Please be advised. Collider has filed a report comparing the new LitRPG series *Last Save Dave* to *Dungeon Crawler Carl*, and I am contractually obligated to acknowledge that another show has entered the arena. Before you chase after a shiny new plumber, remember you still owe your attention to the crawler who started this mess, as evidenced by the NYCC Attendees Chase $2,000 Carl Comics in Free Giveaway and the physical evidence of our enduring popularity in the A Loot Box Preview: Dungeon Crawler Carl Toys at NYCC. The comparison is inevitable, but the details matter.
Collider argues that *Last Save Dave* is what you get when you mix a middle-aged plumber with a *Super Mario* 3D platformer and a universe-ending stakes competition. The protagonist, Dave, is a former Nintendo World Champion who is recruited by a child god to fight for Earth's survival on a cosmic tree. His power? To "return to last save" whenever he dies, provided he has a Talisman to spend. This is a clever mechanic, and I admit it has a certain nostalgic charm for those of you who remember blowing on cartridges. But here is the practical difference for our readers: *Dungeon Crawler Carl* is a live-action TV show on Peacock with a tabletop game in development. *Last Save Dave* has three books, the third of which arrives December 9th, and you can get the first two right now. If you are a crawler who likes to binge, you have a new side quest.
Our take is straightforward: *Last Save Dave* is a worthy distraction, not a replacement. The core loop, die, learn, re-spawn, is a video game fantasy that *Dungeon Crawler Carl* handles with more systemic cruelty and a grudge against the universe. Carl has bare feet and a cat; Dave has a save point and a child god. Both are underdogs, but Carl is fighting a system that hates him personally, while Dave is playing a tournament with a reset button. The tone is similar, comedy with teeth, but the stakes in *Dungeon Crawler Carl* feel heavier because the dungeon doesn't let you undo your mistakes. The comparison is flattering, but it also highlights why our series is the one getting the Peacock treatment.
The concrete takeaway for you, crawler, is this: if you finish *Last Save Dave Book 3* on December 9th and want more, you will have to wait. The series has no announced end, and the third book just came out. Meanwhile, the *Dungeon Crawler Carl* TV timer is ticking, the physical loot is in your hands, and the comic giveaways are still breaking records. You can have both, but one of them is a known quantity with a massive audience and a showrunner who has already seen the dailies. The other is a very fun power-up. Choose your save slot accordingly.
Source: Collider, "This Underrated LitRPG Is Perfect for Dungeon Crawler Carl Fans, and It's Basically Super Mario", 2025. [Link] Status: Reported