Welcome to your SwitchArcade Roundup for Friday, August 10th, 2018! It’s the end of another exciting week of gaming news, releases, sales, and other good stuff. Let the good stuff and the good times keep rolling with some special news out of QuakeCon, which has officially made the Nintendo Switch DOOM-ed once more. Speaking of which, let’s get rolling to our Game of the Day.
Game of the Day
DOOM ($59.99)
Let me preface this right away, as I know other platforms already have DOOM available on them for much cheaper than the Switch’s price–especially now that they’re on sale digitally on their respective storefronts. I really love DOOM on the Switch not just because it is a tremendous technical achievement by the fine folks at Panic Button, who performed porting duties, but also because I can friggin’ rip and tear anywhere I want. I mean, it was in the marketing campaign for the Switch version for cryin’ out loud!
While handheld performance has noticeable blurring and Vaseline-like smearing to it (Note: Every screenshot shown here is from my play-through in portable mode, as you can probably guess), the overall experience of being able to play a game like DOOM‘s 2016 revival and play it on a portable device in 2017 (when the Switch version originally released) and now in 2018 is unbelievable to me. Unbelievable, yet I’ve played the actual port; I’ve witnessed the quality; yet I still don’t believe it. As someone who was a toddler around the time the very first Game Boy released, having memories of being wowed in amazement by that, and then further having my mind blown by having Super Nintendo-quality games on the go with the Game Boy Advance, being able to play a faithful console port with little-to-no compromises on a handheld is freaking incredible.
The added joy of being able to play with gyro aiming, so shifting the controller around to aim with pinpoint precision makes DOOM on the Switch even better. It helps that the game is just a masterclass of excellent design. Effortlessly transferring between shootouts with demonic forces from afar, and then taking it up close and personal for a risk/reward Glory Kill never fails to be exciting. Doing it with gyro controls, though? We’ve reached a whole new level of awesomeness.
I’m also surprised by how active the online community is for the multiplayer still. It’s a blast to take out my Switch, play a deathmatch or two during a break, and then get back to working on my writing. Or, it’s good to get in a match before bed or whenever ten minutes of free time pops up. DOOM on Switch may not be as visually and graphically impressive as the other platforms’ versions, but for someone like me who loves portability and admires gyro control, it’s my preferred way of playing DOOM. So much so that was I more than happy to get the game at full price, thinking it was worth every penny. It’s most certainly worth it.
News
DOOM Eternal officially set to rip and tear on the Nintendo Switch
Late last year, DOOM released on the Nintendo Switch in sensational fashion with a terrific port that ran rather well on the system in either docked or handheld form. Though publisher Bethesda said its Switch ports had done well (no specific amount of units were given), owners of Nintendo’s console were left in the dark as to whether or not the direct followup announced at this past E3, DOOM Eternal, would be making its way to the Switch.
After nearly two months of waiting for QuakeCon to find out, today Bethesda revealed that DOOM Eternal is indeed coming to all current generation platforms, Switch included. The makers of the original DOOM port for Switch (among with many other great ports on the system), Panic Button, will be handling the Switch version of the game–this time planned to release day and date with the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC versions. Check out some gameplay from a non-Switch version of DOOM Eternal below.
Cross-platform parties coming to Rocket League next month
Speaking of ports from Panic Button, we now have Rocket League for the Switch under our scope here on the SwitchArcade Roundup. Earlier, Psyonix posted through its channels that the ability to join online parties between compatible consoles (i.e. not the PlayStation 4) with what it’s calling “RocketID" will not be launching during the planned August update.
Instead, it will launch a month later as the team finishes the final adjustments to the feature. That said, this is a case where one can’t really be too terribly disappointed, as the mere one-month wait will most definitely be worth it. Meanwhile, the August update for Rocket League will change the way players gain levels in order to make them more rewarding and accessible simultaneously to obtain. Are you looking forward to the August update and RocketID?
Nintendo Switch Online releasing in the second half of September, per Nintendo of America tweet
We had a time frame for the Switch’s paid online subscription of September from Nintendo itself. Now, we have a… less nebulous but still unspecific time period for the service’s launch, the second half of September. The subscription allows online play for all of Nintendo’s games and others, save data backup to the Cloud, and an expanding roster of NES titles with online capabilities of some extent–whether actual online play for all games or leaderboards for just some of the game is up in the air.
The notable (see: alarming) aspect of this tweet is that for save data backup to Nintendo’s cloud the term “compatible games" rears its head into the picture to muddy up the waters a bit. If this is true, that means only specific games with save data will have the ability to be saved to the Cloud–not all of them. Whether there will be a roll-out of games that become compatible or not is up in the air as well. Man, two things that are up in the air, and we’re almost a month away from the service’s launch. You’d almost think that Nintendo was trying to hide as much info on this subscription service as it can until launch for some “strange" reason!
…Wait a minute…
#NintendoSwitchOnline will launch in the second half of September. The service provides access to online play & Save Data Cloud backup in compatible games and a growing library of NES titles with added online play.https://t.co/74Hzxk9spt pic.twitter.com/JtNgmjnilE
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 10, 2018
Mega Man 11 demo possibly coming to the Switch?
If the listing on the Xbox One store (found and originally reported by TrueAchievements.com) is any indication, a Mega Man 11 demo is planned for September 4th, less than a month before the full game launches on October 2nd. The listing indicates that players of the demo will be able to test out Block Man’s full stage and the new Double Gear system as well. It only makes sense for the demo of Mega Man 11 to also reach the Nintendo Switch, but I don’t want to assume. After all, you know what they say about assuming~~!
Nintendo Switch version of Steep stumbles down the mountain and has stopped development
In the most shocking news to ever be recorded in the annals of gaming history, the official account for Ubisoft’s Steep has made it known that the Switch version of the game is no longer in development. In all seriousness, while not too much of a surprise due to the game’s live online features and the Switch’s less than stellar online capabilities, Steep was one of the first games revealed for the Switch. It’s the end of an era, everyone. “It’s dead, Jim." Unless development is revived, and then, “It was just sleeping deeply for a long time, Jim."
Hey @RJISAGAMER! We are wholly dedicated to supporting the live game, and made the decision to stop Steep development on the Nintendo Switch platform to focus on bringing new live content and challenges to Steep players instead. We’ll have more exciting news to share soon.
— Steep (@Steep_Game) August 9, 2018
Freedom Planet speeds onto the Switch on August 30th
GalaxyTrail’s Freedom Planet might seem like a Sonic clone to many, and that’s for good reason–it started out as a fan game before coming into its own with new characters, a new story, and multiple gameplay changes. I loved Freedom Planet when I originally played it on the Wii U, and before Sonic Mania came out it was one of my favorite games that captured the speed, physics, and spirit of the 2D Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog games. Now, GalaxyTrail has surprised with a release date that has been bumped up from its initial Fall release period. Freedom Planet launches on the Nintendo eShop on August 30th for $14.99.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes announced for the Switch
The iOS surprise hit Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes will arrive on the Nintendo Switch, a console that has quickly become the platform to play at parties. Keep your vocal chords and bomb-diffusing skills ready, as Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes releases on the Switch next week. I was going to try my own hand at a game called “Keep Writing and Nobody Explodes", but I checked with the TouchArcade editors, and they did not want a 5,000,000 word SwitchArcade Roundup. Something about me not having it done until Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes actually releases next week. Oh, well. Your guys’ loss!
Other Headlines & New Announcements
ARMS’ next Party Crash announced for next weekend beginning on August 17th, ends on August 20th
The Walking Dead: The Final Season musters up a new trailer
New Releases
Tetra’s Escape ($3.99 from $4.99 until August 19th)
Tiny Hands Adventure ($12.74 from $16.99 until August 30th)
Nightmares from the Deep 2: The Siren’s Call ($13.49 from $14.99 until August 18th)
Dead Fun Pack: Penguins and Aliens Strike Again ($6.99)
Sales
New Games on Sale
Aegis Defenders ($13.39 from $19.99 until August 16)
Darkest Dungeon ($19.99 from $24.99 until August 16)
Darkest Dungeon: Ancestral Edition ($27.99 from $34.99 until August 16)
Darkest Dungeon: The Crimson Court ($7.99 from $9.99 until August 16)
Darkest Dungeon: The Shieldbreaker ($3.19 from $3.99 until August 16)
Green Game: TimeSwapper ($1.49 from $2.99 until August 16)
Paper Wars: Cannon Fodder Devastated ($4.99 from $9.99 until August 16)
Red Game Without a Great Name ($1.49 from $2.99 until August 16)
Semispheres ($3.99 from $9.99 until August 16)
Nightmares from the Deep 2: The Siren’s Call ($13.49 from $14.99 until August 18)
Tetra’s Escape ($3.99 from $4.99 until August 19)
Super Volley Ball ($8.99 from $9.99 until August 23)
A Hole New World ($6.99 from $9.99 until August 23)
Aqua Kitty UDX ($4.49 from $8.99 until August 23)
Beach Buggy Racing ($3.99 from $9.99 until August 23)
Black Hole ($2.99 from $5.99 until August 23)
Black The Fall ($8.99 from $14.99 until August 23)
Bomb Chicken ($8.99 from $14.99 until August 23)
Chameleon Run: Deluxe Edition ($2.99 from $5.99 until August 23)
Crypt of the Necromancer: Nintendo Switch Edition ($7.99 from $19.99 until August 23)
Death Squared ($8.99 from $14.99 until August 23)
Earthlock ($17.99 from $29.9 until August 23)
Farming Simulator – Nintendo Switch Edition ($29.99 from $49.99 until August 23)
Floor Kids ($11.94 from $19.9 until August 23)
Grave Danger ($17.99 from $19.99 until August 23)
Heroes of the Monkey Tavern ($4.99 from $9.99 until August 23)
Hiragana Pixel Party ($5.39 from $8.99 until August 23)
Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf ($8.99 from $14.99 until August 23)
Layers of Fear: Legacy ($11.99 from $19.99 until August 23)
Mahjong Deluxe 3 ($17.99 from $19.99 until August 23)
Masters of Anima ($11.99 from $19.99 until August 23)
Membrane ($4.99 from $9.99 until August 23)
Neo ATLAS 1469 ($24.99 from $49.99 until August 23)
Ninja Striker ($2.39 from $3.99 until August 23)
Nuclien ($2.39 from $3.99 until August 23)
Pankapu ($7.99 from $11.99 until August 23)
PixelJunk Monsters 2 ($8.99 from $14.99 until August 23)
PixelJunk Monsters 2 Deluxe Edition ($10.99 from $21.99 until August 23)
Raging Justice ($8.99 from $14.99 until August 23)
Riptide GP: Renegade ($3.99 from $9.99 until August 23)
Rocket League ($13.99 from $19.99 until August 23)
Snow Moto Racing Freedom ($19.99 from $39.99 until August 23)
Splasher ($9.99 from $14.99 until August 23)
SpiritSphere DX ($6 from $10 until August 23)
Super Beat Sports ($11.99 from $14.99 until August 23)
Super One More Jump ($4.2 from $7 until August 23)
The Jackbox Party Pack 4 ($14.99 from $24.99 until August 23)
Yodanji ($2.99 from $4.99 until August 23)
I and Me ($6.99 from $9.99 until August 26)
Infernium ($14.97 from $24.95 until August 26)
Midnight Deluxe ($3.74 from $4.99 until August 26)
Superola and the Lost Burgers ($3.59 from $5.99 until August 26)
Legendary Eleven ($7.99 from $9.99 until August 27)
Moorhuhn Remake ($5.59 from $6.99 until August 30)
Tiny Hands Adventure ($12.74 from $16.99 until August 30)
Sales Ending on Saturday, August 11th
Nine Parchments ($7.99 from $19.99 until August 11)
Sales Ending on Sunday, August 12th
Mecho Tales ($0.79 from $0.99 until August 12)
Plague Road ($1 from $15 until August 12)
Rock’N Racing Off Road DX ($5.99 from $7.99 until August 12)
Sales Ending on Monday August 13th
Dream Alone ($3.29 from $9.99 until August 13)
Rogue Aces ($6.49 from $12.99 until August 13)
Spartan ($1.99 from $3.99 until August 13)
Darts Up ($2.69 from $2.99 until August 13)
That wraps up this week of the SwitchArcade Roundup. What are you planning on playing this weekend? Does the news of DOOM Eternal coming to the Switch excite you as much as it does me? Let us know in the comments or tweet at us! Until Monday, keep your Joy-Cons charged and your Switches loaded with great games!
