After being available on Steam for weeks, the demo for Too Kyo’s most recent project The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- can find a larger audience. We covered the Steam demo in our second issue of Demo Disc, however The Hundred Line demo has finally launched on Nintendo Switch. Of note, this was not a feature on all versions of the Nintendo Direct that aired on March 27th. While Hundred Line was included in Japan’s direct, it is missing from others around the world.
For those who do not know what The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is, the game play is visual novel and tactics game play. This can be viewed as Danganronpa meets Fire Emblem with it’s battle style. Spend your visual novel time building relationships, getting to know your fellow fighters, and navigating the school building. Spend your time on the battle field finding the best combination of characters and exploiting their powers. Of course, the best way to explore this game is to try out the demo.
When it comes to games from Japan, it is not unheard of that certain IPs never receive localization for other audiences. This is not the case for Hundred Line as the demo already showcases fantastic voice acting. While yesterday’s Direct could’ve been a great place for audiences to hear about the demo, someone else was ready. Too Kyo CEO and Hundred Line Writer and Director Kazutaka Kodaka has been very vocal in his passion for this game. The demo being available was another moment for him to share his excitement.
It’s been no secret that Kodaka and team have put quite a bit into this game. Kodaka has also been quoted saying, “If it doesn’t sell, I might go bankrupt.” While this may have been more of a joke, it highlights the seriousness of Too Kyo’s latest game. In more recent tweets, he shared “Isn’t it obvious that if a game creator makes a game that is boring and doesn’t sell, it’s the end of the line? I would rather make a boring game and disappear if people don’t want it.” Thankfully, he’s confident that won’t be the case for him, “But I’m ok with the Hundred Line because it’s fun.” After spending time with the demo, this author is in full agreement.
While the marketing of the game has been primarily in Japanese with varieties of trailers, western audiences have been actively reaching out to Kodaka for insight. He shares fans will be in for many surprises and replay ability as the game will have branching story lines. Unfortunately, those looking for other languages such as French or Spanish will not receive these upon launch. Perhaps if the game sells well, we could see other languages become available in the future?
For collectors of physical editions, the Switch limited edition comes with quite a few items. For those who are fine with digital, you can pre-order the game on both Nintendo Switch and Steam. Progress completed on the demo will carry over, but why not just play it again when the moment comes?
The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- launches on Steam and Switch April 24, 2025. Gamer Social Club will continue to monitor The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-. Now that the demo is on Nintendo Switch, will you give it a try?
