Prinny Party: Going Overboard! is out now on Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS5 and PC via Steam. Nippon Ichi Software’s party game-style RPG launched in the west on 11 November, with NIS America publishing a game that seems very keen to test the limits of your group chat.
The setup sends up to four players around a board, gathering experience, improving equipment and completing quests while working towards a showdown with Supreme Overboard Laharl and his Protago-Knights. There is cooperation involved, but it comes with enough competition to make every generous gesture look slightly suspicious.
When a boss appears, players can work together to bring it down. The catch is that only the person who carries the defeated boss back to the starting point receives the credit, which should do wonders for the atmosphere after everyone has contributed to the fight.
Throwing is naturally part of the toolkit, allowing players to pick up allies, enemies and anyone whose current position is inconvenient. It is difficult to maintain a dignified strategic argument while another player is physically relocating you.
The board also includes spaces for building and upgrading facilities such as hospitals and armouries. Other players can use those businesses too, so investing in the map does not automatically mean you are the only one who benefits.
The Assembly adds another layer, letting players pass bills with effects such as increased damage, extra movement or a powerful cannon. Between that and the equipment progression, there is more going on here than simply rolling towards the next minigame.
There is one reason to keep at least some teamwork intact: if everybody dies at once, the game ends for everyone. Apparently the route to victory involves betraying your friends with a sensible emergency plan in place.
NIS America lists one to four players, digital availability across all four platforms, Switch 2 GameShare support and Steam Remote Play Together. The UK Steam price is currently £26.75, with other storefront prices worth checking separately. You can find the public details in the official announcement or store listing.