Tag: featured

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for January 10th, 2023. In today’s article, I’m reviewing a controller. Yes, that happens sometimes. Sometimes I review accessories. Usually on slow days. We also have a couple of new releases to look at, plus the usual lists of new and expiring sales. It’s a quiet one, but I’m sure things will pick up soon. January is just like that. Let’s get to it, then.

Accessory Reviews

Brook Vivid Wireless Controller ($39.99)

I’m always on the lookout for new controllers for my Switch. What can I say? The somewhat lacking nature of the included controllers pushes one to find an alternative, and some of us start sliding down slopes as soon as we set foot on them. Seriously, I have Switch controllers for miles now. So when accessory maker Brook offered to send me over one of their Vivid Wireless units for review purposes, I figured it was worth a bash. I tend to play in handheld mode most of the time, but when I’m docked I usually use an 8BitDo SN30 Pro+ or, if I’m feeling particularly frisky, an 8BitDo M30. We’re an 8BitDo household, you see.

But there are some things that those controllers don’t do. Things I would like them to do. For example, waking up my Switch console. A wireless controller that still requires me to reach over and turn the system on isn’t doing its full job, is it? I’ve also, thanks to my trusty handheld Hori Split Pad Pro, become used to turbo fire options and paddle buttons that I can map functions to. And wouldn’t you know it? These are all things that the Brook Vivid Wireless Controller can do. It also has a feature that allows you to lower the sensitivity of the sticks with the paddles, allowing for finer movements or aiming as needed. A nice set of features, to be sure. The paddles can even have full-on macros mapped to them so that you can cheat at Street Fighter or what-have-you.

Features are nice, but how does it feel? It certainly looks cute, especially with the two fun colors available. In the hands, I have to say it feels a little on the small side but not uncomfortably so. It’s a bit light and lacks that kind of deluxe feel some other controllers in this price range have, but it has held up well to the considerable punishment I have put it through over the last couple of months. The sticks are pretty good, with the right amount of travel. The directional pad passed the Hadouken test with aplomb, though its lower profile means it isn’t quite as cozy as pads on some other controllers. The shoulder buttons are fine, and the triggers actually have a bit of resistance to them that makes them feel nice to use. The face buttons are of a good size and are spread out nicely, though I find their higher profile and hard feel can be a little hard on the thumb in lengthier sessions.

All in all, while it has its flaws, the Brook Vivid Wireless Controller is a solid choice for those looking for an alternative to Nintendo’s Pro Controller. It has all of the same features except for the Amiibo reader, plus useful added functions like turbo fire and macro recording. I wish it was a little bigger and used nicer plastic, but the play’s the thing and that’s where the Vivid shines. It even comes with a clip in case you want to use it for some smartphone gaming. Not bad at all, and I’ve found myself using it over my SN30 Pro+ fairly often.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

New Releases

Lost Dream Stars ($4.99)

Play as a fox and wander around in a dreamscape searching for items and solving puzzles in this latest game in the series. It looks pretty in stills, but I can’t speak for how well it runs. Just kind of a chill game where you walk around and do some light challenges. Might be what you’re looking for if you’re in the right mood today. It has that kind of Aery vibe to it, and I know a lot of people enjoy that.

Warp 7 ($11.00)

This is a shooter that seems very insistent I do not call it a roguelite, so I won’t. It is not a roguelite. You have to make your way through each section of space, gathering helpful microchips before warping to the next section. You only have seven minutes to make seven warps, so you have to carefully consider how much time you want to spend looking for upgrade chips in each area. If you die, you’ll lose all the chips you gathered on that run, but you’ll retain some of your progress. Just like in a roguelite. Which this is not.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Well, I don’t see anything terribly exciting in that list today. Some good games, but games that go on sale so frequently that you’ve probably already bought them if you were interested in them. The outbox is a little more interesting, with titles from Taito and others wrapping up their latest discounts. Have a look through both lists, as always.

Select New Games on Sale

Xenon Racer ($5.99 from $14.99 until 1/16)
All-Star Fruit Racing ($7.99 from $19.99 until 1/16)
Shieldwall Chronicles: SotN ($1.99 from $7.99 until 1/23)
Demon’s Rise: WftD ($1.99 from $6.99 until 1/23)
Demon’s Rise: LoC ($1.99 from $7.99 until 1/23)
The Awakening of Mummies ($2.39 from $2.99 until 1/23)
Galaxy Champions TV ($1.99 from $6.99 until 1/23)
Hextones ($1.99 from $2.99 until 1/23)
OctaFight ($1.99 from $5.99 until 1/23)
Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption ($3.99 from $19.99 until 1/23)
A Day Without Me ($1.99 from $5.99 until 1/23)
There Will Be No Turkey This Christmas ($1.99 from $2.99 until 1/23)
Brotherhood United ($1.99 from $8.99 until 1/23)

Torn Tales: Rebound Edition ($1.99 from $7.99 until 1/23)
Zombo Buster Advance ($1.99 from $3.99 until 1/23)
Scrap Garden ($4.19 from $6.99 until 1/30)
Moorhuhn Kart 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/30)
Moorhuhn X: Crazy Chicken X ($5.59 from $6.99 until 1/30)
Alexio ($2.99 from $4.99 until 1/30)
Richy’s Nightmares ($2.99 from $4.99 until 1/30)
Catana ($4.19 from $6.99 until 1/30)
Devoured by Darkness ($3.59 from $5.99 until 1/30)
Cursed Island ($2.99 from $4.99 until 1/30)
Dr. Oil ($2.99 from $4.99 until 1/30)
Radioactive Dwarfs: EftS ($2.99 from $4.99 until 1/30)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 11th

Alchemic Dungeons DX ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/11)
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX ($6.79 from $19.99 until 1/11)
Ambition of the Slimes ($2.50 from $5.00 until 1/11)
Aragami Shadow Edition ($7.49 from $29.99 until 1/11)
Buildings Have Feelings Too ($3.99 from $19.99 until 1/11)
Captain StarONE ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/11)
Cloudpunk ($6.24 from $24.99 until 1/11)
Cronostase Electric Collection ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/11)
Curious Cases ($3.49 from $4.99 until 1/11)
Cytus Alpha ($24.99 from $49.99 until 1/11)
Dariusburst CS Core ($26.99 from $29.99 until 1/11)
Deathrun TV ($5.09 from $14.99 until 1/11)
DEEMO ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/11)
Dual Brain Complete Edition ($18.89 from $26.99 until 1/11)
Dungeonoid ($2.09 from $6.99 until 1/11)

Escape 2088 ($2.80 from $4.00 until 1/11)
Escape First ($3.49 from $4.99 until 1/11)
Escape First 2 ($3.49 from $4.99 until 1/11)
Escape First 3 ($3.49 from $4.99 until 1/11)
Fairune Collection ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/11)
Fishing Paradiso ($12.74 from $14.99 until 1/11)
Goodbye World ($10.79 from $11.99 until 1/11)
Headbangers in Holiday Hell ($4.79 from $5.99 until 1/11)
HunterX ($10.49 from $14.99 until 1/11)
Kamiko ($2.49 from $4.99 until 1/11)
Lanota ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/11)
Monster Harvest ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/11)
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes ($6.24 from $24.99 until 1/11)
Ninja Striker ($1.99 from $3.99 until 1/11)
Nowhere Girl ($2.99 from $6.99 until 1/11)

Orcen Axe ($1.99 from $3.60 until 1/11)
Ping Pong Arcade ($4.49 from $14.99 until 1/11)
Ponpu ($2.99 from $14.99 until 1/11)
Shirone: The Dragon Girl ($11.99 from $14.99 until 1/11)
Slaycation Paradise ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/11)
Slime Tactics ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/11)
Sparklite ($4.99 from $24.99 until 1/11)
Starlight Shores ($5.99 from $11.99 until 1/11)
Stranded Sails EotCI ($6.24 from $24.99 until 1/11)
SubaraCity ($2.50 from $5.00 until 1/11)
Super Metboy! ($5.99 from $9.99 until 1/11)
Taco Tom 2 ($2.99 from $5.99 until 1/11)
The Experiment: Escape Room ($2.79 from $3.99 until 1/11)
The Lightbringer ($4.49 from $14.99 until 1/11)
The Pizza Delivery Boy Who Saved… ($2.99 from $5.99 until 1/11)

Time on Frog Island ($12.49 from $24.99 until 1/11)
Timelie ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/11)
Transiruby ($11.99 from $14.99 until 1/11)
VOEZ ($12.50 from $25.00 until 1/11)
Witch & Hero ($2.49 from $4.99 until 1/11)
Witch & Hero 2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 1/11)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new releases and sales, plus whatever interesting news strolls along. I don’t think I’ll have any reviews ready for you, but surprises are called surprises for a reason. 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 January 9th, 2023. In today’s article, we’ve got a couple of reviews. One is from me, and the other is from our pal Mikhail. After that, we have some slightly dubious new releases to look at, and then the usual lists of new and expiring sales. That’s it, but that’s not bad for a Monday. Let’s get to it!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Maximus 2 ($4.99)

This is just big, silly beat-em-up fun. That’s the kind of thing developer Four Fats is good at, a talent well-honed over the course of several releases. The art style is goofy but cohesive. The action is fast and a little broken, but in that amusingly enjoyable way where you laugh at the outcome. You can play alone or with up to four players locally, and there are several distinct playable characters to use and upgrade. Like the original game, it’s a parody of Golden Axe and other beat-em-ups, but it can stand fairly well on its own chops.

There are certainly some vestiges from its origins as a free-to-play mobile release, but nothing that messes much with the core action. Mainly the continue system, which just sort of tosses a ton of continues your way. For all intents and purposes this is the game you would get if you bought the ad removal IAP from the mobile version, and in a case that is rarer on Switch than it should be, it’s priced similarly.

Maximus 2 isn’t going to threaten the kings of the beat-em-up genre or anything, but if you enjoyed playing games like Castle Crashers, you’ll likely have a good time here. Leveling up all of the characters and unlocking their extra skins will take quite some time, so even if you’re playing solo there’s a lot to do here. Despite a few rough edges, it’s an excellent value for brawler fans on a budget.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Melatonin ($14.99)

Melatonin is a Rhythm Heaven-inspired game about dreams. It has a very pleasing aesthetic, gorgeous animations, and a lovely soundtrack spread across its levels that ramp up the difficulty quite a bit as more inputs arrive. I adored Rhythm Heaven on 3DS, and Melatonin is the first game since to scratch that itch.

I initially thought the charm might wear off quickly, but Melatonin was compelling all the way through. It isn’t a very long game, but I’ve been revisiting earlier levels on higher difficulties to try and improve. Each level begins with a tutorial showing you the ropes with visual cues followed by the proper score mode where you try and press buttons going by the sounds and animations of the level. This is a bit complex, but you can toggle accessibility options to make things a bit simpler.

On Switch, Melatonin makes good use of the HD Rumble. There are a few performance issues, but nothing that made me miss notes during levels. I hope this can be addressed in potential updates.

Melatonin from Half Asleep was only released a few weeks ago, and it is already one of my favorite rhythm games on Nintendo Switch. Just like Gal Metal a few years ago, Melatonin excels in its simplicity while being quite challenging. This coupled with the gorgeous visuals and excellent music makes Melatonin an easy recommendation for fans of Rhythm Heaven and those looking for a challenging new music-focused game.

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

New Releases

Scrap Riders ($19.99)

I think it’s a very unusual idea to mix a point-and-click style adventure game with a beat-em-up, but I won’t lie: years of badly-implemented action mechanics in adventure games have me wary. It looks pretty good from what I’ve seen so far, so I’m hoping my concerns are totally unfounded. Anyway, you’re a member of a biker gang in a cyberpunk setting. It’s all presented in a rather comedic style, so adjust your tonal expectations appropriately.

Rafa’s World ($9.99)

A completely generic platformer. Big five-dollar Switch platformer energy, and not even a particularly interesting one either. Throw in the fact that it is ten dollars and not five and you have a real conundrum. Recommended only to people named Rafa, because how awesome is it that it is your world? Pretty awesome. I’d buy Shaun’s World for sure.

Rooten ($4.99)

This is a horror adventure game set in a forest full of dangerous ways to die. Explore and try to uncover the mystery behind the missing station staff, and try not to join their number while you’re at it. Not really my kind of game, so I can’t say much more than that.

Roof Jump Stunt Driver ($12.99)

BoomHits has another driving game, this one centered around rooftop jumping. You get ten different cars to drive, a bunch of missions to complete, and a course full of obstacles and jumps to master. This will almost certainly receive a deep discount before too long, as all of these games tend to.

Flipped On ($1.99)

If you want a game to get angry at today, this is a good pick-up. It’s kind of a car-based platformer where you have to make your way through levels filled with extremely precarious platforms, guiding around obstacles and building up the necessary speed to take jumps when they crop up. One wrong move and you’ll go tumbling right off the road. Pretty fun for the price, but it is also incredibly infuriating.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

A few things in there worth noting. Kao the Kangaroo hits a new low price. The House of Da Vinci 2 is half price if you need to catch up before you play the third game. New Tales from the Borderlands hits a very reasonable sub-twenty dollar price. Over in the outbox, Koei Tecmo’s latest sale is wrapping up. Neither list is very long today, so do have a look at both of them.

Select New Games on Sale

The House of Da Vinci 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/14)
Sotano ($3.49 from $4.99 until 1/16)
Shantae & the Seven Sirens ($17.99 from $29.99 until 1/16)
NBA 2K23 ($23.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Tales from the Borderlands ($14.99 from $24.99 until 1/17)
New Tales from the Borderlands ($19.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
OlliOlli World ($17.99 from $29.99 until 1/17)
Axiom Verge ($7.99 from $19.99 until 1/20)
Hotshot Racing ($2.99 from $19.99 until 1/21)
American Fugitive ($1.99 from $19.99 until 1/21)
Human: Fall Flat ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/21)
Smoke & Sacrifice ($3.99 from $19.99 until 1/21)

My Lovely Daughter ($5.99 from $14.99 until 1/23)
My Lovely Wife ($10.49 from $14.99 until 1/23)
Port Royale 4 ($24.99 from $49.99 until 1/27)
Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars ($13.99 from $39.99 until 1/27)
Commandos 2 HD Remaster ($14.99 from $19.99 until 1/27)
Neon Souls ($3.99 from $4.99 until 1/27)
Kao the Kangaroo ($17.99 from $29.99 until 1/28)
Super Treasure Arena ($1.99 from $9.99 until 1/29)
Tied Together ($2.99 from $14.99 until 1/29)
Fly Punch Boom! ($1.99 from $14.99 until 1/29)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 10th

Ampersat ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/10)
Artifact Adventure Gaiden DX ($5.99 from $9.99 until 1/10)
Atelier Ryza ($29.99 from $59.99 until 1/10)
Atelier Ryza 2 ($29.99 from $59.99 until 1/10)
Atelier Sophie 2 ($41.99 from $59.99 until 1/10)
CASE 2: Animatronics Survival ($4.59 from $19.99 until 1/10)
CASE: Animatronics ($4.59 from $19.99 until 1/10)
Crowalt: Traces of the Lost Colony ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/10)
Escape String ($3.49 from $6.99 until 1/10)
Fantasy Blacksmith ($7.49 from $9.99 until 1/10)
Flying Girl Striker ($10.50 from $15.00 until 1/10)
Hyper Gunsport ($22.49 from $24.99 until 1/10)
Jetboy ($2.09 from $5.99 until 1/10)
Little Bit War ($9.50 from $13.71 until 1/10)

Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX ($20.99 from $29.99 until 1/10)
Moonrise Fall ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/10)
Persephone ($2.00 from $8.00 until 1/10)
PGMS Angel’s Blood ($7.99 from $9.99 until 1/10)
Plan B from Outer Space ($2.99 from $14.99 until 1/10)
Return to Shironagasu Island ($4.19 from $6.99 until 1/10)
Samurai Warriors 5 ($35.99 from $59.99 until 1/10)
Samurai Warriors 5 Digital Deluxe ($53.99 from $89.99 until 1/10)
Super Zangyura ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/10)
Unichrome: 1-Bit Unicorn Adv ($9.99 from $14.99 until 1/10)
Unreal Life ($13.79 from $22.99 until 1/10)
VasterClaws 3: DotGW ($21.00 from $30.00 until 1/10)
Vazial Saga XX ($23.80 from $34.00 until 1/10)
World for Two ($8.39 from $13.99 until 1/10)
ZombieVital DG ($10.00 from $14.30 until 1/10)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new releases, more sales, and perhaps some news and reviews. We’ll have to see how things to go. I kind of spent half the day playing Pokemon with Son of Musgrave yesterday so I’m a bit behind on my work. Well, sometimes diversions are worth taking. 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 January 5th, 2023. It’s our first Thursday of the year, and while it’s not the most impressive of things, it beats last week. Hamster’s latest Arcade Archives release is a good one, Maximus 2 is now available on Switch, and we have two puzzle-platformers with a similar core conceit. All that, plus the latest sales. Let’s get to work!

New Releases

Arcade Archives Galaga ($7.99)

Oh hey, what’s up, First Game Shaun Remembers Ever Playing. Namco’s 1981 shooter was a bit of a game changer for the genre with its fast-paced action and not-so-secret trick for getting double shots. I think it’s still a lot of fun, but I would. Note that the arcade Galaga is already in the Namco Museum release for the Switch, so unless you really want those Hamster features you may find that a more economic way to pick up the game.

Pixel Game Maker Series Pearl Vs Grey ($7.99)

Another Pixel Game Maker Series game, and this is another one that seems to use the Game Boy aesthetic. It’s not part of the Game Buddy series, though. At any rate, this is a puzzle action game that has hints of things like Donkey Kong ’94 to it. Probably not quite as good as that game, but it looks fun enough for the price it’s asking. And hey, Game Boy aesthetic. Extra points out of the gate there.

Lost Snowmen ($4.99)

Okay, so here’s the deal with this. It’s a puzzle-platformer. You’ve got three different characters, each with their own abilities. You’ll have to switch between them and use their distinct skills in order to move forward through the stages. You’ve probably heard of this kind of thing before, but this one has snowmen and it’s five bucks.

Maximus 2 ($4.99)

Hey, it’s our old friends at Four Fats. Here’s a port of last year’s Maximus 2, minus the IAPs and plus an upfront price tag. But it’s a very reasonable price tag, so if you like the kind of wacky beat-em-up action Four Fats usually trades in, it’s hard to go wrong here. I’ll have a review of this one early next week, but you can also just download the mobile version and give it a go to see how you take to it.

Backpack Twins ($11.99)

Here’s a puzzle platformer where you control a pair of twins and need to use them together to progress through the stages. There are some extra goodies you can collect to unlock various things, and the game keeps track of your best time on each stage in case you feel like doing a little speed running. It seems okay as this kind of thing goes.

AlphaLink ($14.99)

One of those arena battlers where you can play alone if you like but really should pull in some friends if you want to get at the real fun. Up to four can play this one, either locally or online, and there are various modes you can choose from to keep things spicy. Experience points and a progression system, a bunch of weapons, cosmetics to customize your character’s look, it’s got all the boxes checked off. It’s been on other consoles for a bit and it seems to have gone over reasonably well with folks. I’m a bit weary of this kind of thing by now but if you aren’t you might want to give AlphaLink a deeper look.

Tumbleweed Destiny ($2.99)

Wow, January 5th and we already have a Game of the Year contender. In this fully accurate tumbleweed simulator, you control a tumbleweed. The more you roll, the more Tumbleweed Points you’ll earn. You can use those to upgrade your tumbleweed to help it do tumbleweed things better. Play alone or head online for multiplayer with up to sixteen players. Wow! All that for three bucks? What could possibly go wrong?

Age of Heroes: The Beginning ($19.99)

Oh hey, it’s another one of these Green Sauce matching puzzlers. Twenty bucks. I mean, they’re obviously selling or they wouldn’t keep bringing them out, so why not? Anyway, you probably know the routine by now. One hundred levels of matching fun, some power-ups that can be crafted, and a little story to go with your dinner. If that is what you’re after, here you go.

Slots Royale: 777 Casino Games ($9.99)

To be clear, this does not contain seven hundred and seventy-seven casino games. It perhaps wants you to think it does. I don’t know. It’s just another slots game. You get somewhat less than seven hundred and seventy-seven slots games to play.

Hollow World: Dark Knight ($7.99)

To be clear, this game has nothing to do with Hollow Knight. It perhaps wants you to think it does. I don’t know. Battle through more than one hundred stages using your magic and filling out your skill tree for great justice. Defeat an assortment of bosses, and if that’s not enough for you there is an Arena mode where you can fight to your heart’s content. It’s T-Bull, so don’t expect anything particularly amazing.

World War Battle Heroes Field Armies Call of Prison Duty Simulator ($4.99)

More toilet scum from our latest experts in absolute dreck, VG Games. Buy this if you want to waste five dollars in the most embarrassing possible way. You could stick the fiver up your nose and it would be a more dignified use of it.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Well, that’s not very impressive either, is it? Demon Gaze Extra is a great RPG for thirty bucks, and it’s never a bad thing to get some discounted NEOGEO games. The outbox sees another substantial wave of holiday sales come to a close. Check those lists carefully as ever.

Select New Games on Sale

Demon Gaze Extra ($29.99 from $59.99 until 1/19)
Buried Stars ($13.49 from $44.99 until 1/19)
Epic Dumpster Bear 2 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 1/19)
JankBrain ($1.99 from $4.99 until 1/19)
ACA NEOGEO Samurai Shodown ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/19)
ACA NEOGEO Aero Fighters 2 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/19)
ACA NEOGEO Metal Slug 4 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/19)
ACA NEOGEO Super Sidekicks ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/19)
ACA NEOGEO Burning Fight ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/19)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, January 6th

A Robot Named Fight ($1.99 from $12.99 until 1/6)
Alfred Hitchcock Vertigo ($27.99 from $39.99 until 1/6)
Arkanoid Eternal Battle ($20.09 from $29.99 until 1/6)
Asterix & Obelix XXXL: TRfH ($27.99 from $39.99 until 1/6)
C.A.R.L. ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/6)
Can Androids Survive ($3.99 from $9.99 until 1/6)
Car Parking Club ($7.79 from $l2.99 until 1/6)
Cellular Harvest ($3.19 from $7.99 until 1/6)
Clan O’Conall & Crown of Stag ($3.74 from $7.49 until 1/6)
Cloud Gardens ($10.79 from $17.99 until 1/6)
Dire Vengeance ($11.24 from $14.99 until 1/6)
Dire Vengeance Deluxe ($14.99 until $19.99 until 1/6)
DreamGallery ($2.09 from $5.99 until 1/6)
Ender Lilies QotK ($14.99 from $24.99 until 1/6)
Fashion Friends ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/6)

fault -StP- Lightkravte ($14.39 from $17.99 until 1/6)
Filmechanism ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/6)
Finding Paradise ($10.79 from $11.99 until 1/6)
FUZE4 Nintendo Switch ($6.79 from $19.99 until 1/6)
Garfield Lasagna Party ($27.99 from $39.99 until 1/6)
Gemstone Keeper ($4.49 from $8.99 until 1/6)
Grand Mountain Adventure ($17.49 from $34.99 until 1/6)
HAAK ($16.06 from $18.90 until 1/6)
Hardcore Mecha ($14.99 from $24.99 until 1/6)
Hazelnut Hex ($2.39 from $7.99 until 1/6)
Horse Tales: Emerald Valley Ranch ($31.99 from $39.99 until 1/6)
Lunistice ($4.24 from $4.99 until 1/6)
My Universe: Interior Designer ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/6)
My Universe: Puppies & Kittens ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/6)
Mystic Vale ($1.99 from $9.99 until 1/6)

Negative Nancy ($4.49 from $14.99 until 1/6)
New Joe & Mac Caveman Ninja ($23.99 from $29.99 until 1/6)
Nonogram Minimal ($1.99 from $6.99 until 1/6)
Oddworld Soulstorm ($39.99 from $49.99 until 1/6)
Off and On Again ($5.60 from $14.00 until 1/6)
Orn: The Tiny Forest Sprite ($2.50 from $8.99 until 1/6)
PigShip & the Giant Wolf ($3.19 from $7.99 until 1/6)
Pinball Jam ($9.99 from $24.99 until 1/6)
Raiders of the Lost Island ($6.49 from $12.99 until 1/6)
RiffTrax: The Game ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/6)
Rush Rally 3 ($9.99 from $14.99 until 1/6)
Smurfs Kart ($27.99 from $39.99 until 1/6)
Steam: Rails to Riches ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/6)
Stranded Deep ($12.49 from $24.99 until 1/6)
Summer Sweetheart ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/6)

Super UFO Fighter ($8.99 from $11.99 until 1/6)
The Bluecoats North & South ($4.49 from $29.99 until 1/6)
The Falconeer: Warrior Edition ($11.99 from $29.99 until 1/6)
The Sisters Party of the Year ($4.49 from $29.99 until 1/6)
There is No Game: Wrong Dimension ($7.79 from $12.99 until 1/6)
Touhou Luna Nights ($12.59 from $17.99 until 1/6)
UnderMine ($6.99 from $19.99 until 1/6)
XIII ($23.99 from $39.99 until 1/6)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with the remaining releases of the week, a good chunk of sales, and maybe a little more depending on factors outside of my control. I hope you all have a great Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for January 4th, 2023. It’s a quiet one today, folks. Only one new release and very few new sales to look at. Sure, there’s a big list of expiring sales, but that’s not very fun to look at. So I’ve put together a couple of brief reviews for you to enjoy. They’re both very new games, too. It’s about the best I can do for you given that it seems like everyone is still waking up from their New Year’s hangover. Let’s go!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Guntech 2 ($14.99)

I really dig what Guntech 2 is laying down. I’m a sucker for games with thrust mechanics. You know, Asteroids, Gravitar, and so on. I also enjoy a good twin-stick shooter. Put the two together, and we’re probably going to get along at least a little. And I certainly do get along with Guntech 2, at least a little. There’s a lot here to like, with plenty of stages to play (including some very amusing Holiday-themed ones), a ton of weapons to unlock and upgrade, a variety of enemies to fight, and even some additional ships to pilot. There are online leaderboards to compete on for each and every stage. You can also rope in a few extra players for some ridiculously amusing couch co-op.

There are some things here I’m less thrilled with. Performance is up and down, with noticeable issues when things get complicated. Sometimes it’s really hard to see enemies and bullets against the backgrounds. It’s sometimes hard to know where the boundaries of objects are, which is a problem since you take collision damage. Many of the levels are rather big and the targets aren’t always obvious, leading to some wandering around trying to figure out where you should be going. While the large number of levels is a plus, some elements are used often enough that it can sometimes get a little repetitive.

I’d imagine Guntech 2 comes off a little better on other platforms where performance and visibility issues would be less of a problem, but even on Switch this is still a pretty good time. You’ve got a lot of elements to play around with, and the basic gameplay mechanics are snappy and enjoyable. It calls back to a particular time and place in gaming history in a very comfortable way, and those who enjoy more deliberately paced action games will get their fill here.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Pixel Boy – Lost in the Castle ($11.99)

Well, looks aren’t everything. I suppose neither is originality. Pixel Boy is pretty plainly inspired by the likes of Sokoban and Chip’s Challenge, and in terms of its presentation it certainly doesn’t blow past either of those decades-old games. But hey, we don’t come to puzzle games for the good looks. We’re here for the puzzles, and Pixel Boy has some good ones. Ninety-six stages in total, and the complexity of those stages often translates to a few mini-puzzles in each to solve. The goal in each stage is to push the red crate to the specified goal and then head into the exit that appears. You’ll have to deal with gimmicks like locked doors, pits, fire, and more. Things unfold nicely as you play, and it will take quite a while to make your way through all of the stages.

If you dislike crate-pushing puzzlers, Pixel Boy isn’t going to change your mind. But if you enjoy that particular brand of brain teaser, Pixel Boy will give you what you crave. Sokoban clones are a dime a dozen on the Switch, but ones that add in extra elements in a manner similar to Chip’s Challenge are a rarer beast. Pixel Boy doesn’t have very appealing graphics. The UI feels cheap. Its soundscape is fairly barren. But it has a bunch of devilishly-designed mental knots to untangle, and that’s enough for me to recommend it.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

New Releases

Extreme Snowboard ($7.99)

You know it’s slim pickings when the only game on deck is a Pix Arts release that was probably cobbled together from a Unity Asset Store template. It’s a snowboarding game, and it somehow looks worse than literally any 3D snowboarding game I have ever played. You can suffer alone or with a friend in local splitscreen play.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

I really have nothing to say about those new sales. That’s all of them. All three of them. The outbox has a lot more in it to consider, so give that a careful look-through to make sure there’s nothing in there you want. I’d imagine we’ll see more action on the sales front later this week, so enjoy the break for your wallet while it lasts.

Select New Games on Sale

Blood Will Be Spilled ($1.99 from $14.99 until 1/24)
Feudal Alloy ($1.99 from $16.99 until 1/24)
Tyd wag vir Niemand ($1.99 from $9.99 until 1/24)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Thursday, January 5th

A Juggler’s Tale ($8.99 from $17.99 until 1/5)
A Place for the Unwilling ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/5)
Ace Attorney Turnabout Collection ($34.99 from $59.99 until 1/5)
Advent Calendar ($4.99 from $24.99 until 1/5)
Arsonist Heaven ($3.49 from $4.99 until 1/5)
Ball laB ($2.49 from $4.99 until 1/5)
Bear’s Restaurant ($9.09 from $12.99 until 1/5)
Blow & Fly ($3.49 from $4.99 until 1/5)
Bravery and Greed ($15.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium DLC ($29.99 from $39.99 until 1/5)
Capcom Arcade Stadium 1+2+3 DLC ($19.99 from $39.99 until 1/5)
Capcom Fighting Bundle ($38.99 from $59.99 until 1/5)
Choices That Matter: ATHWL ($1.99 from $5.99 until 1/5)
Choices That Matter: ATSWE ($1.99 from $5.99 until 1/5)
Choices That Matter: ATSWO ($1.99 from $5.99 until 1/5)

Crown Trick ($4.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Demonaica: Everlasting Night ($8.99 from $14.99 until 1/5)
Desktop Soccer 2 ($5.60 from $8.00 until 1/5)
Dusk Diver 2 ($39.99 from $49.99 until 1/5)
Dustoff Heli Rescue 2 ($1.99 from $8.00 until 1/5)
Endless Memories ($16.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Enter Digitron: HoC ($3.19 from $7.99 until 1/5)
Epic Chef ($6.24 from $24.99 until 1/5)
Feather ($3.59 from $9.99 until 1/5)
Flying Neko Delivery ($16.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Forklift Extreme ($3.99 from $9.99 until 1/5)
Galactic Wars EX ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/5)
Gibbon: Beyond the Trees ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/5)
Golf With Your Friends Deluxe ($8.,09 from $26.99 until 1/5)
Hokko Life ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)

Kao the Kangaroo Bundle ($20.99 from $34.99 until 1/5)
King of Seas ($6.24 from $24.99 until 1/5)
Kirakira Stars Idol Project Memories ($14.00 from $28.00 until 1/5)
Kwaidan Azuma Manor Story ($4.99 from $24.99 until 1/5)
Lacuna ($1.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
LootLite ($3.49 from $4.99 until 1/5)
Lucid Cycle ($3.49 from $6.99 until 1/5)
Mad Bullets ($4.49 from $14.99 until 1/5)
Marco and the Galaxy Dragon ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Mercenaries Blaze: DotTD ($11.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Mercenaries Saga Chronicles ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/5)
Milk inside a bag of milk… ($6.39 from $7.99 until 1/5)
Mixolumia ($11.25 from $15.00 until 1/5)
Mokoko X ($5.74 from $11.49 until 1/5)
Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak ($39.99 from $69.99 until 1/5)

Monster Sanctuary ($6.79 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Moving Out Deluxe ($8.24 from $32.99 until 1/5)
Murder on the Marine Express ($2.49 from $4.99 until 1/5)
My Time at Portia Deluxe ($9.59 from $31.99 until 1/5)
Narita Boy ($6.24 from $24.99 until 1/5)
Neon Abyss Deluxe ($11.19 from $27.99 until 1/5)
Oceanhorn 2: KotLR ($17.99 from $29.99 until 1/5)
Oceanhorn: MoUS ($3.74 from $14.99 until 1/5)
Orbital Bullet ($13.39 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Our Fantasy Quest ($4.20 from $14.00 until 1/5)
Pretty Girls Mahjong Solitaire ($3.59 from $5.99 until 1/5)
Pretty Girls Speed ($4.19 from $5.99 until 1/5)
Rabi-Ribi ($17.99 from $29.99 until 1/5)
Resident Evil 4 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Retro City Rampage DX ($5.99 from $14.99 until 1/5)

Rise of the Slime ($3.74 from $14.99 until 1/5)
Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Run Box Run ($1.99 from $4.99 until 1/5)
School Race GP ($3.00 from $10.00 until 1/5)
Seven Pirates H ($31.99 from $39.99 until 1/5)
Shadows of Adam ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/5)
Shakedown: Hawaii ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Sky Rogue ($4.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Square Keeper ($2.49 from $4.99 until 1/5)
Sumire ($1.99 from $9.99 until 1/5)
Superola CE ($3.49 from $4.99 until 1/5)
Surface Rush ($2.49 from $4.99 until 1/5)
Sword of the Necromancer ($3.74 from $14.99 until 1/5)
Table of Tales: TCC ($7.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
The Battle of Polytopia ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/5)

The Serpent Rogue ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Thunder Kid II: Null Mission ($4.79 from $7.99 until 1/5)
Thunder Kid: HftRE ($4.79 from $7.99 until 1/5)
To Be Or Not To Be ($1.99 from $6.99 until 1/5)
Ultimate ADOM: CoC ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Voodoo Detective ($11.99 from $14.99 until 1/5)
Waifu Impact ($2.49 from $4.99 until 1/5)
Wind of Shuriken ($5.59 from $7.99 until 1/5)
XEL ($9.49 from $18.99 until 1/5)
Yoku’s Island Express ($3.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
Yonder: Cloud Catcher Chronicles ($11.99 from $29.99 until 1/5)
Yooka-Laylee ($3.99 from $39.99 until 1/5)
Yooka-Laylee & the Impossible Lair ($4.49 from $29.99 until 1/5)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with summaries of several new releases as the eShop slowly thaws out, plus whatever new and expiring sales are on tap for the 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 January 2nd, 2023. It’s our first edition of the year and I intended to have a bit more in here than I ended up with. I’m a little tired from the holidays, it seems. So with that in mind, it’s just the basic plate today. New release summaries for a very rough mix of titles, and the lists of new and outgoing sales. We’ll have something a bit more substantial tomorrow. Let’s go!

New Releases

Vampire Slayer: The Resurrection ($7.99)

This is a first-person action game with an emphasis on multiplayer. Up to eight players can play via local wireless, and up to twelve can play online. You’re either a vampire or a slayer, with the former relying on melee attacks and special powers and the latter leaning on good old firepower. This is an expanded version of a Half Life mode from some years back, and at the barest minimum the price seems right.

Gravity Thrust ($4.99)

A stage-based action game with a thrust mechanic. You’ve probably played similar games before. Publisher Sprakelsoft historically hasn’t been big on originality and it’s not about to start now. In addition to the core missions, you can also enjoy some local multiplayer for up to four players.

Blacksmith Forger ($4.99)

You know those cooking games where customers come up and you need to make their dish and serve it to them before they get mad and leave? This is that kind of thing, except customers are ordering swords and armor. You know it’s a pretty rough day when a Weakfish Studios game is the middle of the pack.

Journey To The Blue Mountain ($9.99)

A really basic action platformer. Not even five-dollar Switch platformer energy. Maybe two-dollar Switch platformer energy? I don’t know, friends. Unless a game like this has some kind of neat hook to it that catches my eye, I have trouble mustering up much interest. This one doesn’t seem to have one.

Crypto Mining Simulator Ultimate Trading Strategy Tycoon Craft & Idle Game 3D ($4.99)

Tuk Tuk Extreme Real Car Driving Simulator & Parking 2023 Car Games 3D Vehicle ($2.99)

More garbage from the usual suspects. Midnight Works has a trash-ception with a crappy game based on one of the crappier fads in recent years, and INSTAMARKETINGANDGAME has a tuk tuk driving game that even the rubbish bins would spit out onto the ground. Both handheld mode only because neither of these publishers can be bothered to do even the slightest amount of work beyond compiling an Android template and submitting it to Nintendo.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Some interesting games in the inbox today, friends. Eschatos, Demons of Asteborg, Umurangi Generation, and Cresteaju are all worth considering depending on your tastes in genres. As for the outbox, Picross fans might want to grab the Travel Mosaics games, RPG lovers who don’t own Darkest Dungeon yet should consider that one, and those who enjoy fancy solitaire will want to sip from the tea cup of Regency Solitaire. Check both lists, as usual.

Select New Games on Sale

Eschatos ($21.59 from $26.99 until 1/9)
The Great Perhaps ($1.99 from $9.99 until 1/9)
Demons of Asteborg ($7.19 from $17.99 until 1/13)
Plague Inc: Evolved ($5.09 from $14.99 until 1/16)
Umurangi Generation: SE ($17.49 from $24.99 until 1/16)
The Gardens Between ($3.99 from $19.99 until 1/16)
Bus Simulator City Ride ($29.74 from $34.99 until 1/16)
Heroes of Hammerwatch UE ($7.99 from $19.99 until 1/16)
Super Cyborg ($2.99 from $6.99 until 1/17)
Cresteaju ($3.49 from $6.99 until 1/20)
Attack on Beetle ($2.99 from $5.99 until 1/20)
Baila Latino ($5.99 from $9.99 until 1/20)
Espacio Cosmic Light-Seeker ($2.26 from $3.49 until 1/20)
Camper Van Simulator 2 ($7.79 from $12.99 until 1/20)
Montgomery Fox & tCotMB ($12.74 from $14.99 until 1/21)

Montgomery Fox & tRoVD ($12.74 from $14.99 until 1/21)
Montgomery Fox & tCotDN ($12.74 from $14.99 until 1/21)
Tankorama ($6.99 from $9.99 until 1/21)
Finding America: TH CE ($8.49 from $9.99 until 1/21)
First Time in Rome CE ($10.19 from $11.99 until 1/21)
First Time in Paris CE ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/21)
Faircroft’s Antiques TML CE ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/21)
I Love Finding More Pups CE ($5.99 from $9.99 until 1/21)
Ki11er Clutter ($5.99 from $9.99 until 1/21)
The Kingdom of Gardenia ($1.99 from $7.99 until 1/22)
Bush Hockey League ($9.59 from $15.99 until 1/22)
Police Sim 22 ($14.99 from $19.99 until 1/22)
Family Mysteries: PP ($1.99 from $14.99 until 1/22)
Family Mysteries 2: EoT ($1.99 from $14.99 until 1/22)
Family Mysteries 3: CM ($1.99 from $14.99 until 1/22)
Journey To The Blue Mountain ($1.99 from $9.99 until 1/22)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 3rd

12 Labours of Hercules ($3.49 from $4.99 until 1/3)
12 Labours of Hercules II ($5.59 from $7.99 until 1/3)
12 Labours of Hercules III ($5.59 from $7.99 until 1/3)
12 Labours of Hercules IV ($5.59 from $7.99 until 1/3)
12 Labours of Hercules V ($6.69 from $7.99 until 1/3)
Car Mechanic Pinball ($1.99 from $4.99 until 1/3)
Chalk Gardens ($1.99 from $5.99 until 1/3)
Colsword ($1.99 from $4.00 until 1/3)
Darkest Dungeon ($6.24 from $24.99 until 1/3)
Darkest Dungeon AE ($9.99 from $39.99 until 1/3)
Death Road to Canada ($5.99 from $14.99 until 1/3)
Dying Light Definitive ($19.99 from $49.99 until 1/2)
FAR: Changing Tides ($11.99 from $19.99 until 1/3)
Farm Tycoon ($1.99 from $19.99 until 1/3)
Fe ($4.99 from $19.99 until 1/3)

Fluffy Horde ($1.99 from $9.99 until 1/3)
Golazo 2: Soccer Cup 2022 ($9.58 from $15.98 until 1/3)
It’s Kooky ($1.99 from $9.99 until 1/3)
Jurassic World Evolution CE ($17.99 from $59.99 until 1/3)
Little Bug ($1.99 from $12.99 until 1/3)
Lost in Random ($5.99 from $29.99 until 1/3)
Mahjong Stories Vampire Romance ($1.99 from $4.99 until 1/3)
Mega Man 11 ($9.99 from $29.99 until 1/3)
Mega Man Legacy Collection ($7.99 from $14.99 until 1/3)
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 1/3)
Mega Man X Legacy Collection ($7.99 from $19.99 until 1/3)
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 1/3)
Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/3)
Monument ($1.99 from $7.00 until 1/3)
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit ($7.99 from $39.99 until 1/3)

Plants vs Zombies BfN Complete ($7.99 from $39.99 until 1/3)
Regency Solitaire ($5.39 from $11.99 until 1/3)
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 CE ($10.49 from $29.99 until 1/3)
Super Mega Baseball 3 ($13.49 from $44.99 until 1/3)
Travel Mosaics 2: Roman Holiday ($1.99 from $4.99 until 1/3)
Travel Mosaics 3: Tokyo Animated ($1.99 from $4.99 until 1/3)
Travel Mosaics 4: Adv. in Rio ($1.99 from $7.99 until 1/3)
Travel Mosaics 5: Waltzing Vienna ($1.99 from $7.99 until 1/3)
Travel Mosaics 6: Christmas ($1.99 from $7.99 until 1/3)
Travel Mosaics 7: Fantastic Berlin ($1.99 from $8.99 until 1/3)
Travel Mosaics 8: Breathtaking Seoul ($1.99 from $9.99 until 1/3)
Travel Mosaics 9: Mysterious Prague ($1.99 from $9.99 until 1/3)
Travel Mosaics: A Paris Tour ($1.99 from $4.99 until 1/3)
Ziggurat ($4.49 from $14.99 until 1/3)
Ziggurat 2 ($19.99 from $24.99 until 1/3)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more sales, more new releases, a review or two, and perhaps some news. Did you all have a nice New Year’s holiday? What was your last game played of 2022 and first game played of 2023? Mine were Mega Man: The Wily Wars and Atomic Runner on the Genesis respectively. I hope you all have a good Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for December 30th, 2022. In today’s article, we’re finishing up the year with a look at the two new releases that hit the eShop today along with another batch of sales. A firm reminder: the holiday sale is wrapping up on Monday, so make your final selections and head to the register soon. Let’s turn off the lights and lock the doors!

New Releases

Toy Soldiers HD ($29.99)

The well-loved XBLA tower defense game comes to the Switch via its HD remake. It’s a rather nice remake, too. You get all the classic levels to play, fully rebalanced. There are some new levels to dig into as well. You also get all the original DLC, which adds quite a bit to the game. You can play alone or go against another player in local or online multiplayer. If this is our last release of the year on Switch, we’re at least going out on a decent note.

Aircraft Carrier Survival ($19.99)

Ugh, that UI and tiny text is already giving me a headache. This is almost certainly a port of a PC game, and it doesn’t look like much care was put into making the conversion to Switch. You control an aircraft carrier in World War II and need to manage all manner of things from crew assignments to mission details. Steam reviews seem decidedly mixed on the quality of the game, so do with that what you will.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

A few more games on the pile today. The most noteworthy sales are, in my opinion, Ultimate ADOM, the rarely on sale SNK titles such as NEOGEO Pocket Color Selection Vol. 1, and Inti-Creates’ superb Blaster Master and Bloodstained games. The weekend outbox has the Limited Run Games digital library in it, along with some other odds and ends. I already said it in the opening, but keep in mind that the big holiday sales finish up on Monday. Time to spend any extra money you have left after the holidays.

Select New Games on Sale

Ultimate ADOM: CoC ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/5)
HAAK ($16.06 from $18.90 until 1/6)
DreamGallery ($2.09 from $5.99 until 1/6)
Summer Sweetheart ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/6)
Rush Rally 3 ($9.99 from $14.99 until 1/6)
Arctictopia ($3.50 from $5.00 until 1/9)
R-Type Dimensions EX ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/9)
Lode Runner Legacy ($5.99 from $11.99 until 1/9)
BombFall ($3.25 from $6.50 until 1/9)
Jack Move ($14.99 from $19.99 until 1/9)
Loot Monkey: Bling Palace ($3.50 from $7.00 until 1/9)
Kitty Maestro ($3.50 from $7.00 until 1/9)
Shadow Fight 2 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/9)
Samurai Shodown ($24.99 from $49.99 until 1/9)
Samurai Shodown Season Pass ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/9)
Samurai Shodown Season Pass 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/9)

Samurai Shodown NEOGEO Collection ($9.99 from $39.99 until 1/9)
NEOGEO Pocket Color Selection 1 ($19.99 from $39.99 until 1/9)
NEOGEO Pocket Color Selection 2 ($31.99 from $39.99 until 1/9)
Pure-hearted Gyaru & tSoH ($9.95 from $19.90 until 1/9)
Becoming a She ($9.95 from $19.90 until 1/9)
Am I Kind Hearted? ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/9)
Sengoku Princess ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/9)
My Lady Sayo ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/9)
Doki Doki Family ($9.95 from $19.90 until 1/9)
Mischief Dungeon Life ($9.95 from $19.90 until 1/9)
Shiorinokotoha DarkReflections ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/9)
Isekai Bride Hunting ($9.95 from $19.90 until 1/9)
Isekai Tragic Love ($9.95 from $19.90 until 1/9)
Isekai Harem Saver ($9.95 from $19.90 until 1/9)
AmaneSwitch ($6.99 from $13.99 until 1/9)

Tower Princess ($11.99 from $19.99 until 1/9)
Egglia Rebirth ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/9)
Aragami 2 ($23.99 from $39.99 until 1/12)
Snow Bros Special ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/12)
DEEMO Reborn ($15.00 from $25.00 until 1/13)
MO: Astray ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/13)
Shing! ($1.99 from $19.99 until 1/13)
Astroneer ($19.49 from $29.99 until 1/13)
Staxel ($7.49 from $24.99 until 1/13)
Life Goes On ($2.59 from $12.99 until 1/13)
Azure Striker Gunvolt Pack ($19.99 from $39.99 until 1/16)
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 ($23.99 from $29.99 until 1/16)
GC: Luminous Avenger iX ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/16)
GC: Luminous Avenger iX 2 ($17.49 from $24.99 until 1/16)
Mighty Gunvolt Burst ($3.99 from $9.99 until 1/16)

Bloodstained CotM ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/16)
Bloodstained CotM 2 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/16)
Blaster Master Zero ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/16)
Blaster Master Zero 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/16)
Blaster Master Zero 3 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/16)
Dragon Marked for Death AA ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/16)
Dragon Marked for Death FF ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/16)
Bloody Zombies ($3.74 from $14.99 until 1/16)
Moorhuhn Pirates CCP ($5.59 from $6.99 until 1/16)
Survive & Craft ($12.49 from $24.99 until 1/16)
Pocket Arcade Story ($8.40 from $14.00 until 1/18)
Anime Studio Story ($7.00 from $14.00 until 1/18)
Ninja Village ($7.00 from $14.00 until 1/18)
Oh! Edo Towns ($7.00 from $14.00 until 1/18)
Mega Mall Story 2 ($8.40 from $14.00 until 1/18)
Acalesia ($2.99 from $4.99 until 1/19)

Weedcraft Inc ($19.99 from $24.99 until 1/19)
39 Days to Mars ($10.04 from $14.99 until 1/19)
Help Will Come Tomorrow ($2.99 from $19.99 until 1/19)
The Amazing American Circus ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/19)
Best Month Ever ($12.99 from $19.99 until 1/19)
Castle on the Coast ($4.49 from $14.99 until 1/19)
This is the Zodiac Speaking ($2.99 from $12.99 until 1/19)
Big Pharma ($4.99 from $29.99 until 1/19)
Effie ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/19)
Golazo! ($2.99 from $14.99 until 1/19)
May’s Mysteries TSoD ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/19)
orbit.industries ($11.99 from $19.99 until 1/19)
Lanternium ($3.00 from $9.99 until 1/19)
Of Tanks and Demons III ($2.99 from $4.99 until 1/19)
Lord of the Click ($2.99 from $4.99 until 1/19)

Sales Ending This Weekend

Alfonzo’s Arctic Adventure ($3.49 from $4.99 until 12/31)
Ashland Dossier ($4.39 from $10.99 until 12/31)
Buddy Simulator 1984 ($6.99 from $9.99 until 12/31)
Corpse Killer 25th Anniversary ($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/31)
Cosmic Star Heroine ($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/31)
Dark Minute: Kira’s Adventure ($2.99 from $9.99 until 12/31)
Dieselpunk Wars ($5.99 from $14.99 until 12/31)
Double Switch 25th Anniversary ($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/31)
I Love Finding Critters ($2.99 from $9.99 until 12/31)
I Love Finding More Cats ($2.99 from $9.99 until 12/31)
Last Threshold ($1.99 from $4.99 until 12/31)
Later Daters Premium ($7.49 from $14.99 until 12/31)
Mech Mechanic Simulator ($7.99 from $19.99 until 12/31)
Night Trap 25th Anniversary ($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/31)
Pictooi ($6.99 from $9.99 until 12/31)
Revenge of the Bird King ($3.49 from $4.99 until 12/31)

Ritual Crown of Horns ($1.99 from $19.99 until 12/31)
Runefall 2: Collector’s Edition ($7.49 from $9.99 until 12/31)
Saturday Morning RPG ($6.99 from $9.99 until 12/31)
Save Me Mr Tako: DE ($10.49 from $14.99 until 12/31)
The House in Fata Morgana ($27.99 from $39.99 until 12/31)
The Padre ($1.99 from $19.99 until 12/31)
Warpips ($9.99 from $19.99 until 12/31)
Ye Olde Cribbage Club ($2.99 from $5.99 until 12/31)
A Winding Path ($3.49 from $6.99 until 1/1)
Break Thru The Wall ($2.99 from $5.99 until 1/1)
Casino Golf ($3.99 from $9.99 until 1/1)
Dexter Stardust: Adv. in Outer Space ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/1)
Explosive Dinosaurs ($1.99 from $7.99 until 1/1)
Galacticon ($2.49 from $4.99 until 1/1)

Grapple Dog ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/1)
Hell’s High Harmonizers ($5.99 from $11.99 until 1/1)
Longhead ($3.99 from $9.99 until 1/1)
Magician’s Chase ($4.49 from $8.99 until 1/1)
OBAKEIDORO ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/1)
Once Upon a Time on Halloween ($3.99 from $9.99 until 1/1)
Space Ducks: The Great Escape ($2.49 from $4.99 until 1/1)
Super Shadow Break Showdown ($6.49 from $12.99 until 1/1)

That’s all for today, this week, this month, and this year, friends. Wow, I’ve waited all year to type that sentence. Thanks to all of you for reading TouchArcade and this column this year, and I hope to see you all again in 2023. Have a fantastic New Year, and forever and always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to our final special edition for the year of 2022. Today we’ve got our list of our very favorite Nintendo Switch games of the year. Please note that I’ve opted to mostly highlight games not covered by Mikhail in his list of the best Nintendo Switch ports of 2022, so do consider that a companion piece to this one. As usual, these games are all picked by me. If you have a different list or have things in a different order than I do, I’d say that is about the most normal thing in the world. I encourage you to share your favorites in the comments so that we can all find some fun games to play. With that said, let’s get to my choices!

10. Triangle Strategy ($59.99)

Although Triangle Strategy might not be the second coming of Final Fantasy Tactics that some were hoping for, it’s an excellent entry into the tactical RPG genre that should have players enraptured for dozens of hours. Just be prepared to spend an awful lot of time with characters who have a tendency to talk too much and say too little. The plot itself is intriguing enough and the gameplay mechanics compelling enough to keep you coming back, and it certainly scratches the itch for that mix of political struggles and math battles that Square Enix seems to be so good at creating.

9. Pokemon Legends: Arceus ($59.99)

Who could have guessed at the beginning of the year that this little spin-off would end up more than holding its own against a full mainline entry? I’ll be honest with all you: despite the considerable technical issues plaguing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, I absolutely loved those games. But in the end, I have to give the nod to Pokemon Legends: Arceus for its fascinating new perspective on the world of Pokemon and relatively polished presentation. A very fine RPG adventure.

8. Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration ($39.99)

There were a lot of excellent collections released on the Nintendo Switch this year, but none of them quite exemplified the idea of a historical archive as well as Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. Sure, you’ve got more than 100 games to play here ranging from the oft-seen Atari 2600 to the first-time reissued Atari Jaguar. Even some brand-new spins on some of the beloved classics. But setting aside the games (what?), there’s an outstanding museum here that tells the story of Atari from its meteoric rise to its explosive crash, with all the interviews, extra materials, and tidbits you’d expect to see in a real museum. An amazing achievement and must-have for fans of gaming history, and a genuine dream come true for Atari fans.

7. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope ($59.99)

It’s perhaps no surprise that the follow-up to the excellent Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is also great. This one goes beyond the first game in many ways, with new gameplay twists, a highly enjoyable campaign, and some actual laugh-out-loud humor. If you enjoyed turn-based strategy games like XCOM or Fire Emblem and want something with a lighter tone, you can’t miss with Sparks of Hope.

6. Bayonetta 3 ($59.99)

While Bayonetta 3 may not reach the same level of consistent quality as the original, it offers the same style of over-the-top action and bonkers story-telling that characterizes this franchise. Capitalizing on the recent trend of parallel worlds, it sees Bayonetta facing the biggest threat she’s seen yet. That’s saying something when you consider the last two games. A new playable character, new mechanics, and some of the most impressive set pieces ever seen in this kind of game make Bayonetta 3 one to get for any Switch owner who craves a good dust-up.

5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge ($24.99)

I couldn’t stop playing Shredder’s Revenge until I finished it, and the minute I did, I played through it again. And then I played through it one more time. And then I pulled my family in and we played through it once more. I keep firing it up to play my favorite stages when I’ve got a bit of free time. It’s an outstanding TMNT game, a jaw-dropping take on the Konami-style beat-em-up, and more pure goofy fun than I could ever have anticipated it to be. Cowabunga!

4. Splatoon 3 ($59.99)

While Splatoon 3 is more of an evolution than a revolution, it adds enough new things to liven things up for veteran players while also being the new de facto point of entry for new players. I’m not really sure where Nintendo can take the series from here, but I suppose that’s a problem for a couple of years from now after the team has done its thing updating this game. For now, I think we all have enough room in our lives for another helping of colorful, charming, ink-flinging action. A great new chapter in a fantastic series. See you in the next Splatfest!

3. Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak ($39.99)

Capcom could have left Monster Hunter Rise alone and it would have still been one of the finest games on the Nintendo Switch. But no, they just had to go and add an incredible expansion packed to the brim with new things to do, kill, and wear. It easily doubles the amount of gameplay you’ll get from the game, and considering just how much there was in the base game that is really saying something. Heck, it’s the only piece of 2022 downloadable content that is so undeniably good that I had to include it in this list. If you like Monster Hunter, you need this.

2. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 ($59.99)

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is every bit as mechanically dense and massive as the second game, if not more so, but thematically and stylistically it feels like a return to the feel of the first game. It serves as a fine cap to the three numbered games in the series, with an epic story, a cool world to explore, and tons of side-missions to engage in. A fantastic game to get lost in, and one of the very finest role-playing games you can pick up for your Nintendo Switch.

1. Kirby and the Forgotten Land ($59.99)

Kirby takes his first waddling steps into 3D, and it turns out Kirby takes to the third dimension quite well. Explore a brand new world and use Kirby’s new Mouthful mode to do some truly horrifying things. I mean, horrifying in a cute way, but still. As is always the case with Kirby games, you can make this one as chill or intense as you like depending on how you approach things. I can genuinely say that I haven’t had such a good time playing a game from start to finish as I did with Kirby and the Forgotten Land in quite some time. It put a grin on my face from the start, and it kept me happily engaged to the very last drop.

And that’s the list, friends. I’d love to see your picks and favorites from the year 2022. Go ahead and post them in the comments so we can all share in your joy. I suppose that leaves at the end of the year, doesn’t it? I hope next year will be a better one for everyone. Maybe we’ll even see Sword of Fargoal 2? Haha, just kidding. Have a Happy New Year, and see you on the other side!

Hello, friends. It’s time for another SwitchArcade special edition. As part of our Best of 2022 coverage, we’re following our usual custom and giving out some Genre Awards. I’ve picked a bunch of popular genres and stated my favorite games of the year in each category. Our pal Mikhail has also offered his expert services for a few titles. So yes, let’s have a look and see what we came up with for our favorite games in each genre. Feel free to comment below with yours, too.

Best Platformer Game

Kirby & the Forgotten Land ($59.99)

I can genuinely say that I haven’t had such a good time playing a game from start to finish as I did with Kirby and the Forgotten Land in quite some time. It put a grin on my face from the start, and it kept me happily engaged to the very last drop. Then I pulled my son in and we played through everything again in multiplayer. It’s one of the better Kirby games, and deserves a place of honor among the upper canon of Nintendo Switch titles. The stand-out of a rather strong year for platformers.

Runner-Up: TinyKin ($24.99)

Best Role-Playing Game

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 ($59.99)

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the best game in the series yet, and despite a few issues like burying the player in tutorials and some story bits that could have been handled better, the game is a real treat for RPG fans. There’s more to do and more reasons to do it, and whether you’re coming off one or both of the previous games or jumping in fresh, you’ll find a suitably epic adventure waiting for you. A fantastic Nintendo Switch exclusive role-playing game.

Runner-Up: Persona 5 Royal ($59.99)

Best Puzzle Game

Portal Companion Collection ($19.99)

Surely just about everyone has played Portal by now? Perhaps not all of you have played both, though. But even if you played the games before, they lend themselves extremely well to replays. A silly physics puzzler with excellent map designs and amusing story content, Portal may have been born as a bonus game of sorts but it quickly took on a life of its own. The sequel fleshes that experience out in many satisfying ways. And you get both of them here, for a piddling twenty dollars! Now that’s what I call a triumph.

Runner-Up: Cleopatra Fortune: S-Tribute ($14.99)

Best Action Game

Bayonetta 3 ($59.99)

Bayonetta 3 is a great game, among the best in its category. The set pieces are wild, the story is wilder, and the moment-to-moment action will keep your knuckles white all the way through. There are choices made here, both in terms of the narrative and the overall design, that I think could have gone another way and made for an even better game. There’s also no question that the performance issues are disappointing in a genre where split-second timing is so crucial. Still, Bayonetta 3 carries the ball for the series well enough, and given how high that bar is it’s little wonder why it’s taking home this prize.

Runner-Up: NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa Edition ($39.99)

Best Sports Game

MLB The Show 22 ($59.99)

Once you get past the amusement of seeing a PlayStation Studios game on a Nintendo console, you can’t help but appreciate what a fine game of baseball this is. For all the games in the Nintendo Switch library, one of the weak points has been in the category of licensed sports. Well, you won’t find a better Major League Baseball game anywhere than MLB The Show, and this Switch port is a solid one. I’m not even particularly into the Great American Pastime, and I had a ton of fun with this one.

Runner-Up: Nintendo Switch Sports ($39.99)

Best Racing Game

Wreckfest ($39.99)

If you’re looking for a version of Wreckfest that you can take with you, this Switch port is more than respectable enough to suit the job. For those completely new to the game, you’ll find this to be an excellent choice if you’re looking for a somewhat more destructive racing experience than the norm. It’s packed with content and the over-the-top racing and slick physics bring back fond memories of car-wrecking racers of the past. It’s been slightly over-shadowed by the incredible mobile port, but it’s still worth a spin on Switch.

Runner-Up: Slipstream ($9.99)

Best Fighting Game

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax ($29.99)

Persona 4 Arena was a great fighting game that introduced many Persona fans to the world of Arc System Works’ superb 2D fighters. It had a lot of DLC and saw an enhanced version release in the form of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax on PS3 and Xbox 360. Atlus took a while to bring it to modern platforms with it only hitting Switch, PC, and PS4 earlier this year. This new version of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax includes almost all prior paid and free DLC making it a great value proposition for newcomers and Persona fans. The only downside is the online netcode on Switch isn’t as good as on PS4 and PC. It isn’t terrible, but if you do care about online play more than anything else, keep that in mind. –Mikhail Madnani

Runner-Up: Them’s Fightin’ Herds ($19.99)

Best Music/Rhythm Game

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival ($49.99)

The Taiko no Tatsujin series is well-established enough now in the West that I probably don’t need to tell you what it’s all about. Grab your drum controller or use one of the other fine control methods and drum along to a wide array of tunes. Once you’ve gotten tired of the 76 included songs, you’ll find a massive selection of additional songs via DLC and the Taiko Music Pass subscription. Get drumming! Don!

Runner-Up: Melatonin ($14.99)

Best Party Game

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge ($24.99)

What a good year to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan. Not only did we get a dream collection of classic Konami TMNT games, we also got a brand-new brawler that not only lived up to the best of those games but surpassed them. If Streets of Rage 4 modernized and polished up the SEGA-style brawler, Shredder’s Revenge does the same for the Konami-style brawler. It’s also packed to the gills with great TMNT fan service, providing lots of those fun little details that are the sprinkles on top of any great beat-em-up. Not the traditional kind of party game, but I guarantee if you have six people, six controllers, and this game, you’ll have a fantastic time.

Runner-Up: OlliOlli World ($29.99)

Best Metroidvania Game

Record of Lodoss War -Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth- (24.99)

While this game doesn’t do a whole lot to shake up the Metroidvania formula and its story is going to be largely nonsensical to those unfamiliar with the somewhat vintage Record of Lodoss War property, the controls are tight, the pacing is brisk, and the map designs are strong. It’s a very pleasant Metroidvania experience, and the six or so hours it takes to finish go by in a flash. Those who love Symphony of the Night in particular will find this game wonderfully familiar in all the best ways. I doubt Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth will inspire many imitators of its own, but it’s very well-done.

Runner-Up: Infernax ($19.99)

Best Adventure Game

TUNIC ($29.99)

If you don’t mind a game that isn’t big on going easy on the player, you should give TUNIC a look. It’s gorgeous, clever, challenging, and simply a joy to pick away at. While it is quite difficult by default, there is an impressive number of options for those who want to tailor the game to their preferences. This Switch port, while obviously not quite up to the versions on other platforms from a technical standpoint, is very good and more than capable of delivering the experience to players. Really something special.

Runner-Up: Return to Monkey Island ($24.99)

Best FPS/Shooting Game

Splatoon 3 ($59.99)

Splatoon 3 is a great new chapter in a fantastic series. While more of an evolution than a revolution, it adds enough new things to liven things up for veteran players while also being the new de facto point of entry for new players. I’m not really sure where Nintendo can take the series from here, but I suppose that’s a problem for a couple of years from now after the team has done its thing updating this game. For now, I think we all have enough room in our lives for another helping of colorful, charming, ink-flinging action.

Runner-Up: Prodeus ($24.99)

Best Narrative Adventure Game

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim ($59.99)

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim felt like a game that wouldn’t ever release with delays, platforms being cut, and plain uncertainty around its release. When it finally hit PS4 back in 2020, it was my game of the year. The blend of multiple stories, timelines, sci-fi tropes, and Vanillaware’s signature gorgeous aesthetic made it unforgettable. When it was announced for Switch, I was very excited for it since both the visual novel style adventure gameplay and the combat sections would feel right at home on Switch. The port ended up being the best way to play 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim if you have an OLED switch for the display. If you enjoy unique storytelling and sci-fi narratives, get this as soon as possible. –Mikhail Madnani

Runner-Up: AI: The Somnium Files -nirvanA Initiative ($59.99)

Best Strategy Game

Tactics Ogre: Reborn ($49.99)

Tactics Ogre: Reborn is a excellent refresh of one of the all-time classics of the genre. Those who have any love at all for the genre owe it to themselves to play it if they haven’t before, and even those who have tried another version in the past will find enough improvements and differences to make it worth wading in again. A fine treatment of a game that only seems to get better with age. This was a very competitive category this year, and it speaks to just how good the core game here is that Tactics Ogre was able to edge out its peers.

Runner-Up: Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope ($59.99)

Best Board/Card Game

SNK Vs. Capcom: Card Fighters’ Clash ($7.99)

SNK Vs. Capcom: Card Fighters’ Clash was one of the most popular games on its console, and even now it’s easy to see why. It’s one of those games that gives back the more you put into it, and Code Mystics has done just about everything possible to make sure you can enjoy it to the fullest. Those curious about what the NEOGEO Pocket Color had to offer beyond its excellent fighting games will want to pick this up, and it goes without saying that card game fans should dive in on this one as well. This is also available as part of the NEOGEO Pocket Color Selection Vol. 2 collection if you want a bit more bang for your buck.

Runner-Up: Steve Jackson’s Sorcery! ($24.99)

Best Collection

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration ($39.99)

Can a retro game compilation get by solely as an educational look into gaming history? Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration offers the most compelling evidence yet that yes, they can. The nice thing about this set is that it doesn’t have to get by on that alone. There is a nice mix of games here that is worth diving into. That being said, the outstanding walk through history is the most impressive and fascinating part of this endeavor, bringing new life into the games it talks about. An essential work for all fans of gaming history.

Runner-Up: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection ($39.99)

Best Simulation Game

Two Point Campus ($39.99)

Two Point Studios and Sega’s business simulation game Two Point Campus released on all consoles and PC platforms this year. It took the charm and addictive gameplay of Two Point Hospital and improved on everything in a new setting. Not only did it get a good Switch port compared to other consoles, but Sega also went above and beyond with the physical release. Following the launch of Two Point Campus, it even got amazing paid DLC and is one of the best games I’ve played on Switch this year. -Mikhail Madnani

Runner-Up: Dorfromantik ($14.99)

Best DLC

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak ($39.99)

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak took a solid base in Monster Hunter Rise and elevated it to be the peak of the series alongside Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. Not only is Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak a fantastic DLC for the game, but Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak with the base game is superlative right now, and one of the best experiences you can have on Nintendo Switch. I was already blown away by how good it was at launch, but each free update keeps making this one of the easiest recommendations for any Switch owner. -Mikhail Madnani

Runner-Up: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass ($24.99)

That’s it for the 2022 Genre Awards, friends. Don’t forget to check out the rest of our Best of 2022 content, including the soon-to-come Best Switch Games of 2022 list. Hopefully you’ll find something good to play among the games in these Genre Awards. And like I said above, if you have some games you want to boost, please comment below! As always, thanks for reading!