date for the port along with publisher Rainy Frog. El Shaddai will hit Switch both physically and digitally in Japan, including a physical deluxe edition priced at ¥8,250 (about US$57). Paying a little extra nets you the game along with a drama CD that comes with a script. Whether this is your first time ascending or you’ve been looking for an excuse to do so again, you can see more in the release date trailer.
El Shaddai made its debut in 2011 to somewhat mixed reactions. It’s a uniquely stylized action game that isn’t necessarily going to be for everyone, but those who vibe with it are probably still thinking about it today. It had a pretty big promotional and crossover push at the time, including one that saw Japanese clothing brand Edwin release some pricey 503 Zero jeans in both Enoch and Lucifel styles. Unfortunately, none of the Switch releases come with themed clothing, so you’ll have to hit eBay for a gently used pair.
Outside of the bonuses included with the Japanese physical editions, it doesn’t seem as if there’s much in the way of new content here. If good ol’ reliable El Shaddai—complete with its rock, paper, scissors combat and blend of 3D and 2D sections—sounds like a solid enough hook in 2024, mark your calendars for April.
