Welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for March 30th, where we’re covering the latest Nintendo Switch news, releases, and sales! A happy Easter to everyone, and if you’re spending the time with (or away from) family, then you’ve got plenty of games on the Switch to pass the time. ARMS‘ Testpunch begins tonight, the arcade Punch-Out is now available on Switch, and I reminisce about Toki Tori with its Switch version now available. Let’s dive right into the news, today’s jam-packed:
News
ARMS Testpunch Starts Tonight
Get the Testpunch downloaded, and prepare, as the most obviously-named game since Game of War starts its free trial tonight at 9:00 PM PDT in North America. It ends on Monday night at 8:59 PM PDT, and the game is on sale for $41.99 on the eShop until April 6th!
The #ARMS Global Testpunch returns this weekend! Download the free software from #NintendoSwitch #eShop and get ready to join the fight! pic.twitter.com/yRdnHNQVeX
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) March 27, 2018
Rocket League sees visual quality improvements in the Tournaments Update
This Tuesday, April 3rd, Rocket League will look a lot better when the tournaments update goes live. The resolution will be 60 frames per second in handheld mode, and 1664×936 in docked mode. Additionally, a new Performance mode will run the game at full resolution, locked to 30 frames per second, and enable Lens Flares, Light Shafts, Dynamic Shadows and Depth of Field. Oh, and there will be video capture!
New Releases:
Toki Tori ($4.49)
I got an early copy of Toki Tori, and I gotta say: this game holds up well. First released in 2001 for the Game Boy Color, this puzzle-platformer has you using a variety of tools to collect all the eggs in each level while avoiding harm…or getting yourself stuck because you misplaced a bridge, or used your giant freezing bazooka on the wrong enemy. Or just did things in the wrong set of steps. It’s gonna wrack your brain once you get past the first world, and new hazards keep popping up. It’s a load of fun if you get satisfaction from not only facing difficult puzzles, but solving them.
The tools you get to use are a lot of fun, such as the giant freezing bazooka, or warping a couple of tiles away. Some of the timing-based elements prove to be a bit annoying, such as one early puzzle where you have to time your warp to go past an enemy to beat the level. And the game really throws some devious puzzles at you as time goes on. But, Toki Tori as a protagonist is still super charming, and it feels great to solve those difficult puzzles. Plus, some levels let you shoot your freeze bazooka an unlimited number of times, and watching a yellow chick shoot a freezing bazooka is always fun.
The best modern addition beyond just remaking the game in 3D is the rewind feature. If you die or screw up, you can rewind a few previous steps and fix where you messed up. It helps make the experience so much less frustrating. Combine this rewind feature with the portability of the Switch version, and this is the definitive Toki Tori release. I never thought I’d be talking about Toki Tori 17 years after it seemed like an ill-fated indie Game Boy Color release, but oh does this throw me back to those days.
Arcade Archives: Punch-Out!! ($7.99)
The original arcade Punch-Out, complete with green wireframe protagonist, is now on the Switch. While the game that popularized the series is still Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out for the NES, this game is the bedrock of the series. Also, HAMSTER made sure to throw in portrait mode for the game. Prop up your Switch or get a stand to display your monitor in vertical orientation and check out this classic.
Shadow Bug ($8.99)
The mobile action-platformer makes its way to the Switch. You dash to move and attack, and just constantly slice your way through enemies to make your way through the game’s whole speedrunning gameplay. It was a lot of fun as a mobile title, and if you never checked it out, the Switch is a good way to play this gem.
Alteric ($4.49)
This platformer has you making your way through devilish platforming levels, with a parallel world to navigate, and some tricky physics to play with. If you dig that minimalist, Thomas Was Alone-style look, and want some challenging platforming for your Switch, this might be the time to check out Alteric. It’s pretty cheap, too.
Farm Expert 2018 for Nintendo Switch ($29.99)
Originally released on mobile, as one of these riffs on the popularity of Farming Simulator, you can now play a fully-premium version of this on your Switch. There seems to be an extreme pricing premium to get this on Switch (the paid version costs $4.99 on iOS), and a real Farming Simulator is on the Switch, but I guess if you want to save a few bucks, this is the way to go.
Devious Dungeon ($6.79 launch sale price)
I’ve always had a weird relationship with Ravenous Games, where some of their titles feel like they’re better on paper than in execution, perhaps. Still, Ravenous has good production values, and their titles might click with you better than they do for me. This is a their take on the roguelike action-platformer, with procedurally-generated levels and RPG-style character progression. And deviousness, don’t forget that!
Sales
Unholy Heights ($3.99 from $4.99 until April 12th)
Look, the reality is that all heights are unholy. Brush up on the Tower of Babel sometime. Keep your buildings to a reasonable number of stories, or storeys for our British audience, such as Rob “The Funnell" Funnell. I actually kind of like that spelling, same with tyre for your car wheels. But I digress. This tower is particularly unholy because your landlord is the devil, and you’re collecting rents. But the realistic part is that you use the rent to improve your living environment. You know, instead of just being some weird dude that spends the money on doing weird landlord stuff. Like being the literal devil. That’s what you do in this game.
Slain: Back From Hell ($16.99 from $19.99 until April 5th)
Miss a payment in Unholy Heights, then you can go to hell in this game, and get out of hell. Where you can then rent another apartment, and eventually get sent to hell again. Repeat the cycle endlessly. You can transform into a giant wolf in this game and a former member of Celtic Frost (albeit from the Cold Lake era, but still) did the music.
Heroes of the Monkey Tavern ($6.99 from %9.99 until April 5th)
Like those dungeon crawlers where you navigate in first person through mazes that are way too easy to get lost in, while you avoid traps, and fight monsters? Well, former reader of the RPG Reload column, this game is for you!
Chess Ultra ($9.99 from $12.49 until April 12th)
IT’S CHESS ULTRA, BROTHER!!!! flips a table, upsetting everyone at the local library
Actually, this does seem pretty cool. There are 10 AI levels, all approved by a Grandmaster of chess. And there’s cross-platform online multiplayer with the other versions of the game, with a whole Elo ranking system. You can watch and participate in official tournaments! There are tutorials that will help your lizard brain become a galactic brain! Also, there is a free Easter Island chess set DLC! Neat!
Don’t Knock Twice ($7.49 from $12.49 until April 5th)
Apparently this is a game based on a horror movie released last year starring Katee Sackhoff. Glad to see she’s still getting work well after Battlestar Galactica went off the air. Anybody ever watch Caprica? Feel like that show should’ve been so much better. I liked that the show was DOA soon enough for the creative staff to make an ending montage showing where things would have gone if the show had been good and continued onward. It was a nice bit of closure, for sure. I’m just ranting at this point, the game got way better reviews than the movie did, and the game is cheaper than buying the movie. Choose wisely, friends.
Riptide GP Renegade ($4.99 from $9.99 until April 5th)
I don’t have anything snarky to say here! Vector Unit makes some fun racing games that look really good, and now multiplatform releases are totally their thing. You can do split-screen racing in your hydrojets with up to four people at once, and do eight-person online races. Also, you can out run the hydrojet police. Hell yeah!
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