Tag: Games

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 26th, 2024. In today’s article, we get the week started with a somewhat lighter edition than we usually go with. No reviews today as I’m a bit busy on other projects, which means we just have a few new releases to go through plus the usual lists of new and expiring sales. Well, at least one of the new releases is interesting. The sales lists aren’t too shabby either. I’ll have some reviews tomorrow, hopefully. Let’s head on in and check out what we’ve got!

Select New Releases

Fragrant Story and Papaya’s Path ($7.99)

Ah, the sordid tale of Fragrant Story, one of the would-be final Nintendo 3DS releases. There’s a lot of confusion out there around this game, so let me sort it out. Despite being a seemingly star-studded tactical role-playing game, those who bought the game on its release were surprised to get a game that lasted all of twenty minutes. The real story? Nintendo’s deadline for 3DS releases was coming quickly, so the developer pushed an unfinished game to the eShop. It was later updated into its intended from, a far more substantial game that lasts more than ten hours. So don’t worry if you see anything about this game being ridiculously short. It’s not. This version has the updates already packed in, and is a pretty solid pick-up for eight bucks if you’re into the genre.

Quack Jump ($3.99)

A simple platformer, but a functional one. It tries to keep things fresh through its 40-level run by sprinkling in new gimmicks as you go. For four dollars, it’s amusing enough.

Underground Station ($7.90)

Something of an idle game where you’re trying to repay your debts by working in a dungeon. It doesn’t look very fancy, but on a day where we have to wade through Moist Editions of AI-generated bikini anime girls, we take what we can get.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Okay, let’s check that inbox first. Another sale from Limited Run Games, which is nice if you’re missing any of their quirky releases. Most of TROOOZE’s junk is on sale, of which I’ve listed only a few. Some Team 17 sales, too. Over in the outbox, the recent somewhat rare sale on the Front Mission remakes is drawing to a close. You might want to add them to your collection if you’re interested, because it seems like they’re discounted far less frequently than Forever’s other games.

Select New Sales

Jurassic Park Games Collection ($17.99 from $29.99 until 8/31)
The House in Fata Morgana ($19.99 from $39.99 until 8/31)
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Night Trap ($3.74 from $14.99 until 8/31)
Cosmic Star Heroine ($3.74 from $14.99 until 8/31)
Phoenotopia: Awakening ($6.99 from $19.99 until 9/7)
Enoh ($5.49 from $19.99 until 9/13)
CosmoPlayerZ ($5.49 from $10.99 until 9/13)
Knowledge Keeper ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/13)
Three Minutes to Eight ($2.99 from $14.99 until 9/13)
Fall of Porcupine ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/13)
Star Gagnant ($22.80 from $38.00 until 9/13)
Moon Dancer ($13.29 from $18.99 until 9/13)
Re:Touring ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/13)
Life of Slime ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/13)

Cybertrash STATYX ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/13)
Awesome Pea 3 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/13)
Itorah ($3.99 from $19.99 until 9/13)
Pizza Tycoon ($2.09 from $14.99 until 9/13)
Lacuna ($1.99 from $19.99 until 9/13)
Alien Survivors: Starship Resurrection ($10.49 from $14.99 until 9/13)
World War: Battle of the Bulge ($10.49 from $14.99 until 9/13)
World War: D-Day Part One ($8.99 from $14.99 until 9/13)
World War: D-Day Part Two ($8.99 from $14.99 until 9/13)
Out Racing: Arcade Memory ($10.49 from $14.99 until 9/13)
Last 4 Survive: The Outbreak ($8.99 from $14.99 until 9/13)
Modern War: Tank Battle ($1.99 from $14.99 until 9/13)
Counter Delta: The Bullet Rain ($1.99 from $14.99 until 9/13)
Haunted Dawn: Zombie Apocalypse ($1.99 from $14.99 until 9/13)

Urban Warfare: Assault ($11.99 from $14.99 until 9/13)
Operation Scorpion: Takedown ($11.99 from $14.99 until 9/13)
Hamster on Rails ($5.99 from $14.99 until 9/14)
Ultimate Chicken Horse ($6.74 from $14.99 until 9/14)
Our Field Trip Adventure ($3.99 from $14.50 until 9/15)
Overcooked! All You Can Eat ($15.99 from $39.99 until 9/15)
Worms Rumble ($2.99 from $14.99 until 9/15)
The Survivalists ($2.49 from $24.99 until 9/15)
Blasphemous 2 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 9/15)
Moving Out ($7.49 from $24.99 until 9/15)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 27th

Aeterna Noctis ($8.99 from $29.99 until 8/27)
Arise: A Simple Story ($2.99 from $19.99 until 8/27)
ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree ($1.99 from $14.99 until 8/27)
Badland: GotY Edition ($1.99 from $5.99 until 8/27)
Bang-On Balls: Chronicles ($9.99 from $24.99 until 8/27)
Blazing Beaks ($1.99 from $14.99 until 8/27)
Bus Driving Simulator 22 ($2.99 from $27.99 until 8/27)
Chippy & Noppo ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/27)
Cult of the Lamb ($12.49 from $24.99 until 8/27)
Descenders ($4.99 from $24.99 until 8/27)
Everdream Valley ($9.99 from $24.99 until 8/27)
Flame Keeper ($3.99 from $11.99 until 8/27)
Front Mission 1st: Remake ($17.49 from $34.99 until 8/27)
Front Mission 2: Remake ($23.44 from $34.99 until 8/27)

Gamedec: Definitive ($2.99 from $29.99 until 8/27)
LOUD: My Road to Fame ($1.99 from $7.99 until 8/27)
Nine Parchments ($4.39 from $19.99 until 8/27)
Ready, Steady, Ship! ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/27)
Red Wings: American Aces ($1.99 from $11.99 until 8/27)
Soundfall ($4.49 from $29.99 until 8/27)
Summum Aeterna ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/27)
SuperEpic: The Entertainment War ($1.99 from $17.99 until 8/27)
Terra Flame ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/27)
Tools Up ($1.99 from $19.99 until 8/27)
Trine 2: Complete Story ($3.73 from $16.99 until 8/27)
Trine 3: Artifacts of Power ($4.39 from $19.99 until 8/27)
Trine Enchanted Edition ($3.29 from $14.99 until 8/27)
War Titans ($1.99 from $14.99 until 8/27)
Xiaomei & the Flame Dragon’s Fist ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/27)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new releases, more sales, and perhaps some reviews and news. It really depends on what else I’ve got to deal with. Wish me luck in getting things done in a timely manner. I hope you all have a magnificent Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!

For our next dive into the retro games available on Switch, we’re going all the way back to 1989. Er, and then to 1998. We’re heading back to the old monochrome beast and its colorful successor: the Game Boy and Game Boy Color. While there is a robust selection of games from these handhelds in the Nintendo Switch Online app, we’re instead looking at those games that dare to exist in the wilds of the Switch eShop. We’ve got ten of our favorites here, plus five more games that we’d like to see. No particular order, of course. Time to Play It Loud!

Shantae ($9.99)

Once a genuine scarcity that would cost you hundreds of dollars to get your hands on in any legal capacity, Shantae is now quite readily available in digital form. This game is considerably rougher than its sequels, but it pushes the Game Boy Color hardware in a lot of interesting ways, providing a platformer with a bit more to it than the average Game Boy hop-and-bop. Wow, I haven’t seen the term “hop-and-bop” in something like twenty-five years. Well, there you go. Shantae: it’s pretty good fun.

Trip World DX ($19.99)

Here’s another game that would have cost you a pretty penny to play officially until very recently. Trip World is an interesting platformer from Sunsoft that offers up a short but sweet experience. This release of the game does a full-on colorization job while also including a number of extras to dig into. It’s an excellent way to play this quirky, charming tale.

Final Fantasy Legend II – Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend ($19.99)

Time to wade into the compilations, and we’ll start with one that is all Game Boy games: Collection of SaGa. You get all three games in the Final Fantasy Legend series here, and they’re all really good handheld RPGs. I’m picking out Final Fantasy Legend II to highlight here, simply because I think it’s the best of the three. It has plenty of the weird mechanics that make SaGa games so interesting, but feels more well-rounded and approachable than the first game. Probably the best turn-based RPG on the system pre-Pokemon.

Final Fantasy Adventure – Collection of Mana ($39.99)

Going hand in hand with the Final Fantasy Legend games, Final Fantasy Adventure is the game that kicked off the long-running Mana series. As such, you’ll find it in the Collection of Mana with the two Super NES follow-ups. Again, all games worth playing. This action-RPG provided an excellent alternative to the superb Link’s Awakening on the system, with a snappy pace and some surprisingly ambitious storytelling. It’s been remade a couple of times, but there’s nothing quite like the original.

TMNT III: Radical Rescue – TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection ($39.99)

Konami did some great Game Boy games, and it has made a handful of them available through its various collections. The Cowabunga Collection has all three of its original Game Boy TMNT games included, and I think they all have their merits. The open-ended, pseudo-Metroidvania TMNT III: Radical Rescue is the pick of the bunch, though. Plenty of action as you would expect, but the additional layers from exploring the world, rescuing your brothers, and finding all the upgrades makes this one you can really sink your teeth into.

Operation C – Contra Anniversary Collection ($19.99)

After the somewhat tepid attempt to bring Castlevania to the Game Boy via Castlevania: The Adventure, one would be forgiven for thinking there was little hope the tense run-and-gun action of Contra would survive the transition. Surprisingly, Operation C turned out to be really awesome. Sure, you can’t play with another player. Strictly a solo affair. But it’s fast, fun, and challenging in the way you want a Contra game to be. Perhaps there was hope for Konami action-platformers on the handheld after all!

Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge – Castlevania Anniversary Collection ($19.99)

How’s that for foreshadowing? Yes, after mostly biffing the first Game Boy Castlevania game, Konami turned things around in a big way with Belmont’s Revenge. This is an excellent Castlevania game, one that easily hangs with the home console entries even if it can’t quite surpass them. Given it was sandwiched by some less-than-great games, it’s possible many players skipped out on this one thinking it would be the same. If you haven’t played it yet, here’s a handy way to do that.

Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great World Adventure – Ninja JaJaMaru: Retro Collection ($14.99)

Ninja JaJaMaru: The Great World Adventure isn’t the best game in this bunch by any means, but I think it’s an important representation of some of the more off-beat titles that filled out the library around the releases from huge publishers. Some proper work was put into this reissue, too. It has a new localization and has been colorized, giving a nice spit-shine to a game that might not have topped anyone’s lists for such an effort. While The Great World Adventure is the only Game Boy game in the lot, this collection is an interesting one to poke at in general.

Xtreme Sports ($9.99)

WayForward’s most famous wholly-original property on the Game Boy Color is obviously Shantae, but Xtreme Sports is no slouch either. Essentially a collection of sports mini-games tied together with an open world, Xtreme Sports is a lot better than it has any right to be. The graphics are good, the gameplay is great for pick-up-and-play grazing, and those looking to completely finish everything will find a stiff challenge ahead of them.

The Rescue of Princess Blobette – A Boy and His Blob Retro Collection ($9.99)

Another game that is here more for its unique feel than anything, The Rescue of Princess Blobette brings the home computer-esque puzzle-adventure gameplay of the NES original to the small screen quite well. In some ways it’s a more polished game than its predecessor, delivered in a more compact and well-paced form. If you like games that take some figuring out due to occasional bits of opacity, you’ll love this one.

And… 5 Game Boy and Game Boy Color Games We’d Like to See on Switch

Batman: The Video Game

Yes, it’s kind of weird that Batman is using a gun the whole way through this early Game Boy action game. But it’s also weird that Keaton’s Batman gleefully murders bad guys, so let’s just call it a sign of the times. The important thing is that this is another really great Sunsoft Batman game, and while I know the odds of any of these movie-based Batman games ever resurfacing are next to nil, I will never stop asking.

Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal

I’m generally avoiding games that I think might show up on Nintendo Switch Online at some point, which means most first-party Nintendo stuff is out. I really hope I’m wrong about this, but something tells me that while the Pokemon spin-offs will probably keep appearing in the subscription service, the mainline games won’t. Thus, I formally request the ability to purchase and play these fine Game Boy RPGs on my Switch.

Gradius: The Interstellar Assault

I waffled between including this or the excellent R-Type DX, but ultimately we have R-Type Dimensions on Switch to scratch that itch, whereas Gradius: The Interstellar Assault only exists in Game Boy form. For a platform whose display should have made it terrible for shooting games, the Game Boy had a good handful of excellent ones. This was Konami’s second kick at the Gradius can on the platform, and while that first one was fine this one really kicked things into gear. Honestly, I just kind of want a Gradius collection in the vein of Konami’s Contra, Castlevania, and TMNT ones. If that happens, this game ought to be in there.

Metal Gear Solid

Lots of Konami in this article, I’m coming to realize. Anyway, this is arguably the best third-party Game Boy Color exclusive. Just about everything that was great about the PlayStation Metal Gear Solid was somehow squeezed into this completely original adventure. This game completely blew me away at the time thanks to that fidelity, and it still impresses me today. Yes, much of the template was laid down in the MSX2 Metal Gear 2, but it’s cool to see something like this on a Game Boy Color. Maybe this will show up in the next Metal Gear collection?

Dragon Warrior Monsters

Pokemon spawned a lot of imitators, but to be fair to Dragon Quest it had monster-catching elements in the main games before Pokemon arrived. So, you know. We forgive you, King. Dragon Warrior Monsters is one of the better Game Boy games inspired by Pokemon‘s success, and I think it would be terrific to see it available on Switch. And you know what? It is available on Switch, but only in Japan. Come on, Square Enix. Just drop the Western ROM in the wrapper and help some Dragon Quest fans out!

And that’s the list, friends. Are there any Game Boy or Game Boy Color games you enjoy on the Switch? Any you would like to see? Feel free to sound off down in the comments and let us know what you’re thinking! It’s always interesting to hear the opinions of others on this kind of thing. As always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 22nd, 2024. In today’s article, we’ve got a handful of new releases to check out. That’s unusual for a Wednesday, but I suppose it makes up for the slowness of the last couple of days. After summarizing those, it’s time for the lists of the latest sales and expiring discounts. Star Wars and Capcom, if one must make long stories short. Let’s get to those games!

Select New Releases

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain ($19.99)

If you’ve ever been watching Ghibli’s classic Kiki’s Delivery Service and felt like playing a video game version, you might be into what Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is offering. I mean, it isn’t Kiki, but it’s clearly inspired by it. You play as an apprentice witch who has to fly around on her broom to deliver all kinds of packages to the various residents of a mountain town. The game has a nice, colorful vibe and I’m certainly going to be investigating it further to see if it lives up to its initial potential.

My Lovely Empress ($19.99)

A lovely wife, a lovely daughter, and now a lovely empress? Phew. In this game you play as an Emperor who reigns over a massive empire. Seems like you’ve got it all, but your wife passes away and suddenly none of it matters anymore. Still, you’ve got to keep things running. This is a simulation game of sorts, but one with a heavy narrative bent that will eventually lead to you having to make a critical choice. The previous games in the series have been fascinating despite their rough edges, and I expect this will deliver in the same way.

Cyber Mission ($9.99)

I’d call this a run-and-gun action game, but it’s probably better classified as a fly-and-gun action game. You play as a cyber trooper who is on a mission to destroy hostile alien forces. If you don’t feel like being a one-trooper army, you can grab a friend or family member for some local co-op multiplayer. Looks like a pretty good time for those enjoy things like S.C.A.T. or Contra, and reasonably priced to boot.

Mangavania 2 ($4.99)

More Mangavania for those who want it. A gentle reminder that these games are not Metroidvanias, just linear stage-based platformers with very light exploratory elements. If that’s your thing, this does that. Not terribly well, mind you. But it does it. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.

White Eternal ($6.49)

After his friend goes missing during the harsh winter, Simon sets out from his mountain town to try to find out what happened to them. This is a turn-based RPG where you explore a land cursed to harsh winters (Winnipeg?), seeking out allies and battle monsters as you go. You can actually get in battles where you have as many as sixteen party members. Neat! The description promises over twenty hours of gameplay, which would be quite a lot of game for the price.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Bounty Hunter is already on sale? Wow. Well, that’s good news for Star Wars fans, who likely already own everything else in that sale. We also have a good selection of the usual Capcom stuff, a sale on the Tomb Raider remasters, and a very deep discount on the Switch version of Heads Up!. Over in the outbox, don’t forget to stock up on Picross. Everyone needs more Picross! Have a look through both lists.

Select New Sales

Star Wars Bounty Hunter ($14.99 from $19.99 until 8/28)
Star Wars Battlefront Collection ($28.00 from $35.01 until 8/28)
Star Wars The Force Unleashed ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/28)
Star Wars Republic Commando ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/28)
Star Wars Episode I Racer ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/28)
Star Wars Jedi Academy ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/28)
Star Wars Jedi Outcast ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/28)
Star Wars KotOR ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/28)
Star Wars KotOR II: Sith Lords ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/28)
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered ($22.49 from $29.99 until 8/28)
MythForce ($14.99 from $29.99 until 8/28)
Heads Up! Phones Down Edition ($1.99 from $39.99 until 8/28)
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary ($9.99 from $29.99 until 9/10)
Ultra Street Fighter II TFC ($19.99 from $39.99 until 9/10)
Capcom Fighting Collection ($15.99 from $39.99 until 9/10)

Capcom Fighting Bundle ($19.99 from $59.99 until 9/10)
Monster Hunter Generations Ult. ($9.99 from $39.99 until 9/10)
Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak ($19.99 from $59.99 until 9/10)
Resident Evil Revelations ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Resident Evil Revelations 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Resident Evil 0 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Resident Evil ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Resident Evil 4 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Resident Evil 5 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Resident Evil 6 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Mega Man Legacy Collection ($7.99 from $14.99 until 9/10)
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Mega Man X Legacy Collection ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection ($9.99 from $29.99 until 9/10)

Mega Man Battle Network Collection ($29.99 from $59.99 until 9/10)
Mega Man 11 ($9.99 from $29.99 until 9/10)
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective ($19.99 from $29.99 until 9/10)
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Shinsekai Into the Depths ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Okami HD ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Ghosts n Goblins Resurrection ($9.99 from $29.99 until 9/10)
Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/10)
Capcom Arcade Stadium Bundle ($15.99 from $39.99 until 9/10)
Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium Bundle ($15.99 from $39.99 until 9/10)
Disney Dreamlight Valley Gold ($45.49 from $69.99 until 9/10)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, August 22nd

A Fragile Mind ($2.99 from $5.99 until 8/22)
Bunny Garden ($19.54 from $22.99 until 8/22)
Conjured Through Death ($2.24 from $14.99 until 8/22)
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania ($6.99 from $9.99 until 8/22)
Football Manager 2024 Touch ($19.99 from $49.99 until 8/22)
Hard Racing Stunt Car Driving ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/22)
Hero’s Hour ($8.99 from $17.99 until 8/22)
Inkulinati ($17.49 from $24.99 until 8/22)
Insurmountable ($18.74 from $24.99 until 8/22)
Life of Delta ($6.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Love on Leave ($12.49 from $24.99 until 8/22)
Maid of the Dead ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Pickleball Smash ($7.99 from $39.99 until 8/22)
Picross LogiartGrimoire ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Picross S Genesis & Master System ($7.99 from $9.99 until 8/22)

Picross S8 ($7.99 from $9.99 until 8/22)
Picross S9 ($7.99 from $9.99 until 8/22)
Plantabi Little Garden ($4.54 from $6.99 until 8/22)
Sentimental Death Loop ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Smurfs Kart ($13.99 from $39.99 until 8/22)
Starward Rogue Complete ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Survivor Castaway Island ($11.99 from $29.99 until 8/22)
The Night of the Rabbit ($14.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Trinity Fusion ($14.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Ultimate Racing 2D 2 ($6.69 from $9.99 until 8/22)
You Suck at Parking ($6.79 from $19.99 until 8/22)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with the big Thursday new releases. Should be some goodies in there. I hope, anyway. August. It’s rough. We’ll also have whatever sales and major news items that arrive during the course of 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 August 16th, 2024. It’s the end of another week, and we’ve got several games to check up on as we sweep things up. But first, we dip into a little news, as a treat. After that, we go through the new releases in our usual fashion, then wrap it all up with the lists of new sales and expiring discounts. Let’s get to the weekend!

News

Grab a ‘Splatoon 3’ Theme in the Latest ‘Tetris 99’ Maximus Cup

Hey, it’s Maximus Cup time again! The theme this time around is Splatoon 3, or rather the Expansion Pass content if we must be very specific. And we must. The rules are all the same as usual. The event runs from… several hours ago to the end of this weekend, and you have that much time to earn 100 event points by playing. Should you pull off that Herculean task, you’ll be able to keep the theme and use it at your leisure. Or bury it in a pile with your other unlocked themes while you keep using the classic Game Boy one. Your call.

Select New Releases

Elrentaros Wanderings ($39.99)

I had really high hopes for this RPG, given it was coming from a new team headed by the creator of Rune Factory. I wish I could say Elrentaros Wanderings lived up to those hopes, but it’s… definitely not there. I’ll be doing a review soon and I’m still organizing my thoughts, but it’s a hard game to recommend from what I’ve experienced so far. It feels like the developer didn’t have the budget to meet its ambitions, and had to thin out the broth way too much as a result. It’s a very grindy affair and there just isn’t much here to make that grind enjoyable.

Castaway ($7.99)

I mean, Nintendo had to approve this itself, so if it doesn’t care then I won’t. This is a relatively short action-adventure game that is taking some obvious cues from The Legend of Zelda, with the Game Boy games in particular almost certainly serving as the main visual reference. The price is low enough to take a punt on it if it looks interesting to you, and I’ll likely be doing just that since I haven’t had a chance to play it yet myself.

Farewell North ($23.99)

This is a game where you play as a border collie that is on an adventure with its human to try to restore color to an archipelago inspired by those of Scotland. As you go, you’ll unlock memories and hints as to what happened to drain the color from this world, and while I haven’t played this one I have a very bad feeling that the ending is one of those ones where you’ll need a box of tissues. Our pal Mikhail will be offering up a review of it as soon as he can.

The Sirena Expedition ($5.99)

A short little one-hour trip down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench where a mysterious facility exists. What is its purpose? Who built it? Can you find the answers to these questions? Do you want to? A bit of a horror-tinged puzzle platformer with an interesting low-res vibe. Might be worth the plunge.

Rewind or Die ($11.99)

A horrific comedy? Comedic horror? It’s a game where you play as a video rental store clerk in the 1990s, and while whether or not you are even supposed to be there today is an unanswered question, it is a fact that you’ll have to contend with doing your job while a serial killer is on the loose. Tricky puzzles, over the top gore, multiple endings, and an important lesson for those handling tape-based media: rewind… or die.

Mute Crimson DX ($14.99)

This is a precision platformer where you play as a ninja who has to save his city from monsters. You’ll have to run and jump your way through nine worlds, showing off your moves against a variety of traps, enemies, and bosses. There are some secrets to find along the way as well, provided you have the skills to uncover them. If you like this genre, this is a very good game. It’s tough, but satisfying.

Turn to Mine ($9.99)

Go do a little space mining in this puzzle game. Collect the crystals and try to destroy enemy drones before they get you first. This is a pretty unusual game mechanically speaking, as you’re sometimes guiding your miners as though it was a real-time strategy game. Puzzle game fans looking for something different from the norm might enjoy what it has to offer. Not bad!

Murder Is Game Over: Streaming Death ($4.99)

Here’s a follow-up to the Murder Is Game Over mystery adventure, this time putting you on the case of a social media star who died under mysterious circumstances in a remote seaside village. But of course, nothing is ever as simple as it seems. Search the village, interview suspects, find the clues, and try to figure out what really went on. Someone is guilty, and it’s up to you to stop them before they have the chance to do it again.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Sure, some fun sales in there. You can go through and see what strikes your fancy, as there are a lot of oddball games in the list. Not much in the weekend outbox, but Snufkin and Egglia are rare enough discounts at this point that you might want to consider them.

Select New Sales

Fireside ($11.99 from $14.99 until 8/23)
Sally Face ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/23)
Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy ($13.99 from $39.99 until 8/26)
Namco Museum ($4.79 from $29.99 until 8/26)
Overboss ($13.49 from $14.99 until 8/29)
Super Sean 007 ($2.49 from $9.99 until 8/29)
Operation Steel ($5.99 from $9.99 until 8/29)
Satay Shop Tycoon ($3.74 from $14.99 until 8/29)
April’s Diary ($3.74 from $14.99 until 8/29)
Crashout Xtreme ($2.49 from $9.99 until 8/29)
Pogo Joins the Circus ($2.49 from $9.99 until 8/29)
A Cat & His Boy ($1.99 from $2.99 until 8/29)
Spy Bros. ($4.79 from $7.99 until 8/29)
Midnight Fight Express ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Surmount ($9.89 from $14.99 until 8/30)

Mineko’s Night Market ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Thunder Ray ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/30)
#BLUD ($19.99 from $24.99 until 8/30)
The Last Worker ($3.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Roxy Raccoon’s Pinball Panic ($6.99 from $9.99 until 8/30)
Forager ($6.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Slay the Spire ($8.49 from $24.99 until 8/30)
Moonscars ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Space Mercenary Defense Force ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/30)
Unpacking ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Void Bastards ($8.99 from $29.99 until 8/30)
Enter Digiton: Heart of Corruption ($2.39 from $7.99 until 8/30)
Supraland ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/30)

Empire of Angels IV ($6.79 from $19.99 until 8/30)
Alpha Particle ($3.39 from $9.99 until 8/30)
Hell Well ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/30)
8th Millennium: WAtPG ($7.49 from $29.99 until 8/30)
Super Woden GP ($5.99 from $11.99 until 8/30)
The Last Dragon Slayer ($3.74 from $14.99 until 8/30)
Hopping Girl Kohane EX ($16.74 from $24.99 until 9/4)
Evil God Korone ($3.35 from $3.95 until 9/5)
Yggdra Union: WNFA ($19.99 from $24.99 until 9/5)
Cat Quest II ($3.74 from $14.99 until 9/5)
The Sinking City ($5.99 from $49.99 until 9/5)
Mom Hid My Game! ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/5)
Mom Hid My Game! 2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/5)
My Brother Ate My Pudding! ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/5)
Hide & Dance! ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/5)

Eldgear ($12.99 from $19.99 until 9/5)
Fairy Elements ($8.99 from $14.99 until 9/5)
Genso Chronicles ($9.74 from $14.99 until 9/5)
Super Toy Cars Offroad ($3.99 from $19.99 until 9/5)
Gibbon: Beyond the Trees ($1.99 from $14.99 until 9/5)
Port Royale 4 ($17.49 from $49.99 until 9/5)
Magical Drop VI ($14.99 from $29.99 until 9/5)
Burst Hero ($5.99 from $11.99 until 9/5)

Sales Ending This Weekend

BIT.TRIP Collection ($2.49 from $9.99 until 8/17)
Bug & Seek ($11.99 from $14.99 until 8/17)
Luna & Monsters Tower Defense ($2.56 from $12.99 until 8/17)
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley ($16.99 from $19.99 until 8/17)
Turn to Mine ($7.99 from $9.99 until 8/17)
Why Pizza? ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/17)
Blood Lines: Magicians’ Chase2 ($8.39 from $11.99 until 8/18)
Egglia Rebirth ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/18)
The Gap ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/18)
Venba ($9.74 from $14.99 until 8/18)

That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with more new releases, more sales, more reviews, and some news. It seems like the hotly-anticipated typhoon that was supposed to hit today has changed course, so that’s nice. One fewer excuse to stay inside playing video games, but I’ll figure something else out. I hope you all have a good weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 9th, 2024. In today’s article, we’ve got a little bit of news, a handful of new releases, and the usual lists of incoming and outgoing sales for you to enjoy. All in all, not a bad finish to a relatively solid week in the world of Switch. This summer is sure going by quickly, isn’t it? A little faster every year, but that’s how time works I suppose. Let’s get to the games!

News

Nintendo Switch Online GBA App Gets ‘Pokemon Mystery Dungeon’

Oh hey, a new game for Nintendo Switch Online. Specifically, it’s for the Game Boy Advance app, so you’ll need the Expansion Pack upgrade on your subscription. If you do, make that magic update happen and enjoy some Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team. For many Westerners, this was their first experience with the roguelike genre. It’s a good first step into that world because it is gentle while still maintaining a decent amount of depth. It’s still a pretty enjoyable game, and I suppose you can use the emulator features to cheat if you want. Neat?

Select New Releases

DOOM + DOOM II ($9.99)

Here’s our yearly Quakecon surprise, and I can honestly say I did not have “KEX Engine rewrite of the first two DOOM games” on my Bingo card. But that’s what we have here, and they’re glorious. They run better, have more options, continue to have full mod support, and you can even play online cross-platform multiplayer. Best of all, if you already bought one of the previous versions on Switch, this is completely free. Wow!

Escape from the Pharaoh’s Tomb ($4.99)

Now this is some five-dollar energy. This is a puzzle-platformer, but the puzzle part basically comes down to that type where you tilt the mirrors to angle a beam of light. Two very familiar things, but bashing them together might make for a trip worth the meager asking price.

Boom Robots ($4.99)

I guess you can also throw that fiver here if you want. It’s a top-down party action game for up to eight players via local multiplayer. You take control of robots and try to blast each other away. I suspect this dining isn’t terribly fancy, but maybe it will find a place in the right person’s library.

Ticket to Ride ($29.99)

Ticket to Ride probably doesn’t need much introduction to anyone vaguely familiar with the modern board game landscape. This is a digital version of the popular game about building a railway empire. Curiously, if you want to play multiplayer you’ll have to hop online. Local play is solo versus the CPU only. If that’s not an issue for you and Ticket to Ride wherever you are sounds like something you’re after, here you go.

Revue Starlight El Dorado ($29.99)

Here’s a visual novel based on the popular anime Revue Starlight. Sometimes these games can appeal outside of the fanbase while other times they’re more focused on fan service, and this is more of the latter. With that said, for those fans? It’s a must-play, no question. You’ll get to see a lot of background on various characters filled out, and see new sides of ones you know well. A game that certainly knows its audience, if nothing else.

Krosfighter ($9.99)

Finally, we have a party shooter for up to four players via both local and online multiplayer. There are fourteen different characters to choose from, along with a handful of arenas to do battle in. Looks decent for what it is, but I haven’t had a chance to play it yet.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

A lot of interesting things in the inbox today. Picross games, Bethesda games, Brotato, COCOON… lots of really good games to think about picking up. As for the outbox, it’s a lengthy list but curiously one that doesn’t speak much to me. Except Mushihimesama, which I will remind you is getting delisted, like… tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? Grab it! And check those lists while you’re at it!

Select New Sales

Echo Generation ($21.24 from $24.99 until 8/15)
Siralim Ultimate ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/16)
Siralim 3 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/16)
Hyper Meteor ($2.39 from $7.99 until 8/16)
Brotato ($3.75 from $4.99 until 8/19)
Space Gladiators ($10.99 from $14.99 until 8/19)
Outer Wilds ($14.99 from $24.99 until 8/19)
Thirsty Suitors ($17.99 from $29.99 until 8/19)
COCOON ($14.99 from $24.99 until 8/19)
Solar Ash ($19.99 from $39.99 until 8/19)
The Pathless ($9.99 from $39.99 until 8/19)
Twelve Minutes ($9.99 from $24.99 until 8/19)
Donut County ($3.79 from $12.99 until 8/19)
What Remains of Edith Finch ($4.99 from $19.99 until 8/19)
Telling Lies ($4.99 from $19.99 until 8/19)

New Super Lucky’s Tale ($7.49 from $29.99 until 8/20)
Picross S8 ($7.99 from $9.99 until 8/22)
Picross S9 ($7.99 from $9.99 until 8/22)
Picross S Genesis & Master System ($7.99 from $9.99 until 8/22)
Picross LogiartGrimoire ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Little Kitty, Big City ($19.99 from $24.99 until 8/23)
Berserk Boy ($14.00 from $20.00 until 8/23)
DOOM 64 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/23)
DOOM 3 ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/23)
DOOM ($7.99 from $39.99 until 8/23)
DOOM Eternal ($9.99 from $39.99 until 8/23)
QUAKE ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/23)
Quake II ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/23)
TES V: Skyrim ($29.99 from $59.99 until 8/23)
TES V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition ($34.99 from $69.99 until 8/23)
Wolfenstein II: TNC ($5.99 from $39.99 until 8/23)

For The Warp ($1.99 from $17.99 until 8/23)
Retro Mystery Club Vol.1 ($7.90 from $9.90 until 8/29)
Retro Mystery Club Vol.2 ($7.90 from $9.90 until 8/29)
Dead Cells Castlevania Bundle ($18.89 from $31.49 until 8/29)
Smashing the Battle ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/29)
Smashing the Battle Ghost Soul ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/29)
Red Colony ($2.99 from $6.99 until 8/29)
Red Colony 2 ($2.99 from $6.99 until 8/29)
Red Colony 3 ($2.99 from $6.99 until 8/29)
Hero of Fate ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/29)
Taboo Trial ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/29)
OnlyUP! ($5.27 from $7.13 until 8/29)
Bio Inc. Redemption ($10.49 from $14.99 until 8/29)
Escaping a Fireworks Factory ($2.00 from $4.90 until 8/29)
Moonshine Inc ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/29)
The Ouroboros King ($6.99 from $9.99 until 8/29)
Retro Revengers ($7.90 from $9.90 until 8/29)
My Little Universe ($6.74 from $14.99 until 8/29)
The Sokoban ($8.99 from $17.99 until 8/29)
Matchpoint: Tennis Championships ($31.99 from $49.99 until 8/29)

Sales Ending This Weekend

Abandon Ship ($7.49 from $24.99 until 8/10)
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure ($4.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Ashwalkers ($6.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Astria Ascending ($13.99 from $39.99 until 8/10)
Astrologaster ($2.99 from $9.99 until 8/10)
Before I Forget ($3.59 from $7.99 until 8/10)
Born of Bread ($14.99 from $29.99 until 8/10)
Cassiodora ($9.34 from $16.99 until 8/10)
Children of Zodiarcs ($1.99 from $17.99 until 8/10)
Double Kick Heroes ($6.59 from $21.99 until 8/10)
Elypse ($12.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Fireball Wizard ($7.49 from $9.99 until 8/10)
Foretales ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Ghost of a Tale ($6.24 from $24.99 until 8/10)
Gravity Circuit ($14.29 from $21.99 until 8/10)

Guild of Ascension ($5.94 from $16.99 until 8/10)
Healer’s Quest ($4.49 from $14.99 until 8/10)
In Stars and Time ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Instant Sports Plus ($13.74 from $24.99 until 8/10)
Instant Sports Summer Games ($3.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Instant Sports Winter Games ($9.99 from $24.99 until 8/10)
Iris & The Giant ($3.74 from $14.99 until 8/10)
Lethis: Path of Progress ($4.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Letters: A Written Adventure ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/10)
Lords of Exile ($12.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Mari & Bayu: The Road Home ($8.49 from $16.99 until 8/10)
NeuroVoider ($2.79 from $13.99 until 8/10)
Nocturnal ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Out of Space: Couch Edition ($1.99 form $9.99 until 8/10)

Pankapu ($2.39 from $11.99 until 8/10)
Passing By: A Tailwind Journey ($7.49 from $9.99 until 8/10)
Pompom: The Great Space Rescue ($4.49 from $9.99 until 8/10)
Revita ($10.19 from $16.99 until 8/10)
Ruggnar ($6.99 from $13.99 until 8/10)
RUN: The World In-Between ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/10)
Saviorless ($9.74 from $12.99 until 8/10)
ScourgeBringer ($4.24 from $16.99 until 8/10)
Skabma: Snowfall ($16.24 from $24.99 until 8/10)
Souldiers ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Terra Memoria ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
The Land Beneath Us ($11.24 from $14.99 until 8/10)
They Always Run ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/10)
Vernal Edge ($13.19 from $21.99 until 8/10)
Chickenoidz Super Party ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/11)
CyberHive ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/11)
Eternal Light ($20.99 from $24.99 until 8/11)
Mushihimesama ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/11)
Terror of Hemasaurus ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/11)

That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with more new releases, more sales, more reviews, and some news. I feel like I’m almost recovered from my most recent issue, and that means I can perhaps think about eating tasty food again next week. Fingers crossed. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 2nd, 2024. In today’s article, we wrap up the week with a nice mix of goodies for you to peruse. Our pal Mikhail has a review for One Piece Odyssey Deluxe Edition to dig into, full of his usual technical details and version comparisons. After that, I guide you through the most interesting titles of today’s new release line-up. We then round things out with the usual lists of new and expiring sales for the day. Let’s get it done!

Reviews & Mini-Views

ONE PIECE ODYSSEY DELUXE EDITION ($59.99)

Bandai Namco Entertainment is no stranger to doing late ports of games on Switch, but the end results usually vary in quality. We recently had a superlative port of Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown arrive, and fast forward to last week, the RPG from ILCA hit Switch with DLC included as ONE PIECE ODYSSEY DELUXE EDITION. ONE PIECE ODYSSEY DELUXE EDITION is one of my favorite games based on the IP, and while it never hit the gameplay highs of One Piece Pirate Warriors 3, I enjoyed it enough to play it on Steam Deck, Xbox, and PS5. I was curious to see how it fared on Nintendo Switch, and the end result is very good.

If you’ve not played ONE PIECE ODYSSEY before, it is a turn-based RPG with an original story that tries to do a good job of appealing to fans of One Piece and newcomers. It almost succeeds in both aspects, but this is definitely a very good anime RPG in general. I don’t recommend it if you’re brand-new to One Piece though, but if you like the characters and played prior games even, this is worth your time, especially with all the DLC included.

ONE PIECE ODYSSEY launched at $59.99 on PC and consoles last year, and it had a Deluxe Edition for $84.99. The Switch version is ONE PIECE ODYSSEY DELUXE EDITION at $59.99 with an added costume set included making it great value from the get go. If you already played it though, there isn’t anything of note to warrant a full-priced purchase unless you really enjoyed the game and want to replay it. I didn’t play much of the DLC before, so I’ve been checking it out here on Switch.

Visually, the team behind ONE PIECE ODYSSEY DELUXE EDITION on Switch did a fantastic job making sure the game still looks good given the hardware. Comparing the high end console versions or even the Steam Deck version to Switch highlights the many cutbacks, but it still is a good port that retains the aesthetic while running well. The big cutbacks are foliage, post-processing, draw distance, and textures. The comparison screenshot highlights how different it is even in the performance mode on Xbox Series X compared to Switch.

On the performance side, I enjoyed ONE PIECE ODYSSEY at 30fps on Steam Deck with great visuals already, so the 30fps target wasn’t an issue on Switch. The biggest issues with ONE PIECE ODYSSEY DELUXE EDITION on Switch are to do with load times. These add up during exploration, combat, and the main load compared to how it fares on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

If you skipped ONE PIECE ODYSSEY on its debut platforms, the Switch version with all DLC included is an easy recommendation for those who like One Piece. The DLC included makes this a better value proposition as well. I enjoyed the game before already, but it was great revisiting it in a very good conversion for Nintendo’s hybrid system. We need more ports like this and Ace Combat 7 from Bandai Namco Entertainment.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Select New Releases

World of Goo 2 ($29.99)

Sometimes sequels take sixteen years. It’s just how it is. And then you think they’re coming, but they need a few more months. World of Goo was an amazingly clever puzzle game that picked up more fans with every platform it was ported to. I think it’s safe to say many people have been waiting for Goo 2, and it seems like that wait is finally over. I haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but the concept is more than robust enough to carry another game’s worth of puzzles, especially with a few new twists thrown in. The game supports multiplayer for up to four players on a single system in case you want to get goopy with others, too.

Aero The Acro-Bat ($5.99)

Look, someone out there misses Aero The Acro-Bat. In the mascot platformer arms race that kicked into overdrive in the 16-bit era, Sunsoft introduced what would become the face of the Western branch of the company for a number of years: Aero The Acro-Bat. The game was obviously a success, as a sequel and spin-off soon followed. This version from Ratalaika gives you the Super NES port of the original game in both Japanese and North American flavors. You get the usual Ratalaika options, but the extras are surprisingly extensive. I’ll be reviewing this one soon, so look forward to that.

Broken Roads ($34.99)

Broken Roads is an RPG with an Australian setting, made by Australians. That’s not something you see… ever, and for that much at least I think there’s some value in this game. At the same time, it’s very rough around the edges. It tries to do a lot more than it seems able to actually accomplish, and in doing that you can see the seams coming apart almost everywhere. If you’re a very forgiving player with a keen interest in trying something with a fresh theme, there might be something in this for you. Otherwise, I regrettably must recommend walking down a less broken road.

Babba Yagga: Woodboy ($15.99)

A weird horror game based on the Baba Yaga legend. You play as a wooden boy who needs to bring some herbs for his mother, a fairly normal task that is interrupted when he runs into the Baba Yaga. Things quickly go awry, as one might expect. Not my kind of thing, so I’ll leave it to you.

Cilla ($6.99)

Here’s a side-scrolling shoot ’em up with some decent pixel-art visuals and somewhat bland gameplay. With how competitive this genre is on the Switch, it’s hard to make much of a case for this game apart from touring the nice backgrounds. But I’m not the king of your piggy bank, so if you want to play it by all means go ahead.

King ‘n Knight ($11.99)

This is a pretty naked homage to Capcom’s Ghouls ‘n Ghosts ‘n Goblins series, so much so that I wasn’t going to include it here until I noticed it has a four-player multiplayer feature. That’s kind of neat. It made me look closer, and there’s definitely more to this than I initially assumed. Lots of enemies, a good amount of stages for this kind of thing, and an upgrade system with lots of different equipment pieces to buy and use. I’m going to have to investigate this one further, but it could be decent.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

If they should bar wars, please let these Star Wars…. stay. Some great prices on Aspyr’s previous Star Wars ports, perhaps in celebration of the new release of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. AEW Fight Forever is at a new low price, along with South Park Snow Day. All those, plus a bunch of indies! There are some decent games in the weekend outbox, but nothing that likely won’t be on sale again pretty soon. Check both lists anyway!

Select New Sales

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed ($6.99 from $19.99 until 8/5)
Star Wars: Republic Commando ($5.24 from $14.99 until 8/5)
Star Wars: Episode I Racer ($5.24 from $14.99 until 8/5)
Star Wars: Jedi Academy ($6.99 from $19.99 until 8/5)
Star Wars: Jedi Outcast ($3.49 from $9.99 until 8/5)
Star Wars: KotOR ($5.24 from $14.99 until 8/5)
Star Wars: KotOR II ($5.24 from $14.99 until 8/5)
Star Wars KotOR Bundle ($8.99 from $29.99 until 8/5)
AEW Fight Forever ($23.99 from $39.99 until 8/15)
AEW Fight Forever Ultimate ($69.99 from $99.99 until 8/15)
FoxyRush ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/15)
Kinduo 2: Frostbite ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/15)
TP Bullet ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/15)
Forrader Hero ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/15)
Zombies, Aliens and Guns ($4.19 from $5.99 until 8/15)

Flower Shop: Winter in Fairbrook ($6.99 from $9.99 until 8/15)
Scheming Through Zombie Apocalypse Ep2 ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/15)
Cyber Citizen Shockman 3 ($4.19 from $5.99 until 8/15)
Super Destronaut Landed x Loaded ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/15)
Orion Haste ($4.19 from $5.99 until 8/15)
Hirilun ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/15)
Risen ($19.49 from $29.99 until 8/15)
Fearmonium ($6.49 from $12.99 until 8/15)
Evil Diary ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/15)
Xatrom Command ($4.19 from $5.99 until 8/15)
One More Dungeon 2 ($10.49 from $14.99 until 8/15)
Unlife ($5.49 from $10.99 until 8/15)
Love Kuesuto ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/15)
SpongeBob SquarePants: Cosmic Shake ($25.99 from $39.99 until 8/15)
Chemically Bonded ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/15)

Biomutant ($29.99 from $39.99 until 8/15)
Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 ($15.99 from $39.99 until 8/15)
South Park Snow Day ($22.49 from $29.99 until 8/15)
South Park Snow Day Deluxe ($34.99 from $49.99 until 8/15)
Crisis Wing ($3.59 from $7.99 until 8/16)
Teratopia ($2.49 from $9.99 until 8/16)
Outer Terror ($6.99 from $9.99 until 8/16)
Gekisou!Benza Race Toilet ($7.80 from $13.00 until 8/16)
Mediterranea Inferno ($5.49 from $9.99 until 8/16)
Clunky Hero ($2.24 from $14.99 until 8/16)
Epic Dumpster Bear 1.5 DX ($3.49 from $4.99 until 8/16)
10 Seconds to Win! ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/16)
Betomis ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/16)
Sword & Fairy Inn 2 ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/16)
Barn Finders ($4.99 from $19.99 until 8/19)

8-Colors Star Guardians + ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/21)
Attack of the Karens ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/21)
Goliath Depot ($3.49 from $6.99 until 8/21)
High Seas Saga DX ($6.00 from $12.00 until 8/21)
Pocket Stables ($3.96 from $12.00 until 8/21)
Oh!Edo Towns ($4.62 from $14.00 until 8/21)
Cafe Master Story ($6.00 from $12.00 until 8/21)
Life of Delta ($6.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Survivor Castaway Island ($11.99 from $29.99 until 8/22)
Smurfs Kart ($13.99 from $39.99 until 8/22)
You Suck at Parking ($6.79 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Sentimental Death Loop ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania ($6.99 from $9.99 until 8/22)
Ultimate Racing 2D 2 ($6.69 from $9.99 until 8/22)
Love on Leave ($12.49 from $24.99 until 8/22)
Hard Racing Stunt Car Driving ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/22)
Starward Rogue Complete ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Maid of the Dead ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Inkulinati ($17.49 from $24.99 until 8/22)
Pickleball Smash ($7.99 from $39.99 until 8/22)
Bunny Garden ($19.54 from $22.99 until 8/22)
Hero’s Hour ($8.99 from $17.99 until 8/22)
Insurmountable ($18.74 from $24.99 until 8/22)
The Night of the Rabbit ($14.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
Plantabi Little Garden ($4.54 from $6.99 until 8/22)
A Fragile Mind ($2.99 from $5.99 until 8/22)

Sales Ending This Weekend

#DRIVE ($5.84 from $12.99 until 8/3)
Alchemic Cutie ($8.99 from $19.99 until 8/3)
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX ($2.99 from $19.99 until 8/3)
Aragami 2 ($9.99 from $39.99 until 8/3)
Aragami: Shadow Edition ($5.99 from $29.99 until 8/3)
Blade Assault ($8.09 from $17.99 until 8/3)
Bladed Fury ($8.99 from $19.99 until 8/3)
Ever Forward ($6.74 from $14.99 until 8/3)
Fragment’s Note+ ($5.99 from $14.99 until 8/3)
Fragment’s Note+ AfterStory ($4.39 from 10.99 until 8/3)
Fragment’s Note2+ ($7.99 from $19.99 until 8/3)
GINSHA ($12.46 from $17.80 until 8/3)
Good Pizza, Great Pizza ($4.49 from $9.99 until 8/3)
Goodbye World ($9.59 from $11.99 until 8/3)
Guts ‘N Goals ($6.74 from $14.99 until 8/3)

Hoa ($6.74 from $14.99 until 8/3)
Ikai ($6.74 from $14.99 until 8/3)
Iris.Fall ($8.99 from $19.99 until 8/3)
Krimson ($7.99 from $9.99 until 8/3)
Monster Harvest ($2.99 from $19.99 until 8/3)
Morbid: The Lords of Ire ($20.99 from $29.99 until 8/3)
MUSYNX ($13.49 from $29.99 until 8/3)
Sparklite ($3.74 from $24.99 until 8/3)
Squish ($6.74 from $14.99 until 8/3)
SUPERBEAT: XONiC ($13.49 from $29.99 until 8/3)
Among Us ($3.00 from $5.00 until 8/4)
Blasphemous 2 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 8/4)
Broken Sword 5: Serpent’s Curse ($7.49 from $29.99 until 8/4)
Furi ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/4)
Fury Unleashed ($1.99 from $19.99 until 8/4)
Haven ($14.99 from $24.99 until 8/4)
Headbangers: Rhythm Royale ($4.99 from $19.99 until 8/4)
Moving Out ($7.49 from $24.99 until 8/4)
Overcooked All You Can Eat ($15.99 from $39.99 until 8/4)
Regency Solitaire ($2.99 from $11.99 until 8/4)
Sydney Hunter & the Curse of the Mayan ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/4)

That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with more new releases, more sales, more reviews, and some news. I’m starting to get a bit tired of soup, to be honest. Per doctor’s orders I’m on a liquid diet for a week. I would throw all my games in the sea for a cheeseburger right now. Oh well. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for July 26th, 2024. In today’s article, our pal Mikhail gets the party started with a review of Let’s School. Let’s… read that! After that, we have a few releases to look at in order to close out the ledgers for the week. We finish things up in our usual manner by having a gander at the latest sales to hit the eShop, plus some of the discounts that will be wrapping up over the weekend. Let’s get to the weekend!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Let’s School ($19.99)

Let’s School is a school management simulation game where you take on the role of a principal trying to construct, design, take care of students, and much more. When I first saw a trailer for Let’s School, it looked interesting, but getting to know the team at Pathea Games was responsible for this made me more curious to try it out as a huge fan of My Time at Portia and Sandrock.

Right from the get go, Let’s School felt deep and impressive as a simulation and management game. It might be a bit daunting initially with how much is thrown at the player with the construction and designing aspects. Both come together nicely into the core gameplay loop that ensures Let’s School remains installed on your Switch to pickup and play when required. When I first started playing Let’s School, I was surprised at how much customization was already possible early on. If you aren’t a fan of the stress involved in management and simulation games, a sandbox mode is available in addition to multiple difficulty options. A custom difficulty is also available if you want to tweak things to your liking. Let’s School is a very accessible game despite its depth, but the only point of contention will be the font size on Nintendo Switch in the interface. I found it fine on my Lite and OLED Switch, but some might have issues with the interface.

I’ve not played Let’s School‘s PC release with keyboard and mouse to get a feel for those controls, but I did play it on Steam Deck using the handheld itself. I found the controls worked well, and the interface is similar on Switch. Expect radial menus while holding shoulder buttons or triggers to zoom here. Nothing out of the ordinary if you’re used to playing games in this genre on Switch. If you are new to the genre, Let’s School might be overwhelming initially not only with its controls, but also in its mechanics, but sticking with it is worth your time.

My main complaints with Let’s School on Switch have to do with how it looks when played docked and the load times being too long in parts. This feels like a handheld first experience, and one that works great on a portable with its controller UI and font even on Switch Lite (for me at least). Playing docked has even the interface not looking as crisp as it should. Outside that, I wish Let’s School had some touch support since I enjoy navigating some menus and panning around with touch controls in management games with this camera style.

If you have access to a Switch and Steam Deck, I would get Let’s School on Steam Deck for better performance and faster load times. Performance isn’t perfect on Deck either, but it is better than Switch. Despite the cutbacks, the Switch port felt a lot better than I expected all things considered.

Having now played them both, Let’s School and Two Point Campus are worth your time. If you already enjoyed the latter from its original release, I think Let’s School will be a nice compliment, and a fun management game in its own right. I just hope the developers consider adding some touchscreen support as games like this would benefit from the input option on Switch. -Mikhail Madnani

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Select New Releases

One Piece Odyssey Deluxe Edition ($59.99)

Imagine a One Piece turn-based RPG, one that got the job done without really going too far beyond that. And there you go! That’s One Piece Odyssey, sliding its way onto Switch with this Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe part of the name amounts to one extra post-game scenario, plus a number of character costumes. I’m sure some visual sacrifices have been made here, and they’re likely in line with what we’ve seen in other Bandai Namco Switch port-downs. If you’re okay with that and like One Piece, you’ll probably enjoy this. We might do a review of this one, but only time will tell.

Ringlorn Saga ($9.99)

A short little action-RPG inspired by classic Japanese examples of the genre. When the publisher says that, do they mean Ys or do they mean Hydlide? The answer is important! Looking at the screenshots, my hunch is Hydlide. But there’s nothing wrong with that, depending on your tastes. The presentation is designed to evoke the MSX, and that’s a fine aim. I’ll probably take a punt on this one and if it lives up to my hopes I will report back.

Monument: Invasion ($9.99)

Some reasonably priced first-person shooting action here, if that’s an itch you’re looking to scratch today. It’s not the fanciest dining around, and certainly the eShop description being identical to that of the first Monument is less than encouraging, but the original managed to find its fans and I am sure this one will too.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

1000xRESIST is at its cheapest price yet, and it’s an amazing game for anyone who enjoys a good story. The Sam & Max titles are also discounted in anticipation of the upcoming release of the third in the series on Switch, and they’re a pretty good time. Sol Cresta is cheap as chips and shooter fans would do well to pick that up too. Have a look through those lists, friends. It rarely goes wrong!

Select New Sales

Astebros ($5.19 from $12.99 until 8/1)
FX Unit Yuki: Henshin Engine ($3.59 from $8.99 until 8/1)
Demon’s Tilt ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/1)
The World After ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/1)
Okinawa Rush ($7.99 from $19.99 until 8/1)
Strayed Lights ($7.79 from $12.99 until 8/2)
Darkest Dungeon ($7.49 from $24.99 until 8/2)
Furi ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/4)
Haven ($14.99 from $24.99 until 8/4)
Broken Sword 5: Serpent’s Curse ($7.49 from $29.99 until 8/4)
Arcadia Fallen ($9.99 from $24.99 until 8/5)
Unavowed ($5.24 from $14.99 until 8/6)
Gigantosaurus Dino Sports ($31.99 from $39.99 until 8/6)
Heaven’s Vault ($8.99 from $17.99 until 8/6)
Beacon Pines ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Citizen Sleeper ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Genesis Noir ($4.49 from $14.99 until 8/6)

1000xRESIST ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Times & Galaxy ($17.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Machinarium ($4.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Lucy Dreaming ($15.19 from $18.99 until 8/6)
The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow ($9.74 from $14.99 until 8/6)
Paradise Killer ($5.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Tails Noir ($7.49 from $24.99 until 8/6)
Primordia ($5.24 from $14.99 until 8/6)
Psychic 5: Eternal ($15.39 from $21.99 until 8/8)
Fishing Break ($6.39 from $7.99 until 8/8)
Xaladia Rise of Space Pirates X2 ($8.99 from $17.99 until 8/8)
Scars of Mars ($17.99 from $19.99 until 8/8)
Snow Bros. Special ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/8)
TEVI ($26.24 from $34.99 until 8/8)
Raiden IV x MIKADO remix ($11.99 from $29.99 until 8/9)

Raiden V: Director’s Cut ($8.99 from $29.99 until 8/9)
Doug’s Nightmare ($4.19 from $5.99 until 8/9)
A Little to the Left ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/9)
Lair of the Clockwork God ($3.99 from $19.99 until 8/9)
Xuan Yuan Sword: MBtM ($9.89 from $14.99 until 8/9)
Sam & Max Save the World ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/13)
Sam & Max Beyond Time & Space ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/13)
Touhou Spell Bubble ($27.49 from $54.99 until 8/15)
Gigapocalypse ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/15)
Sol Cresta ($8.99 from $17.99 until 8/15)
Sol Cresta Complete Set ($12.49 from $24.99 until 8/15)
Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/15)
Flutter Away ($7.79 from $12.99 until 8/15)
Coromon ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/15)
EDF World Brothers ($13.99 from $39.99 until 8/15)

Dark Deity ($6.24 from $24.99 until 8/15)
Isekai Rondo ($9.74 from $14.99 until 8/15)
Blacksmith of the Sand Kingdom ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/15)
Raging Bytes ($9.74 from $14.99 until 8/15)
Horrific Xanatorium ($5.99 from $7.99 until 8/15)
Glorious Savior ($11.24 from $14.99 until 8/15)
Cross Tails ($19.49 from $29.99 until 8/15)
Metro Quester ($12.99 from $19.99 until 8/15)
Frane: Dragons’ Odyssey ($6.49 from $12.99 until 8/15)
Runbow ($2.99 from $14.99 until 8/15)
9 Years of Shadows ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/15)
Sushi Race ($3.99 from $7.99 until 8/15)
The Trotties Adventure ($5.99 from $14.99 until 8/15)
Nice Disc: The Last Hot Blood ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/15)

Sales Ending This Weekend

Chants of Sennaar ($14.99 from $19.99 until 7/27)
Dordogne ($12.99 from $19.99 until 7/27)
Expeditions: Mudrunner ($39.99 from $49.99 until 7/27)
Missile Dancer 2 ($11.99 from $14.99 until 7/27)
Outbreak The Fedora Files ($9.99 from $19.99 until 7/27)
Warhammer 40k Boltgun ($15.39 from $21.99 until 7/27)
Warhammer Age of Sigmar SG ($6.99 from $19.99 until 7/27)
Backpack Hero ($15.99 from $19.99 until 7/28)
Batman: The Telltale Series ($7.49 from $14.99 until 7/28)
Dark Days ($2.79 from $7.99 until 7/28)

That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with more new games, more sales, more reviews, and perhaps some news. Next week is my birthday, and I’m getting to the age where I don’t want that number to go up anymore. However, the only known way of keeping the number from going up is not recommended by physicians, so I’ll just have to bear with it. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for July 24th, 2024. In today’s article, we deal with a rather normal Wednesday. I have a review of Epyx Rogue for you, and we then wade into the new releases of the day. There’s a certain theme to them, to be sure. Finally, the list of new sales is rather large today. NIS America and Koei Tecmo have some very good deals at the moment in particular. We’ve got those, plus the list of expiring sales for the day. Let’s get to the games!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Epyx Rogue ($7.99)

Oh hey, it’s Rogue. You know, of “roguelike” fame. Sure, this isn’t the original version of Rogue, as you can tell by it not looking like a bunch of ASCII letters and symbols. This is… I already guessed wrong on this once, and I’m not fully confident now either, but I’m reasonably sure this is the Amiga version of the game. It has a nicer presentation, depending on one’s love of at-marks and such, but at its core it is that same old beast that ensnared many of us in the old days. Perhaps even recently for some of us.

The big issue here is that this game was very much built for a keyboard, and while the Switch has quite a few buttons it’s not enough for the Amiga version of Rogue. While the folks handling this Switch version, Pixel Games UK, could have just taken the simple way out and relied on the software keyboard, they instead implemented a pretty clever ring menu for accessing several actions. Others can be performed using combinations of button presses. There are some occasions where you will have to pull up the software keyboard, but they are very rare. It takes some time to get used to, but once you do it works fairly well.

Playing a relatively early version of Rogue like Epyx Rogue really shows just how ahead of its time the game was. The number of games from this era of computing that are still fully engaging is relatively tiny. If you enjoy roguelike games and somehow haven’t had the chance to play the game that got the whole ball rolling, this is a really good way to do so. You even get an in-game manual with lots of information in it and a selection of achievements to aim for. Those who want the real deal experience can even turn off the ability to use save states.

Look, we aren’t hurting for games of this genre on the Switch by any means. With that said, I think there is a certain purity to the original design that is worth experiencing for any fan of roguelikes and roguelites. If you’re game to challenge the classic test of nerves and wits, this Switch release of Epyx Rogue is a fine way to do it. Some effort was put in here to make the game work on an interface it very much was not designed for, and I genuinely appreciate the extra bits like the manual and achievements.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

Select New Releases

Super Woden GP II ($12.99)

The highly enjoyable top-down racer returns with this cool sequel featuring more than one hundred and eighty vehicles, tons of tracks, and support for up to four players via local splitscreen multiplayer. The first game was a ton of fun, and I have little doubt about this one offering just as good of a time.

F1 Manager 2024 ($34.99)

Do you love racing, but not driving? This one might be for you, then. As the title says, you’re a manager of an F1 team. You’re handling all manner of things, from raising up talents, managing race strategies, and so on. Personally, I’ve never been able to get on much with this sort of thing, but I know many people who can get lost for weeks on end with them. Maybe that is you! If so, give this one a closer look.

Chrysolite ($14.99)

This one has nothing to do with racing. That’s called counter-programming, friends. You’re a young thief exploring the remains of a kingdom, and wouldn’t you know it? The darned place is full of dangerous creatures! This one is Soulslike-inspired, and I think the combat is… not exactly fancy dining here. But I have a hunch there’s something to this one. I’ll have to investigate further.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

One thing I will note about the sales today is that you should check the DLC on both Koei Tecmo and NIS America’s offerings, because there are some deals to be found there that are even rarer than the ones on the base titles. A good time to be stocking up on RPGs to take you through the month of August, at the very least. The outbox on the other hand appears to be leaning more into puzzle games. Well, I imagine you’ll scan both lists anyway. I’ll leave you to it.

Select New Sales

Dordogne ($12.99 from $19.99 until 7/27)
Chants of Sennaar ($14.99 from $19.99 until 7/27)
Expeditions: Mudrunner ($39.99 from $49.99 until 7/27)
Warhammer 40k Boltgun ($15.39 from $21.99 until 7/27)
Warhammer Age of Sigmar SG ($6.99 from $19.99 until 7/27)
Lapis x Labyrinth ($7.79 from $29.99 until 8/5)
Labyrinth Legend ($5.99 from $14.99 until 8/5)
Prinny 1 + 2 Bundle ($14.95 from $33.99 until 8/5)
Shadow Corridor ($5.99 from $14.99 until 8/5)
Fallen Legion Revenants ($9.99 from $39.99 until 8/5)
Fallen Legion Rise to Glory ($4.99 from $39.99 until 8/5)
Yomawari Lost in the Dark ($19.99 from $39.99 until 8/5)
Happy Birthdays ($7.99 from $39.99 until 8/5)
Penny-Punching Princess ($3.99 from $39.99 until 8/5)
Touhou Kobuto V ($4.99 from $19.99 until 8/5)

The Labyrinth of Galleria: TMS ($24.99 from $49.99 until 8/5)
GrimGrimoire OnceMore ($24.99 from $49.99 until 8/5)
Void Terrarium 2 ($19.99 from $39.99 until 8/5)
CRYMACHINA Deluxe ($47.99 from $79.99 until 8/5)
Arcadian Atlas ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/5)
The Legend of Legacy HD ($34.99 from $49.99 until 8/5)
RPG Maker MV ($14.99 from $49.99 until 8/5)
Yurukill: Calumniation Games ($14.99 from $39.99 until 8/5)
Giraffe and Annika ($9.89 from $29.99 until 8/5)
Poison Control ($3.99 from $39.99 until 8/5)
Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny ($29.99 from $59.99 until 8/5)
Disgaea 7 Complete ($69.99 from $109.99 until 8/5)
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox Deluxe ($29.99 from $74.99 until 8/5)
Legend of Nayuta Boundless Trails ($24.99 from $39.99 until 8/5)
TLoH: Trails into Reverie Deluxe ($58.49 from $89.99 until 8/5)

R-Type Final 2 ($19.99 from $39.99 until 8/5)
LA-MULANA ($4.94 from $14.99 until 8/5)
LA-MULANA 2 ($9.99 from $24.99 until 8/5)
The Caligula Effect 2 Deluxe ($29.24 from $64.99 until 8/5)
The Cruel King and the Great Hero ($13.49 from $29.99 until 8/5)
Monark Deluxe Edition ($25.99 from $64.99 until 8/5)
LISA: Definitive Edition ($17.49 from $24.99 until 8/5)
Smile For Me ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/5)
Death’s Gambit Afterlife ($10.99 from $19.99 until 8/5)
Virgo Versus The Zodiac ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/5)
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus ($11.24 from $14.99 until 8/5)
Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2 ($10.49 from $29.99 until 8/6)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night ($11.99 from $39.99 until 8/7)
Terraria ($14.99 from $29.99 until 8/7)
Madshot ($1.99 from $19.99 until 8/7)

Grow: Song of the Evertree ($12.49 from $24.99 until 8/7)
Serial Cleaners ($7.49 from $24.99 until 8/7)
Eiyuden Chronicle Hundred Heroes ($37.49 from $49.99 until 8/7)
Eiyuden Chronicle Hundred Heroes Deluxe ($51.99 from $79.99 until 8/7)
Journey to the Savage Planet ($8.99 from $29.99 until 8/7)
Indivisible ($7.49 from $29.99 until 8/7)
Horace ($5.99 from $14.99 until 8/7)
Cook, Serve, Delicious ($5.19 from $12.99 until 8/13)
Fate/Samurai Remnant ($38.99 from $59.99 until 8/13)
Atelier Ryza ($23.99 from $59.99 until 8/13)
Atelier Ryza 2 ($29.99 from $59.99 until 8/13)
Atelier Ryza 3 ($38.99 from $59.99 until 8/13)
Atelier Arland Deluxe Pack ($58.49 from $89.99 until 8/13)
Atelier Dusk Trilogy Deluxe Pack ($58.49 from $89.99 until 8/13)
Atelier Mysterious Trilogy Deluxe Pack ($58.49 from $89.99 until 8/13)
Atelier Lulua ($29.99 from $59.99 until 8/13)

Atelier Sophie 2 ($29.99 from $59.99 until 8/13)
Atelier Marie Remake ($29.99 from $49.99 until 8/13)
Atelier Marie Remake Deluxe ($41.99 from $69.99 until 8/13)
Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists ($19.79 from $59.99 until 8/13)
Blue Reflection: Second Light ($23.99 from $59.99 until 8/13)
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse ($34.99 from $49.99 until 8/13)
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water ($27.99 from $39.99 until 8/13)
Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate ($35.99 from $59.99 until 8/13)
Warriors Orochi 3 Ult. Deluxe ($41.99 from $69.99 until 8/13)
Samurai Warriors 5 ($29.99 from $59.99 until 8/13)
Dynasty Warriors 8 XL Definitive ($27.99 from $39.99 until 8/13)
Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires ($35.99 from $59.99 until 8/13)
Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX ($20.99 from $29.99 until 8/13)
Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection ($26.79 from $39.99 until 8/13)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, July 25th

A Good Snowman is Hard to Build ($3.74 from $14.99 until 7/25)
A Monster’s Expedition ($12.49 from $24.99 until 7/25)
Aka ($4.54 from $12.99 until 7/25)
Alchemy Garden ($6.49 from $12.99 until 7/25)
Anomaly Agent ($8.99 from $14.99 until 7/25)
Astronite ($7.49 from $14.99 until 7/25)
Beholgar ($2.99 from $9.99 until 7/25)
Burst Hero ($7.19 from $11.99 until 7/25)
Cosmic Express ($3.74 from $14.99 until 7/25)
Cosmo Dreamer ($4.10 from $8.20 until 7/25)
Cyber Hunters ($10.99 from $19.99 until 7/25)
Detective Stella Porta Case ($5.24 from $10.49 until 7/25)
Doll Explorer ($8.79 from $10.99 until 7/25)
EDF: World Brothers Deluxe ($26.99 from $59.99 until 7/25)
Escape First Alchemist ($5.19 from $7.99 until 7/25)

God of Light Remastered ($1.99 from $4.99 until 7/25)
Golazo 2 ($2.99 from $14.99 until 7/25)
Harpoon Shooter! Nozomi ($6.98 from $9.98 until 7/25)
Jett Rider ($8.74 from $12.49 until 7/25)
Kid Tripp ($1.99 from $3.99 until 7/25)
Lazriel: The Demon’s Fall ($8.02 from $11.47 until 7/25)
Like Dreamer ($5.99 from $11.99 until 7/25)
Love Love School Days ($5.24 from $10.49 until 7/25)
Mechs V Kaijus ($9.09 from $12.99 until 7/25)
Patrick’s Parabox ($13.99 from $19.99 until 7/25)
Samurai Maiden ($29.99 from $59.99 until 7/25)
SANABI ($11.24 from $14.99 until 7/25)
Smoots Pinball ($4.19 from $5.99 until 7/25)
Sokobond ($3.74 from $14.99 until 7/25)

Sokobond Express ($11.99 from $14.99 until 7/25)
Space Storeship ($2.34 from $4.69 until 7/25)
Teared ($6.79 from $7.99 until 7/25)
TEMPUS ($3.49 from $6.99 until 7/25)
The Hundred Year Kingdom ($6.49 from $12.99 until 7/25)
Thunder Ray: Origins ($9.99 from $19.98 until 7/25)
Tiny Thor ($11.99 from $19.99 until 7/25)
Titanium Hound ($8.25 from $15.00 until 7/25)
Toridama2: Brave Challenge ($5.59 from $7.99 until 7/25)
Xuan Yuan Sword 7 ($35.99 from $39.99 until 7/25)
Yeah! You Want “Those Games”, Right? ($7.99 from $9.99 until 7/25)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with the big list of Thursday new releases, plus whatever sales and major news items roll in over the course of the day. This day went completely off the rails for me, and I got about a quarter of what I wanted to get done finished. This is really not my week. Oh well! 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 July 16th, 2024. It’s a relatively busy Tuesday by recent standards, with a handful of new releases to check out. First up, we’ve got two reviews to check out, covering Princess Maker 2 Regeneration and EGGCONSOLE Popful Mail. After that, it’s over to the new games, where we summarize all the games worth summarizing. We finish things up with the stalwart lists of new and expiring sales for the day. Let’s get to the games!

Reviews & Mini-Views

Princess Maker 2 Regeneration ($39.99)

There are two ways a person is going to be approaching this game, I think. The first type is familiar with Princess Maker through one of its previous releases or another. I think that sort is mainly going to be fine with what they get here. There are some visual elements that seem mismatched (because they are), but overall this is a respectable reissue of the classic Princess Maker 2, albeit one mostly based on the PlayStation 2 remake from… almost twenty years ago. Goodness. So if you know what Princess Maker is about and you want this on your Switch, go ahead. It’s a good version.

The other type is the trickier bunch. You haven’t played Princess Maker before, and somehow this game has caught your interest. And hey, not a bad eye. For as weird as it seems and how badly a few bits of it have aged, Princess Maker is a fairly enjoyable and unique simulation game. You’re raising a child and have to plan out her schedule and activities, all with the aim of having her grow up to be a healthy and happy adult. Maybe even a princess! There are tons of outcomes, and each playthrough is relatively short yet satisfying enough. Getting the best endings takes some really careful planning, and you’ll have to understand the mechanics very well and make your choices wisely.

At the same time, despite running through the remake/remaster process a few times, this is still Princess Maker 2. That means it is in many respects more than thirty years old, and very little has been done in terms of adding modern touches. The game’s depth is a double-edged sword here. You’re not given a lot of wiggle room in terms of avoiding bad outcomes, so you need to get to grips with things quickly. The game gives you practically no explanations or instructions, and unlike with the releases twenty and thirty years ago, you don’t have an instruction manual to consult. It will take some trial and error to sort out how things work and what you need to do to succeed. Not everyone is going to have the patience for that, and I can understand that.

Ultimately, Princess Maker 2 Regeneration is a slightly spiffed-up reissue of a game originally released on Japanese computers more than three decades ago, and it often feels like it. Without a manual, it would have been nice if the game itself had some additions to teach the players how this rather complex game functions, but as-is I think newcomers are going to struggle trying to understand what they need to do. Those who persevere will find a game that is just as unique and oddly compelling now as it was back in 1993.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

EGGCONSOLE Popful Mail PC-8801mkIISR ($6.49)

Sometimes I think about how much more interest D4Enterprise could generate with these EGGCONSOLE releases if it had the games translated. The one and only time Popful Mail had an English release was when Working Designs brought the SEGA-CD version over in 1995. If you want to pick that game these days, it will run you almost three hundred bucks for just a naked disc. Imagine if you could pick up another localized version for under ten bucks? Well, it is what it is. But it certainly changes how I evaluate these releases, because I know not many of my readers can understand Japanese.

This is the original PC-8801 release of Popful Mail, a highly enjoyable action-RPG from the good folks at Nihon Falcom. As games on this computer go, Popful Mail is rather advanced. Not as colorful or smooth as the SEGA-CD version, of course. But it’s a solid little game, and the characters are quite personable and charming. In some ways this shares elements with Drasle Family/Legacy of the Wizard, and you can see just how far Falcom had come in only a few years when you play this. I would highly recommend any action-adventure fan play it one way or another.

The problem is the usual one, and I’ll keep saying it because who knows if this is your first time reading one of my EGGCONSOLE reviews or not. While the wrapper offers English for its menus, instructions, and options, the game itself is exactly as it was in its original Japanese form. That means all of the dialogue and other text in-game is fully Japanese, and while I think some can probably bumble through without reading any of it, a lot of the game’s joy is in its story and dialogue. For six and a half bucks, it’s not the riskiest of punts, but it is definitely a gamble.

Popful Mail is a really great game that has disappeared between the Ys and Trails sofa cushions at Falcom, and this PC-8801 original shows just how much it got right immediately. Unfortunately, with so much untranslated text in the game, it’s going to be a flavor few reading this will be able to fully enjoy. Would-be historians might enjoy poking at it anyway, but it could be so much more.

SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5

Select New Releases

Hot Lap Racing ($34.99)

This has no relation to Hot Lap League, let me just start with that. An indie “simcade” racer that somehow managed to pull down proper track and vehicle licenses, Hot Lap Racing is clearly trying to punch above its weight class in a lot of respectable ways. You get multiple modes of play, including local multiplayer for up to four and online multiplayer for up to twelve. The career mode sees you starting as a rookie driver and working your way up, eventually competing against real drivers. I’m cooking up my review of this one, so do look forward to that.

Deliver Us The Moon ($19.99)

Can’t imagine the shipping and handling charges on something like this, but okay. You want the Moon, we’ll deliver it. The set-up here is that in some unimaginable future, the Earth is depending on resources from the Moon. All well and good until a vital base goes silent, and so you are sent to head up there by yourself and give a good knock on the door. You’ll be engaging in all kinds of astronaut-type stuff here, and the game does a really good job of building the kind of tension you would want from a semi-realistic space game. We’ll be reviewing this one soon-ish.

Let’s School ($19.99)

Sure, let us school. This is a school management sim, a category that we already have some solid options for on Switch. What does this one have to offer? Well, in addition to building and running your school, you’ll also be meddling in the lives of the students. I think Mikhail might be taking a look at this game, given his prior love affair with Two Point Campus. I suspect this will come up short of that game in the final analysis, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Stories from the Outbreak ($19.99)

You know Darkest Dungeon, you know Slay The Spire, you know zombie apocalypses, and here’s what you get when you toss those ideas in a blender. It does what it sets out to do well enough, so if you like the premise then you might want to look into this one a little further. It might be up your alley. Personally, I’m tired of zombies. I know that’s just my hang-up, though.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Two very short lists today, and I’ll start by saying there is pretty much nothing worth worrying about in the outbox. As for the inbox, there’s a rare sale on the solid fighter Fantasy Strike, plus a few other odds and ends. Take a glance and see if anything catches your eye. It’ll only take a second this time.

Select New Sales

Fantasy Strike Core Pack ($5.99 from $19.99 until 7/23)
Fantasy Strike Collector’s Pack ($29.99 from $99.99 until 7/23)
Full Void ($10.49 from $14.99 until 7/29)
The Game of Life 2 ($11.99 from $29.99 until 7/29)
Life Bubble ($2.39 from $7.99 until 7/29)
Freedom Finger ($3.99 from $7.99 until 7/30)
Planet Cube: Edge ($5.99 from $14.99 until 7/30)
Gravity Circuit Deluxe Edition ($16.24 from $24.99 until 7/30)
LEGO City Undercover ($5.99 from $29.99 until 8/5)
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes ($9.99 from $39.99 until 8/5)
Mail Mole ($5.99 from $14.99 until 8/5)
Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate ($8.99 from $59.99 until 8/5)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, July 17th

Gothic Murder: Adv. That Changes Destiny ($5.99 from $11.99 until 7/17)
Jump King ($5.19 from $12.99 until 7/17)
Split ($2.24 from $8.99 until 7/17)

That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new games, sales, and perhaps a review and some news depending on how things go. Ever get the feeling the rug is about to be pulled out from underneath you? That’s been my year so far, and I’m starting to get low on rugs. Well, I’ll do what I can. I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!