sold over 100,000 copies within a week of release, and became Devolver's second-fastest-selling Switch game behind Enter the Gungeon (2017). It was the second-bestselling eShop game during the month following its release behind the Switch version of Cuphead (2017), which was released on the same day. Katana Zero sold 500,000 copies in less than a year and generated 5 million in revenue. In contrast, the average indie game generates around 16,000. Stander said Katana Zero was most successful on Switch and Steam; sales were originally strongest on Switch, but the Steam version gradually sold more since it went on sale often. Reception According to the review aggregate website Metacritic, Katana Zero received "generally favorable reviews". Critics considered Katana Zero stylish and well designed. IGN said it "refines the tried and true one-hit-kill formula in a manner that makes it feels fresh, exciting, and innovative", while Nintendo Life and Nintendo World Report considered it a standout in the Nintendo eShop library. Destructoid reviewer said Katana Zero was "bleak, beautiful, bloody, and brilliant" and changed how he viewed video games. Critics praised the 16-bit visuals. They enjoyed the retro VHS aesthetic and visual effects—though some wrote their intensity could induce headaches—as well as the amount of detail in the sprites and animations. IGN found the lighting effects impressive and said they worked with the "slick neon aesthetic and fantastic sprite work" to give the game personality. GameSpot appreciated that Katana Zero did not use a retro aesthetic simply for nostalgia, and alongside Polygon found the detailed sprite work and smooth animations added emotional weight. The soundtrack was acclaimed. Destructoid called it an "audial delight" and Nintendo Life reviewer said the music overshadowed the rest of the game at points. He felt the soundtrack had a clear focus but remained "willing to experiment with obscure genres" and complimented the composers for doing something original in contrast to the "cliché" chiptune style prevalent in indie games. IGN said the soundtrack was excellent and fitting, and PC Gamer liked how it was contextualized in the world. Although reviewers praised the writing, they were divided on the story. Destructoid noted it was difficult to discuss since much is left to the player's interpretation. Shacknews praised the plot twists, and GameSpot said the story did a good job balancing graphic violence with "delicately quiet character moments and some heartfelt relationships". Some commended how the story provided context