News

SwitchArcade Roundup: ‘The Trail: Frontier Challenge’, ‘Bridge Constructor Portal’, ‘Steredenn: Binary Stars’, and More

Hey hey hey, welcome to another SwitchArcade Roundup! A few new releases including a couple of recent surprises are on tap, such as The Trail: Frontier Challenge and Outlast. We’ve also got some news regarding Splatoon 2 and a couple of new ports to the platform. Seriously, there’s so many intriguing ports hitting the Switch, it’s worth it to have not picked up some of these intriguing indie titles until now, huh? Without further ado, let’s get into the Switch games…

News

Steredenn: Binary Stars Preorder

The most metal roguelike shoot ’em up is coming to Switch on March 8th, and is up for preorder now. There are five playable ships, a local co-op mode, Boss Rush, unlocks, and new weapons, to go along with a bunch of tweaks and changes. If you have the game on another platform, such as iOS, then good news: Binary Stars will come to your version of the game as an update in the future, but the Switch version gets this improved version first. I’m excited, I loved the iOS version of Steredenn.

Splatoon 2 2.3.0 Update

Nintendo’s got a sizable patch for Splatoon 2. While this doesn’t include any new content per se, the game does get new content regularly, so it’s likely that the game files contain some new maps and weapons that will hit the game in the near future. Some of the weapons and specials see balancing changes, so check out the full patch notes. My favorite weapon, the Aerospray MG, now has more drops of ink per shot. You can now move in squid form with the Tenta Missiles, which should help with getting just the right angle to hit all four enemies at once, or to just get out of sticky situations once you’re launching them. Nintendo might be a weird, mysterious company, but these are some detailed patch notes. Well done!

2064: ROM Integral for Switch

Along with the iOS and Android release in early March, the Switch is also going to get this cyberpunk adventure, albeit at a later date: April 5th. While the mobile version is classified as “Type M" the Switch version will have all the content from the Integral content update that the original title got. While I play a lot fewer interactive fiction type titles than I should, this one has intrigued me for a while.

New Releases

Outlast: Bundle of Terror

Appropriately enough, this first-person horror game got a surprise Switch release! You’ll have to survive Mount Massive Asylum, using your camcorder with night vision in order to see around the environment. This bundle includes the original Outlast and its Whistleblower prequel DLC. If you’re up for playing horror on a system that you might be able to drop when you get scared, go for it! This is also a great place to start before Outlast II releases on March 27th.

Bridge Constructor Portal

The popular Bridge Constructor series meets Portal…let the hijinks ensue. Try to build bridges in Aperture Science’s laboratories while using portals, the propulsion and repulsion gel from Portal 2, lasers, and cubes. Ellen McLain returns to voice GLaDOS. This one is already on mobile, but the Switch version will cost you $14.99. If you need it on the Switch for whatever particular reason over having it on your phone, well, you’re gonna pay the premium.

The Trail: Frontier Challenge

Peter Molyneux’s 22Cans studio is still kicking, and the PC version of this mobile title has a port to Switch via publisher Kongregate. Here, you’re exploring the eponymous trail, choosing a profession, and improving your craft as you interact with other players and discover more of the world for yourself. This one’s out now in Europe, but will release on March 8th in North America.

Air Hockey

It’s weird that this kind of title, a cheaply-made concept in the early days of a platform, something meant to be forgotten down the road, is still coming to the Switch. The platform is absolutely not lacking for content, especially with so many developers willing to port titles to the platform. But hey, if you want an air hockey game to play with a buddy, maybe this will work for you.

Notable Sales

Caveman Warriors

($9.09 from $12.99 until March 7th) Look, occasionally all I want to do is to get together with some friends, and kill a giant freaking pterodactyl. There’s a reason why we fry your descendants, buddy. This is a cooperative platforming action game where, yes, you can beat up dinosaurs.

Gunhouse

($9.99 from $14.99 until March 12th) One of the few games notable enough on PlayStation Mobile to see life after the Vita’s ill-fated indie platform. This one has elements of puzzle games and castle defense in it, where you match pieces together in order to unleash weapons at the invading hordes trying to destroy your house with guns on it. Seems rather American, no? This title has a rather good pedigree: the Frog Fractions developer worked on this, and Disasterpiece (known for Fez, It Follows) did the soundtrack.

Keep an eye out every weekday for more SwitchArcade Roundups! We want to hear your feedback on Nintendo Switch coverage on TouchArcade. Comment below or tweet us with your thoughts!