Each and every day new mobile games are hitting the App Store, and so each week we put together a big old list of all the best new releases of the past seven days. Back in the day the App Store would showcase the same games for a week, and then refresh those features each Thursday. Because of that developers got into the habit of releasing their games throughout Wednesday or very early Thursday in order to hopefully get one of those coveted features spots. Nowadays the App Store refreshes constantly, so the need for everyone to release all on the same day has diminished. Still, we’ve kept our weekly Wednesday night format as for years that’s the time people knew to check TouchArcade for the list of new games. And so without further ado please check out the full list of this week’s new games below, and let us know in the comments section which games you’ll be picking up!
Dumb Ways to Die 4 delivers even more of what you love: exciting and challenging minigames, new areas to explore, all your favorite Beans to rescue – and much, much more!
Challenge your friends and family to see who can survive the longest and become the ultimate champion of Dumb Ways to Die! Collect coins to purchase upgrades and unlock new areas and score sweet prizes as you try to survive! Are you Bean-enough for the job?
Family Bash tells the timeless story of the Family – the one we love, cherish, insult and despise. You arrive in the village hall of a small French town out in the sticks in Normandy to celebrate your grandfather’s birthday: he’s 90 years old, still “all there” and is the living memory of your family. Just as the party is shaping up to be fun, you find yourself at the centre of an intergenerational conflict with unforeseeable consequences. You begin to uncover the dark secrets and ulterior motives of the various members of your family. In Family Bash, a seemingly insignificant choice can change the relationships between your family members forever. So explore your surroundings and make choices, talk to your cousins, confront your uncle and find out about that mysterious will – for better or for worse.
After witnessing the gruesome deaths of her parents, a peculiar young girl named Fran is imprisoned in Oswald Asylum. To survive the asylum’s cruel experiments, Fran self-medicates, giving her the ability to see a sinister alternate world, the Ultrareality.
Follow Fran on her epic journey through the Ultrareality to uncover who killed her parents, reunite with her missing cat Mr. Midnight, and return home to Aunt Grace, her only living relative.
JABBERWORDY is a fun word game where you unscramble tiles into words using tile colors that hint at proper placement. Super easy to learn. A must-have for anyone who loves word puzzle games! Word puzzles come in 40 different shapes & sizes! Play puzzles à la carte, or enjoy the PAR COURSE CHALLENGE released daily & weekly – a set of 9 or 18 puzzles presented as a group where you try to beat “PAR” for the course! Have competitions by sharing completed scorecards with your friends, or just relax and play by yourself. Great fun, and highly addictive!
Master the art of flying. Dive off mountains, weave across forests and glide over rivers to unlock new abilities as you explore a vast, peaceful world.
Use the ancient power of the Windfolk’s enchanted capes to hone your skills, take on challenges and fly through obstacle courses that will make your heart soar. Explore an expansive island in this open-world adventure inspired by wingsuit flying.
In LEGO® Bricktales, discover an innovative brick-by-brick building mechanic to design puzzle solutions from your own imagination. See your creations brought to life in a beautiful LEGO world where every problem has a constructive resolution.
Lovecraft’s Mythos Run is a free to play pixel art 2D action endless runner based on the Lovecraft’s Untold Stories roguelike. Get money, buy items and unlock characters.
LLC Blini Games have developed Lovecraft’s Mythos Run, an entertaining free to play 2D action endless runner with pixel art graphics based on their original and successful roguelike multiplatform game, Lovecraft’s Untold Stories, released in 2019 for PC, console and mobile platforms.
You are tasked with slaying the Balrog deep within the Mines of Moria. A translation of Robert Alan Koeneke’s (1957-2022) Moria into a touchscreen first experience.
Choose one of six playable classes with a randomly selected race. New players are recommended to play as a Warrior.
Mouse Trap is back with a snap! It’s the chaotic board game you remember, on your mobile! Join your friends and race to collect the most cheese.
Are you ready? Welcome to the cheese board of your dreams. Choose your mouse, and your outfit, and GO! Strategise as you play. PICK-UP cheese, STEAL cheese, HOARD cheese, and WIN with the MOST cheese! When your friends get too bold, trigger the action contraption and watch the famous chain reaction unfold. Will it work? Hold your breath and feel the tension!
Get ready to fly high and do crazy tricks with Super Fishbird! Take control of bird and keep your fishy friend out of water for as long as possible.
It’s not just about knocking around a fish though – it’s about doing it with style! Pull off flips, tail stalls, fin shakes, faceplants and other acrobatic maneuvers to earn points. Then, compare your best scores with friends and others around the world!
Urban Cards is a deck-building roguelike where earning money is the key to staying afloat in an unfair world. Build businesses, hire workaholic employees and thieves to steal from the competition. Create the perfect deck and work your way to the top!
This is a satire-themed game with 3+ factions and playstyles to choose from.
Way back in September of 2021 The Pokemon Company announced their intentions of retiring the long-running and quite popular Pokemon TCG Online iPad app in favor of a completely revamped experience they called Pokemon TCG Live. With the original digital game being more than a decade old by that point it seemed like the time was right for a refresh, and it seemed like Pokemon TCG Live was poised to bring in a lot of new features while still maintaining the legacy of the physical card game that it was based on. It also helped that The Pokemon Company had built a way for players of the old game to transfer most of their key progress into the new game, as outlined here. Losing years of progress is not the best way to get a good start in a brand new game.
Early last year Pokemon TCG Livebegan soft-launching in select countries, and slowly rolled out into a full scale soft launch throughout the year. That means that many of us have already been playing this new game for quite some time now, which might make today’s news a little lackluster. The Pokemon Company is now ready to officially launch Pokemon TCG Live globally this coming June 8th, and on that day you’ll be able to play the brand new expansion Scarlet & Violet—Paldea Evolved in the game as well.
That’s not all, though. While typically new games will have pre-registration rewards for players leading up to a game’s launch, due to the weirdness of this being a game that’s already available to everybody, you can actually earn rewards for the global launch by simply logging into the game between today and June 6th. These rewards will be “special customization accessories, including a coin, card sleeves, and deck box” according to the press release.
This forthcoming official launch also means that time is up for Pokemon TCG Online, and that game will be removed from app stores on June 5th at 9am PDT, so start saying your goodbyes now and be sure to transfer your progress. Pokemon TCG Live can be downloaded on the iOS App Store, the Android Google Play Store, or on PC and Mac through the game’s website.
Ultra Blade($2.99) from Immortal Rogue and Blast Waves developer Kyle Barret hit iOS and Android this year. We featured it as our Game of the Week when it released and I included it in our best mobile games of 2023 (so far) feature. Read that here. If you’ve not played it yet, Ultra Blade has you taking on endless hordes of enemies with thousands of hero and blade combinations with unique abilities and looks. Today, a big free content update has gone live for the game. Watch the Ultra Blade short gameplay video below:
Today’s update brings in new weapons, items, relics, character slots, and a lot more. The update also brings in Multi drop chests, a new hero, 2 new challenge cores letting you speed up the game and increase enemy difficulty, faster level-ups, and also a fixed joystick control option. Ultra Blade is available now on the App Store for iOS here for $2.99. Check it out on Google Play for Android here. If you’ve not played Immortal Rogue from Kyle yet, read our original review here. The official website for Ultra Blade has some GIFs showcasing the animation and gameplay in motion as well. Check out our forum thread for Ultra Blade here. What do you think of Ultra Blade so far if you’ve played it?
The chances are good that if you associate SNK or the NEOGEO hardware with any genre, it’s fighting games. Or maybe Metal Slug. But let’s assume it’s fighting games. Why wouldn’t you, after all? Fatal Fury. Art of Fighting. World Heroes. The King of Fighters. Samurai Shodown. The Last Blade. Garou. I think a person could make the argument that no one was as prolific at turning out high-quality fighters than SNK in its prime, not even the likes of Capcom or Midway. But not every swing connects. Even the best sometimes strikes out. So let’s talk about Savage Reign($3.99), shall we?
It’s not as though SNK didn’t have its occasional miss, particularly early in the console’s life. What makes Savage Reign‘s shortcomings so interesting is that the game came out in 1995, well after SNK and its development partners had figured this whole fighting game thing out. It is improbable that a game of Savage Reign‘s quality should come out at the time that it did, but it most certainly did. The idea behind it was sound, at least. Add another weapon-based fighter to the SNK line-up, with a modern flavor to contrast with the medieval Japanese Samurai Shodown series. Add in a new gimmick in the form of a second tier fighters could battle from. Like Fatal Fury but with boomerangs and dodge balls.
Yes, I said dodge balls. The weapons most of the fighters in Savage Reign wield are… unconventional to say the least. And that’s appropriate, because the characters are pretty unusual themselves. There doesn’t seem to be much of a consistent theme here, and it hurts the game’s identity. A cyborg, a cheerleader, a clown, a martial artist, an old guy dressed like a beach bum, a cop whose top is way too tiny with some Zangief-like chest hair, and a few other oddities populate the game’s ten-character roster. Each of them has their own stage that fits their specific theme, but it’s really hard to figure out how any of this fits together. And sure, none of this affects how the game plays. But that lack of consistency makes this game sometimes feel like a plate of leftovers from other SNK fighters at times, and it has a hard time standing out among the many other options the NEOGEO had to offer.
I don’t want this to sound like a total disaster, though. Savage Reign isn’t a bad game, and if it were the only fighting game you had around, you could do a lot worse. It looks good, with plenty of details in the backgrounds and well-animated characters. It does that characteristic NEOGEO zooming, particularly when you start hopping around to the second tier of each stage. The gameplay is functional enough, playing a bit like the earlier Fatal Fury games thanks to all the lane-hopping shenanigans. The weapons are mainly projectiles but get incorporated into melee attacks in some fun ways, and some of the stage designs handle their second tier in a very unusual fashion.
The issue with Savage Reign is more that this is a very average fighter that lacks a proper focus. There are a lot of different pieces thrown in here from other games, but they don’t really mix well together and it ends up feeling like an odd hodge-podge as a result. So too does the roster of characters, and again it isn’t really in a good way. I think there’s certainly room in the genre for a bunch of wacky misfits, but this game feels like it’s trying a little too hard to check things off of some list of awesome ideas someone had. Does it matter? Well, yes. It’s trying so hard to be so many things, it never really drills deep on any of its ideas. It’s about as shallow a fighter as you could find at this stage of the NEOGEO’s life, more akin to the kinds of things that came before Fatal Fury found its footing.
With all of that said, I think we have to look at the current context in which we are viewing Savage Reign. This is a low-cost mobile port, one that you will probably be mostly playing in single-player. It’s likely you are using touch controls, though there is of course external controller support for those who want to take advantage of it. My assumption is also that anyone who has read this far into a review of the mobile version of Savage Reign is at least interested enough in NEOGEO to have played all of the more famous fighters from SNK. So let’s see how that measures up, then.
Unlike NEOGEO console owners back in the day, you won’t need to justify a $150 cartridge purchase or whatever here. The last boss isn’t nearly as nasty as the usual SNK boss, and the wacky spectacle of it all makes for some amusing single-player bouts. The lack of depth means you can get by without too many fancy combos, which makes it easier to play using the touch controls. And this is certainly one of the less-celebrated fighters from SNK, which means you might not have played the wheels off of it yet. With all of that taken into account, I suppose I can’t tell you to completely avoid this release. It’s only a few bucks, and I expect you can get that much fun out of it.
The usual Arcade Archives boilerplate. You get a robust list of extras and options, including additional modes and online leaderboards. The emulation is sound as a pound. Is a pound sound anymore? I don’t know. But the emulation is good, is what I’m trying to say. You can only play multiplayer if you have an extra controller, as there are no wifi or internet play options available. You probably know this already, because I say all of this every time. It hurts every single fighter in this line-up that multiplayer is such a difficult thing to get going, but it is what it is at this point.
Savage Reign is incredibly mediocre by the standards of SNK’s NEOGEO fighting game line-up, and as with other ACA NEOGEO fighting games the poor options for multiplayer make this one of the worse ways to experience it. But you might find something endearing in its quirky nature, and there aren’t many fighting games that let you beat someone into unconsciousness with a dodge ball. I sure wouldn’t make this a high-priority purchase, but there may just be a few bucks’ worth of button-bashing fun for some of you here.
The fractured Murdoch family is being torn apart by a multi-billion-dollar power struggle over the future of their embattled Fox News in the wake of Tucker Carlson’s ouster and the largest defamation settlement in media history.
Two of Rupert Murdoch’s children, Elisabeth and James, have privately told their dad the family should dump their prized news asset, RadarOnline.comhas exclusively learned.
Article continues below advertisement
Source: MEGA
Both Elisabeth and James — whose political beliefs are liberal — are said to be “embarrassed” by the thunderous $787 million settlement with Dominion after Fox News aired debunked election-fraud claims about the voting technology firm.
“Put simply, they don’t want to inherit a conservative media empire — and certainly not one mired in scandal,” said a well-placed source.
Article continues below advertisement
It is a dramatic shift in power among the Murdoch children who control the future of the family empire.
James, who sensationally resigned from the board of News Corp in August 2020 citing “disagreements” over editorial content, had long been considered the only dissenting voice in the children.
Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free.
Article continues below advertisement
Source: MEGA
But the move of his sister Elisabeth against Fox News is significant and indicates the internal tension amongst the brood has broiled since she was seen in a corporate box with dad Rupert and Lachlan at the Super Bowl earlier this year.
In a recent Vanity Fair profile about the inner workings of the family, it was claimed James is “horrified by Fox News and tells people the network’s embrace of climate denialism, white nationalism, and stolen election conspiracies is a menace to American democracy.”
Article continues below advertisement
Source: MEGA
MORE ON:
Rupert Murdoch
James is said to be blaming brother Lachlan, the executive chairman, and chief executive officer of Fox Corporation, for the dramas engulfing Fox News.
“It happened on Lachlan’s watch,” said a source.
To dump Fox News, the Murdoch family would either need to be in agreement, force their dad’s hand — or James would need to launch a coup and overthrow his brother Lachlan, with whom he no longer speaks.
Article continues below advertisement
To do that, outcast James would need to win the support of sisters Elisabeth and Prudence.
“James was considered a lone wolf until recently,” a source toldRadarOnline.com. “Elisabeth’s shifting position is a major win. Prudence remains the big unknown. Whether James’ push ever materializes remains to be seen. But make no mistake, the fact that a sale of Fox News — Rupert’s crown jewel — is even being discussed or has edged closer is momentous.”
RadarOnline.com has learned Rupert and Lachlan were locked in talks about staving off the suddenly rogue family members until late last week in Washington D.C.
Significantly, the pair did not leave the Beltway until last Thursday — 48 hours after they agreed to the eye-popping Dominion settlement.
Article continues below advertisement
Source: MEGA
Both had been in the area as they were expected to be called to testify in the Wilmington, Delaware, court which was scheduled to hear the case before it settled on Tuesday.
Rupert took his private jet back to Teterboro Airport on Thursday afternoon while Lachlan returned to Los Angeles.
Article continues below advertisement
Rupert and Lachlan, widely considered the heir apparent, is said to be in staunch agreement they should not offload Fox News, the insider added.
“Rupert has been telling people he had one last act left in him,” said the source.
“He wanted to build Fox News into an even bigger force than it is. A global conservative news network, pulling in his assets in the United Kingdom, and Australia. A worldwide Fox News,” the source said.
“He also wanted to combine his television and print assets into one. That was scuttled,” the insider added. “Now, for the first time, Rupert is now facing resistance at every turn — including from within his own family.”
Square Enix’s The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story() was a shockingly good time, but also one of the biggest surprises from the publisher in a long time. From its showing in the Japanese Nintendo Direct to getting confirmed for global release and finally hitting consoles and PC, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story has been quite a journey. Since launching, the FMV mystery-adventure game has gotten a few notable updates improving the overall interface and controls, but I always wondered how long it would take to hit mobile. Less than a year after debuting for $49.99, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story hit mobile a week ago for $19.99 bringing the complete experience to iOS and Android devices worldwide. Having played The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story on PS5, Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, PC, and Steam Deck before, I’m very impressed with most things about the iOS version.
For my review of The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story, I’m going to cover why this is my favorite FMV game of all time, how it plays on both iPad and iPhone, compare the different versions briefly to help you find what to buy, and also what needs fixing in potential updates. I’ve said this before, but The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story feels like the closest experience to an interactive version of a big budget Netflix drama.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story has you tackle multiple murders taking place over the span of a century in an FMV game, and its production values are superlative. It is unlike anything I had played before, and I still think about how the developers pulled this off during a pandemic as well. As an FMV game, you will spend most of the 14 or so hours runtime watching scenes play out, but the way the cast takes on different roles across different time periods across the story is fantastic.
As the name suggests, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story focuses on the Shijimas, and begins with you taking on the role of mystery novelist Haruka Kagami meeting them. The story deals with murders, betrayal, family heirlooms, curses, and more. On paper, I thought I’d get tired of the same cast throughout, but this is the best showcase of the actors’ talent with how they managed pulling off multiple roles and how it all fit perfectly into the overarching narrative and reason for this playing out. As a story-focused release, I’d recommend buying or trying this through the demo if you have a remote interest.
Barring watching the story progress through a video and making some decisions, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story has you putting together clues and mysteries to form your hypothesis as Haruka Kagami. This involves scrolling through a timeline grid and placing hexagonal pieces correctly. It isn’t very simple, but sometimes going through the motions of various options to find the solution you’ve already figured out might get tiring. This section plays out like a blend of a basic matching game as you find the correct patterns on the pieces. The solution phase comes after this where you use your hypothesis to try and get to the bottom of the problem.
As a smaller cast than I expected, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story does a lot with its talent. FMV games live and die by their acting and production for the videos, and I’m yet to see one deliver on immersion like The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story did since I played it last year. Barring Nanami Sakuraba who plays the protagonist Haruka, Mansaku Ikeuchi is easily my favorite of the cast. The original actors spoke in Japanese, but there is an optional English voice track. I was pleased to see the option, but the English dub here should’ve been better. I stuck to Japanese for my playthroughs across all platforms after testing out the English option for a few hours.
Hayashi Yuuki’s score for The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is amazing. The different versions of specific songs that play based on the era in-game are excellent. The entire soundtrack is great, and I’m glad Square Enix finally added it to streaming services worldwide when the mobile version of the game was released. The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story was a highlight of 2022 not just for its story and actors, but also its music which I continue listening to outside the game.
Visually, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story looks gorgeous. The encoding done for the videos isn’t perfect, but it looks great on my iPad Pro (2020) model almost all the time. There are some instances where I’d have preferred higher resolution videos though. As a game designed for 16:9 displays, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story does have black bars with artwork to fill up the screen depending on your device. There is seemingly no way to zoom in or change the artwork used in these parts. There is an option to change the quality of the 3D gameplay portions which apply to the hypotheses.
When it debuted on PC and consoles last year, I wasn’t a fan of the controls. The cursor movement was too slow even on PS5, and it just felt sluggish on Switch in parts. It was also a bit annoying to go through the Reasoning Phase with picking up hexagons and placing them on the grid. A post-launch patch dramatically improved how I felt about the controls, and I still hoped to see touch support added on Switch. It never arrived. On iPad and iPhone, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story plays great, but I wish it ran at a higher frame rate in these parts. Granted, I don’t have the newest devices, but I would’ve liked a performance mode for the Reasoning Phase at least. The controls during the actual FMV sequences are perfect on a touchscreen.
I was curious about how The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story would handle the install size on mobile given it is over 15GB even on Switch. On iOS, you need to download an additional 1.53GB in-game just to start the prologue after the initial App Store version is installed. Beyond that, the remaining chapters can be downloaded on demand when you reach them in-game or from the title screen. The total remaining download size is 13.68GB for the full game.
My issues with The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story on iOS specifically are the lack of iCloud save syncing, no controller support (minor issue), and some interface elements not being high resolution. Having 4K video support for the in-game FMV sequences is not feasible given the file size of those videos on PC and PS5, but Square Enix should’ve made sure the game’s interface looks crisp on all devices. Controller support isn’t needed, but I don’t get why they didn’t leave it in since this game is available on consoles with controller support already. The lack of iCloud sync is annoying. It would’ve been great to play this like watching something on Netflix by resuming across devices. I am pleased that The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story does not have online DRM for launching the game like Square Enix’s Voice of Cards trilogy on mobile.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story – PS5, Switch, Steam Deck, PC, and iOS compared
The best way to experience The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story right now is on a 4K display on PS5. it has the best visuals, DualSense features, and more. The PC version with the 4K DLC pack is a close second, but the PC version has no Steam Cloud support in its current state. Following those two, I’d go with a newer iPad as the best way to experience The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story on the go. It has great visuals and plays brilliantly. It isn’t as intuitive on a smaller screen so I would go iPad over iPhone unless you have an iPhone 14 Plus or similar sized screen. The Switch version has the slowest loading, some performance issues, and the lowest quality for the videos compared to other platforms. Steam Deck can offer a better experience thanks to 1080p videos downsampled on the system, but the screen isn’t as good as an OLED Switch or any recent iOS device I have access to.
My recommendations, assuming you have access to the systems, are PS5 if you don’t care about portability and iPad if you want the best portable experience. You can try out the free demo for The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story on PS5, PS4, Switch, or a Windows PC right now to get an idea of how it looks and controls on your platform of choice.
While I hope it gets a demo at some point on mobile like on other platforms, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a gem of an FMV game, and one of my favorite Square Enix games in over a decade. The story is fantastic and the actors were amazing across the board. All of this was elevated by its magnificent soundtrack. Having hit mobile with all updates included and controls well, The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story on iOS is the best portable version of the game. My favorite version is still the PS5 release, but I’m very pleased with how The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story turned out in its mobile debut. Hopefully the few issues I have can be sorted in updates.
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for May 1st, 2023. In today’s article, we’ve got a bit of news from our pal Mikhail before we wade into a voluminous pool of reviews done by myself and the aforementioned pal. After that, we have a few new releases to summarize, plus the usual lists of new and expiring sales. Quite a hefty fellow for a Monday, but that’s how it is some weeks. Let’s get to it!
News
All Aksys 2023 Update Showcase reveals many release dates
Over the weekend, Aksys Games had its newest livestream that had release dates, new information, and more revealed for the publisher’s upcoming slate for the near future. SwitchArcade readers know how much I enjoy the otome games they publish, but there’s more coming this year. While we didn’t get a release date for it, Experience Inc’s newest dungeon RPG titled, and I’m not joking, Mon-Yu: Defeat Monsters And Gain Strong Weapons And Armor. You May Be Defeated, But Don’t Give Up. Become Stronger. I Believe There Will Be A Day When The Heroes Defeat The Devil King is coming to the West this fall with a physical release planned for Switch.
The other games of note from the showcase which you can watch in its entirety above are otome visual novels Radiant Tale, coming July 27th and Norn9: Last Era, the fandisc, coming August 24th with a limited edition. The game I’m most excited for from Aksys is Jack Jeanne developed by Broccoli. I don’t care for the food, but Jack Jeanne has looked very interesting with its striking aesthetic and premise. Jack Jeanne is due on June 15th for Switch and the team showcased the limited edition on stream. I should probably pre-order it now. While not a new announcement, stay tuned for my review of Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo in the near future. -Mikhail Madnani
Reviews & Mini-Views
Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp ($59.99)
After all the delays and anguish, Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp is more or less exactly what it says on the tin. You’ve got remakes of the two Game Boy Advance games in the long-running series, done up in a WayForward style with a few extra bits and pieces here and there. If you’ve never played these games before and have any love in your heart for turn-based strategy, pick this up. You’ll have hours upon hours of fun making your way through the campaigns of each game and the extra challenges loaded in. If you have played them before, all you need to ask yourself is how much you feel like revisiting them.
Sure, the presentation is different. You’ll either like it better or worse, but I think that’s a subjective point. There are some new quality of life features and you can play online, albeit with some very limited options, but the meat of the games is the same as it ever was despite these differences. A more expanded online mode could have added a lot to the game, but you’re confined to one-on-one matches against friends here. It’s not nothing, of course. But a ranked mode where you could play against strangers would have been pretty neat for those who have already mastered the games.
So really, the package rests on the quality of the games it is remaking. Gee, that’s lucky. These games kind of rule. The series was a few games in by the time it hit the Game Boy Advance, which meant most of the fundamental kinks had been worked out. This presented some challenges a few games later, but for these two games it means you get really tight, well-designed strategy gameplay with a smooth difficulty curve and plenty of variety in how they lay out their stages. In this package you have to play through the first game to unlock the second, but the second game follows on so well that it feels natural. The single-player campaigns are a lot of fun and if they’re all you ever play, you’ll get your money’s worth. But you can also play multiplayer, and that’s a whole other avenue for fun.
I think many would like to see a new game in this series, but with how long the brand has been dormant I can understand Nintendo wanting to re-establish things before seeing where to go next. Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp is one of those remakes that maybe does too much in some ways while doing too little in others, but the quality of the original games shines through brightly. I have some mild issues with the visuals and technical performance, but what is great about these games, the tactical gameplay, can’t really be hindered by that kind of thing.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Teslagrad 2 ($19.99)
Some games just sort of nail their idea on the first go around, and Teslagrad was pretty close to doing just that. Was it a perfect game? No, only Tetris is. But it had a core idea, fun with magnetism, and ran all the way down the street with it. A very clever game. But games like that can be really tough to follow up. Mess with the idea too much and you might lose the magic. Don’t change enough and you get that feeling of being a lesser expansion pack. I can’t quite decide where Teslagrad 2 falls here. Sometimes it’s the former, sometimes it’s the latter, and sometimes it’s in that ideal zone in between. There are some new actions and abilities here that make for some new puzzle set-ups, but magnetism is still the name of the game. Attract or repel as necessary to reach your goals.
What I will say is that Teslagrad 2 has some performance issues on Switch. Sometimes the framerate gets inconsistent, and I ran into a few light hitches while playing. That makes me think that it might be best to check this game out on another platform if you have that option and aren’t married to the portable factor. Beyond that, this game is fine. Not great, and not as fresh as the first game, but it’s fine. If you liked Teslagrad, this is a new story with similar mechanics and a whole new set of puzzles to solve. If you didn’t like Teslagrad, I don’t think this will change your mind. And if you haven’t played Teslagrad, I think I’d recommend the first game over this one.
Teslagrad 2 does justice to the well-liked original with a sharp presentation, some new mechanics to master, and more magnetic physics-based riddles to solve. It suffers somewhat from feeling a little too familiar at times, and it can’t quite escape the long shadow of the first game. The game also suffers from some technical drawbacks in this Switch version, and although none of it is really enough to spoil the game, I would still recommend playing it on a different platform if you can. Overall, an okay port of a pretty good game, but not one I’d recommend with the same vigor I would have for the first.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Labyrinth of Zangetsu ($29.99)
I’m going to refer to a Nintendo DS game named The Dark Spire here for a quick second. It was a dungeon RPG with a very distinct art style whose gameplay leaned really hard into its Wizardry influences, and some felt it did so to a fault. It wasn’t well-received at the time of its release, and it sold so poorly that I was able to grab a brand new copy from a local game store mere months after its release for a whopping $2.99 Canadian. That game now goes for over a hundred US dollars second-hand, and the reason why is because the game’s main fault was being extremely difficult in a period intolerant of such things. Attitudes shifted, and so did the appeal of the game.
I bring up The Dark Spire because Labyrinth of Zangetsu reminds me a lot of it. Mechanically, this game has Wizardry on its mind. Roll up your team of six, three in the front and three in back. Explore dungeons full of enemies, tricks, and traps. Head back to town to level up, manage your party, and divest yourself of some of the loot you’ve found. And woe be to you if some or all of your party falls in the dungeon. The price of bad luck or bad strategy is steep. And like The Dark Spire, Labyrinth of Zangetsu has a very distinct style to its visuals. Everything is made to look like a sumi-e ink painting, and it builds its narrative around that distinction. There’s no other dungeon RPG that looks quite like this.
Labyrinth of Zangetsu is an odd thing. It looks very distinct, but its gameplay couldn’t be more time-tested. It is so faithful to its source of inspiration that I would hesitate to recommend it to newcomers to the genre, but I think if you enjoy games like Etrian Odyssey or Stranger of Sword City, you should consider picking this one up. Not the longest or most unique of games, but Labyinth of Zangetsu was a surprisingly enjoyable time for me.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Magical Drop VI ($29.99)
Magical Drop fans who have been holding their breath worried about this being another Magical Drop V-style debacle, exhale: Magical Drop VI is fine. It plays very closely to Magical Drop III and it won’t let you down in the heat of the moment. It’s also positively stuffed to the gills with extra modes and features, which is a good and bad thing. There’s a lot to do here, and due to the way things are set up, you’re going to have to do most of it if you want to unlock everything. Even the characters are largely locked up. More casual players are unlikely to even get all of the modes unlocked, I suspect. The presentation also leaves a bit to be desired, trading the old pixel art for some visual novel-style animations that feel a little too stock. The World will never be the same.
Fans of Magical Drop will likely be satisfied with what Magical Drop VI offers, especially after what happened last time. That being said, I think more casual players can probably get their itch scratched more efficiently by grabbing the Arcade Archives release of Magical Drop III or popping in on the Super NES Switch Online app to play Magical Drop II. This is a good effort and it’s an impressive effort in many regards, but I can’t help but feel that in the attempt to add more things to do, the developers may have packed in too many things you have to do. Still, the core gameplay is done properly here, and that’s really what matters at the end of the day.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Disney Speedstorm ($29.99/$49.99/$69.99)
TouchArcade readers will be all too familiar with Gameloft, but the publisher has been also releasing games both free and paid on console and PC platforms over the years. After how successful Disney’s Dreamlight Valley was at giving players a new modern life simulation that seemed to blend in Animal Crossing and the world of Disney, the publisher is back with Disney Speedstorm as a take on the kart racing genre.
As with Disney’s Dreamlight Valley, Disney Speedstorm will eventually be a free to play game, but it is only available as a paid founder’s pack now in its early access release. These packs don’t seem too confusing on paper, but Gameloft’s onboarding is quite bad for how it handles in-game monetisation.
As a pure kart racer, I like Disney Speedstorm a lot. The references, gorgeous tracks, and sound design all come together to be the best I’ve played in the genre alongside Crash Team Racing‘s remake and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Granted the competition hasn’t been amazing, but the core gameplay is definitely strong in Disney Speedstorm.
Disney Speedstorm is currently available in three founder’s pack versions ranging from $29.99 to $69.99 offering varying amounts of in-game currencies, battle pass related things, and cosmetics. I didn’t actually use any of the in-game currency during my time with it. I wanted to see how much was available with the basic edition, and there isn’t much in terms of what each edition gets you for the multiplayer. This is very much an early access release, that ideally will have more through the year.
If you’re coming into Disney Speedstorm from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, you will miss the vast amount of characters and tracks for sure. I wouldn’t really compare them, but given Mario Kart 8 is the most popular kart racer on the planet, the comparison is inevitable. You’re also getting a downgrade to performance here, albeit with more complex visuals.
Even on Switch, Disney Speedstorm looks great. The resolution is much lower than the PC version I’ve been playing on Steam Deck, but I have no major complaints with the visuals. There seems to be some dynamic resolution at play that drops lower in multiplayer. If you were ok with how Crash Team Racing looks, this should be fine. Just don’t expect crisp Mario Kart 8 style visuals here.
Speaking of Steam Deck, I’ve been seamlessly moving from my Switch to Steam Deck and playing Disney Speedstorm. It uses a Gameloft account to sync progress over. Even the in-game unlocks and more carry over. I love it when games do this.
If you’re ok with paying up front to play a free to play game early with some in-game unlocks, it is worth grabbing Disney Speedstorm right now. The core gameplay is strong and I love the visuals for the tracks currently available. Even a lot of the songs are great.
Disney Speedstorm in its current state on Nintendo Switch is a great kart racer held back by confusing in-game monetization. I’ve enjoyed playing Disney Speedstorm online with friends and randoms on both platforms, but Gameloft needs to do a better job with how unlocks and progression works for those unfamiliar with free to play mobile games. There’s a lot of potential here and there’s definitely fun to be had even in the early access release, but I was hoping for more. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5 (Early Access)
A Light in the Dark ($19.99)
A Light in the Dark from Sekai Project and the creatives behind the excellent Rabi Ribi is one of the more interesting visual novels I’ve played. It is a shorter experience, but one of the rare stories that doesn’t feel like it is dragging on through each of the endings.
You play as someone who has been kidnapped, and the story deals with how life is unfair in a lot of ways. Things are rough for a lot of people, and they have to resort to anything to survive. A Light in the Dark deals with these themes and more. A more grounded story that can get dark. The characters feel real, and I was surprised at how different things can get depending on your choices.
When bringing A Light in the Dark to Switch, Japanese voice acting was added which is supposed to hit PC at some point in the future. The package is quite polished in its current state, but the shorter length may disappoint some.
I enjoyed my time with A Light in the Dark quite a bit on Nintendo Switch and hope to see more from the world. It is rare for visual novels to feel this grounded and real. Hopefully it gets a physical release in the future. –Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
New Releases
Terra Flame ($19.99)
Terarin is back with another cool shoot-em-up, this time a side-scrolling shooter inspired by the Thunder Force series. Swap between multiple weapons as you blast your way through eight amazing stages, or hop into the caravan mode and see how high of a score you can rack up within a time limit. There are online leaderboards, so score chasers will have lots of reasons to come back. I’ll have a review of this one soon.
Deathwish Enforcers. ($22.99)
From the maker of Battle Princess Madelyn comes this Sunset Riders-inspired homage to 1970s action movies. You’ve got barely-disguised versions of Dirty Harry, Charlie Bronson, Diana Riggs, and Cleopatra Jones in the playable roster, seven levels of wild set pieces, and support for up to four players via local multiplayer. Seems alright, but I do wonder if it’s okay to have a game with ‘Deathwish‘ in its name that also happens to star a Charlie Bronson-like named Chuck? Well, I’m sure it’s fine. As for the game itself? You don’t see a lot of Sunset Riders-like games. If that’s something you dig the idea of, it might be worth the punt.
Forever Lost: Episode 2 ($5.99)
Oh hey, that was pretty quick. So here’s the second episode of Glitch Games’ adventure game series, packed with fresh locations and puzzles to test your wits on. I found the port of the first episode had some technical issues, so let’s hope this one is held together a little better. I’m not sure if I’ll be reviewing this one or not, but I’ll likely just peek at it and see if it’s running better. I’m sure the rest of it is fine enough.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
The Golden Week sales keep rolling in. Today we’ve got a bunch from Square Enix, NIS America, 2K Games, ININ Games, and more. Plenty of good stuff, particularly if you have an affinity for role-playing games. And there are more sales to be found on the eShop, as this is the usual curated list. Not too much in the outbox, but make sure you give that a look as well.
Select New Games on Sale
Minabo: A Walk Through Life($13.49 from $14.99 until 5/5) Milky Way Prince: Vampire Star($4.49 from $14.99 until 5/6) Chippy&Noppo ($17.99 from $19.99 until 5/7) A Fox and His Robot ($41.99 from $59.99 until 5/7) Dream of Tiny Snow ($8.99 from $11.99 until 5/8) MONARK($32.99 from $59.99 until 5/8) TLoH: Trails from Zero ($31.99 from $39.99 until 5/8) Void Terrarium 2 ($35.99 from $39.99 until 5/8) NIS Classics 3: La Pucelle/Rhapsody ($29.99 from $39.99 until 5/8) Kamiwaza: Way of the Thief($29.99 from $39.99 until 5/8) Saviors of Sapphire Wings/Sword City ($29.99 from $49.99 until 5/8) Labyrinth of Gallera: TMS ($41.99 from $49.99 until 5/8) Tales from the Borderlands ($14.99 from $24.99 until 5/8) New Tales from the Borderlands ($19.99 from $39.99 until 5/8) Borderlands Legendary Collection ($9.99 from $49.99 until 5/8)
BioShock The Collection ($9.99 from $49.99 until 5/8) NBA 2K23 ($8.99 from $59.99 until 5/8) GTA The Trilogy Definitive ($29.99 from $59.99 until 5/8) Spelunker Party ($8.99 from $29.99 until 5/9) Tactics Ogre Reborn($32.99 from $49.99 until 5/9) Harvestella($29.99 from $59.99 until 5/9) Balan Wonderworld ($11.99 from $39.99 until 5/9) ActRaiser Renaissance ($17.99 from $29.99 until 5/9) Dungeon Encounters ($14.99 from $29.99 until 5/9) Voice of Cards: Isle Dragon Roars ($17.99 from $29.99 until 5/9) Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden($17.99 from $29.99 until 5/9) Voice of Cards: Beasts of Burden ($17.99 from $29.99 until 5/9) NEO The World Ends with You ($29.99 from $59.99 until 5/9) Final Fantasy VII ($7.99 from $15.99 until 5/9) Final Fantasy VIII Remastered($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/9)
Final Fantasy IX($10.49 from $20.99 until 5/9) Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster ($24.99 from $49.99 until 5/9) Final Fantasy XII TZA ($24.99 from $49.99 until 5/9) Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition ($11.99 from $29.99 until 5/9) Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory ($29.99 from $59.99 until 5/9) Kingdom Hearts Integrum Cloud Vers.($44.99 from $89.99 until 5/9) Collection of Mana ($19.99 from $39.99 until 5/9) Trials of Mana ($24.99 from $49.99 until 5/9) Legend of Mana ($14.99 from $29.99 until 5/9) The Diofield Chronicle ($29.99 from $59.99 until 5/9) Dragon Quest Treasures ($35.99 from $59.99 until 5/9) The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story ($24.99 from $49.99 until 5/9) Paranormasight: Seven Mysteries ($15.99 from $19.99 until 5/9) NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa ($29.99 from $39.99 until 5/9) Collection of SaGa FFL ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/9)
Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song ($21.24 from $24.99 until 5/9) Romancing SaGa 2 ($7.49 from $24.99 until 5/9) Romancing SaGa 3($8.69 from $28.99 until 5/9) SaGa Frontier Remastered ($14.99 from $24.99 until 5/9) SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions ($8.99 from $29.99 until 5/9) Various Daylife($19.13 from $28.99 until 5/9) The Future You’ve Been Dreaming Of ($8.99 from $17.99 until 5/11) Dariusburst CS Core/Taito/SEGA Pack($23.99 from $29.99 until 5/11) Nono Adventure ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/12) To The Moon ($8.39 from $11.99 until 5/12) Moncage($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/12) Finding Paradise($8.39 from $11.99 until 5/12) Super Shadow Break Showdown ($6.49 from $12.99 until 5/13) Cotton Reboot ($13.99 from $39.99 until 5/15) Cotton Fantasy ($17.99 from $39.99 until 5/15)
Panorama Cotton ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/15) Cotton 100% ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/15) Spelunker HD Deluxe ($7.49 from $24.99 until 5/15) Turrican Flashback ($11.99 from $29.99 until 5/15) Never Again ($2.79 from $13.99 until 5/15) Choice of Life Middle Ages 2 ($4.89 from $6.99 until 5/15) Gigapocalypse($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/19) Bridge Builder Adventure ($2.69 from $14.99 until 5/19) Build a Bridge ($2.69 from $14.99 until 5/19) Gematombe($11.99 from $14.99 until 5/19) Marsupilami Hoobadventure($10.19 from $29.99 until 5/19) The Smurfs Mission Vileaf($13.59 from $39.99 until 5/19) Car Factory Driver ($6.49 from $12.99 until 5/19) My Universe: Puppies & Kittens ($8.49 from $24.99 until 5/19)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 2nd
A Little Golf Journey ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/2) Aeterna Noctis ($17.99 from $29.99 until 5/2) Alien War ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/2) Blood Will Be Spilled($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/2) Blossom Tales II TMP($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/2) Bone’s Cafe ($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/2) BPM Bullets Per Minute ($17.49 from $24.99 until 5/2) Colsword($1.99 from $4.00 until 5/2) Cult of the Lamb: CE($19.49 from $29.99 until 5/2) Demon Turf ($14.99 from $24.99 until 5/2) Dragon Question ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/2) Feudal Alloy ($1.99 from $16.99 until 5/2)
In My Shadow ($6.60 from $12.00 until 5/2) Lil Gator Game($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/2) Mixolumia($7.50 from $15.00 until 5/2) Monument($1.99 from $7.00 until 5/2) Nature($1.99 from $2.99 until 5/2) Ori & the Blind Forest ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/2) Toby: The Secret Mine ($1.99 from $11.99 until 5/2) UNI($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/2) World Soccer Kid ($1.99 from $2.99 until 5/2) Zombie’s Cool ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/2)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new releases, more sales, more reviews, and maybe even some news. I have a dentist appointment in the morning, but I’m sure I’ll be back with plenty of time to write up the article. I hope you all have a great Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!
Hello everyone, and welcome to the week! It’s time once again for our look back at the noteworthy updates of the last seven days. There are a few updates coming at some point this week for those Marvel games to celebrate Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s theatrical release, but they are not here when I am writing this. Well, next week. For now, we have a nice selection of titles to look at. Of course, you can keep an eye out for updates yourself by participating in the TouchArcade forums. This weekly summary is just here to fill you in on the things you might have missed. Let’s go for it!
Okay, hear me out: this is the winner of the coveted UMMSotW award for this week. I am a fan of Bacon – The Game. I think it’s fun and hilarious. And this update is a big one, as it adds the Bacon Studio to the game. It offers a new level daily, allows you to customize your bacon and hand, and even make your own levels. That’s a rather substantial addition to an already meaty game. Ha, meaty! Quite the jest, Shaun. Alright, moving along.
Tiny Tower keeps on rolling the dice to see if it can come up with ways to add extra hooks to the game. The latest is the new Dice Event, where you can throw some dice and win some prizes. There are also new Daily Deals, including a free one you can nab each day. That’s about it for this update, though I’m sure the next fun event is right around the corner.
Jetpack Joyride is pretty reliable about keeping the event churn churning, and I think that’s great for all of its dedicated players. At the same time, it ends up bringing back certain events so often that I wonder if those same dedicated players are even all that excited to see them roll in again. Like this one, for example. It’s just another run of the Zappy Bird event, where you have to carefully guide the Profit Bird through the zappers to earn rewards. Well, at least it’s an amusing one.
They’re calling this the Fabulous Farming Update, so let’s see how fabulous it is. You can visit Marty to get some new animals for your farm, including alpacas, ducks, and somewhat surprising in their lack of presence up until now, pigs. I mean, that’s like the third animal you would figure would be on a farm. You can build new structures, upgrade your farm, and even guide your animals through pregnancy. The miracle of life, people. You can’t argue with that.
Alright, this update is being included this article for another reason aside from the game. Cooking Mama: Cuisine has a Mother’s Day event going on with a special limited-time ingredient you can use to create some new dishes. I am including it in this article to remind all of the readers in North America, Australia, several European countries, and frankly many other places that Mother’s Day is coming up very soon! Like, not next Sunday but the Sunday after. But maybe next Sunday, depending on where you live! Just… heads-up, okay? Moms bust their butts for y’all, at least send her some flowers or give her a call or something. Thank you, that is all. On with the silly video games.
Ah, this is a cute little puzzler, isn’t it? The latest update for this game adds new Daily Shikaku puzzles to play. You can’t use hints for them, but if you can solve them you’ll unlock Shikaku Reward Hoops, which are presumably things you’ll want. There’s also a new Mythical Creatures category, so you can look forward to stitching some… you know, some mythical creatures. I probably should have planned that sentence better, but my delete key remains broken. Other than that, we’ve got some new achievements and a few accessibility improvements.
Cult of the Lamb has been back in the news of late thanks to its recent update, and what we’ve got here is a little thing that Fork Parker likes to call synergy. The latest additions to Devolver Tumble Time are none other than the blessed Lamb and two of its followers. Unlock them and see what kind of special Cult of the Lamb-like abilities they bring to the game. Probably weird stuff. Lots of weird stuff in that game. Sacrificial stuff. Burny stuff. Meat stuff. I will not elaborate. Go play it if you’re curious. And I guess play this too. How’s that, Fork? Do I get my Ferrari?
Fourteen years old. That’s how old that song from Plants vs Zombies is. It’s in junior high school now. How about that? High school soon, really. Anyway, this update is running with a beach theme because apparently summer isn’t coming soon enough for these folks. There are new Ducky Tube Zombies, and that’s pretty cute. Some items are now usable across all worlds, which the developer has said will allow greater design flexibility. Sure, that sounds okay. Not sure I’m ready for summer yet, but I suppose it’s inevitable.
Do not be alarmed, I did not forget the obligatory free-to-play matching puzzle game update of the week. It is here, and it is Toon Blast. It offers fifty new levels to play, as per usual. The title of the episode is Final Hurdle, and it’s a sports-themed thing. Really? It’s the first day of May! We’re not done with spring yet! It’s the height of spring! Enjoy the mild weather before the nasty heat and humidity arrives. Smell those flowers. Sneeze those boogers, if you have allergies. Carp diem! SEIZE THE CARP! Actually I think that means ‘carp the day’. Oh well. Just slow that summer roll, people.
Ah, let’s go in for some nostalgia. Star Traders: Frontiers is still updating, people. The Trese Brothers do not fool around. This update mostly involves some UI improvements, balance adjustments, and bug fixes, but I just wanted to include it in here to remind folks that this game is still around and still rocks. I can’t think of a better way to finish things off this week, so we’ll leave it here.
That about wraps it up for last week’s significant updates. I’m sure I’ve missed some, though, so please feel free to comment below and let everyone know if you think something should be mentioned. As usual, major updates will likely get their own news stories throughout this week, and I’ll be back next Monday to summarize and fill in the blanks. Have a great week!
It’s that time of the month again, friends. It’s time for the new season of Marvel Snap(Free), and given what else is going on in the world of Marvel this week you can probably guess what the theme will be. I mean, the headline also gives it away so I’m not sure what I’m trying to do here. It’s Guardians of the Galaxy, because there’s that new movie out and all. Let’s check out the details of Guardians Greatest Hits, the latest season of Marvel Snap.
Okay, so normally I try to summarize things in enough detail that you don’t need to watch the video from the official Marvel Snap channel, but I’m going to say this before we go any further: watch that video. Ben Brode is rocking a wild mullet, fingerless gloves, and a jean jacket. Just… go watch it. This man goes to eleven for you. I think he is a genuine treasure, and this presentation might be his funniest yet.
Anyway, this is a Guardians of the Galaxy season, and since we already have all of the main Guardians on board, you might be wondering what the developers are going to do for new cards. I mean, Nebula is right there of course. And no surprise, she’s the Season Pass spotlight this time. She’s a 1-Cost 1-Power card with the special ability of gaining +2 Power for every turn the opposing player doesn’t play a card in her location. Lots of neat ways to fit her into a deck, and I’ll be interested to see them.
There’s also Iron Lad, a 4-Cost 6-Power card who will copy the text of the top card in your deck, no matter who that may be. But how to know what your top card is? Enter Howard the Duck, a 1-Cost 2-Power card you can tap to see the top card in your deck. Well, those two go nicely together. Then we’ve got the High Evolutionary, a 4-Cost 7-Power card who will bring out new abilities in cards that do not currently have them. I foresee him having a nice home in many a Patriot deck. Finally, we have The Living Tribunal. A 6-Cost 4-Power card, its ability takes your total Power at the end of the game and splits it evenly among all three locations. That… could be something.
Of course, there are some new locations too. Deep Space disables all card text, which might make it a useful dumping ground for cards with negative effects. The Milano only allows you to play cards there on the fifth turn. Hmm. Well, we’ll see how all that goes soon enough I suppose. Throw in some of those fancy variants and that’s looking to be the lot.
The Guardians Greatest Hits season kicks off later today, so you’d best start dreaming up how you’re going to deal with those new cards and locations. Our May deck building guide will be arriving shortly to give you a hand with all of that, so keep your eyes peeled. And really and truly, go watch that video.
This is sort of a weird position to be in with a Game of the Week. I’m enjoying the heck out of this week’s pick and want to recommend it, but at the same time it has some issues that definitely stand out. Also weird, and possibly a first for this column, is that this week’s pick is technically still an Early Access release, which is common on PC but out of the ordinary on mobile. So in that context some of the issues I have with it can be forgiven, since this isn’t even the final finished version of this game. But at the same time, the world of mobile moves so fast are mobile players really going to wait around to see what the final finished version is all about, whenever that day comes?
The whole situation is… complicated, but forget all that because Peglin from Red Nexus Games is enough fun that I just don’t care. Peglin, in simplified terms, is what would happen if Peggle had a baby with a roguelike dungeon crawler, and it’s very much as awesome as that sounds on paper. The game has been in Early Access on PC for a year, and not too long ago some no-good rascal released an unauthorized mobile version on iOS. It was taken down eventually, but due to that incident and to the frequent requests from PC players, Red Nexus decided to focus on porting the Early Access PC version to mobile now rather than wait for the 1.0 release, and thus we have Peglin on iOS and Android this week.
So it’s pretty understandable that we’ve ended up with a not quite “finished” version of Peglin on mobile, and really it feels like the 0.9x version that’s here is a huge step in the right direction in moving towards that version 1.0 release. The core elemnents here are excellent. Levels are fun, battles are surprisingly strategic while still being extremely luck-based, the assortment of weapons and items is unique. All we really need is to see all that fleshed out and polished up a bit. More levels, more enemies, more classes, more weapons. Perhaps some more long-term unlocks or progression systems to keep us coming back, as well as some cool stat-tracking so we can compare and contrast runs with our friends. Stuff like that.
Shortly after the mobile release, for both PC and mobile versions of the game, an update with 2 new classes arrived–the Balladin and the Roundrel–as well as a new boss and a whole boatload of bug fixes. This is important because with that new framework implemented it should be much easier to add new classes down the line, and like I said it feels like going forward Peglin will improve and grow at a much quicker pace than before. However, in the meantime the game can definitely feel a bit one-note despite being a lot of fun. If you’re used to playing something like Vampire Survivors and being showered with unlocks and progressions loops this will feel a bit lacking in those departments.
That said, there is something rather pure about Peglin’s no nonsense “run-and-done” format, and as I keep reiterating, the gameplay itself is super fun. There’s a very strong “one more go” element here, and there are few things more satisfying than getting your butt whooped only to turn things around with some sort of miraculous ping-pong Hail Mary shot that somehow racks up enough damage to turn the tide of battle. Like I said, the core here is strong, but some minor tweaks and additions could really make this a full-blown showstopper. Peglin is free to try with a one-time IAP to unlock the rest of the game, and I definitely recommend at least checking out the free portion to see how you jive with this crazy mashup for yourself.
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 28th, 2023. In today’s article, we mop up the remaining releases of the week. There are quite a few, as is seemingly the norm for Fridays of late. After that, we have a very healthy batch of sales to check out. And that’s pretty much the lot for today, friends. Let’s get to it and wrap up our week!
New Releases
Nuclear Blaze ($14.99)
This game’s claim to fame is that one of the people behind Dead Cells is behind it. It’s a game where you’re a firefighter sent into the mother of all blazes that has started at a secret military facility. You have to combat the fire, look for survivors, and maybe even figure out what caused it while you’re at it. There are a few different modes to play just in case you want a lighter or zestier challenge. I’ll have a review of this one soon in case you need more to go on.
Dormitory Love ($34.99)
Visual novel time! Six handsome hunks to romance, and as you can guess it’s a dormitory theme. The heroine is a dorm manager to a group of international students, allowing a wide array of looks and personalities for the eligible bachelors. It’s a fairly bland premise as these things go, but maybe you are in the mood for something a little plainer than the usual fare.
Skinny & Franko: Fists of Violence ($18.99)
So this is apparently the sequel to a 1994 Amiga game that was fairly popular in its home country of Poland? Well, that’s what the internet tells me. It’s a side-scrolling beat-em-up with eight stages, lots of weapons to use, plenty of enemies to fight, and even a couple of minigames that change up the gameplay. Okay, now I believe it’s the sequel to an Amiga game. Play alone or pull in a friend for some local co-op multiplayer. I’m sure some people reading this are very excited.
Varney Lake ($9.99)
Hey, is that Morbius? Oh, it is a vampire. Well, maybe he’s a friend of Morbius. Anyway, this game is a follow-up to Mothmen 1966, so it’s another horror-tinged adventure game with a cool pulp vibe. Suffice it to say, if you enjoyed that game then you’ll want to pick up this one. And if you didn’t? Well, you can probably do the math. But vampires!
Chernobyl: Origins ($14.99)
An adventure game set in what I think is a fictionalized alternate take on the Chernobyl disaster. You play as a scientist who is trying to escape the facility, and based on your choices you’ll end up at one of three endings. There are some puzzles to solve and some decisions to make as you make your way through the game’s six chapters.
The Companion ($19.99)
Play as a fox spirit and explore several different locations, searching for items that will supposedly help you solve some puzzles. There seem to be a rather large number of 3D exploratory games where you play as a fox. I guess this is some kind of subgenre that I hadn’t noticed forming. At any rate, here’s one more. It’s Red Deer Games so expect some very regular discounts from here on out.
Fran Bow ($19.99)
Oh, I’ve heard about this one before via its computer release. It’s a point-and-click style adventure game with a really sharp art style. There are seventy locations to explore, tons of strange characters to meet, and lots of puzzles to solve. The whole thing is wrapped in a dry sense of humor, so don’t expect it to be too grim. While critic reviews for the computer version were a bit hot-and-cold, the reception from players seems to have been a lot warmer. I suspect it will find an equally sunny reception on Switch.
Gematombe ($14.99)
Here’s a competitive puzzle game where you need to launch a ball from the bottom of the screen at the gems at the top. Hit gems of the same color consecutively to rack up combos and attack your opponent. There’s a story mode with six different characters to play as, plus some extra modes to have fun with. Of course, you can also play against another human via local multiplayer. No online play, unfortunately. I’m into games like this, so I’ll be checking into it to see how it fares.
Super Alloy Ranger ($14.99)
Oh hey, a rare case of a game that directly name drops its references in the eShop description. Mega Man and Metal Slug, in this case. So yes, that’s probably enough to let you know about the basic outline here. Run and gun action platformer, colorful graphics, and lots of interesting locations to battle enemies in. Oh, and some big bosses for good measure. It seems to have a fine reputation over on Steam, so I imagine fans of this type of game will want to give it a proper look.
100animalease ($6.99)
An odd little adventure game where you play as a girl who is trying to escape from a mysterious facility. The only way she can do so is by befriending one hundred different animals and using their unique skills to solve various puzzles. Doesn’t look like the fanciest of productions, but it might be decent enough to kill a quiet evening with.
Minabo – A Walk Through Life ($14.99)
An odd simulation game where you raise a turnip character through its life from sprouting to the very end. No two lives will go the same way, with various interactions and events happening as you play. At the end of each turnip’s life, you’ll get a nice little summary of how things went. Certainly an unusual little experience, if that’s what you’re after today.
Dig Deep ($4.99)
QubicGames has a handful of releases today, and at least a couple of them give off some… well, not-so-high-effort vibes. It’s pretty much an idle digging game, and it looks like it crawled out of the basement of the App Store. You can play with a friend if you want to, or just not play at all. Idle games are like that.
AMAZE! ($3.99)
A really simple game where you need to paint all the squares of the maze by rolling over them. It offers up hundreds of levels in its base package, with more available via extra purchases. I don’t really have much more to say about this one. It seems like something you would download for free on your phone and then delete the next day.
LOUD: My Road to Fame ($7.99)
This is a rerelease of LOUD, the decent little rhythm game I reviewed last summer. It has more songs, and it also has some DLC. If you bought the original game you should see a very sharp discount on this one, and if you didn’t then this offers more game for less money. I’m not sure why they didn’t just update the old game, but I’m sure they had their reasons.
Chef ($9.99)
Aw heck, it’s Sabec. And with the plainest-butt take on a time management cooking game you could possibly imagine. Nothing to say about this. There are a dozen or two games exactly like it on the eShop and there is zero reason to pay ten bucks for this one.
Galaxy Revo: Remake ($0.99)
Look, I know this is only a dollar. But I have to believe you can find a few more coins in the sofa cushions to get one of the literal dozens upon dozens of significantly superior shoot-em-ups the Switch has to offer. Do what you must, of course.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
And that’s a bunch more sales today. Some highlights from the lot are The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe, Transiruby, and Onion Assault, but it’s best if you have a look through the list yourself just to be sure. The outbox is pretty small this time, so feel free to spend your hard-earned cash on those new sales instead.
Select New Games on Sale
Chasm($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/4) The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe ($12.49 from $24.99 until 5/5) Don’t Starve Together($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/5) Don’t Starve ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/5) Griftlands($10.99 from $19.99 until 5/5) Invisible Inc ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/5) Mark of the Ninja ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/5) Dungeons of Dreadrock ($2.49 from $10.00 until 5/7) Sword Art Online Alicization Lycoris DE ($62.99 from $89.99 until 5/8) Digimon World Next Order ($41.99 from $59.99 until 5/8) Ace Angler Fishing Spirits ($27.99 from $39.99 until 5/8) Super Dragon Ball Heroes WM ($8.98 from $59.99 until 5/8) Dragon Ball FighterZ ($8.99 from $59.99 until 5/8) Dragon Ball The Breakers ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/8) God Eater 3($8.99 from $59.99 until 5/8)
Doraemon Story of Seasons: FotGK ($34.99 from $49.99 until 5/8) Namco Museum Archives Vol 1($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/8) Disney Magical World 2 EE ($19.99 from $49.99 until 5/8) .hack//G.U. Last Recode($19.99 from $49.99 until 5/8) The Wreck ($15.99 from $19.99 until 5/9) Cytus Alpha ($24.99 from $49.99 until 5/11) VOEZ($12.50 from $25.00 until 5/11) Lode Runner Legacy($5.99 from $11.99 until 5/11) Ambition of the Slimes ($2.50 from $5.00 until 5/11) Slime Tactics($4.99 form $9.99 until 5/11) Dark Witch Music Episode Rudymical ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/11) Ninja Striker($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/11) Fairune Collection ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/11) Witch & Hero($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/11) Witch & Hero 2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/11) SubaraCity($2.50 from $5.00 until 5/11)
Pixel Game Maker Series Cat & Tower ($3.99 from $4.99 until 5/11) Pixel Game Maker Series Loplight ($3.99 from $4.99 until 5/11) Alchemic Dungeons DX($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/11) Super Metboy! ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/11) Kamiko($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/11) Transiruby($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/11) DEEMO($14.99 from $29.99 until 5/11) Light Tracer ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/11) Shirone the Dragon Girl($11.99 from $14.99 until 5/11) Dead or School ($8.99 from $29.99 until 5/11) Smilemo($7.99 from $9.99 until 5/12) Neko Navy Daydream Edition ($8.70 from $12.99 until 5/12) KURSK($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/12) Flashout 3($14.99 from $19.99 until 5/12) A Maiden Astrologer Divines the Future ($4.35 from $8.70 until 5/12)
Ten Dates ($13.59 from $15.99 until 5/12) Virtual Maid Streamer Ramie ($4.90 from $7.01 until 5/12) Hopping Girl Kohane Jumping Kingdom ($3.99 from $19.99 until 5/12) Eternal Radiance($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/18) Demon Hunter: New Chapter ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/18) Gibbon: Beyond the Trees ($5.09 from $14.99 until 5/18) A Place for the Unwilling ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/18) The Legend of Dark Witch ($3.49 from $6.99 until 5/18) Brave Dungeon + Dark Witch Story ($4.49 from $8.99 until 5/18) Kwaidan Azuma Manor Story($4.99 from $24.99 until 5/18) Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection ($31.99 from $39.99 until 5/18) Exitman Deluxe ($3.99 from $4.99 until 5/18) Onion Assault ($6.39 from $7.99 until 5/18) Dungeon Village ($7.00 from $14.00 until 5/18) Station Manager($8.40 from $14.00 until 5/18)
Hot Springs Story 2 ($8.40 from $14.00 until 5/18) Pool Slide Story ($7.00 from $14.00 until 5/18) Cafeteria Nipponica ($8.40 from $14.00 until 5/18) Sword of the Vagrant ($7.99 from $9.99 until 5/18) Gamedec Definitive Edition ($4.99 from $29.99 until 5/18) Murder on the Marine Express ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/18) Last Beat Enhanced ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/18) Cube Life: Island Survival ($11.24 from $14.99 until 5/18) Blocky Farm ($6.69 from $9.99 until 5/18) Crime Secrets: Crimson Lily ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/18) Ancient Islands($5.62 from $12.49 until 5/19)
Sales Ending This Weekend
APICO($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/29) Dorfromantik($13.49 from $14.99 until 4/29) Rytmos($10.00 from $15.00 until 4/29) Zodiakalik($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/29) BIT.TRIP Collection ($3.79 from $9.99 until 4/30) Gunman Clive HD Collection($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/30) Let’s Build a Zoo ($10.99 from $19.99 until 4/30) Mechstermination Force($2.15 from $11.99 until 4/30) Spy Bros. ($6.39 from $7.99 until 4/30) Super Punch Patrol($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/30) The Unexpected Quest ($4.50 from $15.00 until 4/30)
That’s all for today, this week, and this month, friends. We’ll be back next week with more new releases, more reviews, more sales, and perhaps a splash of news for good measure. I hope you all have a great weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!
Following Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden($12.99), a standalone sequel in Square Enix’s new trilogy of turn-based RPGs with a tabletop and card game aesthetic. Since Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden is similar to Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars in many ways including its iOS port issues, this review will be a bit different. I will focus on what sets Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden apart from the first game and why it is a great entry point. It remains my favorite game in the Voice of Cards trilogy, and I’ve had a lot of fun revisiting it on iPad and iPhone over the last few weeks.
Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden, like Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars, is a very straightforward turn-based RPG mechanically that is elevated by its tabletop and card game aesthetic. This entry is set on islands in an ocean with ancient spirits, and the structure sees you rotating some party members and visiting said islands. The narrative is definitely darker than the first game as well as you try and save one specific island from destruction. You also get more freedom than the first game here, though it takes a bit to open up.
Barring the setting, story, and music, Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden is pretty similar to the first game. There are some additions to combat, but nothing that will change your mind if you didn’t enjoy the first game of the prologue. One other notable aspect is the difficulty. The first Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars was quite easy, but Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden is more challenging. It isn’t too difficult, but it feels like it respects the player’s skill level more. While it was obviously in development before, it is good to see some player complaints get addressed in this second game.
If you’re completely new to the series and want to start with the best game, Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden is my favorite by far, but I would still recommend getting the free prologue to see how you feel about the port quality, controls, and aesthetic. Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars Chapter 0 Demo is available on iOS and Android for free. This is a demo and a prologue to the trilogy. Keep in mind that the high speed option that dramatically improved my feeling on the games is not present in this demo / Chapter 0 release.
Just like Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars, Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden has no controller support. I tried my DualSense and 8bitDo and also my Kishi V2. A controller isn’t the best way to play it anyway, but considering Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden has ports to PS4 and Nintendo Switch alongside controller support on PC, it should’ve been added for those who do want the option. Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden also unfortunately does not include iCloud save support.
Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden also includes optional paid DLC through in-app purchases. This DLC is similar to the first game, but the contents are different. The optional cosmetics and background music DLC here is themed around NieR: Automata so it includes a 2B avatar, Copied City board, Resistance Jukebox, and more with a pixel art set. I don’t think the DLC is worth it right now unless you already played Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden on another platform and are replaying it on mobile, in which case it might be a nice change.
Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden on my iPhone 11 and iPad Pro looks good, but it runs similar to the first game, which is not as smooth as the PC and PS4 versions. I hope Square Enix can address this for newer devices at least because modern mobile hardware should be able to do this and also not have load times that are this long just like the first game. The aesthetic still looks great, and Kimihiko Fujisaka’s art shines once again with the main and side characters. The use of color in particular is very good in this game compared to the The Isle Dragon Roars.
My main complaint with Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden is still the online check on launch. This is a paid premium game on iOS and there is no need to punish players with online DRM like this. I hope an update in the future can remove this.
While I like the story and structure of Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden a lot, the music is just sublime. I regularly listen to songs from the soundtrack I bought on iTunes while working, and it definitely is one of Square Enix’s better soundtracks. Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden also includes dual audio, and I’d recommend trying out both options for a bit if you aren’t sure what narration language to go with. There are subtitles so you can still play with Japanese voices if you prefer that.
I played Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden on PC, Steam Deck, iPhone, iPad, and Nintendo Switch (docked and handheld). As of this writing, my favorite ways to play it are iPad and Switch as long as you’re ok with the online check in the mobile version. Both of these versions don’t run as smoothly as the PS4 and PC versions, but iPad and Switch are a lot more convenient for a game like this compared to something like Steam Deck, especially with great touch controls.
As a tabletop or game book aesthetic, I’m going to keep playing games like this on a portable as long as the conversion is good. It is playable on everything it released on, but I’d go iPad over iPhone for sure here if you have the option. The lack of iCloud syncing makes this decision harder as you can’t play on both if you have them.
Despite it having the same port issues as the first game, Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden is a more-polished entry and my favorite in the Voice of Cards trilogy. I liked the structure and story a lot more, and the music is sublime. It is a shame that Square Enix has still not patched out the online DRM and added cloud save support to these releases. If you’re new to Voice of Cards, I’d recommend playing Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden above the other main games. I hope we see more like this series in the future from Square Enix.
Vampire Survivors(Free) is being adapted into a premium animated TV series by Story Kitchen and Poncle (via Deadline). This announcement is the first big bit of news after Vampire Survivors: Tides of Foscari, the second DLC expansion went live on PC, Xbox, and mobile platforms. Poncle founder Luca Galante will be partnering with Story Kitchen for this adaptation with the team looking for a writer currently and it being shopped to animated TV network buyers in the future according to the Deadline report. I’m interested to see how this plays out because the recent DLC trailer is amazing. There’s a lot of potential with the playable characters people have spent dozens of hours with over the last year on mobile, PC, and Xbox.
If you haven’t played Vampire Survivors yet, read my Steam Deck review of it here, DLC review here, and iOS review here. We featured it as our Game of the Week as well when it launched. You can get Vampire Survivors on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. Check out our forum thread here for more discussion and impressions around the game. What do you think of today’s announcement about it being adapted into a premium animated TV series?
Dead Cells() on PC has gotten its 34th big update bringing in new weapons, speedrun mode, additions to bosh rush, training room improvements, and more. This update follows the Return to Castlevania DLC release as the game’s first big update since, and I can’t wait for all of it to hit mobile hopefully soon. The mobile version recently got the Boss Rush Mode and the indie crossover update titled the Everyone is Here 2. Today’s Dead Cells Clean Cut update also lets you use the Return to Castlevania bosses in the training room. You can also change your head to Bobby with most outfits with the Clean Cut update. Check out the key art for the update below:
The full patch notes are here for PC. It will roll out on consoles soon, and as usual, there isn’t a time frame for mobile. Playdigious has been amazing with bringing over updates in a timely manner, and I expect this to follow in the near future after the Castlevania DLC hits. Until them, read my interview with Playdigious covering it and Streets of Rage 4here. You can buy Dead Cells on the App Store for iOS and on Google Play for Android for $8.99. If you’re unsure whether to grab it on mobile or Switch, read my comparison here. If you played the Dead CellsCastlevania DLC on PC or console, what did you think of it?
There were two games set to release on Apple Arcade today with Cornsweeper and Grand Mountain Adventure+(). The former has been delayed to ensure the final game meets the vision of the developer. App Store Great Grand Mountain Adventure+. Grand Mountain Adventure+ is out now on Apple Arcade. It is an open world skiing and snowboarding experience. The standalone game is available for free right now with a few in app purchases for expansions, skins, and more. The Apple Arcade version without any in app purchases is out here. Check out a screenshot from it below:
Stitch. brings in a daily Shikaku puzzle with the Mythical Creatures category today. Cooking Mama: Cuisine! celebrates Mother’s Day with new limited-time ingredients beginning today. Crayola Create and Play+ adds in the Cosmic Pizza activity today letting you bring in Spring with a new quest and also adding in Mother’s Day content. Rockstar Rouge joins Sonic Dash+ beginning today as well. SpongeBob: Patty Pursuit continues the Noir Story with Patrick looking for clues in Plankton’s lab taking him back to Bikini Bottom. 20 new levels, two new areas, and five new achievements arrive in Squiggle Drop with two new buildings and 20 building features added. Ballistic Baseball lets you compete with others with the Ballistic Bash challenge mode with today’s update that also brings in new rewards to the Career mode and three new Rising Star Athletes.
The final big update of the week is Wylde Flowers getting its farming system update letting players add animals to farms, upgrade farm systems through a propagation shed, and more. With the updates done, head over to our forum threads for Stitch.here, Cooking Mama: Cuisine!here, Crayola Create and Play+here, the original Sonic Dashhere, Sonic Dash+here, SpongeBob: Patty Pursuithere, Squiggle Drophere, Ballistic Baseballhere, and Wylde Flowershere. For all other Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of Apple’s releases this month?
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 27th, 2023. It’s another Thursday with well over twenty new releases, which frankly doesn’t seem all that tenable to me, but what do I know? I have summaries of all of those new games for you, plus the usual lists of new and expiring sales. That’s about it really, but I’m hoping it’s more than enough to give you some reading enjoyment today. Let’s get to it!
New Releases
Mugen Souls ($39.99)
Oh hey, Mugen Souls. This is a Compile Heart/Idea Factory RPG that originally came out back in 2012. I’m not sure why they’ve handed it off to eastasiasoft for this Switch version, but it doesn’t really matter much. It’s still the same old Mugen Souls, a game that developed a cult following thanks to its cute characters and mildly competent gameplay. This port includes all of the latest updates and extras, so it’s as good a way to play the game as any. There are lots of reviews and impressions for this game out there if you need more to go on.
Omega Strikers (Free)
This reminds me a lot of Windjammers for some reason. But it’s a three-on-three sport instead, and if you’re playing online each of those players will be human-controlled. Since it’s free-to-play you can check it out yourself to see how well you like it, so I won’t blather on much longer. Note that it does have in-game purchases. I mean, of course it does. But just a gentle reminder.
Mercenaries Lament: Requiem of the Silver Wolf ($19.99)
Oh hey, it’s a new Mercenaries game. You probably know how these work by now. It’s the Mr. Pibb version of Final Fantasy Tactics, the Final Fantasy Tactics we have at home. But it’s competently made and has the notable advantage over Final Fantasy Tactics of, you know, existing and getting new installments. So there’s that. This one has a whole new story, lots of battles, and a few additions to the gameplay that don’t really change the broad strokes of the whole thing. Buy it if you liked the last one and are still thirsty for more.
Bramble: The Mountain King ($29.99)
Well, this one looks rather interesting. It leans heavily into Nordic folklore and pulls no punches in terms of delivering these faery tales in their full, oft-dark glory. While it might look like an adventure game of sorts, it’s actually rather linear in nature and more focused on telling its story. That isn’t to say there isn’t a fair share of action to it, though. Indeed, the boss battles appear to be quite dramatic both in their scope and what they expect from the player. I’m not sure if this one is good or not yet, but I would say there is some serious potential here.
Picross S9 ($9.99)
This probably doesn’t need a big description or anything. There’s a new rewind feature so you can fix any goof-ups you make, but otherwise it’s just more Picross. A total of 485 new puzzles to play, to be exact. Hours upon hours of fun, but do you need another one? Did you finish all the puzzles in Picross S8? Picross S7? Well, I can’t really preach. I’m throwing this one on the pile too.
Arcade Archives Galaga ’88 ($7.99)
It’s pretty interesting to have this following up Cosmo Gang The Video‘s release last week, given that that game was something of an homage to this one. Anyway, Galaga ’88. Maybe you know it as Galaga ’90. It’s an updated version of Galaga with a lot of new elements, and it’s very fun as long as you don’t mind fixed-screen shooters. Hamster has done its usual fine work here, and all the extras and features you would expect are included.
Convenience Stories ($14.00)
Kairosoft is back, doing what Kairosoft does. It’s another simulation game, this time about running your own convenience store. Well, that’s a fun theme at least. The usual rules apply here. You can get this on your mobile device at a lower price, and it plays just as well there. So this version is really only if you want the game on your Switch in particular, which is a perfectly valid desire. Anyway, it checks off all the typical Kairosoft bullet points, which means it’s a pleasant way to pass a few days even if it’s not all that tough.
Ninja Smasher! ($7.99)
Ah, here’s an old favorite of mine. Perhaps you have played Ninja Striker; perhaps you have not. It was an arcade-style game built around trying to keep your ninja in the air as long as possible. Now imagine that idea, but placed into a Metroidvania formula. A wonderfully charming little game, and I’ll be picking it up for the third time with this release.
Invercity ($14.99)
Gosh, Flyhigh Works/Circle has a lot of stuff out today. Hopefully each of these games gets a chance to shine properly. This one is a puzzle-platformer where you can manipulate gravity to make progress. The protagonist can not only use a move that flips the stages, but she herself can do a handstand to make objects fall from the sky. Very cute, and while it’s not the first time we’ve seen this kind of thing in a puzzle-platformer before, it’s a very reliable set-up for some quality gameplay.
Fotress S ($24.99)
I think this is supposed to be Fortress S, but I write what the eShop says. Awkward since this seems to be the latest in the Fortress series that dates back to the 00s. This one has a story mode where you can collect twenty-nine different tanks, plus a battle mode where up to four players can fight at the same time and a version of the classic turn-based battle mode. The developer has also thrown in some minigames because, hey, why not? I’m not overly familiar with the series, but I imagine some readers will be. They’ll likely be happy to see a new one, typo in the title or otherwise.
Contraptions 2 ($6.99)
I guess that first one went over well enough, then. This is the second in what I suppose is now a series of physics-based puzzlers largely inspired by the likes of The Incredible Machine. Use the parts given to you to build the solution to the problem on each stage. That problem being the monsters infesting them, naturally. You get more than two hundred stages spread across five different worlds, plus a level creator. The fun is in that the puzzle solutions have a lot of flexibility to them, so you can find your own methods to reach the goal.
Velocity Noodle ($12.99)
Despite the odd title, this one is a regular side-scrolling platformer. It has more than sixty levels to play, and the whole thing is designed for speedrunning. You can find all kinds of shortcuts and tricks to exploit in each level, and you’re rewarded well for going as fast as you can. The title comes from the idea that you’re running your own noodle shop and are delivering noodles. That’s why it’s better to go faster, because there isn’t anyone on the planet that wouldn’t be happy with the supper they ordered coming quicker.
Ash of Gods: The Way ($24.99)
I can’t say I was the biggest of fans of the first Ash of Gods game, but there was enough potential there that I’m willing to give this follow-up a shot. It’s another turn-based strategy RPG, this time with a card element to it. Build your deck and make your choices to arrive at one of the game’s multiple endings. It looks good, but then again so did the first game. I guess we’ll have to see. I haven’t had a chance to dig into this one yet, but I’ll report back if it turns out to be really cool.
Spooky Spirit Shooting Gallery ($39.99)
This, as the title says, is a shooting gallery game. Up to three players via local multiplayer can join up for some spirit-blasting action in two different stages, or just chill out and play some minigames. It looks amusing enough, but I feel like the relatively high price is going to be the obstacle for most folks here. It just doesn’t feel like it’s offering enough, but perhaps I’m wrong.
44 Minutes in Nightmare ($7.00)
This, by contrast, seems like a lot of game for the price. It’s a roguelite horror game where everything gets all jumbled up again each time you play. The map, the items, the enemies, all of it. You’re trapped in a nightmare and need to find the girl trapped inside of it and get out. Just be careful of the monsters, because they’re constantly trying to hunt you down and they’re pretty good at it. For all the crummy horror games you see at or around this price point, this one actually seems to be pretty good. Give it a shot if this is your kind of thing.
Roomie Romance ($9.99)
Here’s a cute little yuri visual novel about a young woman who is starting a new job in the city. She falls in love with her new roommate, which is extra-awkward because that roommate is also her superior at work. Make your choices and see how the story turns out. It’s a Gamuzumi game, so you probably know what to expect if you’ve tried any of the Sakura games or their other visual novels.
Cyber Neon Bundle ($4.99)
This is a pair of small arcade-style action games with a neon theme. Cyberhunt is a twin-stick shooter, and Razortron 2000 is a top-down endless racer. Both decent enough little score chasers with a variety of things to unlock, so if you’re looking for some cheap fun today this might serve you well enough.
The Creepy Syndrome ($4.99)
An anthology of four little horror games with a pixel art theme. Each game is distinct from the other, so you get a variety of play styles here. The framing device involves a strange psychiatrist giving the main character a consultation, with each of the games serving as some sort of representation of buried trauma. Another one that might give you some decent bang for your buck.
Super Trunko Go ($9.99)
A top-down twin-stick shooter with a cartoonish look. You play as a space elephant named Super Trunko as he battles the forces of Lord Tusk. Get some extra weapons, smash up some crates, and do a little bit of platforming in six different biomes. Certainly an unusual premise, which might help it stand out in an otherwise crowded field.
Ship Graveyard Simulator ($12.99)
Speaking of interesting premises, here’s a game where you explore a ship graveyard and need to use your tools to break down all of the ships and make some money in the process. Search the ships for valuables and upgrade your gear to make your work more efficient. Just be careful, as there are a lot of ways to get hurt if you set foot in the wrong place. The problem here is that Ultimate Games handled the port, which means you can probably expect a clumsy UI and various other issues. If you can handle those, then this could be an amusing pick-up.
DobbyxEscape: Pirate Adventure ($3.99)
Here’s a family friendly room escape game about a boy who wants to be a pirate. He uses a magic wand and is able to go on an adventure with Blackbeard, who I presume is a slightly nicer fellow here than he probably was historically. You get six different locations to explore, some really cute art, and some puzzles anyone can enjoy solving. Quite reasonably priced, too.
EcoMahjong ($19.99)
A mahjong solitaire game with an ecological theme and more than one hundred levels to play. It even has a story of some kind, because I’m sure someone out there needs story context to enjoy some mahjong solitaire. At twenty bucks this seems to be a little on the pricier side of things, but maybe that’s just me. Could be that you feel differently. I’m just a weird internet guy, you have no obligation to listen to me.
Pixel Game Maker Series Ninja Otedama R ($4.99)
Here’s another quirky game for the list today. The idea in this one is that you have to juggle the enemy ninjas while making your way to the goal. Don’t let them drop! There are six different characters to play as, fifty stages to play, and support for up to four players via local multiplayer. If nothing else, I can say that I haven’t played a game exactly like this before.
Ultimate Shot – 3D Real Strike Shouter Counter FPS Simulator Games ($9.99)
This would be so much more interesting if it was, in fact, a shouter game. That would imply some kind of new idea. But no, this is the usual trash from the trash merchants at INSTAMARKETINGANDGAME. Just leave it in the bin where it belongs.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
There are a bunch of sales today that are likely a result of the Golden Week holidays in Japan, but there are a few others besides those. Ori for a fiver is a must if you don’t already have it. I’ll also point at Eschatos and Hazelnut Hex if you enjoy your shooters. The outbox is pretty hefty in its own right, but I’ll let you look through that on your own time.
Select New Games on Sale
Ori & the Blind Forest ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/2) Hazelnut Hex ($2.39 from $7.99 until 5/7) Ginnung($2.50 from $5.00 until 5/8) Mosaic Chronicles Deluxe ($1.99 from $12.99 until 5/9) Bunny Must Die! Chelsea & the 7 Devils ($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/10) Magic Scroll Tactics ($8.39 from $11.99 until 5/10) Vazial Saga XX ($23.80 from $34.00 until 5/10) VasterClaws 3 ($21.00 from $30.00 until 5/10) Flying Girl Striker ($10.50 from $15.00 until 5/10) ZombieVital DG ($10.01 from $14.30 until 5/10) Little Bit War ($9.59 from $13.71 until 5/10) Touhou Fan-made Virtual Autography($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/10) Super Zangyura ($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/10) Touhou Sky Arena Matsuri Climax ($20.99 from $29.99 until 5/10) Eschatos($18.89 from $26.99 until 5/11)
DEEMO -Reborn- ($15.00 from $25.00 until 5/11) Cosplay Love($9.59 from $11.99 until 5/11) MO: Astray ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/11) Maggie the Magnet ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/12) Kid Ball Adventure ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/12) Otoko Cross: Pretty Boys Mahjong Solitaire ($4.68 from $6.99 until 5/12) Book Quest ($4.19 from $6.99 until 5/12) Twice Reborn: A Vampire Visual Novel ($11.24 from $14.99 until 5/12) Horatio Goes Snowboarding($3.49 from $6.99 until 5/12) Rage Among the Stars ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/12) Slap the Rocks($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/12) Groove Coaster Wai Wai Party ($35.99 form $59.99 until 5/15) Mom Hid My Game!($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/15) Mom Hid My Game! 2 ($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/15) My Brother Ate My Pudding! ($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/15) Hide & Dance! ($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/15)
Monster Viator ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/15) Chronus Arc ($6.49 from $12.99 until 5/15) Asdivine Kamura ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/15) Asdivine Menace ($6.49 from $12.99 until 5/15) Fernz Gate ($6.49 from $12.99 until 5/15) RPGolf Legends ($16.49 from $29.99 until 5/15) Alphadia Genesis ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/15) Alphadia Genesis 2 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/15) Multiversepool($1.99 from $3.49 until 5/16) Asterix & Obelix XXXL TRfH ($23.99 from $39.99 until 5/17) Garfield Lasagna Party ($23.99 from $39.99 until 5/17) Arkanoid Eternal Battle ($17.99 from $29.99 until 5/17) Alfred Hitchcock Vertigo ($23.99 from $39.99 until 5/17) Stranded Deep ($17.49 from $24.99 until 5/17) Overlanders($1.99 from $24.99 until 5/17)
Retro Game Pack ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/17) Myastere Ruins of Deazniff($15.99 from $19.99 until 5/18) Arise: A Simple Story($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/18) The Hong Kong Massacre ($1.99 from $19.99 until 5/18) What Lies in the Multiverse ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/18) Badland: Game of the Year Edition($1.99 from $5.99 until 5/18) Golf Club Wasteland ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/18) The TakeOver ($3.99 from $19.99 until 5/18) Sherlock Holmes Crimes & Punishments ($11.99 from $29.99 until 5/18) ibb & obb($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/18) Lovekami Divinity Stage ($8.99 from $14.99 until 5/18) Lovekami Useless Goddess($9.74 from $14.99 until 5/18) Lovekami Healing Harem ($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/18) Blade of Darkness ($4.99 from $14.99 until 5/18)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, April 28th
0 Degrees ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/28) 890B($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/28) A Normal Lost Phone ($2.03 from $5.99 until 4/28) Accidental Queens Collection ($4.49 from $14.99 until 4/28) Alba: A Wildlife Adventure ($8.99 from $19.99 until 4/28) Albacete Warrior ($6.99 from $9.99 until 4/28) Alt-Frequencies ($2.39 from $7.99 until 4/28) Another Lost Phone Laura’s Story ($2.03 from $5.99 until 4/28) Ashwalkers($12.99 from $19.99 until 4/28) Astria Ascending ($23.99 from $39.99 until 4/28) Black Wolf ($2.09 from $2.99 until 4/28) Cassiodora($12.74 from $16.99 until 4/28) Cris Tales ($7.99 from $39.99 until 4/28) Espacio Cosmic Light-Seeker ($1.99 from $3.49 until 4/28) Guild of Ascension ($10.19 from $16.99 until 4/28)
Hoplegs($3.49 from $6.99 until 4/28) Instant Sports ($5.99 from $14.99 until 4/28) Iris and the Giant ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/28) Jettomero: HotU($2.40 from $12.00 until 4/28) Knights of Pen & Paper Bundle ($5.62 from $22.49 until 4/28) Linelight($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/28) Lost Phone Stories($2.99 from $9.99 until 4/28) Mech Armada($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/28) NeuroVoider($3.49 from $13.99 until 4/28) Old School Musical ($3.89 from $12.99 until 4/28) Old School RPG Bundle ($8.99 from $29.99 until 4/28) Pankapu($2.39 from $11.99 until 4/28) PictoQuest($3.49 from $9.99 until 4/28) Piczle Cross Adventure ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/28) Raiden IV x Mikado Remix ($14.99 from $29.99 until 4/28)
Raiden V: Director’s Cut ($8.99 from $29.99 until 4/28) Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break ($2.99 from $29.99 until 4/28) Rustler($2.99 from $29.99 until 4/28) ScourgeBringer($8.49 from $16.99 until 4/28) Sissa’s Path ($3.49 from $4.99 until 4/28) Souldiers($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/28) Space Haters ($2.39 from $5.99 until 4/28) Super Cute Alien’s Adventure ($8.99 from $9.99 until 4/28) Super Kiwi 64 ($2.39 from $2.99 until 4/28) The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: TAoC ($23.99 from $39.99 until 4/28) Theatre of Sorrows ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/28) They Always Run ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/28) Zoeti($17.99 from $19.99 until 4/28)
That’s all for today, friends. I’ll be back tomorrow with the remaining releases of the week, plus whatever sales and major new tidbits roll in during the course of the next 24ish hours. Today was an exhausting one, so I’m going to go take a little break. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
I’ve been covering and enjoying Devolver Digital games for a long time now. Many of my favorites like Gris or the first Hotline Miami are published by them. Devolver Digital has released many games on mobile across the years ranging from premium titles, Netflix Games releases, Apple Arcade games, and more. Poinpy from Devolver Digital was our Netflix Game of the Year for 2022. I had a chance to talk to Mark Hickey, head of all things mobile at Devolver Digital, about all things mobile and also the state of the industry. Mark also worked at Gameloft and Apple prior to joining Devolver, so I wanted to cover those parts of his career in this interview.
TouchArcade: Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do at Devolver Digital.
Mark Hickey: I’m originally from Montreal, Canada and have been working on mobile games for about 20 years. I got my start at Gameloft in 2002, running an online store for downloadable games on Palm Pilot and Pocket PC (RIP www.gameloftpocket.com). We pivoted to Java games on mobile phones in 2004 and since Gameloft was a sister company of Ubisoft, we had access to IPs like Prince of Persia, Rainbow Six and Splinter Cell, which were among the first mobile titles we shipped. Back then mobile games were discovered on wireless carrier “decks” (aka mobile storefronts) and delivered “over the air”. So I developed partnerships with Canadian telcos like Rogers, Bell, Telus, and Fido and shipped a lot of games with them.
In 2007, I moved to the Bay Area to work on games for the iPod click-wheel (true story), which brought us closer to Apple. Thanks to that relationship we were able to be part of the first wave of titles to ship on the iPhone when the App Store launched in 2008 and released 80 or so more games in the next 3 years. I left Gameloft and after a two year stint at Behaviour Interactive, I joined Apple in 2013 and managed several key developer partnerships like EA, Activision, Blizzard, Microsoft, Epic, and the big cheese, Devolver Digital. After all those other companies said no, I joined Devolver in 2018 and moved back to Montreal. At Devolver, I lead mobile operations, managing partners like Apple, Google, and Netflix, overseeing release management, contracts, and working with new and existing development partners.
TA: You began in the gaming business over two decades ago at Gameloft. You then went to Apple in 2013 before joining Devolver Digital. As someone who has been in the industry since before the App Store launched, how do you view the state of mobile gaming now compared to back in the early 2010s?
MH: It’s gotten a lot more challenging for a variety of reasons. Discoverability problems, rising UA costs, privacy improvements (a good thing), intense competition and staggering amounts of consumer choice across every screen have all combined to make mobile games a complex business. In order to cut through the noise it’s often not enough just to have a good game anymore. There is no sure fire recipe for success but a great game has much better chances when supported by some combination of compelling IP, live service, cross platform play (where applicable), smart marketing and strong business partnerships.
On the plus side, it’s never been a better time to be a gamer. There are a dizzying number of games available on practically every screen with some kind of store or service to suit consumer tastes.
TA: What made you want to join Devolver Digital back then?
MH: Great games worked on by great people, both inside Devolver and among the amazing community of developers we get to partner with. That and Fork Parker is holding my cat hostage so here we are.
TA: Devolver Digital has gotten a lot bigger over the years, with more games hitting multiple platforms. What is your goal with the mobile side of the company?
MH: The mission on mobile is the same as it is on any other platform. We want to help indie developers turn their unique, beautiful, bizarre, and sometimes bloody visions into (digital) reality on every platform in the hopes of making them (and us) fabulously rich. And repeat.
TA: Having worked on the App Store and now publishing games there, what learnings from within Apple did you bring to elevate Devolver Digital’s portfolio on mobile?
MH: Certainly having contacts within Apple helps when needed and they are great partners. Beyond that I have a decent grasp of the platform features, processes and policies that aid in having strong launches. I also have some insight on what works well, and doesn’t work well, on mobile devices though I am by no means a game designer. That said, the thing that elevates games most, be it in the eyes of Apple or anyone else, is the quality of the games themselves. So I/we are very fortunate to work with so many talented developers.
TA: Gameloft and Apple are definitely the biggest from the places you worked at before Devolver Digital in gaming. What do you think of Gameloft and Apple’s current gaming outlook as someone who worked there and saw how they operate before?
MH: Apple and Gameloft, while vastly different companies, have very smart people working there who are passionate about games and I have no doubt they will continue making valuable contributions to the industry for years to come. Devolver Digital on the other hand, well, who knows.
TA: Devolver Digital now has over 20 releases on the App Store across premium games, subscription services, and free releases. Do you see this mix of monetization methods continuing for the publisher’s releases on iOS and Android?
MH: Yes. Yes I do.
TA: Devolver Digital has a Reigns game exclusive to Apple Arcade and one exclusive to Netflix Games on mobile. The series is amazing, but do you think decisions like this fragments the fanbase?
MH: Exclusives are a reality of the business, regardless of the platform. The truth is, Apple and Netflix are making premium games a viable business again with their subscription services, and they have been pretty cool about letting these titles onto other platforms after some period of time. So while audiences might be somewhat fragmented as a by-product of signing exclusives, it’s certainly a better outcome than the game not getting made at all – which is what would happen in some cases. Plus, contract terms don’t usually last for eternity. Terms end, and our goal is to get our dev partner’s titles onto as many platforms as we can. So if you don’t see a particular Reigns game on your phone today, our hope is you will, one day.
TA: Back to Netflix for a bit, Poinpy was our Netflix Game of the Year for 2022. I still see a lot of discussion around it. Are there plans to bring it to more platforms?
MH: I think the answer to this question lies in between the lines of my previous response.
TA: Devolver Digital launches games across price bands on PC and consoles, but we haven’t seen many of the bigger titles from the publisher hit mobile. Do you think subscription services would allow these to shine on mobile, or are you just waiting for the right hardware or for sales to slow down on other platforms to bring games like Trek to Yomi or Return to Monkey Island to mobile?
MH: There’s a few reasons for this. The simple one is some games just don’t make sense for mobile, period. Either the controls wouldn’t work, the performance demands are too high, the install footprint too big, whatever. Some games are just a bad fit for pragmatic reasons. When talking pricing, for sure mobile game shoppers are more price conscious, as you rarely see anything sell for over $10. There’s a reason for that. It makes business sense to get those full price sales on PC/Console first before shipping on mobile where market forces require you to discount. And even then it’s a tough go. All that being said, you will continue to see some of our PC/Console titles make their way to mobile when it makes sense.
TA: It is always interesting seeing the response to games being announced for mobile alongside other platforms versus the reaction to what clearly is a mobile game only releasing on other platforms. What is your take on how some perceive a multiplatform game that includes mobile as a “lesser” release?
MH: I think the obvious answer is there’s a lot of salt and cynicism about the mobile games market being flooded with ad/gambling/mtx driven skinner boxes designed to extract maximum value from players and have little or nothing to do with good game design. It’s definitely true there are a lot of games out there like that and the reason why is because lots of studios have made ungodly amounts of money with that model. But I think there’s a sort of popular/mass allergic reaction emerging to these kinds of products, and rightly so. You’re not going to see us put something like that out, unless of course it’s Devolver Tumble Time. In that case, it’s ok and I retract all my previous statements on this topic.
TA: Devolver Digital has had a ton of games over the years that I’ve enjoyed playing, and some feel like a perfect fit for mobile like Inscryption. There are also others I’d love to see hit mobile like Ape Out or The Red Strings Club. How do you decide on what premium game to bring to mobile, and when to do said conversion?
MH: Thanks for the support! The calculus for shipping on mobile is pretty simple, if not unromantic. Our job is to help our partners be successful. If putting their game on mobile isn’t going to contribute to that success, then we shouldn’t do it. Conversely, if we have a great opportunity for a partner via a mobile release then we will do it so long as our partner agrees we should and it’s going to be a good experience on the target device.
TA: As a publisher that has premium games and also games in both of the most popular gaming subscription services on mobile, how has it been working with both Apple and Netflix? How much support do they give with the aspects beyond porting to mobile?
MH: There isn’t a lot of detail I can go into there other than that Apple and Netflix have both been great partners and created opportunities for their respective customer bases to enjoy some of the kick ass titles we have had the good fortune to be able to publish.
TA: Devolver Digital has been doing premium ports priced quite a bit lower than PC and console over the years. Will there ever be a day one simultaneous mobile, PC, and console release from Devolver Digital charging the same price point on all platforms or do you see simultaneous mobile only possible through subscription services now?
MH: Again, it’s all about how we can contribute to the success of our partners. If a “one price point to rule them all” situation arises and it makes sense in context of working well on a touch device, then sure, why not? If we are going to drive better results for our partners via a subscription deal, then the path is clear. As we navigate these waters, helping build success for our partners is our North star, and how we stay afloat. So we will always try to steer the ship in that direction. Whether you choose to infer from these statements that we are working on some kind of nautical themed game is up to you.
Thanks to Mark Hickey, Andy Kelly, and Devolver Digital for their time here.
Each and every day new mobile games are hitting the App Store, and so each week we put together a big old list of all the best new releases of the past seven days. Back in the day the App Store would showcase the same games for a week, and then refresh those features each Thursday. Because of that developers got into the habit of releasing their games throughout Wednesday or very early Thursday in order to hopefully get one of those coveted features spots. Nowadays the App Store refreshes constantly, so the need for everyone to release all on the same day has diminished. Still, we’ve kept our weekly Wednesday night format as for years that’s the time people knew to check TouchArcade for the list of new games. And so without further ado please check out the full list of this week’s new games below, and let us know in the comments section which games you’ll be picking up!
You can use siege hammers, trebuchets, siege towers, and other siege weapons that suits your strategy to destroy the enemy’s castles. You can also send soldiers to climb up the walls and take out the enemy commander. Try out various strategies!
A fusion of card-based RPGs and Adventure games, “Black Book” is a haunting tale of a young sorceress, who gave her life to serve the dark forces. Dive into the cold, yet alluring world of Slavic folktales – and uncover the secrets that hide in the darkness.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a new unique mystery-adventure game. Directed by Koichiro Ito (Metal Gear Solid V), and with Yasuhito Tachibana, producer of Netflix’s ‘The Naked Director’ serving as the Cinematographer and Scenario Director, beautiful yet thrilling live-action footage intertwines with mysteries to solve, creating highly immersive gameplay.
Welcome to “Chess Cats” – the ultimate chess experience with cats! Go on a journey to rediscover the beauty of chess as you challenge our adorable cats, each with their own unique look and personality. Dive into a world of strategy and intellect, where you’ll not only improve your chess game but also make some furry friends along the way!
After a series of international heists, the infamous Cuttlefish returns to London to settle a personal score. Join Sammy on this family-friendly interactive heist game where every decision is guided by your touch!
From the creators of ‘Erica’, Cuttlefish is a full throttle interactive heist caper perfect for the whole family. Combining intense intricate interactions with a heartfelt branching narrative, Cuttlefish brings you directly into a story about family, survival and safety.
Set in 2084, Farlight 84 takes players to an apocalyptic near-future world, where they’ll get to commandeer vehicles with deadly offensive capabilities; fly and dash around the battlefield with a one-of-a-kind Jetpack; and discover a roster of heroes bursting with personality and ultimate skills!
They call them, “Aeons” in this galaxy. They construct reality, erase stars, and leave their marks on countless worlds. Together with your companions you’ll travel across the galaxy on the Astral Express, following the path once traveled by the Aeons. From here, you will explore new civilizations, meet new comrades, and begin new adventures among countless fantastical worlds. All the answers you seek will be uncovered among the stars.
Step into the world of ‘Make Codey…’ and immerse yourself in a challenging text messaging game that will put your communication skills to the test. As you progress through the levels, Codey’s personality and demeanor will change, and you’ll need to adapt your approach to successfully complete the tasks.
– Multiple layers to explore. – Mining precious resources to progress your miner. – Dozens of collectables. – Safely store extra loot and resources at your base.
MINKY is a classic platformer/ Jump & Run in retro look. Help Minky on it’s journey through 28 varied Levels. Collect all available coins and defeat different enemies to solve each stage.
A deadly virus is spreading rapidly, and it’s up to you to develop the ultimate cure before it’s too late. In this top-down arcade shooter game, you’ll take command of a nano drone and navigate through various missions to destroy virus cells and complete research tasks. With changing challenges across 14 levels and a captivating graphical story, your innovative approach will be the key to saving humanity.
Get ahead of the pack and be a part of one of the NFL’s biggest moves! Join the game now during Offseason to help shape the future of one of the hottest officially licensed NFL and NFLPA mobile games, and enjoy special 2023 NFL Draft Player Packs and themed in-game events. Unlock your favorite football pros, draft your star players, set your lineups, and gear up in your Squads. It’s time to get game-day ready – you’re about to be making major moves when NFL Rivals officially kicks off later this year!
Blast, bounce, and bullrush opponents into hectic and electric map hazards. Sprint at breakneck speed on the Oni Village map and avoid a swirling gravity well on Atlas’s Lab.
Get ready to experience life as a pioneer in this reimagining of the classic game, The Oregon Trail! A game that combines adventure, simulation, and settlement survival. Build, grow, craft and harvest as you turn the small frontier village, of Independence Missouri, into a thriving boom town!
Dysentery, Cholera, Typhoid and snakes – oh my! Help Settlers survive the dangerous journey west in this re-imagining of the classic game, The Oregon Trail!
An enormous Overbeast has appeared in your state. Work with your neighbours to restore its habitat. As your Overbeast gets stronger, watch it battle rival states, rising through the ranks to become the ultimate overbeast.
The dragons have been popping peglins and stealing all of your gold for as long as you can remember. Enough is enough. It’s time to venture through the woods, conquer the fortress, and delve into the heart of the dragon’s lair to take back what’s yours and teach those dragons a lesson.
Peglin plays like a combination of Peggle and Slay the Spire. The enemies are tough, and if you’re defeated your run is over, but you’ve got powerful orbs with special effects and incredible relics that influence both your enemies and the physics you’ll use to defeat them.
Use the power of the elements, your animal companions, and nature itself to fend off the ever-increasing number of encroaching humans. Give them something to think about when you unleash the powers of nature against them. Play through a wide variety of tower-defense levels that will take you through the farthest reaches of our planet.
Roundguard is a bouncy dungeon crawler with pinball physics, lots of loot, and a randomized castle full of oddballs. Highly-rated former Apple Arcade game and Mobile Game of the Year nominee!
If you love roguelikes & Peggle, then Roundguard is for you. Press your luck against hordes of dangerously cute monsters and challenging roguelike elements in this all-round bouncy adventure!
SAVAGE REIGN is a fighting game released by SNK in 1995. In the first half of the 21st century, 10 great fighters have gathered to compete in King Lion’s Battle of the Beast-God! Howling fists and flying weapons! A completely new style of fighting game. Utilize the innovative 2 Line System to achieve victory in this vicious fight!
Ready to vanquish your enemies and change the solar system forever from anywhere? Stellar Mercs is a vertical scrolling, offline capable, action arcade shooter with upgradable ships, weapons, and special abilities. Customize your loadouts for each mission depending on the environments and enemies you’ll face! Each mission will reward you with unlocks and cash to continue building your arsenal.
The challenge of Super Meat Boy returns in Super Meat Boy Forever. Levels are brutal, death is inevitable, and players will get that sweet feeling of accomplishment after beating a level. Players will run, jump, punch and kick their way through familiar settings and totally new worlds.
An enchanting clicker RPG with dreamy illustrations.
Luna, the little knight, opened her eyes in the Slime Forest upon hearing a mysterious voice. After a moment of pain, she grabbed her knife and got up again..
She needs to save her friends captured by the Dark Lord As!
Trudograd is a stand-alone story expansion to ATOM RPG – a turn-based roleplaying game set in post-apocalyptic Soviet Union. It is inspired by classic cRPG titles of the past, such as early Fallout, Wasteland and Baldur’s Gate series.
Restore a rundown vineyard to its former glory. Complete quests, solve puzzles and unlock past mysteries to design the romantic resort of your dreams.
Nestled in the hills of Vineyard Valley is a rustic resort called the Tangled Vines — it’s definitely seen better days. Transform and upgrade the vineyard back into a vibrant, swoon-worthy destination alongside a charming cast of characters in this builder. Get ready for barrels full of mystery, drama and romance along the way!
War Mongrels, or WM, is an isometric real-time tactics game that takes place on the eastern front of World War II. This part of the war has been receiving less attention in gaming, even though it ended or changed a considerable number of lives and brought forward many stories of courage, comradery, but also further proof of twisted societies and the darkest parts of the human character.
This week, Hamster and SNK have brought a fighting game I hadn’t heard of to iOS and Android in the ACA NeoGeo series. I’ve discovered many great classics through this series on mobile and consoles, but I’m always up to try out a fighting game involving SNK regardless of how old. This week, Savage Reign($3.99) has hit the series on mobile following Riding Hero from last week. Savage Reign is a 1995-released fighting game from SNK featuring 10 characters competing in King Lion’s Battle of the Beast-God. It has a two lien system with new mechanics (for the time). Savage Reign is out now on mobile worldwide with the usual features in Hamster’s ACA NeoGeo releases on mobile. If you’ve not kept up with the series and want to check out some good shoot ’em ups read Shaun’s post here here. Shaun also put together a list of the best fighting games in this series if you aren’t sure where to start. Check it out here. A screenshot from the Android version of Savage Reign is below:
You can buy Savage Reign ACA NeoGeo on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. As with prior releases on mobile, this costs half of what it does on consoles at $3.99. If you’ve not heard of the series or seen it in action on mobile yet, Shaun has reviewed most of the releases so far in the ACA NeoGeo series on iOS. Check out his reviews for Sengoku 2here, Top Hunter Roddy & Cathyhere, Samurai Shodown IVhere, Alpha Mission IIhere, Metal Slug 5here, Shock Troopershere, NAM-1975here, ZED BLADEhere, PUZZLEDhere, The King of Fighters 2002here, Big Tournament Golfhere, King of the Monstershere, Last Resorthere, Aero Fighters 2here, Burning Fighthere, Robo Armyhere, Mutation Nationhere, Twinkle Star Spriteshere, Aero Fighters 3here, Prehistoric Isle 2here, Sengoku 3here, Samurai Shodown IIIhere, Ghost Pilots here, Stakes Winnerhere, Baseball Stars Professionalhere, Top Players Golfhere, Ninja Combathere, and Riding Herohere. Check out the official website for the series on mobile here. What’s your favorite recent ACA NeoGeo release and are you grabbing today’s release?
Following pre-installation going live, Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd developer HoYoverse has released the space fantasy turn-based RPG Honkai Star Rail on iOS, Android, and PC platforms. Honkai Star Rail The Rail Unto the Stars Version 1.0 has gone live as of an hour ago, and you can jump into it right now. If you do plan on playing it, make sure to get into the settings to adjust the graphics options. It defaulted to 30fps on my iPad Pro. Honkai Star Rail(Free) will be coming to PS5 and PS4 at a later date. I’m looking forward to continuing progress from iOS to PS5 hopefully when it does launch. Watch the Honkai Star Rail launch trailer below:
If you didn’t pre-install it, you can now download Honkai Star Rail on the App Store for iOS here, on Google Play for Android here, and check it here on the Epic Games Store in addition to its regular PC version. I haven’t been able to get my PS5 controller to work with it right now, but will try other controllers. The download size is about 5.5GB within on iPad after the initial App Store app is installed. I’ve been listening to the soundtrack released on Apple Music for a few days now, and it is very good. Will you be playing Honkai Star Rail today?
