Tag: featured

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for February 20th, 2023. In today’s article, I have two big reviews for you to dig into. First up is Square Enix’s amazing Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, whose score I already telegraphed in the new release summary last week. Then we’ve got NISA’s also excellent Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society, an RPG I loved diving into. There are some new releases today, but nothing really much worth noting. After that, it’s the usual lists of new sales and outgoing discounts. Let’s get to work!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line ($49.99)

Typically, a curtain call is the end of a performance. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call on the Nintendo 3DS included 221 songs in the base game and another 100 songs as DLC, and at the time of its release I truly felt that was the ultimate version of Theatrhythm for the Final Fantasy series. I even bought all of the DLC because I figured it was the last we’d see of those games I loved so much. But some people can’t help but come out for another encore, and here we are. Theatrhythm is back for the Final Bar Line.

Just as Curtain Call did to the original Theatrhythm, Final Bar Line blows up the song count considerably from the previous game. The game’s standard edition includes 385 songs, and an additional 27 songs are available through the digital deluxe edition or add-on DLC. Further to that, more songs are available through three season passes. If you were to buy everything, you’d have around 500 songs to play. Not all of these are Final Fantasy tunes, of course. As with Curtain Call, there are songs from various other Square Enix games like SaGa, The World Ends With You, NieR, Chrono Trigger, Xenogears, Secret of Mana, Octopath Traveler, and many more.

Aside from the tracklist, the biggest change in this game is its removal of touch controls. You could use button controls in the last game, but the note charts had to take both styles of play into account and were thus limited in some ways. You have to use button controls this time, and with that in mind the charts throw a lot of new tricks at you. You’ll have to do dual-button presses, combinations that require two sticks, and so on. If you primarily played with touch controls before it will probably take some getting used to, but once you do it’s more than fine.

Another big change is in how those songs are presented to you. The original game had you go game by game through the series in a very structured format. Curtain Call on the other hand leaned into the Street Pass feature of the 3DS, allowing you to share various quest maps with other players that you could challenge to unlock the game’s many extras. If you didn’t want to deal with that, all of the songs were available to play at your leisure. Final Bar Line feels more like the first game, allowing you to tackle the many games in the franchise in your order of choosing, playing the selection of songs in the same rough order you would probably encounter them in the original games.

Each song offers an extra challenge beyond simple completion that will reward you with extra goodies. Once you’ve played a song, it will be unlocked for free play in another mode. You’ll earn experience points for your chosen characters when you play a song in any mode, and as they level up they’ll learn new abilities you can assign. You can also assign a summon, airship, and Moogle costume to your group. When you play any stage, you’ll earn some treasures that offer up random goodies. Oh, and there’s also a multiplayer mode which is rather fun even if it feels more like a side dish.

Is this really the end of Theatrhythm? If so, Final Bar Line goes out with a massive bang. Including DLC, the total tracklist numbers around half a thousand songs, drawn not only from the diverse assortment of games in the Final Fantasy series but also the larger Square Enix library in general. Even if you don’t touch the DLC, you’ve got a whopping 385 songs to enjoy here. The new tricks in the charts add a bit of excitement even to the old familiar songs, and the refreshed presentation looks great. If you like music games or Final Fantasy, you’ll want Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. If you like both, you probably already bought it.

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society ($49.99)

If you have a Nintendo Switch and enjoy dungeon-crawling RPGs, I sure hope you played Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk. It flew way under the radar, but it’s an excellent RPG with a strong story and extremely fun twists on the usual gameplay rules of this sub-genre. And wouldn’t you know it? Here’s the follow-up! Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society brings back the cool mechanics of the first game, most notably the versatile Coven system, and builds on them with some new ideas. When paired up with a very well-written tale, the result is another excellent RPG from the folks at Nippon Ichi Software.

A young woman named Eureka arrives at Galleria Mansion seeking employment. A job posting is seeking someone who is good at finding things, and she reckons she’s good at that. She soon meets the mysterious Madame Marta and a spirit (who is you) named Fantie, and the real nature of the task is revealed. With the help of Fantie and puppets known as Manana, she must explore the labyrinth underneath the manor to find the Curios it hides. There are more secrets waiting to be uncovered, and without spoiling anything, you’re in for a ride.

The dungeon exploration works as you would expect. You’re exploring in first person and wander around each floor, picking up treasure, battling enemies, and solving puzzles. The layouts are well-designed, with lots of interesting gimmicks and fun corners to check out. There are some genuinely tricky puzzles, too. Nothing too novel on this front, but it’s easy to drop the ball in this area and it’s nice that Labyrinth of Galleria didn’t. At first the combat might seem equally normal, as it follows a basic turn-based system with attacking, skills, defense, and so on. But it has its own quirks, partly tied into the way character progression works.

It’s one of those systems that is going to sound too complicated if I try to explain it in too much detail, but you’re given a great deal of flexibility in how you want to build your party of puppets thanks to Donum, Pacts, and the Coven system. Donum are sort of like skills or magic, Pacts function somewhat like this game’s version of a job class system, and Covens are like little parties within the party. Long-time readers will know that I love games like Final Fantasy 5 and Dragon Quest 3 where I can really dig my fingers into the proverbial dough and play with the various interactions of systems, and Labyrinth of Galleria, like its predecessor, allows me to do just that.

Intricate, complicated mechanics call for good tutorials, and if I have one bone to pick with Labyrinth of Galleria it’s in how poorly it handles that. This game loves to dump a ton of information about its mechanics on the player at one time, and it’s really hard to understand what it’s trying to get across because of how quickly it zips through things that probably needed a more hands-on teaching method. If you’re the kind of player who likes to tinker with systems on their own to figure them out, you’ll be in heaven. If you’re the sort that bounces off opaque gameplay concepts you’re probably going to struggle.

Despite its difficulty in explaining its complex systems, Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society is a fantastic RPG that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys the genre. Its systems are immensely satisfying to learn, its labyrinth floors a treat to explore, its encounters challenging and interesting, and the story is outstanding. It is, to an extent, a game that gives back the more you put in, but the patient player will find a bounty of rewards here for their efforts.

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

New Releases

Non-Stop Space Probe ($1.99)

Fly your little space ship through forty levels avoiding obstacles. The ship can’t stop once it gets going, so you have to be careful. There are one hundred and twenty gems you can pick up along the way. Not much to it, but it’s only two bucks, so you get what you get.

Tama Cannon ($1.99)

You just have to shoot the little ball creature from cannon to cannon until you reach the golden star cannon and clear the level. There are sixty levels in all, and you’ll need to collect the coins strewn about as you go. Also not much to it, but it’s only two bucks, so you get what you get. Again.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Well, there are a few things in the new list today worth mentioning. Valiant Hearts is dirt cheap, Andro Dunos II and Ganryu II are nicely discounted for those with an itch for sequels to obscure NEOGEO games, and an assortment of Ubisoft games are on sale. The outbox has a few interesting things in it, but it’s small enough that I’ll let you go ahead and have a look on your own.

Select New Games on Sale

RWBY Arrowfell ($22.49 from $29.99 until 2/21)
RE: CALL ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/24)
Chasing Light ($15.19 from $18.99 until 2/27)
Valiant Hearts: The Great War ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
NBA 2K23 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 2/27)
OddBallers ($14.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Immortals Fenyx Rising Gold Edition ($19.99 from $99.99 until 2/27)
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Gold ($70.00 from $89.99 until 2/27)
WorldWide FlightSimulator ($14.99 from $24.99 until 2/27)
Subnautica ($9.89 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Subnautica: Below Zero ($12.59 from $29.99 until 2/27)
The Diabolical Trilogy ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
From Space ($9.74 from $14.99 until 3/4)
7 Days of Rose ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/6)
Bones of Halloween ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/6)

Reflection of Mine ($1.99 from $7.99 until 3/6)
Aquadine ($11.99 from $19.99 until 3/6)
Strawberry Vinegar ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/6)
A Frog’s Job ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/6)
The Dark Prophecy ($5.99 from $9.99 until 3/6)
4×4 Offroad Driver 2 ($9.74 from $12.99 until 3/10)
Kids Vs Parents ($21.99 from $24.99 until 3/10)
Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Andro Dunos II ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/10)
Ultra Mega Xtra Party Challenge ($4.99 from $24.99 until 3/10)
Roof Jump Stunt Driver ($7.79 from $12.99 until 3/10)
Buddy Simulator 1984 ($6.66 from $9.99 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)
Beasties ($1.99 from $14.99 until 3/10)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 21st

BPM Bullets Per Minute ($18.74 from $24.99 until 2/21)
Byte Cats ($7.19 from $11.99 until 2/21)
Dadish 3 ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/21)
Demon Turf ($16.24 from $24.99 until 2/21)
Demon Turf Neon Splash ($4.24 from $4.99 until 2/21)
I Love Finding Critters ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/21)
Negative Nancy ($4.49 from $14.99 until 2/21)
Overlord: Escape from Nazarick ($19.49 from $29.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Cham the Cat Adventure (48.79 from $10.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Dungeon of Nazarick ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Oma2ri Adventure ($3.41 from $4.95 until 2/21)
PGMS Pearl Vs Grey ($6.39 from $7.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Rumble Dragon ($9.59 from $11.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Thunder Striker ($9.59 from $11.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Verzeus ($9.59 from $11.99 until 2/21)
Runefall 2 CE ($6.99 from $9.99 until 2/21)
RWBY Arrowfell ($22.49 from $29.99 until 2/21)
Stellar Interface: Deluxe ($2.39 from $15.98 until 2/21)
The Oregon Trail ($17.99 from $29.99 until 2/21)
Warp Shift ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/21)

That’s all for today, friends. I have another personal matter to take care of tomorrow, but I imagine I’ll be back in time to write the column. You can look forward to more new releases, more sales, and perhaps a review if things line up properly. 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 February 17th, 2023. In today’s article, we’ve got several new releases to check out including Tales of Symphonia Remastered, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Retro Collection, and more. After going through the summaries of those games, we move on to the massive list of new sales and the teeny-tiny list of expiring discounts. Let’s get to it!

New Releases

Tales of Symphonia Remastered ($39.99)

Normally this release would be something to celebrate, as Nintendo fans in particular have a strong affinity to this chapter of the long-running series. Unfortunately, this is a port of a rather poor port of a not-so-great port of the game, and when you questionably photocopy something three times the result isn’t going to be pretty. Long load times are the most obvious issue here, but there are a lot of other technical problems that frankly shouldn’t be plaguing a remaster of a twenty-year-old game. Let’s hope Bandai Namco patches it up, but I imagine there is only so much that can be made of something with this many fundamental issues.

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Retro Collection ($9.69)

Kind of dropping in out of nowhere, but okay. Here is a collection of a couple of Bill and Ted‘s video game adventures courtesy of Limited Run Games. You get the… interesting NES game, which is an isometric action-adventure game of sorts that you’ll probably need a guide to finish, and the far more agreeable Game Boy game that is just a nifty little arcade-style platformer.

Gigantosaurus: Dino Kart ($39.99)

Outright Games has opted to use the Gigantosaurus license to create a kart racing game, which seems like a reasonable thing to do. Up to four players can join in on the races via local multiplayer. You get fifteen tracks and eight characters to play with, which I suppose is fine enough for what this is. I feel that there are so many genuinely great kart racing games on the Switch that middle-of-the-road fare like this is going to have a hard time making a splash, but if you have a little one who loves Gigantosaurus I am sure they will appreciate this a lot.

4×4 Offroad Driver 2 ($12.99)

It’s another BoomHits driving game. This time it’s a follow-up to the offroad driving game the publisher put out a while back. Pretty much the same kind of thing as most of its other games. You get a number of vehicles and a list of missions to complete, plus a decent-sized area to roam around in. Highly likely to be discounted heavily within a matter of weeks.

Rise of Fox Hero ($4.99)

I still can’t quite get over 3D platformers that are sold for as low as five bucks. This one has thirty-two levels to hop and bop through, with the titular fox hero swinging his sword to battle enemies all the way. It looks quite vibrant and shiny, but I haven’t had a chance to play it yet so I can’t comment on how the game plays. Still, for the price it’s hardly a big risk if you’re a fan of the genre.

Rooftop Renegade ($17.99)

This is a slick-looking auto-runner-style platformer where you play as someone on hover blades who is being pursued by an evil corporation. It kind of reminds of Robot Unicorn Attack in terms of the basic gameplay. One twist here is that the game features a multiplayer mode for up to four players via local play. One person plays as the runner while the other three try to mess with them. There’s also a seed-based random generator that you can plug words into to create fresh levels to play. The price is the only thing making me pause on this one. I’ll have to investigate further to see how much it offers.

FirstQueen1 NEXT ($19.99)

Kind of hard to fully explain this one in a short paragraph, but it’s a remake of a 1988 real-time strategy role-playing game from Kure Software. The original was a rather noteworthy game as the creator of Fire Emblem credits it as one of the inspirations behind the series. Its battle system is certainly unique, and it’s worth investigating for fans of strategy games if only to explore a major piece of the history of the genre.

Heirs of the Kings ($14.99)

The latest KEMCO/EXE-Create RPG is here, and it’s exactly what you would expect it to be. These folks clearly know their audience and just keep coming back to it. A hero rescues an amnesiac girl from unknown soldiers and gets wrapped up in a plot with the world at stake. You know how it goes. Do what you will.

Big Adventure: Trip to Europe 2 Collector’s Edition ($14.99)

More hidden object fun for those who enjoy such things. The predecessor to this game just came to Switch last week. I’m all out of things to say about games like this, so I’ll leave it there.

Mosaic Chronicles Deluxe ($12.99)

So, this is more or less a jigsaw puzzle game. You get fifty pictures and need to arrange the pieces properly to recreate them. Each completed picture will reveal another part of the story. I appreciate that it’s at least a slightly different spin on the usual fare.

Dr Smart Space Adventure ($14.99)

This is pretty much just a little piece of educational software for kids. The little kitty astronaut, who I guess is Dr Smart, gives information about the various planets in our solar system. There are some simple games to play like jigsaw puzzles, but for the most part this is closer to an interactive picture book than anything else.

CyberHeroes Arena DX ($4.99)

Here is another attempt to bring a Vampire Survivors-like experience to the Switch. Take your robot into battle and customize it with a variety of skills to see if you can take out the cyber monsters and survive. There are seven different robots to unlock and play as, each with their own properties, and a ton of different items you can use to create your own unique build. Could be good for a fiver.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

This is actually a highly curated list of the new sales that popped up today, so do check the eShop and see if anything from your wishlist popped up. One thing I will mention is that SEGA of America has most of its DLC for its games on sale, and that is notable because the DLC for some games like Valkyria Chronicles 4 is practically never on sale. Otherwise, I’ll leave it to you to comb through that list and see what grabs you. Not much going on in the weekend outbox, so at least that one will be brisk.

Select New Games on Sale

Slime Rancher: Plortable ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/23)
Right and Down ($6.49 from $9.99 until 2/23)
Super Gravity Ball ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/24)
Kraken Smash: Volleyball ($2.50 from $5.00 until 2/24)
Black Bird ($13.29 from $18.99 until 2/26)
Mon Amour ($6.29 from $8.99 until 2/26)
moon ($13.29 from $18.99 until 2/26)
Dandy Dungeon: Brave Yamada ($13.29 from $18.99 until 2/26)
Potion Permit ($16.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Dragon Ball The Breakers ($14.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Ace Angler Fishing Spirits ($27.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher ($34.99 from $49.99 until 2/27)
The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
BeeFense BeeMastered ($2.99 from $9.99 until 2/27)
Ancestors Legacy ($7.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)

Disney Dreamlight Valley ($22.49 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Alan Wake Remastered ($20.09 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Kingdom Two Crowns ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Shadow Gangs ($17.99 from $23.99 until 2/27)
Eschatos ($18.89 from $26.99 until 2/27)
Risk System ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/27)
Minimal Move ($8.39 from $11.99 until 2/27)
I dream of you and ice cream ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/27)
I am Ball ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/27)
The Kids We Were ($8.63 from $15.99 until 2/27)
13 Sentinels Aegis Rim ($35.99 from $69.99 until 2/27)
The Complex ($5.84 from $12.99 until 2/27)
Pac-Man Museum+ ($11.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Sonic Colors Ultimate ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Sonic Forces ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)

Sonic Origins ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Sonic Mania ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Sonic Frontiers ($41.99 from $59.99 until 2/27)
Sonic Frontiers Deluxe ($48.99 from $69.99 until 2/27)
Team Sonic Racing ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/27)
SEGA Genesis Classics ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/27)
SEGA AGES, Assorted ($2.79-3.99 from $7.99 until 2/27)
Shin Megami Tensei III HD ($22.49 from $49.99 until 2/27)
Shin Megami Tensei III HD Deluxe ($31.49 from $69.99 until 2/27)
Shin Megami Tensei V ($29.99 from $59.99 until 2/27)
Shin Megami Tensei V Deluxe ($42.49 from $84.99 until 2/27)
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Persona 5 Royal ($41.99 from $59.99 until 2/27)
Persona 5 Strikers ($23.99 from $59.99 until 2/27)
Catherine Full Body ($14.99 from $49.99 until 2/27)

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Winter Games 2023 ($24.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Tallowmere ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/27)
Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba ($29.99 from $59.99 until 2/27)
Valkyria Chronicles 4 ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Valkyria Chronicles 4 Complete ($12.49 from $49.99 until 2/27)
Valkyria Chronicles ($5.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Valkyria Chronicles 1/4 Bundle ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania ($17.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Gang Beasts ($16.49 from $29.99 until 2/27)
My Life: Pet Vet ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Very Very Valet ($4.99 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Alwa’s Awakening ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/27)
Alwa’s Legacy ($8.99 from $17.99 until 2/27)

Cathedral ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Arcade Spirits ($3.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Arcade Spirits The New Challengers ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Tormented Souls ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Beacon Pines ($15.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Citizen Sleeper ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
My Life: Riding Stables 3 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Evergate ($2.99 from $9.99 until 2/27)
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls? ($5.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Nexomon ($5.49 from $9.99 until 2/27)
Kitiara Fables ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Inertial Drift ($8.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Metal Max Xeno Reborn ($27.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Root Film ($13.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Rush Hour Deluxe ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)

Night Book ($7.79 from $12.99 until 2/27)
Tales of Vesperia DE ($7.99 from $49.99 until 2/27)
White Day: A Labyrinth Named School ($23.99 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Modern Combat Blackout ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
art of rally ($8.65 from $24.99 until 2/27)
Castle Morihisa ($5.24 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Never Again ($3.91 from $13.99 until 2/27)
Colossus Down ($5.39 from $17.99 until 2/27)
Gleaner Heights ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/27)
Snake Pass ($2.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Horse Club Adventures 2 ($24.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
SongPop Party ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Maglam Lord ($23.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Super Bullet Break ($15.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Bus Simulator City Ride ($24.49 from $34.99 until 2/27)

A Little to the Left ($11.99 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Once Upon a Jester ($11.24 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Wobbledogs Console Edition ($14.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
New Super Lucky’s Tale ($9.89 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Two Hundred Ways ($8.03 from $11.99 until 2/27)
Crazy Chicken Xtreme ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/27)
Golf Story ($6.99 from $14.99 until 2/28)
Legends of Amberland TFC ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
DREAMO ($2.24 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Demon’s Tilt ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Biker Garage Mechanic Simulator ($11.24 from $24.99 until 3/1)
Seven Pirates H ($31.99 from $39.99 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)
Sea Horizon ($11.99 from $14.99 until 3/3)

Hot Wheels Unleashed ($12.49 from $49.99 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)
Rise: Race the Future ($6.59 from $16.49 until 3/9)
The Flea Evolution ($1.99 from $6.99 until 3/9)
Future Aero Racing S Ultra ($1.99 from $6.99 until 3/9)
Skyland Rush ($1.99 from $6.99 until 3/9)
Defentron ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/9)

Sales Ending This Weekend

.cat ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/18)
.dog ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Buissons ($3.99 from $7.99 until 2/19)
Ethan: Meteor Hunter ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Inside My Radio ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Iris.Fall ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
New Terra ($2.49 from $4.99 until 2/19)

That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with more reviews, new releases, sales, and perhaps some news. I’ve pretty much decided to spend my weekend playing Theatrhythm. It seems like a good plan. I won’t hear any objections. 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 February 16th, 2023. It’s Thursday, and as promised we have a bunch of new releases to look at. Most of them are quite dubious, but the good ones are very good. Very, very good. It’s Theatrhythm day, people! That most glorious of days. The one I’ve been looking forward for for months now. Anyway, we have summaries of all of those new games, plus some lists of the latest sales and expiring discounts. Let’s march to the beat!

New Releases

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line ($49.99)

I really thought that the Theatrhythm series was finished with Curtain Call on the 3DS, but by purchasing every piece of DLC for it, one by one, in a slow, agonizing process, it appears I willed this Switch sequel into existence. And I couldn’t be happier! The touch controls are gone, but in their place we have more complex arrangements for the button controls. This base version includes more than three hundred songs to play, but there are fancier editions if that isn’t enough for you. I’ll have a full review of this soon, but you know. Five out of five, right? Right.

Elderand ($19.99)

A Metroidvania that leans heavily into the gory bits, Elderand features a variety of weapons, considerable amounts of character customization, a large world to explore, more than sixty different kinds of enemies to deal with, the obligatory crafting system, and lots of secrets to uncover. I’ll have a proper review of this one early next week to let you know if it stands out from the pack in a meaningful way.

Dust & Neon ($29.99)

If you’re into the whole twin-stick shooter roguelite thing, then Dust & Neon looks to be full up with the kinds of things you crave. Tons of weapons and ways to upgrade your character, hot action, and hours upon hours of content to play. I haven’t played it yet, but it sure looks like a high-quality affair. I love the theme and art style in particular. The fly in the ointment here is that if you have a Netflix subscription and a mobile device, you can play this on there without paying thirty bucks. On the other hand, you get to keep this version without worrying about a subscription. I leave the choice in your hands.

W.A.R.P. ($4.99)

This is one of those games where you’re controlling a ship with thrust mechanics and need to make your way through the various hazards and enemies littering each stage. You get over one hundred and forty stages to play, with three different modes on offer. Not bad for a fiver as long as you aren’t opposed to this sort of game.

Silver Falls – Ghoul Busters ($11.99)

Yes, this is the same IP as that horror game. This one is a cute side-scroller, though. Collect collectibles, eliminate enemies, overcome obstacles, and try to survive. Big five-dollar Switch platformer energy at a somewhat higher price. It was originally on 3DS and made good use of the console’s 3D feature, but you get some extras with this version to make up for that being gone. It’s only nine levels long, but you’ll definitely be put through the ringer if you’re trying to finish it.

Verdict Guilty ($8.99)

This is an indie one-on-one fighter that clearly models itself after the original Street Fighter II, but has a strong sense of style all its own. It came out several years ago for computers, and it’s generally quite well-liked. The price is also very competitive, coming in just over the cost of an Arcade Archives title. Sadly, the only multiplayer support is for local play. A decent pick for fighting fans, to be sure.

The Legend of Gwen ($19.99)

I really wish this game was better than it is, but here we are. This is a 3D platformer that at times reminds me of SEGA’s Bug! for the SEGA Saturn, but it’s not nearly as good. As Bug!. Not as good as Bug!. You play as a witch who can use a variety of magical tricks to progress through eight moons, each containing several stages. It’s extremely difficult for a variety of reasons, and the technical performance on the Switch is frankly dreadful. I can’t recommend it.

Hopping Girl Kohane EX ($24.99)

A few years back, an unusual game called Hopping Girl Kohane came out on Switch. This EX version of the game adds some new levels and a couple of new gameplay modes, but is otherwise almost identical. I feel like this could have been an update or DLC for the existing twenty dollar game rather than a brand new twenty-five dollar purchase that is seemingly co-existing with the original game on the shop, but I’m not a wealthy game development baron or anything.

Arcade Archives Grobda ($7.99)

Originally released back in 1984, Grobda is a spin-off of Xevious that sees you controlling one of those wimpy little tanks that you blew up by the dozens. It’s a tank combat game similar to the likes of Atari Combat, and while it’s not the most famous of games it was certainly influential with some game developers. My personal take is that it’s a bit too simple and doesn’t really do enough to stand out from similar games, but I know it has its fans. Maybe you are one of them. Know then that Hamster has done its usual fine job bringing this game to the Switch, just as you remember it.

Montezuma’s Revenge: 8-Bit Edition ($11.99)

Oh, this one is a classic. The name… remains unfortunate, but the game itself is pretty fun given it dates back to 1984. You play as Panama Joe and have to explore an Aztec pyramid, collecting treasure and items as you go. Some call this a prototype of the Metroidvania genre; I’m not going to stick my hand in that particular fire, but it’s worth mentioning. This particular version is the relatively new NES port that came out not that long ago. It’s a good, faithful port.

Prizma Puzzle Prime ($4.99)

This serves as sort of a greatest hits collection of puzzles from the Prizma Puzzle series of web games. It’s one of those ones where you have to connect the nodes in the correct way, with different nodes having different needs. If you’re a fan of puzzle games, you’ve probably played something like this before. Not bad for what it is, and the reasonable price makes it an easy sell.

Lucie’s Potager ($19.99)

One of those shop simulation games. This one focuses on having you search for materials, grown plants, craft items, and sell things in your shop for mad profits. With seasons and a day-night system in play, you’ll have to figure out how to manage your time as best as you can. Probably not going to knock Stardew Valley off its throne or anything, but you get to play as a squirrel girl, and that’s worth something.

OverShoot Battle Race ($7.99)

A pretty naked homage to Blizzard’s classic Rock & Roll Racing, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Up to two players locally and six players online can participate in some isometric racing fun with plenty of weapons for adding extra mayhem to the mix. Tour the galaxy to prove you are the best racer, upgrading your machine and picking up new rides with your prize money. It’s surprisingly well-made for what it is, so if you have happy memories of those great isometric racers of the past, make sure to give this some of your attention.

Ein’s Sword ($3.00)

This looks really rough. It’s an action game of sorts but it’s really slow and not very visually, um, adept. I know it’s only three dollars and I’m sure the developer did its best, but I really can’t see this appealing to many people.

Geometric Sniper – Blood in Paris ($2.99)

I guess the first game did okay for this publisher, because here is another one. Ten more missions to play. It plays like any other sniper game, but the gimmick here is that everything is rendered in a low-poly style that makes everyone look like silly, simple geometric shapes. I’d rather have a couple of delicious Snickers bars, but you do you.

Stack Tower Up 3D Builder Simulator Don’t Crash ($1.99)

Buckle up, it’s time for the garbage parade. Here’s one of the releases from VG Games today, a penny-store version of Jenga. Just stack things that are laying around your room and spend the two bucks on a drink or something.

Sniper Strike 3D – Secret Elite Mission Warfare “Ghost Squad” ($4.99)

More VG Games junk. It’s a sniper game that works like every other cheap sniper game you’ve ever seen. Just uglier and with more stock assets. Not even the best sniper game you could buy today.

Z World Zombie Death War: Survival Platformer Game Left Killer Box 2023 ($4.99)

Midnight Works with the combo breaker here. Like all of this garbage publisher’s other games, this is pure junk. It’s a beat-em-up with a zombie theme, and it’s so lousy that even a zombie would have enough brain function to get bored with it in about ten seconds.

The Dwarf Kingdom – Magic World of War vs Orks and Dragon ($4.99)

Can it be? More VG Games trash? Yes, yes it is. This is probably the worst top-down fantasy-themed action game you can buy on the eShop. You’d have a better time if you covered your five dollar bill in Frank’s Red Hot and rubbed it in your eyes.

Psychophonies: What Ghosts Say ($3.99)

Cooking and Publishing has another game where you answer a bunch of questions and then need to repeat your answers without making a mistake. If not, the ghosts will get you. That’s the hook this time. Complete waste of time and money.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Some interesting sales have already popped up, with discounts on games from Activision, Platinum Games, Square Enix, Capcom, and more on offer. There isn’t a whole lot in the outbox to worry about, but it’s a short enough list that you’ll probably want to check it while you’re at it. You know, just in case.

Select New Games on Sale

Skul: The Hero Slayer ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/23)
Squids Odyssey ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/24)
Melty Blood Type Lumina ($29.99 from $49.99 until 2/26)
Grabitoons! ($5.99 from $7.99 until 2/27)
Sol Cresta ($27.19 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Sol Cresta Dramatic DLC ($6.80 from $10.00 until 2/27)
Sol Cresta Dramatic Edition ($33.99 from $49.99 until 2/27)
The Wonderful 101 ($17.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Diablo 2 Resurrected ($13.19 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Diablo 3 Eternal Collection ($29.99 from $59.99 until 2/27)
Blizzard Arcade Collection ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 ($15.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy ($15.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Crash Bandicoot 4 ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled ($13.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)

Spyro Reignited Trilogy ($15.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
A Street Cat’s Tale ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/2)
Gearshifters ($11.99 from $29.99 until 3/2)
Savior of the Abyss ($7.99 from $9.99 until 3/2)
Wonder Boy Returns Remix ($5.99 from $14.99 until 3/2)
Miracle Snack Shop ($15.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Princess Maker FTCT ($11.99 from $29.99 until 3/2)
Final Vendetta ($12.47 from $24.95 until 3/2)
Battle Axe ($7.49 from $29.99 until 3/2)
Koumajou Remilia Scarlet Symphony ($26.99 from $29.99 until 3/2)
Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium, Various DLC ($0.99 from $1.99 until 3/2)
Cuphead ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Cuphead Delicious Last Course DLC ($6.79 from $7.99 until 3/2)
Cuphead Bundle ($19.70 from $26.99 until 3/2)

NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa ($29.99 from $39.99 until 3/2)
Eagletalon vs Horde of the Flies ($6.29 from $8.99 until 3/3)
Assault ChaingunS KM ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/3)
Otoko Cross Klondike Solitaire ($4.89 from $6.99 until 3/3)
Tetra ($8.04 from $11.49 until 3/3)
De: Yabatanien ($9.79 from $13.99 until 3/3)
Formula Retro Racing ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/6)
Pinball Lockdown ($1.99 from $5.99 until 3/6)
Pinball Freedom ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/6)
Q Remastered ($3.40 from $6.80 until 3/8)
Goonya Monster ($17.99 from $19.99 until 3/8)
Banners of Ruin ($3.99 from $19.99 until 3/9)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, February 17th

35MM ($5.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Amazing Superhero Squad ($4.19 from $6.99 until 2/17)
Behind Closed Doors ($2.99 from $4.99 until 2/17)
Black Wolf ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/17)
Bubsy Paws on Fire ($4.99 from $24.99 until 2/17)
Call of Juarez Gunslinger ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/17)
Car Parking Club ($6.49 from $12.99 until 2/17)
Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey ($14.39 from $15.99 until 2/17)
Dying Light: Definitive ($19.99 from $49.99 until 2/17)
FAR: Changing Tides ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/17)
For The Warp ($8.79 from $17.99 until 2/17)
Hillbilly Doomsday ($2.99 from $4.99 until 2/17)
Just Dance 2023 Deluxe ($38.49 from $69.99 until 2/17)
Oddworld: Soulstorm ($34.99 from $49.99 until 2/17)
Plunderer’s Adventures ($2.49 from $4.99 until 2/17)

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 CE ($10.49 from $29.99 until 2/17)
Silenced: The House ($2.99 from $4.99 until 2/17)
Smashy Road: Wanted 2 ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/17)
Struggling ($5.24 from $14.99 until 2/17)
Super Chicken Jumper ($3.49 from $4.99 until 2/17)
The Jackbox Party Pack 8 ($17.99 from $29.99 until 2/17)
Until the Last Plane ($6.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Witchcrafty ($5.99 from $9.99 until 2/17)
Wonderland Nights: White Rabbit’s Diary ($5.59 from $6.99 until 2/17)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with the remaining releases of the week, plus a whole bunch of new sales. Ah, I love Theatrhythm Final Bar Line so much. I spent hundreds of hours playing the previous games in the series and I’ve no doubt I’ll be doing the same with this one. I hope you all have a Theatrhythmical Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for February 15th, 2023. I’m looking at the plate in front of me, and it occurs to me that I should have saved one or two of those reviews just in case today ended up a little slow. And slow it is, friends. Slow it is. There isn’t much going on news-wise, there are only a couple of new releases to talk about, and the lists of sales aren’t terribly big. Well, that’s how it goes sometimes. I could try to stretch things out, but let’s just call it a quick one for today and take solace in the fact that tomorrow should be a big fellow. Let’s get to what we’ve got!

New Releases

Pocket Witch ($4.99)

Well, you can probably sort out what kind of game this is just from looking at that screenshot. Another precision platformer with tiny sprites and lots of spikes. Run, jump, air dash, grab keys, and get to the exits. Not a whole lot more to talk about with this one. I suppose it’s leaning on the spooky theme to help it stand out. Will it work? Well, it’s something.

Dream of Tiny Snow ($11.99)

This is a trilogy of short visual novels. They’re all little science fiction stories with a romantic theme, and they don’t seem like the kind of stories that have happy endings. No real choices to make here as near as I can tell, so you’re really just along for the ride of the narrative.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Alright, the main thing on the menu today is a new low price for the rarely on sale Portal Companion Collection. A lot of game for a little price, and they’re rather nicely-done ports. Bustafellows is having a wild sale, and the usual EA games are discounted as well. Over in the outbox, a lot of sales are wrapping up. Nothing I’m going to jump up and down about, but it’s probably worth scanning through.

Select New Games on Sale

Demolish & Build Classic ($10.49 from $14.99 until 2/22)
Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator 2021 ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/22)
Back to Brother ($3.14 from $4.49 until 2/22)
Lost Dream Stars ($3.49 from $4.99 until 2/22)
Aquarist ($2.99 from $9.99 until 2/22)
Lost Dream: Memories ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/22)
Farm Manager 2022 ($4.79 from $15.99 until 2/22)
Pink Explorer ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/22)
Sacred Valley ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/22)
Mad Experiments: Escape Room ($2.99 from $9.99 until 2/22)
Grand Hike ($2.49 from $4.99 until 2/22)
Haven ($9.99 from $24.99 until 2/24)
Furi ($6.99 from $19.99 until 2/24)
Furi: Onnamusha DLC ($3.49 from $6.99 until 2/24)
Furi: Modore Edition ($9.99 from $24.99 until 2/24)

Bustafellows ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
It Takes Two ($29.99 from $39.99 until 2/28)
Lost in Random ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/28)
Fe ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/28)
Plants vs Zombies BfN Complete ($5.99 from $39.99 until 2/28)
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit ($7.99 from $39.99 until 2/28)
Burnout Paradise Remastered ($9.89 from $29.99 until 2/28)
Unravel Two ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/28)
Portal Companion Collection ($11.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Children of Silentown ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/7)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Thursday, February 16th

#Funtime ($3.27 from $14.99 until 2/16)
1993 Shenandoah ($8.70 from $12.99 until 2/16)
A Juggler’s Tale ($7.19 from $17.99 until 2/16)
A Long Way Down ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Absolute Tactics: DoM ($19.99 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Aeolis Tournament ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Aery A Journey Beyond Time ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Agony ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Armed to the Gears ($2.39 from $11.99 until 2/16)
Barbero ($2.49 from $4.99 until 2/16)
Cooking Simulator ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Coromon ($11.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Danger Scavenger ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Dark Deity ($9.99 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Deleveled ($2.18 from $9.99 until 2/16)

Dino Galaxy Tennis ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water ($29.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Fatal Frame: MoBW Deluxe Edition ($41.24 from $54.99 until 2/16)
Fracter ($2.22 from $6.99 until 2/16)
Freshly Frosted ($7.09 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Godstrike ($4.94 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Green Hell ($2.49 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Hollow 2 ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Hot Shot Burn ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Jetboard Joust ($2.49 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Kardboard Kings: Card Shop Sim ($15.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Kholat ($2.09 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Loud ($1.99 from $11.99 until 2/16)
Mars Base ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Monster Boy & Cursed Kingdom ($13.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)

Monster Hunter Rise ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak ($39.99 from $69.99 until 2/16)
Neurodeck ($2.79 from $13.99 until 2/16)
Orbital Bullet ($11.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Panzer Dragoon Remake ($2.49 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Pawn of the Dead ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Phantom Doctrine ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Pixboy ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/16)
Relic Hunters Zero Remix ($6.49 from $12.99 until 2/16)
Rise Eterna ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Roundguard ($6.36 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Sail Forth ($16.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Sinless ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Smashroom ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Soulblight ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Space Otter Charlie ($6.57 from $14.99 until 2/16)

Spinch ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/16)
SpyHack ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Stitchy in Tooki Trouble ($2.59 from $12.99 until 2/16)
Tennis Open 2020 ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
The Ambassador FT ($3.27 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Thief Simulator ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Train Station Renovation ($2.84 from $18.99 until 2/16)
Ultimate ADOM CoC ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Ultimate Fishing Simulator ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Virus: The Outbreak ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Wax Museum ($2.49 from $4.99 until 2/16)
XEL ($7.59 from $18.99 until 2/16)

That’s all for today, friends. Tomorrow is Thursday, and it’s looking like a fairly full plate of new releases to look at. We’ll have summaries of all of them, plus whatever new sales and major news roll in during the next twenty-four hours. 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 February 14th, 2023. Today is Valentine’s Day, and I offer you love in the only way I know how: a bunch of reviews, new release summaries, and lists of sales. I hope you like it better than my wife did. In the review bucket, we’ve got Metroid Prime Remastered, Go! Go! PogoGirl, and Nadir. Over in the new releases, the cool dungeon crawler Labyrinth of Galleria is leading the charge. And in sales? I’ll let you discover that on your own. Let’s get to it!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Metroid Prime Remastered ($39.99)

Had Nintendo just dumped a direct-as-possible port of Metroid Prime on the eShop, I’d have been a bit torn about what to do in this review. In its time, Metroid Prime was an absolute top-notch game. It was worthy of the highest praise and was easily one of the high points of the GameCube library. But that was twenty years ago, and things were very different in a lot of ways with regards to how first-person games should play and control. And hey, two decades is also a long time in terms of graphical progression. Would a straight port of the 2002 original suffice?

Fortunately for me, that is a question I don’t have to answer today. Nintendo, Retro Studios, and the other folks involved in Metroid Prime Remastered were not content to simply throw the original game out there with little fanfare. The game’s presentation has received an incredible overhaul and looks night and day when compared to the already-attractive original. Critically, you can choose from a number of control options including a new dual-stick set-up that makes the game play like a modern game in the genre. There are new accessibility options, and there are a number of new extras you can unlock by playing the game. Some significant changes, but nothing about the game itself has been messed with.

That’s a good thing, of course. It’s easy to forget just what a miracle Metroid Prime was at the time. After the near-perfection of Super Metroid, the IP had skipped over the entire Nintendo 64 generation. When word came out that the series would return on the GameCube as a first-person shooter developed by a team of ex-Acclaim folks in Texas, the faith of Metroid fans could not have been any lower. Rumors of a troubled development only added fuel to the fire. Depending on who you asked, Metroid Prime was either a source of despair or comedy. The laughing stopped as soon as people played it. Those upstarts at Retro Studios had done it: a 3D take on Metroid that felt as Metroid as any game could.

Some of the awe of that original game is reduced here. The sprawling, organic-feeling environments feel a little more confined and artificial by modern standards, but they still hold up quite well as gameplay spaces. And the game still has a way of making your jaw drop at times with how pretty and detailed everything is. From a gameplay point of view, it’s impressive how well Metroid Prime stands the test of time. Arguably almost as well as the best 2D entries in the franchise, and that is saying something. Exploring Tallon IV, collecting information with your scanner, battling a variety of enemies and wild bosses, and slowly powering up into a tiny goddess is as entertaining now as it was when Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man was the latest Hollywood hotness.

Take an amazing game, make some sensible improvements, buff up the graphics, and you’ve got an easy game to recommend. Metroid Prime Remastered is a gold-star reissue of a game that deserves that kind of royal treatment, one that any fan of the series should hastily add to their Switch collection. And if you happen to be new to the game, know that it’s a high-quality action-adventure even compared to today’s games, a true masterpiece that I am envious you will be exploring for the first time.

SwitchArcade Score: 5/5

Nadir: A Grimdark Deck Builder ($19.99)

When you load up Nadir, one of the first things you see is a message from the developers saying that they’re still working on the game. That may be true to an extent for most new games released these days, but it’s a worrisome first impression that unfortunately ends up informing the experience as it stands right now. There are severe balance issues, an assortment of bugs, and serious UI quirks present in this game, and they really do drag down what might otherwise be a rather enjoyable roguelite. It’s all dressed up and has some place to go, but it trips on its own coat-tails and falls right into a puddle.

The good: a cool art style that is well-realized, novel and enjoyable twists on the usual card game mechanics, and a progression system that is on paper quite satisfying. The bad: extreme balance issues that push you into a heavy grind, small fonts that are hard to read in handheld mode, a control system clearly built for mouse and keyboard over gamepads, generally poor explanations of mechanics, and some weird bugs that aren’t fatal but still rather annoying. There’s nothing here the developers can’t fix provided they have the desire and resources, but I can’t review potential futures.

Nadir has some good ideas and it certainly pulls its weight in terms of its presentation, but a number of gameplay issues and technical problems end up tossing this one into the limbo between heaven and hell. There’s certainly the seed of something very cool here, but whether or not the developers will be able to nurture it into reaching its full potential is a gamble you may not want to take up.

SwitchArcade Score: 3/5

Go! Go! PogoGirl ($4.99)

Well, this was quite nice. In a lot of ways, Go! Go! PogoGirl is a very normal side-scrolling platformer. Move from left to right in twenty stages spread across four worlds, hop on enemies to defeat them, collect gems, and avoid hazards. Tale as old as time, really. But your character is on a pogo stick at all times, and between the forced bouncing (always a neat mechanic in this genre) and her array of special techniques, the game feels fresh and fun all the way through. Backing up the solid core mechanics are some enjoyable, interesting stage designs. Secrets aren’t too hard to find but they’re not fully obvious, and there are lots of places where exploration or successful execution of tricky techniques is rewarded.

The Switch has a lot of options available for platforming fans at the five-dollar price point, ranging from excellent to terrible. Go! Go! PogoGirl comes in on the positive end of that spectrum thanks to its enjoyable gameplay and strong level layouts. It doesn’t redefine the genre or anything, but it’s also unusual and well-executed enough that even weary platforming fans shouldn’t get bored with it.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

New Releases

Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society ($49.99)

One of the best RPGs available on the Switch in its early years was Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk. I tried recommending it as often as I could, and as a result I know dozens of fans of the game. Here’s the sequel, coming to the West for the first time. Gather your party and plunge into a massive labyrinth for some zesty dungeon-crawling enjoyment that provides a stiff challenge and a surprisingly strong story. I’ll have a full review of this one soon, but I can say at the moment that apart from a couple of technical issues I found this game outstanding.

Blanc ($14.99)

Okay, so first thing’s first. This game does not have a single-player option. You have to play with someone else, whether they be in the same room or online. One person has to control the wolf cub, and one person has to control the fawn. You need to work together to reunite the pair with their families, and I’m sure it will all be very emotional in the end. The striking black-and-white visuals really look great, and the gameplay looks like it will scratch the itch for fans of artistic puzzle games.

Souls of Chronos ($19.99)

Here’s an unusual little RPG. It has action-RPG combat, plenty of dungeon exploration, and a choice-based character progression system that actually has an effect on the narrative on top of your stats. A lot of effort seems to have been put into the story, which deals with class issues, poverty, and the difficulties of trying to ride the line between one’s personal interests and the greater good. It’s okay on the whole, but it’s not something I’d tell people to run out and buy without pause. If nothing else, it has a distinct flavor that I can’t say I dislike.

Ten Dates ($15.99)

Hunh, Howie looks a little different from how I remember. This is the follow-up to Five Dates, and it’s another FMV game. Its predecessor leaned into the whole idea of dating during the pandemic, but this one is decidedly post-pandemic and oddly ends up coming across a little more plain as a result. Help Misha and Ryan as they go to a speed dating event by making choices and hopefully bringing them to a happy ending. There are ten different endings to discover if you’re inclined to, so it’s not hurting for replay value as this kind of thing goes.

Spy Bros. ($7.99)

As Toaplan entered its final years of existence, it started experimenting with other genres outside of its usual shoot-em-up fare. One of the odder attempts was something I can only describe as Elevator Action meets Bonanza Bros. meets Gals Panic called Pipi & Bibi’s. You would clear stages and be rewarded with parts of a risque image of a lady. This is a family-friendly remake of that game, and you might be wondering if there was a decent game supporting the horny pictures. The answer is: kind of. It wouldn’t be my first choice for a game like this, but it’s fairly enjoyable. This is also its first home port of any kind, so it may be of interest to fans of arcade esoterica for that alone.

Chess Maiden ($5.99)

This is just another mediocre chess game with support for one or two players via local multiplayer. The gimmick is that if you’re playing alone, your opponent is a maid. Her 3D model just kind of hangs out on the other side of the board. It’s a pretty weird selling point, but in the end it’s still just chess.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Hey, The Oregon Trail. That’s a fun game, and sub-twenty bucks seems like a good value for it. Demon Turf and its side game are on sale again, and virtually the whole Pixel Game Maker Series is discounted too. A selection of WayForward games are on sale as well. There isn’t much in the outbox catching my attention, but that won’t mean it won’t catch yours. Check those lists, people!

Select New Games on Sale

The Oregon Trail ($17.99 from $29.99 until 2/21)
BPM Bullets Per Minute ($18.74 from $24.99 until 2/21)
Demon Turf ($16.24 from $24.99 until 2/21)
Demon Turf Neon Splash ($4.24 from $4.99 until 2/21)
Byte Cats ($7.19 from $11.99 until 2/21)
Negative Nancy ($4.49 from $14.99 until 2/21)
Overlord: Escape from Nazarick ($19.49 from $29.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Pearl Vs Grey ($6.39 from $7.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Verzeus ($9.59 from $11.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Thunder Striker ($9.59 from $11.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Dungeon of Nazarick ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Cham the Cat Adventure (48.79 from $10.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Rumble Dragon ($9.59 from $11.99 until 2/21)
PGMS Oma2ri Adventure ($3.41 from $4.95 until 2/21)
Wingspan ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)

Spidersaurs ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
River City Girls Zero ($10.49 from $14.99 until 2/27)
River City Girls ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Vitamin Connection ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Dawn of the Monsters ($20.99 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Mechstermination Force ($7.19 from $11.99 until 2/28)
Gunman Clive HD Collection ($2.99 from $4.99 until 2/28)
Super Punch Patrol ($2.99 from $4.99 until 2/28)
Battle Brothers A TBT RPG ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/28)
Donut Dodo ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/3)
Commandos 3 HD Remaster ($26.99 from $29.99 until 3/6)
Regency Solitaire ($4.79 from $11.99 until 3/6)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 15th

Aragami 2 ($26.79 from $39.99 until 2/15)
Balloon Flight ($1.99 from $5.99 until 2/15)
Broken Universe Tower Defense ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/15)
Cattails ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/15)
Collapsed ($3.00 from $15.00 until 2/15)
Conduct Together ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/15)
Depth of Extinction ($3.59 from $14.99 until 2/15)
Detective Di: Silk Rose Murders ($2.89 from $12.99 until 2/15)
Floogen ($1.99 from $3.99 until 2/15)
Fly Together ($1.99 from $15.00 until 2/15)
Frogun ($11.24 from $14.99 until 2/15)
Gem Wizards Tactics ($1.99 from $12.99 until 2/15)
Gum+ ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/15)
Hayfever ($2.99 from $14.99 until 2/15)
Headland ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/15)

Monster Harvest ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/15)
OMG Police Car Chase TV Sim ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/15)
reky ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/15)
Rogue Star Rescue ($9.74 from $14.99 until 2/15)
Slaycation Paradise ($6.79 from $19.99 until 2/15)
Space Raiders in Space ($1.99 from $12.99 until 2/15)
Speedway Racing ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/15)
Time on Frog Island ($8.49 from $24.99 until 2/15)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with a few more new releases, some more sales, and perhaps some news. I probably played through Metroid Prime Remastered more times than I needed to for the review. And I am probably going to play through it again before the week is out. That’s just how it is. 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 February 13th, 2023. In today’s article, we’ve got a few reviews to start off the week with. The excellent shooter Drainus leads the pack, with Helvetii and Colossal Cave pulling up the middle and rear respectively. After that, some new releases. Mostly dubious. We then finish things up with the latest sales and expiring discounts. Let’s get to work!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Drainus ($19.99)

Drainus is a very good shooting game that I can easily recommend to people who might not usually be into shooting games. It’s less about scoring and more about just getting through the game’s campaign. Indeed, there aren’t even any online leaderboards. So if you are a shoot-em-up fan, you’ll want to be aware of that. It feels like a shooter made for a home console versus the arcades, and while that is exactly what it is, it’s also not something we see a lot in this genre. In that sense, it calls to mind games like Ikaruga.

The idea here is that you can drain enemy bullets and fire them back. You have to do this manually, and you have a meter that determines how long you can drain before giving it a break and letting it replenish. As you play, you’ll fill up energy cans that you can then use to buy upgrades for your ship. You can buy these upgrades at any time from the pause menu. To use those upgrades, you’ll have to pick up special pods dropped by certain enemies which will level you up. Taking a hit levels you down, and if you’re on your standard shot and take a hit, you’re out. It’s a surprisingly forgiving game that gives you plenty of input in how your upgrades progress.

With the interesting draining and upgrading mechanics, a striking presentation, and a surprisingly fair level of difficulty, Drainus stands out in a very competitive genre to offer a different kind of deal for players. While it isn’t directly comparable to the likes of Ikaruga in specific ways, I get the sense it will have a similar wider appeal to the one that game enjoyed. On the flip side, the lack of online leaderboards and lower emphasis on scoring mechanics might hurt the game with the hardcore fans of the genre. Overall, however, it’s an amazing effort with a lot of obvious thought put into its design that pays off handsomely.

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

Helvetii ($16.99)

Helvetii is one of those games that is on the cusp of something really good, but doesn’t quite get there. It has an attractive presentation and plays well enough. There’s a familiar, well-worn structure to it, following in the footsteps of many roguelite action games before it. You get a few characters to play as, and a story to stitch everything together. It feels very inspired by Vanillaware’s games, and in some ways it doesn’t miss the mark by much. Interestingly, I think it’s the roguelite aspects that sink the ship. The balance is off, and it ends up betraying the game’s better parts. Exploration generally doesn’t feel rewarding, and you’re pushed into grinding until the fairly enjoyable combat system feels exhausting.

I think Helvetii could have been a pretty good action game, and to an extent it can still be enjoyed that way. Its visuals and basic gameplay mechanics are well-done and fit together in a pleasing way. Its roguelite elements are less satisfying, with insufficient variety and a balance that leads to a fair bit of unpleasant grinding, putting undue pressure on the combat system that it simply can’t carry to that extent. There are things to appreciate here though, and I can see folks who are more forgiving of the game’s weak points having a nicer time than I did.

SwitchArcade Score: 3/5

Colossal Cave ($39.99)

This one really stings. Some of the earliest computer games I played were the adventure games designed by Roberta Williams at Sierra. When I heard she and her husband Ken were coming out of retirement to work on another game, and that it was going to be a remake of the pioneering Colossal Cave, my imagination went wild. With such a fertile starting point and some of the legends of the genre working on the game, surely the result would be good? Well, I was quite wrong. I kind of see how it happened, but the how doesn’t change the reality that this game isn’t very enjoyable at all.

Despite Roberta and Ken Williams being involved with this, you really can’t feel it. This is very faithful to the original Colossal Cave. Too faithful in some ways. And where it does break from that near-fifty year old game, it does so to its detriment. Spaces once formed in your imagination are replaced with dull, generic 3D settings. A simple text-based interface is now a fiddly GUI that doesn’t work especially well with a controller. The puzzles are largely unchanged, and the text has now become voiced narration. It’s not all bad if you’re a fan of the original looking for a different angle, I suppose.

Colossal Cave‘s adherence to the original game’s design and puzzles can be somewhat lauded, but it also means that the game feels half a century old and none of the flavor of Roberta Williams’ design sensibilities come through. Meanwhile, the overhaul to the visuals and audio put a proverbial face to the descriptions but in doing so remove much of the game’s intangible charms. It all adds up to a game that is hard to recommend newcomers and veterans alike.

SwitchArcade Score: 2/5

New Releases

Forgotton Anne ($19.99)

I… I feel like this already came out on the Switch four or five years ago? Okay, I did some research. Apparently this is a publisher change. The game is now published by the developer itself. I’m not sure if you have to pay again if you already bought it. Anyway, this was a really good narrative adventure game then and it still is now. If you missed it and you like that sort of thing, allow this to be your excuse to give it a go.

Big Adventure: Trip to Europe ($11.99)

Find hidden objects. Some European travel-related, some not. There are also some minigames to give you a break from item hunting now and then. I don’t have many new things to say about games like these anymore. Ocean Media is just dropping these in batches these days, as you’ll see in a second.

My Lovely Pets Collector’s Edition ($14.99)

Find hidden objects. Some pet-related, some not. There are also some minigames to give you a break from item hunting now and then. I still don’t have anything new to say about this kind of thing anymore. If you enjoy them, more power to you.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

The hot deals today, as far as I am concerned, are for the awesome shooter Sophstar, the cool twin sticker Devastator, and the nifty roguelite Ampersat. I don’t have any strong feelings about the outbox, but do have the usual look through both lists to see what grabs your attention.

Select New Games on Sale

Cozy Grove ($8.88 from $14.99 until 2/20)
Devastator ($2.09 from $6.99 until 2/24)
Capybara Madness ($3.84 from $6.99 until 2/26)
Gunborg: Dark Matters ($4.49 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Sophstar ($9.09 from $12.99 until 2/27)
Heidelberg 1693 ($10.49 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Lamentum ($6.39 from $15.99 until 2/27)
The Legend of Tianding ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
Hazel Sky ($9.99 from $24.99 until 2/27)
Mozart Requiem ($7.49 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Crowalt: Traces of the Lost Colony ($2.49 from $9.99 until 2/28)
Ampersat ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/28)
Fantasy Blacksmith ($6.69 from $9.99 until 2/28)
ValiDate Struggling Singles ($4.64 from $14.99 until 3/1)

Unichrome: 1-Bit Unicorn Adv. ($7.99 from $14.99 until 3/2)
Bike Clash ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/3)
Hollow World: Dark Knight ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/3)
Go! Go! PogoGirl ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/3)
Animal Golf: Battle Race ($7.19 from $7.99 until 3/3)
Camper Van Simulator 2 ($6.49 from $12.99 until 3/3)
Blade of Darkness ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/3)
Horse Tales: Emerald Valley Ranch ($27.99 from $39.99 until 3/4)
The Quest for Excalibur – Puy du Fou ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/4)
Smurfs Kart ($26.79 from $39.99 until 3/4)
New Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja ($20.99 from $29.99 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)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 14th

Ammo Pigs: Armed & Delicious ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/14)
Art Sqool ($1.99 from $12.99 until 2/14)
Astronomical Club for Queers ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/14)
Boreal Tenebrae ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/14)
Bud Spencer & Terence Hill: S&B ($3.39 from $19.99 until 2/14)
Catlateral Damage Remeowstered ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/14)
Chalk Gardens ($1.99 from $5.99 until 2/14)
Elemetals: Death Metal Death Match ($1.99 from $12.99 until 2/14)
Gravity Thrust ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/14)
Inukari Chase of Deception ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/14)
It’s Kooky ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/14)
Lil Gator Game ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/14)
Little Bug ($1.99 from $12.99 until 2/14)

P.3 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/14)
Postal Redux ($3.49 from $9.99 until 2/14)
Save Koch ($2.00 from $20.00 until 2/14)
Space Tail: EJLH ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/14)
Spirit Roots ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/14)
Spy Chameleon ($2.99 from $9.99 until 2/14)
Super Soccer Blast: USA vs EU ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/14)
Super Sports Blast ($7.49 from $24.99 until 2/14)
To Leave ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/14)
Under Leaves ($1.99 from $12.99 until 2/14)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with several new releases, a couple of reviews, some sales, and maybe some news too. Lots of good games incoming very soon, so I hope you’ve set aside a little bit of money. I hope you all have a magnificent Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for February 10th, 2023. In today’s article, we mop up the remaining releases of the week. A few decent games, though mostly smaller titles today. We’ve got summaries of each of them to help you make your purchasing decisions, or simply to entertain you if you like seeing Shaun yell at shovelware. After that, we wrap things up with a look at some of the latest sales and the expiring discounts for the weekend. Let’s go!

New Releases

Seventh Lair ($7.99)

The creator of The House in Fata Morgana has created this small visual novel about an indie game creator and some of his associates who get sucked into the world of the game. It’s very tongue-in-cheek and meta-textual, as you could probably guess. If you played The House in Fata Morgana you probably don’t need me to recommend this to you, but I suppose those who haven’t could give this a try to see if they are into what Novectacle is putting down as a creator.

Go! Go! PogoGirl ($4.99)

This is a cute little platformer about a girl on a pogo stick. Bounce around collecting gems in twenty levels spread across four different seasonally-themed worlds. Looks like a rather amusing five-dollar Switch platformer for those who enjoy spending their weekends playing through such things.

Axis Football 2023 ($19.99)

You know, I can’t believe the Switch has been around for six years, wildly successful almost from the start, and Electronic Arts still hasn’t dumped out even a half-butted Madden release on the console. Well, here’s something in time for the big game, if you’re feeling the need. While it doesn’t have the NFL license and clearly isn’t matching Madden‘s budget, it’s loaded with features and plays well enough to pass muster. Frankly, it’s not like Switch owners have many other compelling options for this sport outside of retro throwbacks and actual retro games. It’s nice to have at least one decent option. Maybe someday we can get something similar for hockey, too.

Ragdoll Rage: Heroes Arena ($4.99)

Yes, this is a port of a free-to-play mobile game. Play alone or with another player via local or online multiplayer. Another arena shooter, but this time with large characters and a ton of traps to deal with alongside the opponent. There are weapons to upgrade and various skins to unlock. Try it on your mobile device first to see how well you like it.

Looking for Aliens ($6.99)

This is a hidden object game that follows the adventure of an earthling named Shaun as he tries to prove the existence of aliens. People think Shaun has lost his mind, but Shaun knows Shaun is right. It’s the world that is wrong, not Shaun! Anyway, it works like Hidden Folks or Where’s Wally/Waldo. Just find the stuff it wants you to find. You get twenty-five levels to play, which isn’t bad for the price.

Speedgunner Ultra ($4.99)

Wow, that are some tiny sprites. Too small for my old eyes. It seems to be an homage to the classic Thexder, with you taking the role of a cyborg that can turn into a jet whenever you deem it necessary. The levels look large and labyrinthine, too. It’s all a bit too hard for me to keep my eyes on, but if you’re farther from the grave than I am you might have some fun with it.

Legion of Doom ($4.99)

We don’t have Vampire Survivors on Switch, and I suppose until we do we’ll see various parties take a stab at the idea. This one has five playable characters, more than thirty weapons and twenty perks, fifteen boss monsters, and support for local multiplayer co-op. I haven’t played this yet but I imagine it isn’t up to the likes of Holo Cure or Vampire Survivors. It might be good enough to scratch the itch for a fiver, though.

Puzzle by Nikoli S Hashiwokakero ($4.99)

Another clever puzzle game from Hamster. The idea in this one is that you have to draw bridges between the islands, which are circles with numbers in them. You can only make lines vertically or horizontally, a maximum of two can be drawn between any two points, and the lines can’t overlap each other. The number in the circle tells you how many lines have to be attached to them. So for example an eight needs two lines drawn in all four cardinal directions. Good stuff.

Detective Agency: Gray Tie Collector’s Edition ($14.99)

Another hidden object game from the folks at Ocean Media. A bad guy steals a priceless statue and you have to find him by looking for a cat and a rose and a pair of pliers in various scenes. But hey, at least it’s the Collector’s Edition. Someday you can sell it for a billion dollars or something. Very rare.

Kids vs Parents ($24.99)

Ah, the classic battle. Parents, right kids? Kids, right parents? This game supports multiplayer for up to four players locally, and you’re meant to divide the teams into kids and parents. I don’t think there’s a single player mode to speak of. You play various minigames and you can set the penalty or bonus for the winner or loser. I don’t think they’re legally binding or anything. You’re going to need to wave those Joy-Cons around, so no handheld support. Fifty minigames in all, which isn’t half bad.

Youmandriver ($11.99)

Did someone order a bland, rough-around-the-edges driving game? I don’t know if this is taking the place of the weekly BoomHits game or not, but it somehow looks worse than those. Choose from four different driving styles and complete missions. Watch out for traffic and don’t go too fast unless you’re looking to get into an accident. Sounds fun.

Animal Puzzle World ($8.99)

Well, that’s just Qix with animal pictures. You can buy the real Qix on Arcade Archives for a buck less than this, but it doesn’t have animal pictures. You make the call.

Hair Salon: Cool Stories ($3.99)

Yes, it’s another Cooking & Publishing game where you answer a bunch of questions and then have to answer the questions again with the same answers. Some sort of hair salon theme this time. Low-effort garbage.

Red Bird Adventure: Classic Physics Puzzle ($9.99)

Megame is the latest to try its luck with borderline copyright infringement, it seems. This is pretty nakedly trying to evoke the Angry Birds franchise, but don’t let that trick you into thinking it’s fun. Save your ten bucks, don’t support this garbage.

Falling Elevator – Hyper Casual Demolish Escape Survival Game ($1.99)

An affordable bit of trash from INSTAMARKETINGANDGAMES, a name we know stands for quality. You’re meant to try to save the people in the elevator in each of the fifty stages. Nothing to do with demolishing or escaping and I don’t know if I would call it hyper casual either, but whatever. The title is crafted by liars in an effort to deceive, so I don’t know why I’m overthinking it.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

There are a bunch of sales on the eShop right now, but a lot of them are the same old business from the likes of Bandai Namco and Game Mill. I’ve tried to collect some of the interesting ones here, but it’s still a fairly familiar list. Feel free to have a look anyway, and do check the small outbox on your way through.

Select New Games on Sale

Sail Forth ($16.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Fracter ($2.22 from $6.99 until 2/16)
Roundguard ($6.36 from $19.99 until 2/16)
#Funtime ($3.27 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Freshly Frosted ($7.09 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Space Otter Charlie ($6.57 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Deleveled ($2.18 from $9.99 until 2/16)
The Ambassador FT ($3.27 from $14.99 until 2/16)
For The Warp ($8.79 from $17.99 until 2/17)
Iris.Fall ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Arcadia Fallen ($16.74 from $24.99 until 2/20)
Stellar Interface: Deluxe ($2.39 from $15.98 until 2/21)
Dream ($2.99 from $9.99 until 2/23)
Crumble ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/24)
Bot Gaiden ($11.99 from $14.99 until 2/24)

Terraria ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Bloodstained: RotN ($15.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Indivisible ($7.49 from $29.99 until 2/27)
Horace ($5.99 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Two Point Campus ($27.99 from $39.99 until 2/27)
Super Toy Cars Offroad ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/28)
Effie ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
orbit.industries ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Crossroads Inn: Fantasy Tavern Sim ($12.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Hokko Life ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
This is the Zodiac Speaking ($2.59 from $12.99 until 3/2)
Big Pharma ($4.49 from $29.99 until 3/2)
Cursed to Golf ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Best Month Ever! ($11.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Wavetale ($23.99 from $29.99 until 3/2)

Going Under ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Yooka-Laylee & the Impossible Lair ($4.49 from $29.99 until 3/2)
LEGO Bricktales ($23.99 from $29.99 until 3/2)
Blaloon Blalympia 2 ($2.00 from $9.99 until 3/2)
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 ($19.99 from $49.99 until 3/2)
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl ($9.99 from $49.99 until 3/2)
Togges ($15.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Little League WS Baseball 2022 ($17.49 from $49.99 until 3/2)
Swordship ($13.99 until $19.99 until 3/2)
Lonely Mountains: Downhill ($10.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Kaiju Wars ($15.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Source of Madness ($12.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Hello Kitty Kruisers w/Sanrio Friends ($5.99 from $29.95 until 3/2)
Super Mombo Quest ($3.99 from $15.99 until 3/2)
Dwarf Journey ($1.99 from $7.99 until 3/2)
Sherlock Holmes C&P/DD Bundle ($19.99 from $49.99 until 3/2)

Sales Ending This Weekend

Brawlout ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/11)
Faraday Protocol ($2.49 from $24.99 until 2/11)
Milky Way Prince: Vampire Star ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/11)
Crypt of the NecroDancer ($3.99 from $19.99 until 2/12)
Extreme Snowboard ($5.99 from $7.99 until 2/12)
LIT: Bend the Light ($5.60 from $8.00 until 2/12)

That’s all for today and this week, friends. It’s been an exhausting one for me, but I’ve pretty much wrapped up what I needed to. Now I play the waiting game, which contrary to popular opinion is not in fact an enjoyable game. I will also play Metroid Prime Remastered, which is in fact a very enjoyable game. All kinds of flavors in life, my dearest readers. I hope you all have a flavorful weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!