While Demon Slayer has a widespread appeal, I was surprised when the latest video game adaptation was a board-based party game in the vein of Mario Party. However, any sort of skepticism quickly faded away because this rather odd combination actually works. Demon Slayer Sweep the Board is an extremely fun time, whether you’re playing with other fans of the series or with loved ones who have no clue what is going on besides wanting to play some fun mini-games.
There are five maps in the game, each based on different arcs of the series — I particularly enjoyed the Mugen Train and the Swordsmith Village areas. Four players (you can also go up against computer-controlled opponents) then take turns hitting dice, moving around the board, and then landing on various spaces that give items, currency in the form of slayer coins, or map-specific spaces — such as being able to travel around the map in a boat. It’s all very familiar, but there’s enough unique to Sweep the Board that it offers a fresh experience rather than feeling like a lesser one.
Maps are split into two real phases — daytime and nighttime. At the end of a turn during the day, you’ll play a mini-game as all of the demon hunters look to continue their training. These are quite enjoyable, ranging from sports like badminton to shooting galleries and playing the shell game with Nezuko inside the box (a hilarious idea). Developer CyberConnect2 did a really good job in making these easy to pick up and play, which extends the game’s reach to more casual players, whether they are familiar with the series or not, while still having skill and some depth involved.
Things break away from the standard party game formula when nighttime strikes, as that is when the demons come out. You’ll wind up fighting demons rather than training in small battles that feel more like rhythm mini-games as you have to specifically time your attacks. A major demon also spawns on the map during this, who you have to defeat in a longer battle to get back to daytime. By making these battles about timing rather than constant action, they are able to really make the fights look fantastic visually as the series’ signature style shines through.
While I ultimately preferred the mini-games over the demon fights, they give the game a rather unique identity and play into the property well. What also helps differentiate it from other party games is its scoring system, which has players collecting two currencies: rank points and slayer coins. Rank points are ultimately what decide the winner, as they are given out for defeating demons and for reaching specific spots on the map before your opponents. Meanwhile, slayer coins are valuable as you can spend them to buy items (doubling your dice is always a plus) that can give you a boost or sabotage an opponent (switching spots on the board with a foe right before they reach the destination space is especially devious).
Besides the main mode, there is also a skill training offering, which has three options for you to play a bunch of mini-games back to back and forego the board mechanic entirely. This is fun when you have more competitive groups, although you’ll have to unlock the mini-games in the main mode before they’re available here. My favorite was the two-on-two mode, Team Brawl, which is a great way to determine bragging rights when you get a group of four together.
As you play, you also unlock kimetsu tablets — a currency you can use in the menus to unlock raffle spins. You get a number of goodies this way, ranging from stamps that can be used during matches as taunts to player profile icons and wallpapers. It’s a nice way to reward those who keep playing, and some of the taunts, which come with voice clips, are quite fun to spam during matches (doubly so if they’re annoying other players).
Demon Slayer Sweep the Board Review: Final Verdict
Demon Slayer Sweep the Board is a pleasant surprise as demon slaying and party gaming go together better than one might have guessed. Those who are big fans of the franchise will get the most out of it, as the maps wonderfully incorporate the different arcs, but even casual players will get sucked into the board game and the competitive nature of the enjoyable mini-games. With online and local play, there’s a lot to like here and a good time to be had with friends.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a Nintendo Switch copy for our Demon Slayer Sweep the Board review. Reviewed on version 1.02.
