Tag: featured

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 13th, 2023. In today’s article, we’ve got a couple of reviews for you to start things off. I take a look at both Odencat’s Meg’s Monster and Atari’s Caverns of Mars: Recharged, and I liked one of them a little and one of them a whole lot. We then take a look at the handful of new releases for the day, and finish up with a decent list of new sales. Oh, and the expiring sales. Can’t forget those. Well, let’s get going.

Reviews & Mini-Views

Meg’s Monster ($14.99)

You’ll probably be able to tell almost immediately after starting, but this is one of those games that will probably make you cry. Which kind of fits, I suppose. It’s the story of a young girl who falls into an underworld full of monsters, a set-up that is oddly familiar at first. She’s found by a large slab of dense meat named Roy and his clever friend Golan, and the latter is all set to eat her up like the monster snack that she is. Just one problem: she starts crying and it feels like the world is catching fire. Golan concludes that this little girl is special, and if she sheds her tears it may well be the end of the world.

Meg is searching for her mother, and Roy and Golan figure the safest thing to do is to help her with that. Unfortunately for Roy, who wants as little to do with any of this as possible, this girl has taken a shining to him. She ends up staying with Roy, and despite his best efforts, a friendship begins to bloom. Monsters and humans typically don’t get along, and the dangers in the underworld for Meg are many. She’s got Roy, though, and he is basically the strongest monster around. The biggest threat this pair will face in combat is Meg getting so upset that she cries.

Meg’s Monster is a short RPG. It takes about four or five hours to finish completely, so it’s not a huge time commitment. The RPG elements are very light. Battles are turn-based affairs, but you don’t have a lot of tactical options so the route to victory is usually fairly clear. There are no random encounters, and every battle you fight is one dictated by the story’s needs. You will level up after certain battles, giving you a couple of stat boosts and an upgrade to Meg’s HP. There’s no gear to collect, treasures to loot, or grinding to be done. There are several small locations you’ll visit at least a few times each, and a few overworld maps that stitch them all together. There are four or five sub-quests to complete, but otherwise you’re just playing through the main story.

That’s fine. It’s a strong story. Heart-warming, emotional stuff. I don’t want to ruin any of it, because it’s told so deliberately that any heads-up is just going to mess with the journey it wants to take you on. Meg may not be able to cry, but I sure did. Twice, in fact. I’m hardly the most stiff-lipped of men, but I’m also a bit unimpressed by stories that go for the emotional bag without earning it. Meg’s Monster earns it. You can feel a couple of places where the developer may have wanted to stretch things out a little, but for the most part it keeps a strong pace without skipping the steps.

Supporting that story is an excellent presentation. The visuals in this game are great. Character designs are creative and charming, and there are a lot of animations to make those characters fully come to life. Many of those animations are only used once in the whole game, which feels a bit extravagant with a pixel art style like this. Roy and Meg are the stars, of course, and Roy in particular perfectly rides the line between monstrous and lovable. The art and graphics are backed by a fantastic soundtrack. The main theme is beautiful, and while there’s perhaps a little too little music being stretched a little too far in the early part of the game, it all sounds good. It tugs at your heart-strings at just the right moments, adding to the emotional power of scenes.

Meg’s Monster is a fantastic narrative experience. While it’s not the most mechanically rich RPG around, it’s not really trying to be. It’s here to tell a story, and it does so wonderfully. The characters are memorable, the plot is engaging, the presentation is sublime, and it’s on the whole just a hard thing to dislike at all. I haven’t been on an emotional roller coaster like this one in a while, and I’d handily recommend it to anyone looking for a touching story to play.

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Caverns of Mars: Recharged ($9.99)

Atari’s Recharged line of games has been a pretty consistent source of enjoyment for me. From its unsure first steps in the original Missile Command: Recharged to the amazingly confident Yars: Recharged, the Recharged line has reinvigorated Atari’s name in a way it hasn’t been in quite some time. I actually look forward to new Atari games, in 2023! Who would have guessed? I suppose for Atari, the big issue is that it only has so many classic hits with serious name value to revisit. Indeed, it’s pretty much gone through the most obvious candidates for the Recharged glow-up.

But that just means we get to see what Atari can do with some of its lesser-known properties, doesn’t it? Hence Caverns of Mars: Recharged, a modern reimagining of neither an Atari 2600 nor Atari arcade game but rather a title from its 8-bit computer days. Well, right on. I’ll admit it’s not a game I’m terribly familiar with, though I’ve enjoyed playing it in the fantastic Atari 50 collection. It’s kind of like Konami’s Scramble if you turn your screen on its side. Travel through treacherous terrain, shoot various enemies, and make sure you pick up fuel on a regular basis if you want to survive.

Caverns of Mars: Recharged adopts a similar broad structure, but as we’ve seen in the last couple of Recharged games, it takes a lot of liberties with the original game. It feels like a hybrid of that game and something like Downwell, actually. You’re moving downward, you can slow your fall by shooting, you have to keep picking up fuel, and touching the terrain is a bad idea. There are power-ups you can grab to boost your offensive power for a while, and between stages you can pick from a few perks to augment your ship’s attributes and abilities. The big difference from both the original game and Downwell is that you can destroy the terrain. All of your guns will carve through it, some more than others. You can make paths for yourself and often need to.

This gives Caverns of Mars: Recharged a feel of its own, and it might be one that fans of the original are turned off by. The terrain is far less of a threat than it once was, though it can still be dangerous if you’re careless. As someone with little attachment to the original, I’m just looking to see if the game can stand on its own feet. And yes, it can. It’s got a lot of the same appeal Downwell does, but it’s different enough that it doesn’t feel redundant. It’s a good score attacker, and the presence of leaderboards supports that. You also get the usual bunch of missions to complete, and they’re as tough as ever.

Caverns of Mars: Recharged is another solid entry in the Recharged line, though perhaps not the most revelatory of the bunch. It’s a good straightforward action game with a pleasing presentation and a variety of options and modes to maintain your interest. It sacrifices some of the unique elements of the original game in favor of a more crowd-pleasing design, but how much that bothers you is going to vary from person to person. It doesn’t let down the Recharged name, but it’s also not the first one I’d recommend.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

New Releases

Life of Delta ($19.99)

It’s a new point-and-click style adventure game from the folks at Daedelic and Airo Games. You play as a little service robot in a post-apocalyptic world who is searching for his lost friend. This small quest ends up setting Delta out on a huge adventure, with twenty-eight hand-painted levels and more than fifty puzzles to solve. You’ll naturally be meeting some interesting characters along the way. Adventure game fans continue to eat well on Switch, it seems.

Titanium Hound ($15.00)

This is a side-scrolling action game where you commandeer a mech suit. You have a variety of weapons and a shield that you can use to protect yourself from your foes. When you fire, it drains your shot meter but refills your shield. When you use your shield, it drains your shield energy and refills your shot meter. You have to balance between offense and defense to keep things moving smoothly. It looks alright, but I haven’t had a chance to play it yet myself.

emoji Kart Racer ($24.99)

The biggest thing I’ve learned from this is that some company has registered the word ’emoji’ as a copyright. Just out here copyrighting normal-butt Japanese words. Might as well get a trademark on ‘sushi’ or ‘karate’. Anyway, this is another kart racer. The description first says it’s for four players, but then it says two players. You decide which is true. There are sixteen tracks and a lot of emoji characters to use. The power-ups are also emoji, so you can drop a poop emoji on the track. I mean, that’s five stars right there.

Sherlock Purr ($19.99)

This is a hidden object game aimed at the younger set. Search the different locations and find what you’re supposed to. Not much more I can say about it.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Hey, some cool stuff today. The Ori games hit new low prices, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is half-off, and we’ve got a handful of Mario-related games with some rare discounts. Have a look through that list, and don’t forget to take a peep at the outbox while you’re at it.

Select New Games on Sale

Ori & the Blind Forest: Definitive ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/15)
Ori & the Will of the Wisps ($5.99 from $29.99 until 3/15)
Milky Way Prince Vampire Star ($5.99 from $14.99 until 3/18)
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope ($29.99 from $59.99 until 3/20)
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Gold ($60.29 from $89.99 until 3/20)
Rayman Legends Definitive ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/21)
Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/21)
OlliOlli World Rad Edition ($30.14 from $44.99 until 3/22)
New Tales from the Borderlands ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/22)
BioShock: The Collection ($9.99 from $49.99 until 3/22)
Borderlands Legendary Collection ($9.99 from $49.99 until 3/22)
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI ($5.99 from $29.99 until 3/22)
GTA: The Trilogy Definitive ($29.99 from $59.99 until 3/22)
NBA 2K23 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 3/22)
NBA 2K23 Michael Jordan Edition ($39.99 from $99.99 until 3/22)

Citizen Sleeper ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Paradise Killer ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Beacon Pines ($15.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Mario Party Superstars ($39.99 from $59.99 until 3/24)
Yoshi’s Crafted World ($39.99 from $59.99 until 3/24)
Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze ($39.99 from $59.99 until 3/24)
Luigi’s Mansion 3 ($39.99 from $59.99 until 3/24)
Streets of Rage 4 ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/24)
Pinku Kult Hex Mortis ($5.49 from $9.99 until 3/25)
Flewfie’s Adventure ($5.49 from $9.99 until 3/25)
9th Dawn III ($8.79 from $15.99 until 3/25)
Sydney Hunter & Curse of the Mayan ($3.99 from $9.99 until 3/27)
My Lovely Daughter ($4.99 from $14.99 until 3/27)
My Lovely Wife ($9.74 from $14.99 until 3/27)
Ski Resort Driver ($9.74 from $12.99 until 3/31)

WRC 10 FIA ($4.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
WRC Generations ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
Hunting Simulator 2: Elite ($13.99 from $69.99 until 3/31)
Farmer’s Dynasty ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
Roguebook ($9.99 from $24.99 until 3/31)
Rogue Lords ($9.99 from $24.99 until 3/31)
EvilUP ($4.79 from $5.99 until 3/31)
Mythology Waifus Mahjong ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/31)
Overpass ($5.49 from $54.99 until 3/31)
Rims Racing Ultimate ($13.99 from $69.99 until 3/31)
Truck Racing Championship ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
V-Rally 4 ($4.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
AO Tennis 2 ($5.99 from $59.99 until 3/31)
Cricket 22 ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Monster Truck Championship ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
Snow Moto Racing Freedom ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
Aqua Moto Racing Utopia ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 14th

Animus ($2.23 from $7.99 until 3/14)
Animus: Harbinger ($2.23 from $7.99 until 3/14)
Animus: Revenant ($6.43 from $22.99 until 3/14)
Bullet Battle Evolution ($4.19 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Bunker Life ($11.54 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Car+Toon Race: RVC ($7.14 from $10.99 until 3/14)
Counter Crossline: Crime War ($9.74 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Counter Delta: The Bullet Rain ($6.14 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Counter Recon 2: The New War ($9.74 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Counter Recon: The First Mission ($4.19 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Crash Drive 2 ($1.99 from $8.99 until 3/14)
Crash Drive 3 ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/14)
Dark Water: Slime Invader ($4.19 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Dead Rain: New Zombie Virus ($7.14 from $10.99 until 3/14)
Demong Hunter ($2.23 from $7.99 until 3/14)

Dungeon Limbus ($4.19 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Girls Tank Battle ($3.07 from $10.99 until 3/14)
Graze Counter GM ($11.99 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Haunted Dawn: Zombie Apocalypse ($4.19 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Haunted Zombie School ($6.14 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Haunted Zombie Slaughter ($11.54 from $14.99 until 3/14)
JellyCar Worlds ($6.39 from $7.99 until 3/14)
Last 4 Alive: Escape From Zombies ($4.50 from $10.99 until 3/14)
Marooners ($1.99 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Modern War: Tank Battle ($6.14 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Redden: 100denarii ($3.27 from $7.99 until 3/14)
Space Genesis ($6.14 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Space Stella: The Unknown Planet ($6.14 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Ultimate Chicken Horse ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/14)
World Class Champion Soccer ($7.14 from $10.99 until 3/14)
World War: Tank Battle ($6.14 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Zombie is Planting ($4.50 from $10.99 until 3/14)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new releases, more reviews, more sales, and whatever big news rolls in. Wow, I am just emotionally drained from Meg’s Monster. Game destroyed me, and half a box of tissues. You just never really know where the special ones are coming from sometimes. Anyway, I hope you all have a great Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 10th, 2023. In today’s article, we’ve got a couple of reviews for you. Our pal Mikhail has sat down and pushed out his thoughts on the quirky Give me toilet paper!, and I’ve got a shorter look at Square Enix’s Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. After that, we have a wide array of new releases to check out, followed by a healthy list of new sales. Let’s get to it!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Give me toilet paper! ($4.99)

The eShop has been regularly getting a mix of high quality titles and junk these days. If you’ve been reading Shaun’s SwitchArcade Round-Ups, you know how bad things have gotten. From AAA clocks to junk you’d add to your ignore list on Steam, there isn’t a shortage of stuff I wish I could block on the eShop. Thankfully, we still see developers release great games and also interesting projects on the eShop.

Give me toilet paper from Takahiro Miyazawa got on my radar thanks to GSK on Twitter, who is one of my favorite sources of gaming news these days. For a low price of $5, I was willing to try out this new game that required a roll of toilet paper, a Joy-Con, and a flat surface. I grabbed my Bayonetta 3 Trinity Masquerade Edition Japanese limited edition for the flat surface here as shown in the photograph. I’ve since beaten the game, and it is quite impressive with its level design and core loop.

Initially, I thought Give me toilet paper would just be a short tech demo for this concept of using the Joy-Con sensors in a funny implementation. The actual game has 32 puzzles of varying difficulties that are a lot of fun. I struggled with three specific levels quite a bit, and ended up changing the motion sensitivity to finish them.

I was also surprised to see the tone in-game change quite a bit towards the end. There’s a lot of potential here for leaderboards and co-op multiplayer in either an update or a new entry that builds on the base of Give me toilet paper. A new entry with local multiplayer mode feels like it has the potential to be equal parts frustrating and hilarious at parties.

Give me toilet paper also has a catchy song playing during the levels. By the time I finished playing the game over 3 sessions, I wanted to listen to said song. Thankfully I found it linked by the developer. Even if you don’t buy the game, the song is worth listening to.

My only complaint happens to do with how it sometimes feels like the Joy-Cons aren’t as accurate as they should be. I tried changing the sensitivity in-game, but it still felt off in some situations.

If you enjoy seeing developers try out new things, we haven’t seen something as interesting as Give me toilet paper in a while now when it comes to making great use of the Joy-Cons’ sensors. I hope the developer can expand upon this with new levels or bring us more games like this in the future. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo ($19.99)

Regular readers might wonder why I’m reviewing a horror game. I usually avoid them because I am the basest of cowards, but hearing Mikhail rave about it made me want to give it a shot. Square Enix has been on quite the little roll lately with Theatrhythm and Octopath Traveler II, and it continues the trend with this one. Paranormasight is a blend of an adventure, mystery, and horror game, and it is highly compelling stuff. The late Showa-era Tokyo setting gives it a rather unique and nostalgic flavor, as well.

Paranormasight is excellent, but it is one of those games that is very hard to talk about. It plays like a blend of Ace Attorney and horror games, but is also self-aware with its narrative. There are fourth wall breaks, surprising deaths, some superb instances of character development, and multiple possibilities for progressing the story. Discussing said story in any proper detail would be a disservice to potential players, but suffice it to say that it is brilliant and more than justifies the relatively meager asking price. It takes about a dozen hours to see everything the game has to offer, and it just flies by once you’re settled into it.

If you enjoy the likes of Ace Attorney, Paranormasight is an easy recommendation. I’m not a big horror guy, but it was good enough for me to see through to the end. It plays really nicely on the Switch, and I really appreciate the inclusion of touch controls. Just be aware that the game does like to whip out the occasional jump scare, so if you’re the sort that throws whatever is in your hands when you get startled, keep a pillow near by. Your Switch will thank you, both for sparing its life and playing this slick game on it. More like this please, Square Enix.

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

New Releases

The Testament of Sherlock Holmes ($24.99)

Frogwares has been doing its thing with Sherlock Holmes for more than twenty years now, with plenty of games to draw from for modern rereleases. This one hails from 2012, and in its time it was lauded for its excellent presentation and intriguing story. It doesn’t quite have the same shine today visually, but if you’ve enjoyed any of the other Sherlock Holmes games from the fine folks at Frogwares you’ll certainly like this one too.

DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos ($49.99)

A person could almost get excited about there being a new DC Superheroes game on the Switch, but then you see that the publisher is Outright Games and the hype deflates in a hurry. I’m sure younger fans will get some fun out of this, but everyone else will have to stick to LEGO DC Super-Villains for the time being. C’mon, WB Games. At least give us the Arkham games. Why leave us with thin gruel like this?

Package Rush ($14.99)

You might expect this to be another one of those wild multiplayer party games, but no. This is a puzzle game for one player, one where you have to manage your fleet of trucks to get packages where they need to go without running into any trouble. That includes running into each other. And you’ll want to put some spit on that ball, because your customers don’t want to wait around all day. Seems pretty interesting, but I haven’t had a chance to play it yet so that is all I can really say.

Ski Resort Driver ($12.99)

Another BoomHits driving game, this time with a ski resort theme. You get fifteen different vehicles to drive, a bunch of missions to complete, and a decent-sized space to drive around in. Same as ever, really. And as usual, if you wait a few weeks this will likely be heavily discounted.

EvilUP ($5.99)

This one describes itself as a roguelike, but I wonder how close it is to that versus being a roguelite? Well, I’ll let the internet figure that one out. The important thing is that you have procedurally generated maps and you’re probably going to die a lot. There are nine different characters to choose from, a crafting system, and several types of locations to explore. Also, lots of monsters to kill. What more do you need for six bucks?

Draw a Stickman Epic 3 ($9.99)

And here’s the third in this series. By now, you probably know what it’s all about. Draw your hero, draw some tools, and go through a bunch of levels trying to solve the puzzles and defeat all the monsters. You don’t get as successful as this series has without getting a lot of things right, and I’d imagine those who enjoyed the first two games bought this even before they read the contents of this paragraph. As such, I could probably just write a cookie recipe here for all the good it would do. I won’t, but I could. Epic!

Mato Anomalies ($39.99)

Wow, I didn’t have my eye on this at all and it looks fantastic. It’s a turn-based RPG set in a futuristic city. Your main characters are a private detective and an exorcist, and they basically go around investigating anomalies around the city while occasionally dipping into rifts to battle demons on their own turf. I’m going to see if I can’t manage a review of this one, because it really does seem to be up my alley.

Puzzle by Nikoli S Masyu ($4.99)

Another interesting logic puzzle game in the Puzzle by Nikoli series. The trick with this one is that you have to draw a continuous line that loops and goes through every circle on the board. When it hits a black circle it has to exit at a 90 degree angle, and when it hits a white circle it goes straight through but must make a 90 degree turn in the next space. There’s a bit more to it than that, but that’s the gist. Plenty of puzzles to enjoy, and a distinct flavor I don’t think we’ve seen on the Switch before.

Sudoku Master – Classic Sudoku ($4.99)

Don’t mind the Japanese UI there; I had to grab a screen from the Japanese eShop. It has English support. Anyway, it’s Sudoku! More Sudoku! This is another one that offers endless puzzles to play, and it has a number of options and extras that may be of interest to serious Sudoku players. You know, provided you don’t already have one of the million other Sudoku games on Switch that meet your needs.

Mythology Waifus Mahjong ($4.99)

An odd one, to be sure. This is a battle game where you deal damage by matching three mahjong tiles of the same type, which is not something my brain can cope with easily since I am used to matching pairs or making hands. You get sixty levels to play, and seven… waifus. Still can’t believe that term caught on at all in the West, but language is weird that way. Naturally, there’s an image gallery where you can enjoy the images of your waifus that you’ve unlocked.

Neon Blast ($4.99)

The idea with this one is that you’re controlling a ball that can be recolored using various fields. You need to break all of the colored blocks on each level, but you can only destroy blocks of matching colors. There are obstacles and hazards you need to avoid, of course. You get fifty levels in total.

Hike Trip ($4.99)

This is starting to get a little silly. Another hiking game from Ultimate Games, and it’s essentially the same thing as the other three. Not much I can really say about it. Go take a walk in the forest, I don’t know.

Felix the Toy DX ($1.99)

A deluxe version of the 3D platformer that previously saw release on the Switch. Five of the original levels have been expanded, five new levels have been added, the gameplay has been improved, there’s a new soundtrack, and a bunch of little UI improvements have been made. Not sure if I’d recommend this even after all of that, but the price being as low as it is means that if you choose to take a punt on it you don’t have much to lose.

Showtime: Vampire Diaries ($2.99)

Oh boy, Cooking and Publishing. What have we got this time? Well, you’re interviewing a vampire. You have to pick the questions, and if you choose the wrong ones the vampire will get upset and the interview will be over. You ask twenty questions, and that’s that. Not much of a game, but it’s your three bucks.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

This is a tightly curated list, so do swing by the eShop and see the whole list if you’re game. Anyway, some new sales from Bandai Namco and Capcom, with some new low prices on a few of their titles. We’ve also got some great indie stuff in the list today, and if you haven’t dipped your toe into the Axiom Verge waters yet, that bundle of the two games is a bonkers deal. Over in the outbox, it’s basically a Hatsune Miku party. Check both lists, as usual.

Select New Games on Sale

Axiom Verge 1 & 2 Bundle ($19.99 from $39.98 until 3/16)
Bloodwash ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/17)
Youropa ($10.49 from $14.99 until 3/17)
Subnautica ($9.89 from $29.99 until 3/17)
Subnautica: Below Zero ($12.59 from $29.99 until 3/17)
Aztech Forgotten Gods ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/17)
Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series SB ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/20)
Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth CE ($9.99 from $49.99 until 3/20)
SD Gundam Battle Alliance DE ($50.99 from $84.99 until 3/20)
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure ASB R DE ($45.49 from $69.99 until 3/20)
Captain Tsubasa RoNC Deluxe ($19.54 from $84.99 until 3/20)
Dark Deity ($9.99 from $24.99 until 3/23)
Anuchard ($4.94 from $14.99 until 3/23)
Tyrant’s Blessing ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Monster Harvest ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX ($6.79 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Sparklite ($4.99 from $24.99 until 3/23)
Airborne Kingdom ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/23)
Front Mission 1st: Remake ($31.49 from $34.99 until 3/23)
To the Moon ($9.59 from $11.99 until 3/23)
Finding Paradise ($9.59 from $11.99 until 3/23)
Capcom Fighting Collection ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/30)
Capcom Fighting Bundle ($29.99 from $39.99 until 3/30)
Phoenix Wright AA Trilogy ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/30)
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/30)
Ace Attorney Turnabout Collection ($29.99 from $59.99 until 3/30)
Capcom Arcade Stadium 1/2/3 DLC Bundle ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/30)
Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium DLC Bundle ($29.99 from $39.99 until 3/30)
A Juggler’s Tale ($4.49 from $17.99 until 3/30)
Samurai Maiden ($47.99 from $59.99 until 3/30)

Sunwards ($12.00 from $15.00 until 3/30)
Ultimate ADOM: Caverns of Chaos ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/30)
Rabi-Ribi ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/30)
PHOGS! ($17.49 from $24.99 until 3/30)
Plan B from Outer Space: ABO ($2.09 from $14.99 until 3/30)
EDF World Brothers Deluxe ($34.79 from $59.99 until 3/30)
Yeah! Fighting Girl ($12.00 from $15.00 until 3/30)

Sales Ending This Weekend

Amnesia: Collection ($8.99 from $29.99 until 3/12)
Doodle Devil: 3volution ($4.04 from $8.99 until 3/12)
Doodle God: Evolution ($6.74 from $14.99 until 3/12)
Doodle Mafia: Crime City ($4.49 from $9.99 until 3/12)
Hatsune Miku Jigsaw Puzzle ($8.54 from $14.99 until 3/12)
Hatsune Miku Logic Paint S ($8.54 from $14.00 until 3/12)
Hatsune Miku Tamagotori ($8.54 from $14.00 until 3/12)
Right and Down ($5.99 from $9.99 until 3/12)

That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with some reviews, more new releases, more sales, and perhaps some news on top of it all. I have a lot of game playing to do this weekend, I think. Wish me luck. I hope you all have a great weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 9th, 2023. Buckle up, because we have a massive list of new releases to get through today and a huge chunk of them are worth checking into. Why a random Thursday in March is this packed with games, I’ll never know. Beyond the summaries of all of this, we’ve got the usual lists of new and expiring sales. There’s also a bit of news, because I really couldn’t avoid it. And that’s about it, because that’s all I have time for with a new release list this big. Let’s go!

News

‘Metroid Fusion’ is Now Available for Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack Subscribers

It feels like this hit a little earlier than announced, but maybe I’m mistaking the days in my head. It feels like the Game Boy Advance Nintendo Switch Online app just launched, but we’ve already got a new addition to the line-up. It’s quite a doozy, too: Metroid Fusion. The fourth game in the mainline Metroid series received praise back in the day for just how scary the SA-X was, and some criticisms for how linear it is and how much it tends to hold your hand. It’s my fourth-favorite game in the whole series even if I have my own gripes with it. And now Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers can go ahead and play it. Technically this means we now have one version or another of all of the 2D entries in the series on Switch. Neat.

Wave 4 of the ‘Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’ Booster Course Pass is Now Available

On this most glorious of Mario Day Eves, many of us will be playing some Mario games. If the Mario game you choose to play is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and you either bought the Booster Course Pass or have a Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscription, you can enjoy a bunch of new tracks and a new character. Wave 4 of the Course Pass is here, and it adds Birdo as a playable character along with two new cups to play. The Fruit Cup has Amsterdam Drift (Mario Kart Tour), Riverside Park (Super Circuit), DK Summit (Mario Kart Wii), and Yoshi’s Island (a whole new course!). The Boomerang Cup has Bangkok Rush (Tour again), Mario Circuit (Mario Kart DS), Waluigi Stadium (Double Dash), and Singapore Speedway (wow, Tour again!). Well, that’s a lot of new stuff to enjoy. Go and get it.

New Releases

Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse ($49.99)

I’m not going to pretend to understand the complicated ownership situation of this IP, but here’s the Wii Fatal Frame that was co-developed by Nintendo, Koei-Tecmo, and Grasshopper Manufacture, now available on Switch and other platforms in a spiffy remade form. Keep in mind that this was originally a Wii game, so don’t expect the graphics to be quite up to the level seen in Maiden of Black Water. The visuals have seen some improvements of course, and there are some new costumes that presumably will serve as replacements for the Luigi and Zero Suit Samus costumes. This is the first time the game has been available in English, so I’d imagine it’s all new to many of you anyway.

Caverns of Mars: Recharged ($9.99)

A fascinating pull. Atari has mostly been stick to hits from the arcade and Atari 2600 for its Recharged line, but this is the first time it’s dipping into its 8-bit computer library. The original Caverns of Mars is like Konami’s Scramble turned ninety degrees, but this one is more like a cousin of Downwell. And hey, that’s not a bad thing. You’re descending through shafts and you can fire your guns to slow your fall a bit, but you also need to keep an eye on your fuel stocks. Collect temporary power-ups and fuel, blast enemies for points, and pick a perk between levels to augment your load-out. I’ll be doing a full review of this one soon, but I think it’s another strong entry in the cool Recharged line.

Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo ($19.99)

I love it when Square Enix digs into genres outside of RPGs, because sometimes we end up with something neat like Paranormasight. This is a Japanese-style adventure game that straddles the line between horror and mystery story really well. Set in Tokyo during the Showa era, it follows an intriguing cast of characters as they try to unravel the titular seven mysteries and with them the secret to the Rite of Resurrection, which is said to have the power to bring the dead back to life. I’ll have a review of this one soon, but if you like the genre I think you’ll enjoy this quite a bit.

Ib ($14.99)

Oh yeah, this is exactly the kind of creepy horror adventure that I tend to avoid because they scare the heck out of me. So of course I have been asked to review it. Sigh. Everyone finds my scaredy-cat nature amusing, I suppose. Anyway, a girl gets separated from her parents in an art gallery. She searches for them, but the museum starts to change around her. And it’s not changing into a chill coffee shop or anything. The original game was built in RPG Maker, but this is a fully remade version of the game. Lots of new stuff, so even if you’ve played the game before, you might enjoy the trip. Let’s see if my heart gives out this time.

Record of Agarest War ($39.99)

Somehow, Record of Agarest War returned. For such a mediocre game, this sure does get around. Nine years ago I gave the iOS version of this game a pretty sparkling review, but those were different times and that one cost six bucks. At forty bucks in the current era, with all of the stunningly strong competition in this genre on the Switch? It’s a harder sell. A much harder sell. You can definitely find worse turn-based tactical RPGs on the platform, but for this much money you can surely do better. I like the system where your offspring from the current generation becomes the hero of the next, and it’s certainly a lengthy affair, but even there I have to say that you can probably find more enjoyable ways to spend your time. Well, it’s your call in the end.

Session: Skate Sim ($49.99)

I think we have to be honest with ourselves and admit that we’re probably not getting any more Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater remakes anytime soon. That is a sad thing. A very sad thing. If you’ve exhausted the existing Tony Hawk game and need something to scratch your skating itch, this might be of interest to you. It’s more modeled after the style of EA’s Skate series, but beggars can’t be choosers. The game didn’t exactly light the world on fire on other platforms and Nacon’s track record for Switch ports isn’t exactly promising, but if nothing else we should be able to pick this up for a fiver several months down the line, and maybe that’s good enough.

Tiny Troopers: Global Ops ($19.99)

Well, well, well… if it isn’t Tiny Troopers, back again in Global Ops form. This isn’t my favorite series under the sun, but that was mostly on me for expecting it to be like Cannon Fodder instead of appreciating it as its own thing. Anyway, it’s another twin-stick shooter where you guide your little troops through more than forty missions set across six different locations, blasting everything that’s trying to blast you before it can, you know, do that thing. You can pop online and enjoy some multiplayer for up to four, and that is indeed cross-platform. There’s also local multiplayer, again for up to four, in case you have some friends in the vicinity that you want to play with.

ONI: Road to be the Mightiest Oni ($29.99)

This is a really interesting game. It’s an action-adventure game and it certainly has big ambitions. What is fascinating is just how close it gets to achieving them. I wouldn’t call this a must-have or anything, but if you’re a little bored of the usual thing and want something that has a bigger heart than budget, you might want to give this a go. You’re trying to help a little Oni who has been trounced by the legendary Momotaro. He wants to beef up his strength for the rematch, and his road is not going to be an easy one. I kind of dig it? I’ll have to sit on my thoughts a bit before I decide exactly how I feel about it, though.

Arcade Archives Turbo Force ($7.99)

Before there was Aero Fighters, there was Turbo Force. It’s a vertically scrolling shooter with a time travel theme, and while it lacks the story and charm of its spiritual successor, you’ll definitely see the resemblance. I wouldn’t exactly call it a great shooter or even necessarily a good one, but it’s historically significant in a certain way and certainly a rare sight when it comes to reissues. Aero Fighters fans should dig it at the bare minimum.

Figment 2: Creed Valley ($24.99)

Well I just heard, the news today, it seems Figment 2, is here to play. With arms wide open! CAN YOU TAKE ME HIGHER? Sorry, sorry. I saw Creed and things just went from there. I thought it would be funny; it absolutely was not. No one should be reminded of that band. Fortunately, this game has nothing to do with any of that. It’s another action-adventure, but you’re romping around the human mind. The battles in the game are musical, which is as good a gimmick as any. The first game was really good and I have little reason to believe this will be any lesser an experience.

The Last Spell ($24.99)

Sure are a lot of intriguing games today. This one has been out for a bit on Steam, so it’s a known quantity to an extent. It’s a tactical RPG with roguelite elements, and I could throw out a whole word salad of genres it draws from but suffice it to say that the result is surprisingly compelling. You know how Into the Breach just sort of got its hooks into you and took over your life for a while if you were foolish enough to play it? This one is a lot like that, too. I’ll have a full review soon when I can actually put it down long enough to write one.

Mystic Gate ($9.99)

Another twin-stick shooter roguelite, but at least it’s a well-made one. It hews very closely to the usual features you see in this kind of game, and that leaves me without much to write about here. Grab it if you’re drained Enter the Gungeon of every drop of blood and want something along those lines to scratch your itch. It’s not as good as that game, mind you, but that’s the one it most reminds me of.

Mari and Bayu: The Road Home ($16.99)

This is a puzzle-platformer that you can play alone or with a friend in co-op play. If you do go it solo, you’ll have to manage both characters as they each have their own abilities you’ll need to make use of in order to solve puzzles and move forward. It certainly has a gorgeous look to it, and it plays fairly well. I know it’s not the most useful thing to say, but if you’re into this genre I think you’ll want to give this game a closer look. If you have someone to play through it with it’s an easy recommendation, but it’s also worth running through on your own just to enjoy the scenery and decent puzzles.

Metal Dogs ($22.00)

Apparently, this is a spin-off of Metal Max. And it’s another top-down shooter, but this one has two things that help it stand out. First of all, it’s not a roguelite. You can get new gear that upgrades your character, but you’re not going to have to restart or that sort of thing. Second, the playable characters are dogs. With guns. And not, like, anthro dogs. They’re just normal dogs with big guns on their backs. Pretty rad, not going to lie. The game has been out for a while in other places and seems to be generally well-regarded.

Zapling Bygone ($12.99)

Here’s another Metroidvania-style game. In this one you play as this weird tentacle alien thing, and the game description really wants you to know that the mechanic for gaining and using new abilities is by defeating enemies and wearing their skulls. So don’t forget that. It certainly has its own sense of style, and I’d imagine the character being a tentacle alien offers some novel points of its own. Reviews for it on other platforms are extremely positive, so if you love your Metroidvania games you’ll probably want to consider picking this up.

A Passive Boy at the Huntress Clinic ($19.90)

In this visual novel, the protagonist has been in a horrible traffic accident. Normally that would be a set-up for something serious, but here it’s just an excuse to have the main character laid up in a hospital full of large-breasted doctors and nurses who really want to tease him. I know no one is buying something like this for the well-written prose, but this is one of those games that has a really poor translation, so proceed with caution if you must indeed proceed.

Escaping a Fireworks Factory ~Nyanzou&Kumakichi: Escape Game~ ($4.90)

When are they going to get to the fireworks factory! Oh, they already got there. And now they want to escape. Kind of a metaphor for life and the thrill of the chase, I suppose. Anyway, this is another Nyanzou & Kumakichi escape game, and that means a silly little puzzle box aimed at those who want a slightly more beginner-friendly entry to the genre. I’ll at least grant that you don’t see this setting in an escape game all that often.

Chippy&Noppo ($19.99)

I kind of hate today. There are so many decent games that could use some extra attention but are definitely going to get lost in the shuffle because so much hit at once. Oh well. Chippy & Noppo is a really cute cooperative puzzle game. You can play alone if you want, of course. The idea is that you’re shown a picture of what you need to assemble, and then you need to use the tools and blocks to make it. Chippy is small and get into tight places, while Noppo is tall and jumps like a pro. A fun game to play on your own, and a really great game if you have a friend or family member to play in local co-op.

Know by heart… ($19.99)

This is more of a good story than a good game. Regular readers know that I am more than fine with story-first games, but I’d prefer if they just skip the gameplay bits if they’re just going to make enjoying the story more tedious. And unfortunately, that is where I am at with this interesting, deeply personal-feeling tale of a guy who feels his best years are long in the past and just wants to escape the tedium of his everyday life. I think the story is worth experiencing, but the bits between the story dumps are all really boring. You might enjoy it anyway.

WHY I was born ($9.99)

Explore the memories of a man from childhood to adulthood, visiting various places and solving the puzzles or problems in each. Oh, and you’re a ball. Apparently there is some horror in here as well, so I guess be ready for things to potentially take a dark turn. Perhaps in the end you will help him find the meaning of his life. It feels like a big job for an imaginary ball, but I have faith. I believe in ball.

Super Ninja Miner ($4.99)

This is a port of a web game, and it’s one of those things like Tomb of the Mask or Old Towers where you’re zipping your character from one wall to the next, trying to collect goodies, avoid hazards, and defeat enemies. You get sixty levels in this version, and that’s not too shabby at all. A decent affordable pick-up for those who like this particular blend of puzzle and action.

Island Cities ($2.99)

A very chill puzzle game. Maybe too chill. In each stage, you’re shown the way the island is meant to look, then the pieces are jumbled around and you need to put them back. You can exchange any two pieces, so it’s really just like putting together a very simple jigsaw puzzle. No time limit either. It is what it is.

Space Haters ($5.99)

This is a vertical shooter with an interesting premise that sees you as an intergalactic sell-out musician trying to make your way across the cosmos to a great after-party. Unfortunately, your haters are going to get in your way. This is an intensely competitive genre on the Switch, so a unique set-up is at least one way to stand out. Perhaps it will be enough to catch your eye, dear reader. Or perhaps not. Such is the way of things.

Antigravity Racing ($8.99)

Hey, it’s Benjamin Kistler! That’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time. A very long time indeed. Glad to see he hasn’t changed much, because this is just a dollar-store dumpster imitation of a far better game. Is it a template? I don’t know, and I can’t be bothered to look. All I know is that it’s kind of terrible and I sure wouldn’t pay nine dollars for this when you can just pay someone that much money to kick you in the butt with a steel-toed boot and get the same experience.

Fear or Evil : Nightmare Horror Scary Game Phobia 2023 Simulator Hunter Games ($4.99)

More trash from the prolific trash-flingers at Midnight Works. Probably an even worse use of money than buying a Benjamin Kistler game. Use that five bucks for something more fun, like buying an old Pet Rock and a cool hat for it.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

I can feel a storm brewing. I can feel it in my bones. There isn’t much here so far, but that will likely change by the time you read this. We’ll catch up tomorrow. For now, we’ve got a new low price for The Good Life along with the first sale I remember seeing for Atom RPG. The outbox is fairly big, with discounts on the Star Wars games, No More Heroes, Story of Seasons, and more. Check both lists, and make sure you look at that outgoing list carefully.

Select New Games on Sale

Raspberry Mash ($1.99 from $16.99 until 3/13)
The Good Life ($23.99 from $39.99 until 3/15)
Clunky Hero ($11.24 from $14.99 until 3/16)
Memorrha ($12.99 from $19.99 until 3/16)
Roundguard ($6.32 from $19.99 until 3/16)
Freshly Frosted ($6.89 from $9.99 until 3/16)
#Funtime ($3.24 from $14.99 until 3/16)
Sail Forth ($16.59 from $19.99 until 3/16)
Fracter ($2.21 from $6.99 until 3/16)
The Ambassador: Fractured Timelines ($3.24 from $14.99 until 3/16)
Deleveled ($2.16 from $9.99 until 3/16)
Space Otter Charlie ($6.54 from $14.99 until 3/16)
Atom RPG ($9.19 from $22.99 until 3/22)
Touhou Spell Bubble ($27.49 from $54.99 until 3/22)
Age of Heroes: The Beginning ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)

Baldo the Guardian Owls ($17.49 from $24.99 until 3/23)
The Lost Labyrinth ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
My Downtown ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Queen’s Garden: Sakura Season ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Like No Other: TLotTB ($8.99 from $14.99 until 3/23)
Secrets of Magic 4 PM ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Secrets of Magic 5 BtS ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/24)
Poker Pretty Girls Battle Fantasy ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/24)
Pretty Girls Klondike Solitaire ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/24)
Santa’s Holiday ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/24)
KORG Gadget ($24.00 from $48.00 until 3/28)
Magic Code ($1.99 from $12.48 until 3/29)
Cattails ($3.74 from $14.99 until 3/29)
Monster Destroyer ($1.99 from $7.13 until 3/29)
Groove Coaster Wai Wai Party ($35.99 from $59.99 until 3/30)
Papetura ($7.99 from $9.99 until 3/30)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, March 10th

4×4 Offroad Driver 2 ($9.74 from $12.99 until 3/10)
Akiba’s Trip H&D ($11.99 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Andro Dunos II ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Arcade Paradise ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? ($19.99 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Beasties ($1.99 from $14.99 until 3/10)
Buddy Simulator 1984 ($6.66 from $9.99 until 3/10)
Bulletstorm Duke of Switch ($7.49 from $29.99 until 3/10)
BurgerTime Party ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Catan ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/10)
Choice of Life: Middle Ages 2 ($5.94 from $6.99 until 3/10)
Circus Electrique ($11.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Dragon Fury ($17.49 from $24.99 until 3/10)
Drunken Fist 2 Zombie Hangover ($4.79 from $7.99 until 3/10)
Duke Nukem 3D 20th Anniversary ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/10)
Endling EiF ($19.99 from $29.99 until 3/10)

Freedom Planet ($4.49 from $14.99 until 3/10)
Gal Metal ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Ghostbusters Remastered ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Heroland ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Horatio Goes Snowboarding ($4.19 from $6.99 until 3/10)
Horizon Chase Turbo ($3.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
InnerSpace ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Instant Chef Party ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/10)
Instant Sports All-Stars ($9.99 from $24.99 until 3/10)
Into the Dark ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Irresistible Mistakes ($20.99 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Kid Ball Adventure ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/10)
Kids Vs Parents ($21.99 from $24.99 until 3/10)
Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning ($23.99 from $39.99 until 3/10)

Kissed by the Baddest Bidder ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/10)
KURSK ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/10)
Maggie the Magnet ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/10)
No More Heroes ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
No More Heroes 2 DS ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Operencia: The Stolen Sun ($10.19 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Rage Among the Stars ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/10)
Redout 2 ($20.09 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Redout 2 Deluxe ($22.49 from $44.99 until 3/10)
Rick Henderson ($4.79 from $7.99 until 3/10)
Roof Jump Stunt Driver ($7.79 from $12.99 until 3/10)
Rune Factory 4 Special ($19.49 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Rune Factory 5 ($29.99 from $49.99 until 3/10)
Sakuna: Of Rice & Ruin ($19.49 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Salt and Sanctuary ($4.49 from $17.99 until 3/10)
Seduced in the Sleepless City ($20.99 from $29.99 until 3/10)

Slap the Rocks ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/10)
Spacewing War ($4.19 from $6.99 until 3/10)
Star Wars Episode 1 Racer ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/10)
Star Wars Jedi Academy ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Star Wars Jedi Outcast ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/10)
Star Wars KotOR ($9.74 from $14.99 until 3/10)
Star Wars KotOR II: Sith Lords ($9.74 from $14.99 until 3/10)
Star Wars Pinball ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Star Wars Republic Commando ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/10)
Star Wars The Force Unleashed ($15.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/10)
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town ($23.99 from $39.99 until 3/10)
Torchlight II ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Torchlight III ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/10)
Tribes of Midgard ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Ultra Mega Xtra Party Challenge ($4.99 from $24.99 until 3/10)
Wreckfest ($29.99 from $39.99 until 3/10)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with the remaining releases of the week, plus a bunch of sales (Mario Day may be every day but its sales come but once a year) and any giant news items roll in during the next twenty-four hours. I hope you all have an excellent Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 8th, 2023. Not a whole lot going on new release-wise today, with most of the titles for this week aiming at the usual Thursday slot instead. There is, however, a fair bit of news, so we’ll be touching on all of that. There is one thing that hit the eShop today that we’ll talk about, and then there are the usual lists of new and outgoing sales. Not too bad for a Wednesday, all things considered. Let’s get to it!

News

Wave 3 of ‘Fire Emblem Engage’ DLC Has Arrived

Wow, they’re really whipping through these, aren’t they? Wave 3 of the Expansion Pass for Fire Emblem Engage is now available for those who purchased it. Like the last couple of waves, this mostly comes down to some new Emblems to engage with. Hailing from Fire Emblem Awakening, Chrom and Robin likely need no introductions. Some players may not recognize Veronica, the frenemy of Alfonse and Sharena in the mobile Fire Emblem Heroes. She’s pretty cool, though. Cooler than Alfonse and Sharena, at least. I’d imagine the wait for Wave 4 is going to be somewhat longer, as it contains major story content, but I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see.

‘Ultimate Chicken Horse’ Gets New ‘Shellebration’ Update

The latest update for the over-the-top Ultimate Chicken Horse has arrived. It’s called the Shellebration update, marking the seven-year anniversary of the game’s original release. There’s a new character, Turtle, and if you’re expecting a slowpoke you’ve got another thing coming. An alternative skin for Turtle, Armadillo, is also available. Take them into action in a new level, Metro, and deck them out in some cool new outfits like the pirate costume or the ninja gear. This update is free, and the game itself is half-price for a limited time to celebrate.

The Demo for NISA’s ‘GrimGrimoire OnceMore’ is Now Available

GrimGrimoire OnceMore, the remake of Vanillaware’s cult favorite 2007 PlayStation 2 strategy game, is all set for its release on April 4th. If you want a little early taste, there’s some good news for you. A demo has been put up on the eShop for you to enjoy, and as with most recent game demos your progress will carry over to the full game. Those who haven’t played the game before should give the demo a shot and see if its unique gameplay hits the spot for you.

‘Front Mission 2: Remake’ Dated for June 12th Release

Forever Entertainment’s remake of Front Mission 1st was a rather faithful interpretation of the game, perhaps to its own detriment with some players. I’m really looking forward to Front Mission 2: Remake precisely because of that. This will be the first time the game is released in the West, and indeed the first remake or port of the game at all. Well, we’ve got both a release date for the game now and a trailer showing it off. Mark June 12th on your calendars, because that’s the day the wanzers will be having their picnic.

New Releases

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning – Fatesworn DLC ($19.99)

More than a year after it hit other platforms, the Fatesworn DLC for Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning finally hits the Switch. Well, if nothing else it means we don’t have to go in sight-unseen. This is end game DLC that adds several hours more content to the game, and by most accounts it isn’t exactly up to the level of quality seen in the original game. Die hard fans will likely want to pick it up just to get any new adventures in this world, but most players will probably be better off sticking with the base game.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

As mentioned, Ultimate Chicken Horse is on sale to go along with its new update. Other than that, I don’t have much I want to jump up and down about in that inbox. And taking a look at the outbox, I’d say the same there as well. Well, have a gander at those lists yourself. You might find something there that grabs you more than it did me.

Select New Games on Sale

Ultimate Chicken Horse ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Little Bug ($1.99 from $12.99 until 3/15)
The Last Survey ($1.99 from $14.99 until 3/15)
Boreal Tenebrae ($1.99 from $6.99 until 3/15)
P.3 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/15)
Inukari ($1.99 from $7.99 until 3/15)
Gem Wizards Tactics ($1.99 from $12.99 until 3/15)
Detective Di TSRM ($1.99 from $12.99 until 3/15)
Under Leaves ($1.99 from $12.99 until 3/15)
Art Sqool ($1.99 from $12.99 until 3/15)
Elemetals DMDM ($1.99 from $12.99 until 3/15)
Ultreia ($1.99 from $12.99 until 3/15)
Pathfinder: WotR Cloud Vers. ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/18)
Escape to the Ocean ($8.05 from $11.50 until 3/21)
Sudoku Zenkai ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/21)
Dead by Daylight ($11.99 from $29.99 until 3/22)
Move or Die: Unleashed ($6.74 from $14.99 until 3/28)
Gravity Thrust ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/28)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Thursday, March 9th

Banners of Ruin ($3.99 from $19.99 until 3/9)
Bossgard ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/9)
Defentron ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/9)
Future Aero Racing S Ultra ($1.99 from $6.99 until 3/9)
Goat Simulator: The GOATY ($5.99 from $29.99 until 3/9)
Innocence Island ($6.99 from $19.99 until 3/9)
Iron Lung ($5.09 from $5.99 until 3/9)
Rise: Race the Future ($6.59 from $16.49 until 3/9)
Skyland Rush ($1.99 from $6.99 until 3/9)
Sucker For Love: First Date ($8.49 from $9.99 until 3/9)
The Flea Evolution ($1.99 from $6.99 until 3/9)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with an absolute truck load of new releases, plus whatever sales and major news roll in during the next day. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 7th, 2023. I had planned to do a couple of reviews today, but the games in question ended up being a little longer than I expected so I’ll have to punt those a few days down the line. That leaves us with just a little slice of news, a couple of decent new releases to check out, and the usual lists of new and expiring sales. But hey, that’s not so bad. Let’s dig in and see what we’ve got!

News

Check Out Nintendo’s New Video for Mario Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNCAjgJTA4I

I don’t remember exactly when someone first noticed that March 10th looked kind of like Mario’s name if you shortened it, but it was surely a great day for Nintendo’s marketing team. The day is almost upon us again, and this year is a special one because the Super Mario Bros. movie is coming pretty soon. It’s also the 40th anniversary of the Famicom and of Luigi, but the universe is far too cowardly to do another Year of Luigi. Anyway, Nintendo has a new video up reminding us that every day is in fact Mario Day if you wish it to be. Just pull out your ol’ Switch and fire up a little of what our pal Mikhail likes to call the Bing-Bing-Wahoo, and you too can enjoy a Mario Day. Why, even slow news days can be Mario Days!

New Releases

Little Witch Nobeta ($49.99)

What if you mixed a Souls-like with a shooter, but also wanted it to be horny? Well, you’d probably end up with something like Little Witch Nobeta. You play as the titular witch, who is suffering from a bad bout of amnesia. She explores a mysterious castle, looking for answers and mostly finding trouble. There are already some extra skins you can buy as DLC in case you want to cavort around the castle looking like a bunny or a nurse. The game has gotten a fairly sunny reception on other platforms, so as long as the port wasn’t biffed here it may be worth looking into.

Pronty ($14.99)

You don’t see that many Metroidvania-style games set under the sea, but when you do they are usually pretty good. And yes, this one is pretty good. Not one to go running down the street shouting at the top of your voice about, but pretty good. You’re the sea guardian Pronty and need to deal with a sudden invasion of underwater mutants. Naturally, you’ll have to take care of that immediate problem, but you’ll also need to sort out why they are there, where they came from, and maybe a few other things along the way. This is another one with fairly good reviews for its computer version, which is always promising.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Oh, Xeno Crisis is at a new low price. That’s a great pick if you enjoy games like Smash TV. Beyond that, we’ve got some solid sales on Drinkbox’s line-up, plus a few other odds and ends like JellyCar Worlds and Dead Cells. The outbox is small and has a few good games in it, but nothing I wouldn’t expect to see on sale again rather soon. do what you will with it.

Select New Games on Sale

Temtem ($35.99 from $44.99 until 3/13)
Nobody Saves the World ($14.99 from $24.99 until 3/13)
Lonesome Village ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/13)
Guacamelee Super Turbo CE ($3.74 from $14.99 until 3/13)
Guacamelee 2 ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/13)
Severed ($3.74 from $14.99 until 3/13)
TFS: Mutant Blobs Attack ($3.49 from $9.99 until 3/13)
JellyCar Worlds ($6.39 from $7.99 until 3/14)
Wolflame ($5.559 form $6.99 until 3/20)
Gigantic Army ($7.19 from $8.99 until 3/20)
Armed 7 DX ($5.59 from $6.99 until 3/20)
Satazius Next ($5.59 from $6.99 until 3/20)
Shmup Collection ($11.99 from $14.99 until 3/20)
Finding Teddy 2 ($7.99 from $9.99 until 3/20)
Guns of Mercy ($7.19 from $8.99 until 3/20)
BOT.vinnik Chess ($1.99 from $2.99 until 3/20)

Demon’s Rise: Lords of Chaos ($1.99 from $7.99 until 3/20)
Galaxy Champions TV ($1.99 from $6.99 until 3/20)
Upaon: A Snake’s Journey ($1.99 from $2.99 until 3/20)
Hidden Paws ($2.39 from $3.99 until 3/20)
Dead Cells ($14.99 from $24.99 until 3/21)
Red Wings: American Aces ($1.99 from $11.99 until 3/26)
Kao the Kangaroo ($17.99 from $29.99 until 3/27)
Alpaca Ball: Allstars ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/27)
Subsurface Circular ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/27)
Quarantine Circular ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/27)
Binaries ($2.59 from $12.99 until 3/27)
Norman’s Great Illlusion ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/27)
I, AI ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/27)
Dungeons & Bombs ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/27)
Mask of Mists ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/27)

My Aunt is a Witch ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/27)
Alveole ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/27)
Catty & Batty: The Spirit Guide ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/27)
Aircraft Evolution ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/27)
Steam Tactics ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/27)
Discolored ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/27)
Need a Packet? ($3.49 from $6.99 until 3/27)
Detective Case & Clown Bot ($3.59 from $5.99 until 3/27)
Mail Mole + Expansions Bundle ($8.99 from $14.99 until 3/27)
The Company Man ($11.99 from $19.99 until 3/27)
In Rays of the Light ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/27)
Xeno Crisis ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/28)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 8th

3000th Duel ($4.49 from $14.99 until 3/8)
A Fox and His Robot ($53.99 from $59.99 until 3/8)
Battle Brothers: Complete ($36.58 from $60.98 until 3/8)
Death Road to Canada ($8.99 from $14.99 until 3/8)
Goonya Monster ($17.99 from $19.99 until 3/8)
Phoenotopia Awakening ($8.99 from $19.99 until 3/8)
Q Remastered ($3.40 from $6.80 until 3/8)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more sales, some new releases, perhaps some news, and an outside chance of reviews. We’ll see how things go. I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 6th, 2023. In today’s article, I’ve got a few reviews for you to start the week with. First up, Nintendo and HAL’s latest release in the Kirby series, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe. After that, it’s the tactical RPG Redemption Reapers and the adventure game Lucy Dreaming. Then we have a few new releases to look at, including the Castlevania DLC for Dead Cells. We round things out with the usual lists of new and expiring sales. Let’s get going!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe ($59.99)

Is there anything under the sun more reliable than a Kirby game? Sure, there are some unusual spin-offs, but they’re usually good fun. Yes, some of the core games are more enjoyable than others, but even at their worst the games are a pleasant romp. Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a revisit of the 2011 Wii game, a release that came late enough that a lot of people ended up missing it. As with many other Wii games, one of its main new features was to allow up to four players to enjoy the game together. Given that it had been more than ten years since a traditional Kirby game had hit a home console, it was also a bit of a nostalgia play. And hey, it was a little bit of alright.

Here we are in 2023 with Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe, and it’s every bit the game the original was. The Super Inhale move is activated with a button instead of a motion shake, a few new copy powers have been added, an optional easy mode has been implemented, and there’s a cool new Epilogue to play featuring Magolor. The game’s visuals have been completely overhauled, and character designs have been brought in line with their modern takes. There’s also the new Merry Magoland amusement park, which houses a bunch of minigames drawn from various games in the series and a ton of fun unlockable goodies. If I really wanted to go into the weeds, I could list a ton of small tweaks and adjustments made to how it plays, but suffice it to say that this isn’t a straight port by any means.

On the whole, I think this is a better game than the original in just about every way. Perhaps not better enough to warrant a purchase for someone who already owns the game and has their Wii or Wii U hooked up, but enough that this is the one of the two that you should buy if you’re coming to it fresh. Well, that’s one question settled. Perhaps the more important question is whether you should be interested in it at all? I think if you’re looking for a fun platformer to play with friends in local co-op, then Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe has a lot to offer. It’s fun to play through the game together even if it is very easy, and the mini-games in the Merry Magoland park offer some nice distractions if you want something more party game-ish. I’m a little surprised there isn’t any online multiplayer support in this release, but maybe I shouldn’t be.

As a Kirby game, it falls right in the middle of the pack. Even with the improvements, I don’t think it’s up to the likes of Forgotten Land, Superstar Deluxe, or Planet Robobot. But it’s also a good bit more fun than Star Allies or, say, Squeak Squad. The Super Abilities are a fun gimmick, the stage designs are all decent enough, and it’s amusing to mess around with the rather robust move sets of each Copy Ability. It has that appeal that the games in the Kirby series usually do, offering a relatively chill playthrough with some tricky extras to obtain for those who want more bite. It doesn’t do anything to drop the ball in any serious way, but unless you’re in it for the multiplayer, it also lacks that special spark that the best of the bunch have.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a remake of higher effort than it may initially appear as, with a laundry list of improvements both obvious and subtle to bring a game that was already solid to begin with up to the modern standards of the series. As with many other Kirby games, it offers a wide array of things to do and mechanics to play with, and the multiplayer option adds some spice for those who can make use of it. It’s a very workmanlike game in many regards, and it’s not likely to convince those not already charmed by the pink puff. But that is often the role that Kirby finds himself occupying, and it’s one that he wears as smartly as he does his little red shoes.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Redemption Reapers ($49.99)

My first impressions of this game were not good. The visuals are bland and, in this Switch version, really rough. The enemies are completely devoid of anything to distinguish them from killer chunks of meat on legs. The difficulty early on is brutally high, and the weapon degradation system makes it feel like you’re not just fighting an uphill battle, but you’re doing it on roller skates. Considering the pedigree of the people behind this game, including veterans of the Fire Emblem series and Metal Gear Solid, this game came off shockingly poorly in the early going.

I wish I could say that if you stick with it, you’ll be well rewarded. But I can’t say that. All I can say is that it does get better. Resources become less scarce, the difficult curve becomes a little less sharp, and the plot actually starts to exist. If the first half of the game was as strong as the second half, and was followed by a second half that steps things up accordingly, we might have something here. Instead, we have an assortment of interesting ideas that don’t ever really stick together properly. I’ll grant that is better than having no ideas at all, but it’s also more disappointing.

I’ve played worse turn-based tactical RPGs than Redemption Reapers, and perhaps some of my disappointment was on me for expecting more. But I can’t help but feel like there could have been something special here if the story was properly fleshed out and its various design choices worked better together. Instead we have a game that pushes against you in a lot of unpleasant ways, almost to the point where it feels like it wants you to stop playing. With how many solid entries in this genre the Switch has in its library, it’s hard to recommend this one with any real vigor.

SwitchArcade Score: 3/5

Lucy Dreaming ($18.99)

If you like point-and-click style adventure games, in particular the Lucasarts classics, you’ll want to give Lucy Dreaming a look. This is a clever, genuinely funny game with a lot of inventive ideas and one of the smoothest difficulty curves I’ve seen in a game like this in quite some time. It oozes charm, both in its affection for its forbearers and in its own deeply British sensibilities. If you’re the sort that loves clicking on things in adventure games just to see what the character will say, you’ll be plenty rewarded here. I particularly like how the two sides of the game, the real world and the world of Lucy’s dreams, allow it to alternate between more grounded puzzles and wildly abstract ones.

Lucy Dreaming is another fine addition to the Switch’s excellent library of point-and-click adventure games. The sense of humor is on point, the story is engaging, the puzzles are fair and well-designed, the presentation is good, and the interface is about as competent as you can get for a game of this sort on a controller. It manages to thread the difficult needle of being a love letter to the genre while still being its own game, and as long as you don’t have an issue with adventure games you’ll probably enjoy it as much as I did.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

New Releases

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC ($9.99)

Castlevania is back! Sort of! The latest DLC for the amazing Dead Cells is a fully Konami-endorsed nostalgic trip to the demon castle itself. Aid Richter Belmont by exploring the iconic castle, battling its familiar denizens, and ultimately take down Dracula himself. You can unlock and make use of fourteen different weapons from the series including the Vampire Killer whip, find tasty meat in walls, rock a soundtrack full of Castlevania tunes, find Castlevania character outfits, and even play as Richter himself via a special extra mode. I’ll probably have a review of this one soon, so keep an eye out for that.

Scrap Games ($4.49)

This is a dreadful little beat-em-up game. It puts up the numbers, with twelve stages and eight different characters, and you can upgrade your character as you go. But none of that matters if the gameplay isn’t up to snuff, and this just misses the mark completely. The good news is that four bucks will instead buy you a quality beat-em-up from Capcom Arcade Stadium.

Ala Mobile ($14.99)

A port of a mobile racer, this is a formula racing game with fifteen tracks to race on, ten different teams to choose from, and online multiplayer for two players. It promises “everything you can desire from a racing game” and that feels like a big swing. It seems well-liked enough on mobile, but it’s also seven times cheaper there. Almost worth dropping the two bucks there to see if you like it well enough to buy it here for fifteen.

inquiry for justice ($1.50)

A text-heavy visual novel with only Japanese language support. Not much good unless you can read Japanese. Even if you can, I’m not sure it’s worth your time even if the price is low.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Not too much yet today, but there are some sales on the Hatsune Miku puzzle games, Terarin’s shooters, and the excellent Dungeons of Dreadrock to consider. It’s your last shot to grab No Man’s Sky at its current discount, though I imagine it will come back around some day.

Select New Games on Sale

Hatsune Miku Logic Paint S ($8.54 from $14.00 until 3/12)
Hatsune Miku Tamagotori ($8.54 from $14.00 until 3/12)
Hatsune Miku Jigsaw Puzzle ($8.54 from $14.99 until 3/12)
Right and Down ($5.99 from $9.99 until 3/12)
Sotano ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/13)
Dungeons of Dreadrock ($2.49 from $10.00 until 3/20)
Raging Blasters ($10.29 from $14.70 until 3/24)
Gemini Arms ($6.64 from $9.49 until 3/24)
Missile Dancer ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Drift & Drive ($7.79 from $12.99 until 3/24)
Gunman Tales ($5.59 from $6.99 until 3/24)
Scar of the Doll ($6.59 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Green Soldiers Heroes ($1.99 from $20.00 until 3/24)
Secrets of Light and Shadow ($11.25 from $15.00 until 3/25)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, March 7th

Children of Silentown ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/7)
Divinity Original Sin 2 DE ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/7)
Eldest Souls ($6.99 from $19.99 until 3/7)
Harmony’s Odyssey ($9.74 from $14.99 until 3/7)
No Man’s Sky ($44.99 from $59.99 until 3/7)
Roki ($5.59 from $19.99 until 3/7)
Rolling Car ($1.99 from $7.99 until 3/7)
Tails of Iron ($8.74 from $24.99 until 3/7)
The Last Campfire ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/7)
ToeJam & Earl Back in the Groove ($2.24 from $14.99 until 3/7)
UnderDungeon ($1.99 from $13.99 until 3/7)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more reviews, more new releases, some sales, and perhaps some news. I’m almost done with the little translation project I’m working on, and I’m looking forward to having my evenings back for a little while before starting on the next one. I hope you all have a marvelous Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 3rd, 2023. Today we have a nice little treat as our pal Mikhail has done a full, detailed review of the latest free DLC pack for the curiously compelling PowerWash Simulator. After that, I mop up the rest of this week’s releases with all the summarizing I can muster. We finish up with a healthy list of new sales and a few things wrapping up their discounts over the weekend. Let’s go to it!

Reviews & Mini-Views

PowerWash Simulator: Midgar Special Pack (Free)

PowerWash Simulator recently hit Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PS4 following its debut on PC and Xbox platforms last year. While not perfect, the Nintendo Switch version is excellent, and I’ve had a ton of fun revisiting the game on both Switch and PS5 recently. When PowerWash Simulator: Midgar Special Pack was announced, I knew I had to play it as a fan of not just PowerWash Simulator, but also Final Fantasy VII. While PowerWash Simulator: Midgar Special Pack is free DLC, it is so good, that I think it justifies buying the game itself just to see how much care was put into these locations, vehicles, and more.

The PowerWash Simulator: Midgar Special Pack includes five new levels. Barring the four shown off on social media, this pack also includes the Airbuster. The levels are: the aforementioned Airbuster, the Hardy-Daytona & Shinra Hauler, the Scorpion Sentinel, Mako Energy Exhibit, and Seventh Heaven. The vehicle or weapon focused levels are more straightforward and simpler, but the Mako Energy Exhibit and Seventh Heaven are very meaty levels. The Mako Energy Exhibit in particular reminded me of a very complex model train system being cleaned.

Seventh Heaven was an absolute pain to deal with, but this level showed me how much attention to detail was put into the DLC. Tifa texts you while you’re cleaning up here while you get other messages I won’t spoil during other stages. These include various tidbits of lore and more. If you love Final Fantasy VII, you will likely have a smile on your face throughout this DLC pack.

When I was offered an early code for the PS5 version of the PowerWash Simulator: Midgar Special Pack, I wasn’t even sure we would review it because this is free DLC after all and the last few weeks have been beyond busy when it comes to releases. After the first level, I already knew this would be special, and Futurlab delivered in spades. While the Tomb Raider DLC was nice, I can’t get over how good the PowerWash Simulator: Midgar Special Pack is, all for the price of nothing. This is one of the best free content packs in a game that I’ve experienced in years.

Having beaten the complete DLC over a week ago on PS5, I’ve since played it on Switch and Steam Deck following its launch over a day ago. While the PS5 version is a lot better visually than the Switch version, the latter’s only flaw right now is how the lower resolution can make specific parts of objects harder to see even with the dirt highlight option. This made two levels take longer than they should’ve during my replay on Switch. With this DLC out now, I hope we get an update with gyro controls on Switch and PS5 in the near future.

I hope we get more DLC for PowerWash Simulator of this quality, and that Square Enix releases a complete physical release with all DLC included. If you have PowerWash Simulator already, downloading the PowerWash Simulator: Midgar Special Pack is a no brainer. It is superb even if you aren’t a fan of Final Fantasy VII. The attention to detail in each of the stages included is amazing. If you don’t have PowerWash Simulator, the PowerWash Simulator: Midgar Special Pack warrants a full game purchase. It is that good if you like Final Fantasy VII. –Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

New Releases

DARQ Ultimate Edition ($19.99)

Let’s look back to what I wrote the last time this game came out on Switch, as DARQ: Complete Edition, back on March 18th of 2021.

“Well, I’m happy that it’s not incomplete. That would be unfortunate. That’s supposed to be a joke but I guess it happens a lot these days. Reassurance, then, is nice. This game follows the story of a person who ventures into the world of nightmares, which seems like a bad idea to me. He’s got a long night ahead of him, because this version includes both DLC add-ons. Anyway, it’s a puzzle-packed adventure game of sorts that is dark, creepy, and more than a little surreal. Your goal in each stage is to find the way out of the nightmare, so it’s a bit like a spooky Suicide Guy if you think about it too hard like I did. If you expect things to work logically in these puzzles, this must be your first time playing a game set in a dream. Think outside of the box if you want to escape. It’s pretty decent and worth a look if you’re into the vibe it lays out in the screenshots.”

Well, I guess it wasn’t as complete as Shaun of the Past thought, eh? Because now that “Complete” edition has been delisted and this new version, which is exactly the same but includes an extra graphic novel based on the game, is here instead. No idea if existing owners of the Complete Edition get a discount, but I sure hope they do. Pretty dang rude otherwise.

Disaster Detective Saiga: An Indescribable Mystery ($24.99)

This is a horror mystery adventure game about a town where all kinds of unusual events occur and the enormously unlucky detective who has for whatever reason decided to be in this place. Solve mysteries, meet interesting characters, and make critical choices to ensure that you live long enough to find the answers you seek. Seems interesting, but since I haven’t had the chance to play through it myself yet I can’t really say anything deeper than that.

Gunman Tales ($6.99)

This is a gallery shooter along the lines of things like Wild Guns and Cabal. You control your little cowboy dude and need to move around and take out enemies in the background. You can get various upgrades as you go along, and up to four players can join in via local multiplayer. Seems fine for what it is.

Void Scrappers ($3.99)

Here’s another game looking to fill the, er, void with Vampire Survivors not being available on Switch. It’s pretty much Vampire Survivors with a space theme and a considerably lighter amount of meta content. And maybe for four bucks, that’s enough. It plays well enough for what it is, but it feels like it could use a bit more gas in the ol’ tank, if you know what I mean.

Ruku’s Heart Balloon ($10.99)

A fairly straightforward take on the old Same Game style of puzzler. Match two or more flowers of the same color to clear them from the board. It has a cute picture book style presentation that adds a little extra appeal to the whole affair, and there’s a cooperative two player mode via local multiplayer as well.

The Atla Archives ($14.99)

This is a first-person action-RPG of sorts. In the aftermath of a disaster, you end up with little else to your name than the piece of driftwood you came in on. Somehow you’re the person they’ve tasked to find the Ark of the Covenant to fill the Fountain of Absence before time runs out. I haven’t been able to play this one yet so I have absolutely no idea if it’s good or not. At the very least it doesn’t look like something the developer shoveled out thoughtlessly, but proceed at your own risk.

Dungeon Core ($12.99)

Here’s a twin-stick roguelite shooter, in case you need another one of those. It has some decent pixel art visuals and most of the things you would expect from this sort of affair. Permanent upgrades. Not so permanent upgrades. Procedurally generated levels. You know how this all works. It has decent reviews over on Steam, so if you’re looking for one of these today it might just suit your needs.

Pixel Game Maker Series Loplight ($4.99)

My brain is having a hard time processing the visual style of this game, but it’s a light twin-stick shooter so I’m sure you can fill in most of the blanks on your own. It’s more focused on telling a story than offering up a ton of gameplay variety, but I suppose that’s at least something to distinguish it from the dozens of other games in this genre on the Switch.

Give me toilet paper! ($5.00)

Okay so the idea here is that you take your Joy-Con and stick it inside the middle of an actual physical roll of toilet paper, then put that roll on a good sized board that you can lift up and tilt. You then roll that physical roll of toilet paper to make the on-screen roll of toilet paper move, trying to get it safely down to the bottom so the guy on the toilet can apply it to his bottom. This is very weird and cool. More five dollar nonsense like this, please.

Ro ($0.50)

Well, here’s a new low. This is in almost every regard an ordinary basement-tier Switch 2D platformer. It’s uninspired, it plays badly, and it looks like the dog’s breakfast after pupper has finished processing it. But we have lots of games like that on the eShop. This one is different because it is fifty cents. And it will probably sell a lot more than it should because of that. I’m not going to contribute to that, but you can make your own choices in life.

Super Hero Fighting Legends : Anime Mortal Battle ($4.99)

We have a game today that you play with an actual roll of toilet paper and somehow it’s still not the closest thing to the toilet bowl in the new release list. I can’t decide if this game or the next one is worse, but why not both? A horrible fighting game from a horrible developer, almost certainly constructed from Unity Asset Store bits and bobs. Single-player only, and a buck more than any of the fighting games in Capcom Arcade Stadium.

Outcasts of Dungeon: Epic Magic World Fight Rogue Game Simulator ($4.99)

More trash from Midnight Works. This one is a third-person action game where you have to explore some poorly-designed dungeons and beat all the enemies. Spend the five bucks on some snacks instead, you’ll be a lot happier and you won’t be rewarding this absolute clown show of a publisher.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

There are lot more sales besides what is listed here. That’s something regular readers probably know, but I will just say it again as a reminder. Anyway, some good stuff today. Good sales on things like A Monster’s Expedition, Streets of Rogue, and the Rune Factory games. The outbox doesn’t have too much to get worked up about, but you might as well check it after you go through the new list just to be sure.

Select New Games on Sale

Innocence Island ($6.99 from $19.99 until 3/9)
Akiba’s Trip H&D ($11.99 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Gal Metal ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Sakuna: Of Rice & Ruin ($19.49 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Heroland ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
BurgerTime Party ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Rune Factory 4 Special ($19.49 from $29.99 until 3/10)
Rune Factory 5 ($29.99 from $49.99 until 3/10)
Freedom Planet ($4.49 from $14.99 until 3/10)
No More Heroes ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
No More Heroes 2 DS ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town ($23.99 from $39.99 until 3/10)
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/10)
Horizon Chase Turbo ($3.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Salt and Sanctuary ($4.49 from $17.99 until 3/10)

Let’s Sing ABBA ($29.99 from $39.99 until 3/13)
Let’s Sing 2023 ($29.99 from $39.99 until 3/13)
Gods Will Fall ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/13)
King’s Bounty II ($7.99 from $39.99 until 3/13)
Road 96 ($5.98 from $19.96 until 3/13)
Windbound ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/13)
Graze Counter GM ($11.99 from $14.99 until 3/14)
Terror of Hemasaurus ($10.49 from $14.99 until 3/16)
Tunnel of Doom ($6.29 from $13.99 until 3/16)
Bloody Rally Show ($8.99 from $19.99 until 3/16)
Trifox ($12.99 from $19.99 until 3/16)
Severed Steel ($11.24 from $24.99 until 3/16)
The Procession to Calvary ($6.74 from $14.99 until 3/16)
A Musical Story ($6.74 from $14.99 until 3/16)
Ary & the Secret of Seasons ($5.99 from $39.99 until 3/17)
Bunny Mahjo ($1.99 from $2.99 until 3/17)

Cris Tales ($7.99 from $39.99 until 3/17)
Mech Armada ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/17)
CubicBan ($1.99 from $2.99 until 3/17)
Cubic Figures ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/17)
Cubic Parking ($1.99 from $2.99 until 3/17)
Monster Energy Supercross 2 ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/17)
The Pinball Wizard ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/17)
Kukoos: Lost Pets ($19.79 from $29.99 until 3/17)
Seduction: A Monk’s Fate ($4.79 from $7.99 until 3/17)
Broken Pipe ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/17)
Sentry Paragon ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/17)
Cube Decider ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/17)
Blind Postman ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/17)
Ginnung ($4.00 from $5.00 until 3/19)
Bumblebee: Little Bee Adventure ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/20)

Beastie Bay DX ($7.00 from $14.00 until 3/22)
Grand Prix Story ($7.00 from $14.00 until 3/22)
Burger Bistro Story ($8.40 from $14.00 until 3/22)
Bonfire Peaks ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
A Monster’s Expedition ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Cosmic Express ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/23)
Sokobond ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/23)
A Good Snowman is Hard to Build ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/23)
Splatter: Zombiecalypse Now ($1.99 from $7.99 until 3/23)
Everybody’s Home Run Derby ($2.50 from $5.00 until 3/23)
Streets of Rogue ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Criminal Expert ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/23)
Rigid Force Redux ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Totally Reliable Delivery Service ($5.99 from $14.99 until 3/23)
Happy’s Humble Burger Farm ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)

Undungeon ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Rhythm Sprout ($11.99 from $14.99 until 3/23)
Hellpoint ($13.99 from $34.99 until 3/23)
Let’s Get Changed: Escape Game ($14.80 from $19.80 until 3/23)
Cape’s Escape Game 4th Room ($2.00 from $9.80 until 3/23)
Cape’s Escape Game 5th Room ($2.00 from $9.80 until 3/23)
Silver Chains ($2.99 from $24.99 until 3/23)
The Coma: Recut ($3.74 from $14.99 until 3/23)
The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters ($3.74 from $14.99 until 3/23)
Trash Sailors ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/23)
Pixel Heroes: Mega Byte & Magic ($3.74 from $14.99 until 3/23)
Outbuddies DX ($4.49 from $17.99 until 3/23)
Truberbrook ($3.59 from $29.99 until 3/23)

Sales Ending This Weekend

A Sketchbook About Her Sun ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/4)
Beyond a Steel Sky ($15.99 from $39.99 until 3/4)
Dark Minute: Kira’s Adventure ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/4)
From Space ($9.74 from $14.99 until 3/4)
Horse Tales: Emerald Valley Ranch ($27.99 from $39.99 until 3/4)
New Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja ($20.99 from $29.99 until 3/4)
Out of the Box ($4.49 from $14.99 until 3/4)
Promesa ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/4)
Smurfs Kart ($26.79 from $39.99 until 3/4)
The Diabolical Trilogy ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
The Quest for Excalibur – Puy du Fou ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/4)
Will Die Alone ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/4)

That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with more games, more sales, some reviews, and maybe even a bit of news. I have to spend my weekend finishing up some translation work, but that’s how it goes. The hustle is always real. I hope you all have a great weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 2nd, 2023. It’s Thursday, and that means we’ve got a fair few new releases to look through today. There’s no big-name stand-out release today, but there are a few games worth considering among the other more dubious titles. We’ve got summaries of all of them, plus the lists of new sales and expiring discounts. Let’s get going!

New Releases

Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star ($49.99)

Well, that’s one way to spice up a series that was at risk of falling into a rut. This is Fitness Boxing, but with a Fist of the North Star theme. You know, you are already dead and all that. Atatatatatatatatatatata, but with calorie burning. I feel like all you need to know with this one is the concept. You’re either sold or you’re not based on that, and nothing else I say will matter.

Dream Park Story ($14.00)

You know, it’s kind of funny that it took Kairosoft as long as it did to get to a theme park simulator. Maybe it was too low-hanging of a fruit for the prolific publisher? Whatever the reason, the only thing that matters is that it is here now. And it is certainly a Kairosoft take on the theme park sim. As always I am obliged to let you know that you can get this in a cheaper and equally playable form on your mobile device. This one is here if you happen to prefer playing on your Switch.

PowerWash Simulator Midgar Special Pack (Free)

PowerWash Simulator is collaborating with Final Fantasy VII for a special free DLC pack featuring iconic locations, vehicles, and more from the world of Final Fantasy VII. Just like the Tomb Raider pack, this one is free and available for all owners of the base game. Our pal Mikhail is working on a review for this one, so stay tuned.

Meg’s Monster ($14.99)

Wow, this is something special. It seems like an ordinary RPG at first, but you’ll quickly realize that the main character, the hulking monster Roy, is practically invincible. But his little friend Meg? When she gets upset and starts crying, very bad things happen. Very, very bad things. So you have to resolve conflicts and other situations in such a way that Meg does not shed tears. Why does Meg have this power? Can Roy get her back to her mother before she destroys the world? I’ll have a review of this one soon, but I really liked it a lot.

Arcade Archives Sky Kid Deluxe ($7.99)

Falling somewhere between a new version of Sky Kid and a sequel, Sky Kid Deluxe improves the graphics and sound while adding a few new levels, some new enemies, and a few other bits and bobs. I don’t know how I feel about this being a separate release from the original game, but it is what it is. If you like Sky Kid, this is more or less the only other game that plays like it.

The Smile Alchemist ($19.99)

Kemco’s latest looks surprisingly like something new for the publisher. Well, not fully new, but a break from the constant stream of vaguely distinct turn-based RPGs. This one is an alchemist simulator, and it has the things you would expect from one. Gather materials, fulfill requests, and so on. The main character is looking to become the best alchemist in the world, and that’s an admirable goal. Go easy on him, Ryza. He’s just a boy.

Live Factory ($14.99)

This is a pretty plain-looking platformer. It doesn’t quite feel like it should be commanding the price it is asking for, but I suppose the market will decide that in the end. You’re exploring an underground factory, doing some jumping around and a bit of light puzzle solving along the way. You can try it for free on your mobile device if you like.

Pretty Girls Breakers! Plus ($6.99)

Another Pretty Girls game, this one taking another swing at the brick-breaker idea. Use your beam saber to send the ball at the bricks to remove them. Do well and the ladies get more naked. Not completely naked; that isn’t allowed on the eShop anymore. But naked enough to serve the purpose, I suppose.

Vanaris Tactics ($9.99)

This is a relatively short and light turn-based tactical RPG that is more than a little inspired by the likes of Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre. It has a big story to tell but not much time to tell it, and you can feel it. Still, I think there is room in this category for a lighter bite, as most strategy RPGs are on the heavier side of the scale. At ten bucks, the price is quite fair too. Certainly a decent competitor for the likes of the Mercenaries games.

Railway Islands – Puzzle ($3.99)

Simple as it gets. You have fifty stages to play here, and your aim in each is to rotate the tiles so that the trains can get where they need to go. You’ve probably played something like this before, but if you’re just looking for some low-pressure puzzles to solve over a quiet evening or three, this isn’t a bad way to spend four bucks.

Chess Pills ($2.99)

This is a set of a few thousand chess puzzles. You just have to find the best move to make, but you’re given a very short amount of time to do it. So what’s the deal with the pills in the title? They’re just little helpers. One freezes time for ten seconds, and the other gives you a hint about where to move. I can’t argue with the quantity here for those who enjoy chess puzzles.

Aery – Calm Mind 3 ($9.99)

Well, it’s more Aery. There are about a dozen of these by now so you probably have some kind of opinion of them already. Absolutely nothing special about this one, just some new locations to leisurely explore. Do what you will.

Hike Valley ($4.99)

Yes, Ultimate Games really does seem to like this concept. Just go hiking around the forest and have a relaxing time. I don’t know how many of these we need, but Ultimate seems to think it’s at least one more.

Midnight Drifter-Drift Racing Car Driving Simulator 2023 Speed Games ($4.99)

More Midnight Works trash. It’s a terrible racing game that you have to play in handheld mode because Midnight Works couldn’t be bothered to add button controls to this Android port. Save your fiver.

Rider Among Dead – Mad Zombie Killer Machine Survival ($4.99)

Oh, we have a new garbage game challenger! Welcome, GOGAME CONSOLE PUBLISHER. I am sure you have never heard of INSTAGAMEANDMARKETING or Midnight Works or VG Games or any of these other idiots who throw low-effort trash onto the eShop with absurd SEO titles. But you wouldn’t know it by looking at this game, which is a bigger waste of five dollars than buying The Scorpion King on HD-DVD.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

A surprisingly large inbox for this time of the day, and that makes me worry about what I will wake up to tomorrow. Anyway, a bunch of Dotemu games on sale. That’s always nice. Some PQube sales, though the prices aren’t as nice as we’ve seen at other times. Little Noah is at a new low price and I recommend it whole-heartedly. Not much in the outbox to get too concerned about, but feel free to check that list while you’re at it.

Select New Games on Sale

ToeJam & Earl Back in the Groove ($2.24 from $14.99 until 3/7)
A Fox and His Robot ($53.99 from $59.99 until 3/8)
TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge ($19.99 from $24.99 until 3/15)
Young Souls ($14.99 from $24.99 until 3/15)
Ys Origin ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/15)
Windjammers ($5.99 from $14.99 until 3/15)
Windjammers 2 ($12.99 from $19.99 until 3/15)
Pang Adventures ($3.99 from $9.99 until 3/15)
Wonder Boy The Dragon’s Trap ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/15)
Blazing Chrome ($6.79 from $16.99 until 3/15)
Gravity Heroes ($5.99 from $14.99 until 3/15)
The Plane Effect ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/15)
Phantom Breaker Omnia ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/15)
7 Years From Now ($3.99 from $9.99 until 3/15)
Adventure Academia: TFC ($33.99 from $39.99 until 3/15)

Lair Land Story ($11.99 from $14.99 until 3/15)
Quantum Replica ($3.99 from $9.99 until 3/15)
Tears of Avia ($8.99 from $14.99 until 3/15)
Supermarket Shriek ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/15)
Gal*Gun 2 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/15)
Gal*Gun Double Peace ($25.99 from $39.99 until 3/15)
Gal*Gun Returns ($19.99 from $49.99 until 3/15)
Warborn ($3.74 from $24.99 until 3/15)
Zengeon ($8.99 from $19.99 until 3/15)
Gun Gun Pixies ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/15)
Raging Loop ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/15)
Save Room ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/16)
Concept Destruction ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/16)
Gleylancer ($4.89 from $6.99 until 3/16)
Gynoug ($4.89 from $6.99 until 3/16)

Parasite Pack ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/16)
Castle Formers ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/16)
Dandy & Randy DX ($2.79 from $6.99 until 3/16)
Little Noah: SoP ($9.74 from $14.99 until 3/16)
Little Noah: SoP Special Edition ($12.99 from $19.99 until 3/16)
Quest for Infamy ($3.99 from $9.99 until 3/16)
Super Sunny Island ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/16)
Avenging Spirit ($4.19 from $5.99 until 3/16)
Runout ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/16)
The Bounty Huntress ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/16)
Slime’s Journey ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/16)
Roar of Revenge ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/16)
Caffeine: Victoria’s Legacy ($10.79 from $17.99 until 3/16)
Moto Roader MC ($4.89 from $6.99 until 3/16)
Montgomery Fox & TCotDN ($11.24 from $14.99 until 3/21)

Montgomery Fox & TRoVD ($11.24 from $14.99 until 3/21)
Montgomery Fox & TCotMB ($11.24 from $14.99 until 3/21)
Tankorama ($2.99 from $9.99 until 3/21)
Chronicles of Albian TMC ($10.19 from $11.99 until 3/21)
Ki11er Clutter ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/21)
Clutter 12: It’s About Time CE ($12.74 from $14.99 until 3/21)
First Time in Rome CE ($8.99 from $11.99 until 3/21)
First Time in Paris CE ($3.99 from $9.99 until 3/21)
Faircroft’s Antiques TML CE ($3.99 from $9.99 until 3/21)
I Love Finding More Pups CE ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/21)
Finding America The Heartland CE ($7.49 from $9.99 until 3/21)
Match Ventures ($9.59 from $11.99 until 3/21)
Puzzle Vacations Ireland ($9.59 from $11.99 until 3/21)
Waku Waku Sweets ($1.99 from $39.99 until 3/22)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, March 3rd

Animal Golf: Battle Race ($7.19 from $7.99 until 3/3)
Assault ChaingunS KM ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/3)
Bike Clash ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/3)
Blade of Darkness ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/3)
Camper Van Simulator 2 ($6.49 from $12.99 until 3/3)
De: Yabatanien ($9.79 from $13.99 until 3/3)
Donut Dodo ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/3)
Eagletalon vs Horde of the Flies ($6.29 from $8.99 until 3/3)
Go! Go! PogoGirl ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/3)
Hollow World: Dark Knight ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/3)
Hot Wheels Unleashed ($12.49 from $49.99 until 3/3)
Jurassic World Aftermath Collection ($23.99 from $29.99 until 3/3)
MotoGP 22 ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/3)
Otoko Cross Klondike Solitaire ($4.89 from $6.99 until 3/3)
Raiden IV x Mikado remix ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/3)
Raiden V Director’s Cut ($8.99 from $29.99 until 3/3)
Sea Horizon ($11.99 from $14.99 until 3/3)
Seven Pirates H ($31.99 from $39.99 until 3/3)
Tetra ($8.04 from $11.49 until 3/3)

That’s all for today, friends. Tomorrow will have several more releases, and I remain rather concerned about how many sales could come in. We’ll have summaries of all the new stuff plus whatever interesting sales and big news items roll in as well. I hope you all have an excellent Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!