Demon Throttle is an awesome retro shooter you’ll probably never play

digitaltrends.com:

Demon Throttle is an 8-bit retro throwback from Gato Robato developer Doinksoft and Devolver Digital that would feel right at home alongside other retro-inspired indie games on any digital game storefront. But Demon Throttle will never be available digitally. Like the NES games it’s inspired by, Demon Throttle is only available physically at launch. And right now, only 10,000 people are getting copies of the game after pre-ordering through Special Reserve Games last June.

Following the removal of lots of digital exclusives from HBO Max, it feels odd to play a game that’s only available physically. It’s the antithesis of the current state of digital media. Instead of letting anyone experience something digitally until it’s gone forever, a limited number of people can treasure a physical experience that won’t go away. I can take pride in having copy 1,651 of 10,000 alongside a well-produced instruction booklet and some stickers. That said, dealing with absolutes is not the best route for media preservation.

Having Demon Throttle’s Nintendo Switch cartridge physically does mean it will never disappear like An American Pickle or The Witches have, but it’s still limiting in its own way. Demon Throttle is an enjoyable retro throwback that I wish more people could play it. While this physical-only game technically circumvents one of the most significant issues facing all kinds of digital media but also negates the benefits of digital releases in the process. 

It feels like Doinksoft and Devolver Digital ripped Demon Throttle straight out of an NES cartridge. Especially when playing with the in-game CRT filter and no dynamic backgrounds are on, you’d be forgiven for looking at Demon Throttle and thinking it is actually an NES