The Last Blade: Beyond The Destiny (Nintendo Switch)

by Jim Smale · November 6, 2020

THE LAST BLADE: Beyond the Destiny

The popular weapons-based fighting game: THE LAST BLADE, is now available in a special version!
Enjoy intense battles, an epic story, mini-games, and more.

Pros:

Glorious 8 Bit pixel graphics.
123mb download size.
Full touchscreen support.
2D fighting gameplay.
3 difficulties-easy, normal and hard.
Bgm sound test.
Rewind slider with notches so you can be exact.
Manual-can zoom in/out and acts as a tutorial.
Nine NEOGEO pocket skins-can be changed whenever you want from the menu.
Can rebind controls.
Play in English or Japanese language.
Reset the NEOGEO pocket at any point.
Two filters-light and dark display.
Two player-flips the screen sideways so you can use the Joycon.
15 characters-9 initially then unlock the rest.
Story mode.
Survival wave-based mode.
Time attack mode.
Training-practice area.
Zoom-you can zoom in and move around the console and play it like that.
Two Button control scheme.
HR Compe-mini game you can unlock.
Mukuro- Mukuro based mini games.
Sword type-each character has two types which change how they play-Strength or Skill.
Gallery–buy scrolls which are unlocked of lore, concepts, and ability upgrades for characters.
Manual has the original wording.
Really good deep fighting game.
Wide variety of combos and moves.
Fun mini-games.

THE LAST BLADE: Beyond the Destiny

Cons:

Have to unlock the mini-games.
No online play.
Can’t share scrolls like you can on the original.
A better control scheme could be used instead of the messy zoom feature.
Touchscreen whilst a good idea feel the weaker way to play.

THE LAST BLADE: Beyond the Destiny

8/10

Graphics - 8/10
8/10

Sound - 8/10
8/10

Accessibility - 8/10
8/10

Length - 8/10
8/10

Fun Factor - 8/10

8/10

Summary

It’s always great to go back to an old game, here we have a classic NEOGEO pocket fighting game: the Last Blade beyond the destiny. What I immediately liked was that it used the original manual (a scan obviously) including original wording and images. Of course, this is also a bad thing as it highlights how this version doesn’t allow the scrolls trading that the original game had. There is no online play here or even leaderboards but it does a neat two-player trick where it will flip the screen sideways so you can both have a portion of the screen each. For the game, it’s as deep and fun as ever and even button smashers can get in and have fun. I would say it might be a hard ask at first as you need to unlock the better characters and the rather excellent mini-games. Overall it’s a good port and it dares to innovate the emulation scene and it’s a game worthy of this. Brilliant retro gaming fun!