Welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for July 6th, where we’re talking about the latest Switch news, sales, and releases! I’m starting a new job on Monday, so this will likely be the final Nintendo Switch roundup from me, so I have to say: it’s been an honor bringing y’all the Switch goodness on a daily basis. I’ll still be around the internet, and be sure to catch one final Switch games stream on our Twitch channel tonight before I call it a day. Let’s get started with this developer diary for Sonic Mania Plus, which I can’t wait to play on the 17th:
Pocket Rumble Impressions
This is quite the fun fighting game, though, again, I find myself wondering why I even play fighting games, especially online in the first place. I get whooped by the computer most of the time, though I’m loving the mechanics in play here. Everything is playable with two buttons, and you don’t need to pull off any complex motions to do special moves. Also, the fighters all play differently, and don’t just have a collection of specials and then a super move. Instead, each fighter has unique systems to play with that you can learn to use and exploit to your advantage. Learning each character becomes important just so you can know how to counter them.
The GGPO online multiplayer feels fantastic. Despite the listed ping times, I’ve only had to occasionally deal with rollback or lag slowdown, and most fights felt smooth. Compare this to Mario Tennis Aces, and it’s a night-and-day experience. Just so much better. Related: the ranking system really improved Mario Tennis Aces multiplayer as my matches have been a lot more fun recently, but the Trick Shot system can easily be abused.
I like the novel career mode in Pocket Rumble, where it simulates playing online. You fight against a CPU opponent that takes command of a particular character at a certain ranking, influencing their difficulty. You can play them until you beat them in a best-of-5 match, with rematches available until you beat them and move on to a new opponent. With the random usernames given, it feels like playing online, except ironically playing online doesn’t show the opponent’s username. It feels like a great way to develop skills and play in a way that’s not quite as punishing as the Arcade mode. Or, to be frank, the online play when you face someone who’s really good. I have learned the hard way that some characters can get you into the wall and just start wailing on you.
I have to say, though, if there was ever a fighting game where you wanted to play it to learn to be better at fighting games, this is the one to play. It’s clearly got deep systems to use, while having a manageable amount of content. Only having to learn eight fighters makes things far more accessible. And the game is cheap enough that you can try it on a whim, and if you don’t like it, you won’t feel bad.
Miles and Kilo Impressions
Wow, this game is still a lot of fun. This game was previously an auto-running platformer on iOS with controller support, and since got ported to Steam and now Switch. The Switch port is great because while it still plays quite well with controller, they left the auto-run option (great for speedrunners) while adding in HD Rumble. It’s a subtle thing, but that vibration on jumping, landing, and hitting enemies feels great.
Where Miles and Kilo really succeeds is by having a fantastic game flow. The levels are built for you to tackle them in a way that feels right to play them well. Meanwhile, being able to play with a controller makes it easier to just play the game for completion, instead of aiming for fast times, every time. Still, with various timing elements, it’s better to keep pushing forward as much as possible, but if you want all the fruit or coins, it’s easier to get them.
Miles and Kilo‘s auto-runner nature winds up making this a fantastic speedrun platforming game, and it’s still an incredibly high-quality game regardless of platform it’s on.
New Releases
The Wardrobe ($14.99)
This point-and-click adventure game has you playing as a teenage skeleton (did you know there is a spooky skeleton inside of everyone?!) trying to save his best friend’s soul from eternal damnation. I don’t know why a living skeleton’s friend has a soul, but maybe you just gotta roll with this one. The game boasts inspiration from the golden age of the genre, and while every point-and-click adventure game is inspired by that generation in some way, this looks pretty charming.
Yuso ($7.99)
What I’m amused by in the description is the accidentally left-in “(Puzzler can be translated as “Puzzle Game" if needed)" text from whoever translated or wrote the description for the developer. The game has you popping the little Yuso characters on the screen on screen, with Yuso of the same color detonating their neighbors, and changing the color of different ones. Elements like bombs and different shapes come into play, and make it tougher to solve the puzzles. It looks pretty charming if you’re into puzzlers…or puzzle games.
NEKOPARA Vol.1 ($14.99)
It’s a visual novel with catgirls.
Sales
Newly-Added Sales
- Assault Gunners HD Edition ($8.99 from $9.99 until July 11)
- Baobabs Mausoleum Ep. 1: Ovnifagos Don’t Eat Flamingos ($5.39 from $5.99 until July 12)
- Flinthook ($10.04 from $14.99 until July 12)
- Green Game: TimeSwapper ($1.49 from $2.99 until July 12)
- Mercenary Kings: Reloaded Edition ($13.39 from $19.99 until July 12)
- Paper Wars: Cannon Fodder Devastated ($4.99 from $9.99 until July 12)
- Red Game Without a Great Name ($1.49 from $2.99 until July 12)
- Semispheres ($4.99 from $9.99 until July 12)
- Yooka-Laylee ($29.99 from $39.99 until July 12)
- Immortal Redneck ($15.99 from $19.99 until July 14)
- Legendary Eleven ($8.99 from $9.99 until July 16)
- Spy Chameleon ($6.39 from $7.99 until July 16)
- The Count Lucanor ($5.09 from $14.99 until July 16)
- Die for Valhalla! ($9.95 from $11.99 until July 17)
- Don’t Die, Mr. Robot! DX ($1.34 from $8.99 until July 19)
- Gekido Kintaro’s Revenge ($9.89 from $14.99 until July 19)
- Ice Cream Surfer ($6.4 from $8 until July 19)
- Letter Quest Remastered ($2.99 from $14.99 until July 19)
- Slain: Back From Hell ($6.79 from $19.99 until July 19)
- Squids Odyssey ($11.99 from $14.99 until July 19)
- Tallowmere ($3.49 from $6.99 until July 19)
- Warp Shift ($6.99 from $9.99 until July 21)
- Astro Bears Party ($2.99 from $4.99 until July 22)
- Robonauts ($5.99 from $8.69 until July 22)
- Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers ($14.99 from $29.99 until July 25)
- Monster Jam Crush It! ($14.99 from $29.99 until July 25)
Sales Ending by Monday
- Black Hole ($3.95 from $5.99 until July 8)
- Earthlock ($19.73 from $29.9 until July 8)
- Firefighters: Airport Fire Department ($29.99 from $39.99 until July 8)
- I, Zombie ($3.74 from $4.99 until July 8)
- Squareboy vs. Bullies: Arena Edition ($3.74 from $4.99 until July 8)
- Super One More Jump ($5.11 from $7.99 until July 8)
- Twin Robots: Ultimate Edition ($5.35 from $7.99 until July 8)
- Axiom Verge ($14.99 from $19.99 until July 9)
- Dead Synchronicity: Tomorrow Comes Today ($11.24 from $14.99 until July 9)
- Ginger: Beyond the Crystal ($14.99 from $19.99 until July 9)
- Heart&Slash ($11.24 from $14.99 until July 9)
- It’s Spring Again ($1.59 from $1.99 until July 9)
- Nightmare Boy ($7.99 from $9.99 until July 9)
- Rogue Aces ($8.58 from $12.99 until July 9)
- Save the Ninja Clan ($3.99 from $4.99 until July 9)
- Tumblestone ($4.49 from $14.99 until July 9)
- UNBOX: Newbie’s Adventure ($10.19 from $29.99 until July 9)
- Where Are My Friends? ($4.79 from $5.99 until July 9)
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!
