The title focuses on the titular Smiling Man, Emio, or, more specifically, the Utsugi Detective Agency, as they investigate various murders involving the urban legend. Scanning crime scenes and environments to discover clues is essential, but who is Emio? Why has he suddenly emerged after all these years? If you’re invested in the Famicom Detective Club series, especially after the 2021 remasters, it may be worth checking out.

However, those who want to try before buying can download a free demo from the Nintendo eShop. It includes the Prologue and the first three chapters, with progress transferring to the game. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club launches on August 29th and retails for $49.99.

The demo will include the Prologue and first chapter of the game, but that won’t be all, as the developer adds two more chapters in subsequent updates. Chapter 2, “Disappearance,” goes live on August 22nd, while Chapter 3, “The Language of Flowers,” will be available on August 27th. Best of all, any progress made in the demo will transfer over when the game launches.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is available on August 29th for Nintendo Switch, retailing for $49.99. It tells the story of Emio, who wears a paper bag with an ominous smile and murders crying girls. The trailer highlights some story elements, like how similar cases emerged years prior, and showcases how players will scan the environment for clues. Check it out below.

The idea for creating a new Famicom Detective Club title emerged after the 2021 remakes of the first two games. The story concerns an original urban legend where Emio, the Smiling Man, appears in front of crying girls and places a paper bag with a smile on their heads, killing them.

Naturally, this attracts the attention of the Utsugi Detective Agency. Though it sports a more contemporary art style like the remakes, Sakamoto says he made “full use of the knowledge gained from the past titles and remakes” along with “ideas I’ve been sitting on,” to go “all out on the screenplay and animations.”

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is considered the culmination of the series, with an ending that may be “divisive” for some players. Stay tuned for more details and gameplay en route to its launch.