Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore brings a retro-flavored game to the Switch, with plenty of inspiration drawn from the questionable but legit Zelda CDI games this year, and yes, it has a CDI-shaped controller with it.
If you’re not sure what the fabled Zelda CDI games are, I implore you to find a good playthrough on YouTube – GameGrumps is a personal favorite. The games – Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, and Zelda’s Adventure – were officially licensed and were very hammy. They didn’t do well commercially because no one had a Philips Compact Disc Interactive. It wasn’t one of the best consoles ever made, so we recommend a retro handheld instead.
Anyway, the games suck, basically, but that’s part of their charm. However, now, there’s a “spiritual successor to a pair of infamous fantasy adventure titles” – it’s Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore. One look at the trailer shows similar cutscenes to those in the first two Zelda CDI games, with voice acting and a soundtrack to match.
Developer Seedy Eye Software brings Arzette to Switch in February, with a limited edition physical release via Limited Run Games. You can get the game on its own or in a fantastic bundle with an art book, pin, a standee of the shopkeeper, and the soundtrack on CD.
There is a controller shaped like the, um, classically annoying CDI controller that was unruly and hard to handle. You can use this limited-edition controller with your Switch and PC, and it comes in pink, too! The collector’s edition and controller are available until March 17, 2024.
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore takes you along with Arzette the leading lady, as she journeys to destroy the evil demon king threatening the realm. As you go there are areas to unlock, items to find, and plenty of hand-painted backgrounds to marvel at while being immersed in fully-acted cutscenes.
If this has your Zelda-senses tingling, check out our guide to every Zelda game in order and our pick of the best Zelda games overall.