Dragon Ruins Review: KEMCO Delivers Classic Dungeon Crawling on Nintendo Switch

Dragon Ruins Review: KEMCO Delivers Classic Dungeon Crawling on Nintendo Switch For fans of traditional dungeon crawling and retro RPG design, Dragon Ruins by KEMCO offers a nostalgic journey back to gaming’s simpler days.

Now available on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo eShop, Dragon Ruins stands out for its minimalist graphics, classic mechanics, and an affordable $8.99 price point—making it an intriguing pick for those seeking a pure, old-school experience. Developed by KEMCO, a studio well-known for their dedication to classic RPG experiences, Dragon Ruins purposefully channels the aesthetic and gameplay of early computer and tabletop dungeon crawlers.

Its visuals are purposefully spartan, consisting of thin white lines mapping out mazes on a black background.

While this might sound limiting, the game conveys all the necessary information to navigate its labyrinthine corridors.

What the visuals lack in embellishment, the background music compensates for, helping to set an atmospheric tone that keeps each run engaging. Gameplay is reminiscent of genre forebears like Zork but with meaningful quality-of-life improvements.

Players can now view an on-screen map that updates with explored areas, eliminating the need for manual mapping with pen and paper.

The upper left corner of the display provides a mini-map of your current location, and pressing the Y button reveals a larger map view—making exploration more accessible without compromising the sense of discovery. Encounters in Dragon Ruins are automatic and unavoidable; monsters do not appear on the map but instead initiate combat when entered.

Combat is streamlined and real-time: battles continue until the player’s party defeats the opposing monsters, is wiped out, or retreats safely.

As noted in the original review, “Running away early on can be wise—just be careful not to get cornered, as disorientation can happen quickly given the sparse visuals.” Returning to the dungeon’s start point replenishes your party’s health and provides opportunities to spend collected loot on leveling up and equipment upgrades, keeping with the cycle of exploration and character progression that defined classic RPGs.

Should the entire party fall, the game respawns you at the beginning, with time having passed and new monsters populating the dungeon, maintaining a challenge through randomized enemy placements and encounters. In terms of replay value, Dragon Ruins provides two distinct gameplay modes: Original and Remix.

In Original mode, party composition is set, whereas Remix lets players customize their party from a selection of heroes.

Placement within the party is crucial, as front-row members absorb most damage, echoing the tactical considerations of pen-and-paper RPGs.

However, starting a new game in either mode overwrites your previous progress.

While the dungeon layout is unique between modes, each mode’s layout remains fixed across playthroughs. Despite its “limited graphics” and auto-resolving gameplay, Dragon Ruins manages to captivate through its straightforward design and nostalgic appeal.

The game’s repetitive loop of exploration, combat, and progression delivers a meditative rhythm, making it easy to lose track of time in handheld mode—a testament to its effectiveness even among modern, feature-rich RPGs. Overall, KEMCO’s Dragon Ruins is well-suited for retro enthusiasts and newcomers to classic dungeon crawlers alike.

Priced under $10 on the Nintendo eShop, it’s a budget-friendly way to scratch that old-school RPG itch on the Nintendo Switch.

While modern visuals and intricate mechanics are absent, the core challenge and charm of dungeon crawling are preserved, ensuring Dragon Ruins earns its place among the Nintendo Switch’s unique indie offerings.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo eShop Switch KEMCO Dragon Ruins Nintendo eShop