Kingdom Two Crowns

Kingdom Two Crowns NSP ROM is an action game. Following the release of Kingdom: New Lands on Nintendo Switch last year, the management game Kingdom Two Crowns (this time without a scoring system) aims to simplify the roguelike genre and make it less complex. In this third installment of the series, developed by Noio (in collaboration with Coatsink), losing the crown to the Covetous invasion (unscrupulous bandits who attack your camp from two sides) still means the end of your reign, but now an heir will ascend the throne (or rather, ride) and build a new kingdom upon the ruins of the old.

Designed as an expansion to New Lands, Two Crowns shares many similarities with its predecessor, being virtually identical. You still control a medieval king on horseback, building and defending a 2D settlement along a vast, randomly generated coastline. While your subjects chop down trees, build and expand defensive structures, or establish farms on irrigated land, you spend money by constantly pressing the “A” button.

Attacker

Non-player characters (NPCs) encountered near your camp are invited to join your cause in exchange for money. New recruits wander around the camp until merchants offer them tools and weapons. They then begin building, hunting, farming, and earning more money. Treasure chests, unique structures, and portals from which invaders from other worlds emerge are visible on the horizon.

Appearance

While the Switch version’s design may seem a bit unusual due to its classic style, the pixel art remains recognizable. The game begins with a moonlit night scene after a lengthy loading sequence. The constant light and its reflection in the water in the foreground immediately capture the eye. Despite its classic style, numerous small details could explain some annoying slowdowns.

These are relatively well hidden (the frame rate of moving objects, like trees, is intentionally low), but you will notice some stuttering, especially while running and moving around. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it is noticeable. Beauty is at the heart of Two Crowns; prepare to spend hours admiring the scenery as you explore your territory. Night gives way to dawn, day to dusk, in a dazzling cycle of light, sky, and seasons. Some might find it monotonous or repetitive, but its tranquility will captivate you: in our opinion, it was the perfect companion before bed.

Modification

Among the other minor changes are a variety of mounts, some with incredible abilities. We quickly abandoned the Dobbins for the Stag, one of our favorites, which attracted all the other deer we encountered at camp, thus preventing our inexperienced archers from spotting them. The new addition is Shogun, an updated version of the main game set in feudal Japan (select the cherry blossom icon on the title screen to access it). It’s essentially a beautiful graphical update. While the core gameplay remains unchanged, you’ll notice the addition of NPCs, units, and slight character variations. It’s a welcome change, but not a game-changer.