Developer – CyberConnect2

Publisher – Anilex (JP), SEGA (WW)

Platforms –  Nintendo Switch (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Publisher

If you’ve been following my reviews lately, you’ll notice quite a few Anime related games, like my recent review of Sand Land, but I promise you I didn’t plan for this to happen. But here we are with another great review this time, the anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, as they have created a “Mario-Party” Style board game for Nintendo Switch!

For those unfamiliar, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge. It follows teenage Tanjiro Kamado, who strives to become a Demon Slayer after his family is slaughtered and his younger sister, Nezuko, is turned into a demon.

In this game, players roll the dice to navigate through the game boards, which feature a day and night cycle. During the daytime, you engage in various events and mini-games, preparing for the challenges that await when night falls. At night, the focus shifts to hunting down and defeating demons, capturing the essence of what it means to be a Demon Slayer.

From the beautifully rendered landscapes to the faithfully recreated characters, every detail feels like a loving homage to the source material of the Manga. The game offers a variety of modes, including a story mode that follows the events of the anime, as well as multiplayer modes for competitive play. Both modes, play out by blending elements of the anime with the mechanics of a board game with some similarities to Mario Party. Players navigate through various locations inspired by the series, encountering familiar faces and engaging in thrilling battles along the way.

While it would be too much to go into every mini-game in this review , one particularly engaging mini-game involves fighting demons. Here, players can use the Joy-Con controllers to mimic the slashing motions of a Nichirin Sword, adding a physical element to the gameplay. Some of the other mini games feature a memory matching style game , a thrilling chase mini-game and more.

One aspect that sets Demon Slayer apart from other similar games is its strategic depth. While luck certainly plays a role, there’s also a significant emphasis on strategy and decision-making. Players must carefully plan their moves, anticipate their opponent’s actions, and utilize their characters’ unique abilities to gain the upper hand.

While Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Sweep the Board shares some similarities with games like Mario Party on the Switch, it also offers its own distinct flavor by using this strategic depth mxied with it’s story elements. While Mario Party leans more towards casual, party-style gameplay, Demon Slayer offers a more strategic experience,that adds an extra layer of complexity and keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging, even after multiple playthroughs.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Sweep the Board successfully bridges the gap between the captivating world of the anime and the interactive realm of gaming. While it may draw comparisons to other board game adaptations like Mario Party, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Sweep the Board distinguishes itself with its meticulous attention to detail, engrossing narrative, and strategic depth, and set’s it apart.