The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Is Good on Nintendo Switch and Great on Steam Deck

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As a dedicated gamer, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the global release of “The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-” from Too Kyo Games, which drops this week on both Nintendo Switch and PC Steam. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the privilege to delve into this game on both platforms for a comprehensive review. Rest assured, no spoilers will be revealed, and all screenshots used will be sourced from the game’s opening hours only.

In this feature, I’ll be discussing the optimal Steam Deck settings for “The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-“, my thoughts on the Switch version, impressions of the PC port, and much more. Additionally, I’ll share my experiences with ROG Ally, as it pertains to this exciting new game. So, buckle up, gamers! It’s time to explore “The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-” on multiple platforms.

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Nintendo Switch impressions

Over time, I’ve played every Danganronpa game across various platforms like PS Vita, PS4, PC, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and iOS. It was fascinating to observe how these games were adapted for different consoles and PCs, with some adaptations not delivering the best series experience, such as the Nintendo Switch versions of Danganronpa and Danganronpa 2, which suffered from performance issues, or Danganronpa V3, which had both performance and stability problems. Rain Code was exclusive to Nintendo Switch at launch, but it wasn’t a great handheld experience; it performed better on PC and PS5. To provide some context for Nintendo Switch ports related to Kazutaka Kodaka’s projects, I mention Danganronpa games and Rain Code. The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is a more enjoyable experience on the Nintendo Switch compared to those earlier releases, but it still has a few issues.

After spending approximately 40 hours playing The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- on both the Nintendo Switch and Steam platforms, I find that the Nintendo Switch version offers a satisfying gaming experience. However, when comparing the Switch port to the PC version on handheld devices, certain user interface elements or text may appear smaller than ideal on smaller screens. This could potentially be an issue for some players, but it’s not unreadable. I hope future updates will optimize the game for portable play, taking advantage of the available screen space. Additionally, some of the pre-rendered cut-scenes in the Nintendo Switch version seem more compressed compared to the PC version.






There’s a problem with the game’s graphics that becomes apparent as it struggles to adjust its zoom levels smoothly when transitioning between scenes. This issue is noticeable right from the start, particularly during interactions with characters for the first time. Unfortunately, the models and character portraits appear less detailed than expected due to this flaw. However, this problem has a simple solution in the PC version of the game.

In terms of performance, the Switch edition aims for a consistent 30 frames per second in both connected and portable play modes. However, I’ve encountered more performance hiccups such as stuttering during camera or 2D movement when playing handheld compared to docked. Taking into account the user interface issues and the extra performance problems experienced during handheld gameplay, it would be advisable to play “The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-” docked on Nintendo Switch at this time. Although load times aren’t particularly long, they are slightly longer than the PC version at present. Keep in mind that I’ve tested the Switch version with its latest 1.0.2 update.

Although not everyone may find this significant, incorporating touchscreen support for the cursor during gameplay could have enhanced the user experience, especially during exploration phases. Personally, I found myself frequently using the touchscreen when playing the initial Danganronpa games on PS Vita, and also while playing The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- on PC handhelds, to control the cursor and advance dialogue taps. I suggest adjusting the cursor speed within the game’s settings menu for both battles and exploration. The current default speed is quite slow; you can customize it to your preference in this section.

As a devoted player, I’ve found that The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- on Nintendo Switch offers an enjoyable gaming experience, but it has the potential to be extraordinary with some performance enhancements and user interface refinements. While the performance problems aren’t as severe as those in the Danganronpa games, they were still noticeable during gameplay, particularly in handheld mode. Given that the game is releasing globally all at once, I anticipate updates will be made and I eagerly hope that some of these issues can be rectified.

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy PC port features

On your PC, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- game offers compatibility with both controllers and keyboard/mouse inputs, each equipped with suitable prompts. Moreover, you can customize it to display button prompts for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox consoles via the System menu under Options.

In terms of visual and display settings, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- provides a Graphics menu within the Options, allowing you to modify various aspects such as window mode (windowed, borderless, fullscreen), resolution range (720p to 4K), v-sync toggling, brightness adjustment, contrast adjustment, gamma adjustment, frame rate target selection (30fps or 60fps), graphics preset selection (high, mid, low, custom), texture quality adjustment (high or low), shadow quality adjustment (high, mid, low), anti-aliasing toggling, texture filtering options (trilinear, 2x AF, 4x AF, 8x AF, and 16x AF), bloom level adjustment (high, mid, low), and ambient occlusion toggle.









Although the game appears to have a frame rate limit of 60fps based on its settings, it can actually run faster and synchronize with your monitor’s refresh rate (up to 144hz). To achieve this, you can either turn off v-sync or set the window mode to fullscreen. If v-sync is enabled and you play in borderless (not fullscreen) mode, it will adjust to match your monitor’s refresh rate instead.

In the PC version, you can customize many of your controls whether you’re using a controller or keyboard/mouse setup. However, certain actions cannot be altered. You can adjust bindings for Menu, Battle, Field, and Exploration with either input method. The mouse control rebinding options allow you to tailor left clicks, right clicks, and middle clicks. Additionally, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- offers Steam Cloud support, which functions seamlessly across multiple devices in my testing.

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Steam Deck impressions

On the Steam Deck, The Hundred Line – Last Defense Academy runs smoothly right out of the box. However, you can significantly enhance the gaming experience by following my suggested settings. I’d like to highlight that the demo save data for The Hundred Line –Last Defense Academy is accurately recognized in the full game. Although I’ve owned the full version for some time, I didn’t try out the demo until I realized many games on Steam Deck fail or struggle with transferring save data correctly. Fortunately, when starting a new save in the demo, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy recognized it and allowed me to continue, as demonstrated in the images below, and even unlocked the corresponding achievement.


I’ve tested The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- across different resolutions and performance settings, such as 720p 60fps, 1440p, and also 720p 144hz, on both my Steam Deck LCD and OLED models. On the OLED model, I encountered scrolling issues when playing at a 60fps cap due to its default 90hz screen setting. This issue seems to be common in recent games that are capped at 60fps, so remember to adjust your display settings to 60hz via the quick access menu if you’re playing The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- on your Steam Deck OLED at 60fps.









To ensure the game ran smoothly at more than 60 frames per second, I turned off v-sync and opted for borderless window mode. However, reducing resolution from 1080p caused some dips below 90fps during in-game cut-scenes. In combat scenes, it performs well, but keep in mind that this setup consumes a significant amount of power if you’re concerned about battery life.

As a devoted enthusiast, I was eager to experience the thrill of The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- on my stunning 1440p screen. Normally, playing at 60fps, 1080p provides a smooth and drop-free performance. However, stepping up to 1440p might cause the frame rate to dip below that magic number in certain instances. Just out of curiosity, I decided to test the limits by setting it to 720p and activating v-sync. To my delight, battles seemed to run flawlessly at a blazing 144hz!

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Steam Deck recommended settings

If you’re playing The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- on a Steam Deck OLED and aim to maintain a smooth 60fps, choosing 1080p resolution while in handheld mode can significantly enhance the game’s visuals. This downsamples from 1080p to 720p, which results in improved overall quality. Remarkably, it performs flawlessly at 60fps even at this high resolution. I adjusted only two settings: setting shadow quality to medium and using 16x AF for texture filtering. The rest of the settings remained at high, resulting in a game that looks cleaner than on Switch, with consistent 60fps performance.

To enjoy a smooth experience when playing “The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-” on your Steam Deck with an external monitor, it’s best to settle for 1080p resolution if you prefer a consistent 60 frames per second (fps). You can opt for 1440p, but be prepared for occasional drops to the mid to high 50s based on the action happening on screen. Keep in mind that maintaining 60fps at 4K resolution is not achievable without significant frame rate drops below 30fps on the Steam Deck.

To provide a clear visual contrast, I’ve utilized screenshots from the game while it was running at both 720p and 1080p resolutions on Steam Deck. These images were then enlarged and trimmed to highlight how characters and backdrops appear with each distinct resolution level.

To ensure a smoothly locked 90fps performance on your Steam Deck OLED, I advise playing at 720p resolution directly on the device with v-sync activated, along with the additional settings adjustments I previously suggested. Achieving 1080p and 90fpeskimo360 will result in frame rates dipping below the 80s in certain scenarios.

If you’re using a Steam Deck OLED, here’s another tip to enhance your gaming experience: Consider setting the right trackpad to function as a mouse cursor. It’s not absolutely necessary, but I found it quite beneficial in certain scenarios. Much like using the touchscreen for progressing dialogue or selecting specific items on screen, this is more of an additional feature that can be handy rather than one that’s essential. To make this change, navigate to the Controller Settings within The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-, choose the right trackpad, and set it to “As Mouse”.




The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy Nintendo Switch vs Steam Deck PC

On the Steam Deck, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- performs significantly better compared to the Nintendo Switch. However, the Switch version is still quite decent with some occasional stuttering during camera and player movement in handheld mode. Both platforms experience issues with UI elements being too small on their respective handheld screens. Despite being ported by different developers, I had anticipated a less satisfying performance from the Switch due to past experiences with Rain Code and Danganronpa games on Nintendo’s hybrid system. However, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- delivers an overall enjoyable experience, albeit with some hitching that I eventually grew accustomed to for handheld play. If possible, it is recommended to play this game docked on the Nintendo Switch for a smoother experience as the performance improvement is noticeable.

If you possess both a Switch and a Steam Deck, the Steam Deck offers a significantly superior gaming experience due to its enhanced image quality and performance. The images displayed above highlight one of the cut-scenes that appear more compressed on the Switch in contrast to the Steam Deck. Furthermore, I’ve included a comparison screenshot between the cafeteria scene on the Switch version and the PC version on the Steam Deck. The latter appears superior due to downsampling. Although it might not be as evident in the provided screenshots due to compression, you can experience the difference firsthand by playing the free demo. You’ll notice that the 3D elements and characters appear much crisper at 1080p downsampled compared to just 720p on the Switch.

The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy ROG Ally impressions

I’ve tried The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- on my ROG Ally, in addition to Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. Instead of testing it with the powerful 25W turbo mode, I opted for the device’s 10W and 15W modes to see how it performs under less power. In the 1080p setting, the 10W quiet mode had frequent drops below 60fps, so if you want a smoother experience in this mode, you should cap the game at 30fps. However, the 15W mode maintained a steady 60fps. If battery life isn’t a concern and you want the best visual experience for The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- on ROG Ally, I suggest playing at 1440p with the downsampling feature enabled in either the 30W (while plugged in) or 25W mode. With v-sync enabled to target 60fps, the VRR display will compensate for any dips and provide a sharp image overall. A few screenshots of the game running at 60fps and 120fps on ROG Ally can be found in the gallery above.






Although I haven’t completed The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- yet, the bits that I’ve played so far are simply fantastic. I find myself captivated by its visual style, music, voiceovers in both languages, and gameplay mechanics. As I progress further into the game, you can expect me to share my thoughts on it during our upcoming Tetracast discussion.

On April 24, the global release date for “The Hundred Line – Last Defense Academy” is set for both Nintendo Switch and Steam PC platforms.

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2025-04-21 16:29