{"rewrite":{"id":"r_497b175aa780373ae7a78da6","clusterId":"c_0572dcbe71657d38ba28b440","slug":"nicalis-makes-crystal-crisis-free-to-keep-on-steam-until-september-22","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Nicalis Makes Crystal Crisis Free To Keep On Steam Until September 22","summary":"Nicalis began a free giveaway of Crystal Crisis on Steam on September 14, running until 15:59 on September 22. The crossover puzzle game normally costs 2,050 yen. Anyone who adds it to their library during the window keeps it after the giveaway ends. The roster includes Astro Boy and Black Jack from Osamu Tezuka's works, plus Quote and Curly from Cave Story and Umihara Kawase.","whyItMatters":"A free-to-keep window on a store page where the game sits at Very Positive is a cheap way for Nicalis to put a six-year-old crossover in front of players ahead of Mewgenics, its newer release.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe giveaway applies to the Steam version only. Crystal Crisis released on Steam and Nintendo Switch in 2019, with Niigata-based Pikii handling publishing for the Japanese Switch version.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe game is a falling-block puzzler where players drop paired crystals, build same-color masses, and clear them with a Spark Crystal; clearing sends a Countdown Crystal onto the opponent\u0026#39;s field. The field loops left to right through a Wrap Around system, and each of the 20 characters carries two Burst Skills off a Burst Gauge.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Crystal Crisis leans on Tezuka's Astro Boy and Black Jack plus Cave Story's Quote and Curly, a roster that only works if Nicalis still holds those licenses when the giveaway ends September 22.","twitterPost":"Crystal Crisis charges 2,050 yen normally. Nicalis is betting a free window converts Tezuka and Cave Story fans into library owners by September 22.","threadsPost":"Crystal Crisis normally sells for 2,050 yen, so Nicalis is trading direct revenue for installed copies. The crossover roster (Astro Boy, Black Jack, Quote, Curly, Umihara Kawase) is the asset being handed out, and anyone who adds it before September 22 keeps it.","newsletterBlurb":"Nicalis started a free giveaway of Crystal Crisis on Steam on September 14, running until 15:59 on September 22. Adding it to your library during the window keeps it free afterward; the game normally costs 2,050 yen. The 2019 crossover puzzler lines up Astro Boy and Black Jack from Osamu Tezuka's works with Quote and Curly from Cave Story.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260914-467407/\",\"title\":\"\\\"Astro Boy Also Joins the Battle\\\" All-Star Competitive Puzzle Game 'Crystal Crisis' Is Free on Steam; Normally Priced at About 2,000 Yen\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":4622,"outputTokens":593,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1789380864,"createdAt":"2026-09-14T10:08:40.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-09-14T10:13:20.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-14T10:13:20.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_0572dcbe71657d38ba28b440","canonicalTitle":"“鉄腕アトムも参戦”するオールスター対戦パズル『クリスタルクライシス』、Steamにて無料配布中。定価約2000円のゲーム","representativeArticleId":"a_a422c93c538330ed9687bb14","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Crystal Crisis\"],\"studios\":[\"Nicalis\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"release\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-09-14T09:17:50.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-09-14T09:17:50.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-14T10:13:20.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260914-467407/","title":"“鉄腕アトムも参戦”するオールスター対戦パズル『クリスタルクライシス』、Steamにて無料配布中。定価約2000円のゲーム"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Crystal Crisis"],"studios":["Nicalis"],"people":[],"type":"release","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":null}