The Arcade Archives range has given us a lot of fantastic retro titles on the Switch eShop, including a number of intriguing lesser-known games. Darwin 4078 definitely qualifies in that category, as it was a Japan-only arcade from Data East that introduced some neat ideas to the vertical scrolling shooter genre.
Across 16 levels a key gimmick is 'evolution', with your ship evolving as you progress and collect EVOL capsules. Too long without picking these up and you'll begin to devolve, but there are certain conditions where you want to be hit by enemies at a certain point of evolution in order to unlock a special, powerful form. This is certainly a game where a bit of internet research and comparing notes with others will add to the experience.
Darwin 4078 arrives on the Switch eShop this week on 15th July; another one for the virtual arcade collection?
[source famitsu.com]