News

SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Hell is Other Demons’ Review, ‘Tetris 99’ DLC, ‘Saints Row: The Third’ and Today’s Other New Releases, Tons of Sales, and More

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for May 10th, 2019. If you came here looking for some new games on sale, you will not be leaving disappointed. If you came here looking for some good new releases to pick up, we’ve got your back. If you’re here for some reviews and thoughts on games that don’t necessarily get coverage elsewhere, let us call you our friend. And if you’re here for up-to-the-minute news, well, nobody’s perfect. Let’s dive in and see what we’ve got!

News

‘Tetris 99’ Gets DLC That Adds Offline Play Modes

Tetris 99 came out of nowhere with a fun take on a well-worn classic. Massive online Tetris battles were a great value add for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, and the semi-regular tournament events have been pretty fun. But what about when you’re not online? What if you just want a little standard Tetris? In a bit of surprise good news, Tetris 99 now offers a download pack that will cure that particular ailment. The Big Block DLC is now available for $9.99, and it includes two new modes immediately with more coming down the road. The first new mode allows you to battle 98 CPU opponents in a CPU Battle. The second new mode, Marathon, is the familiar game where you have to try to get as many lines and points as possible. These modes are playable even if you have no internet connection, and you do not need a Nintendo Switch Online membership to buy this DLC and play the new modes.

Celebrate the 35th Anniversary of ‘Tetris’ With the Latest Tournament

But wait, there’s more! As it turns out, Tetris turns 35 this year. Probably, anyway. To celebrate that milestone, the next Maximus Cup event in Tetris 99 is bringing back what was probably many Westerners’ first experience with the game: the Game Boy version. Well, not exactly the Game Boy version, but rather an in-game theme inspired by the Game Boy version. It looks cool, at least. To earn it, you need to accumulate 100 event points in the next Maximus Cup, which runs from Friday, May 17th at 12:00 AM PT to Sunday, May 19th at 11:59 PM PT. As long as you’re willing to play enough games and can rank somewhat consistently in the top 80, you should be able to unlock the theme in time.

Reviews

Hell is Other Demons ($9.99)

Well, it’s not something I always do, but I ended up waiting to write my review of Hell is Other Demons until its first update arrived. I was told an update was on the way rather soon and since it addressed the main things I was going to complain about, I felt it would have been a bit silly to post a review that would be outdated so quickly. That update has arrived, and now it is time to talk about Hell is Other Demons. The updated version, that is.

Hell is Other Demons is an arena-style 2D action game where you play as a demon with a gun. Seems excessive, but I’m not going to get in anyone’s way here. Your demon has to battles waves of other demons, while also avoiding any hazards and traps that the stage itself might contain. You have a few moves at your disposal at the start of the game. You can shoot, which is pretty good. You can dash, which allows you to get around the screen and dodge dangerous things. You can double-jump, because all the cool demons are doing that now. You can stomp on enemies, which is always satisfying and often very useful. After you kill enough demons, you can collect an icon that will allow you to use a powerful ultimate attack, as well. And that’s the lot! You can only take a few hits, so be careful. Death doesn’t set you back very far, but you will have to start the stage from the beginning.

Although your little demon is capable enough at the start, things get a lot more difficult very quickly. Fortunately, you can exchange the gems dropped by demons you kill at shops to get new abilities and upgrade existing ones. Each shop carries its own specific inventory, so you’ll have to push your way through a number of stages to get at the more powerful abilities. But there’s more to the game than just cleaning out the shops and wielding your demonic powers to crush your foes. You can only activate a certain number of abilities at a time, and more powerful ones naturally require more slots. Those slots, too, can be expanded at the shops, but you’ll hit a ceiling sooner or later and from there have to start making hard choices.

The game stylistically seems to take after Downwell. It’s not quite monochrome, but the pixels are grainy and the colors are limited. In some senses, the gameplay also feels good in the way that Downwell does. When you’re stomping around on enemies, avoiding traps on the ground, and shooting at some fools on the other side of the arena, you can really feel a sense of mastery over the game. And then the heat turns up. Thanks to a reasonably good variety in the types of enemies you’ll face and their abilities, the game manages to keep fresh what could have been quite repetitive. Having different arenas for each level certainly helps, as even similar groups of enemies can require very different strategies if the floor is unstable or dangerous.

If you get tired of the stage-based campaign mode, the arcade mode lets you have a different but almost equally-enjoyable experience. Here, you’ll choose a demon and head into battles across a number of arenas. Every once in a while, you’ll get to pick a permanent power-up to carry with you until you die. Enemies will also occasionally drop new weapons, letting you swap out your current gun for something different. Collecting gems will unlock new color schemes and demons in this mode, so you’ve still got plenty of reasons to scoop them up.

While the launch version of the game suffered from some technical issues that kept the game from being its best, the updated version solves all of those issues. What we’re left with is a stylish, fun, fast game that’s well-worth picking up for anyone who enjoys arena-based action games like Super Crate Box. I found it really hard to stop playing Hell is Other Demons once I got stuck into it, and I’d imagine many of you will feel the same should you give it the chance.

SwitchArcade Score: 4/5

New Releases

My Big Sister ($5.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

This looks a lot like a retro-style RPG, but it’s actually more an adventure game than anything. My Big Sister follows Luzia, a twelve-year-old girl with a snarky sense of humor, and her sister Sombria. They get kidnapped and Luzia takes it on herself to try to safely get both her and her sister back home. It’s got a slight horror vibe to it, but it’s not really scary so much as it is psychological. The game only takes a handful of hours to play through, but multiple endings give you a good reason to come back to it. And hey, it’s the same price on Switch as it is on other platforms. That’s nice. Cool game, neat story, worth six bucks.

Blazing Beaks ($14.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

So here’s another one of those twin-stick roguelite deals, along the lines of Nuclear Throne or Enter the Gungeon. You play as gun-toting birds who are killing monsters for whatever reason the developer dreamed up. Doesn’t matter very much. What does matter is the action, and it’s nice and spicy here. One of the chief gimmicks is that enemies drop items that hit you with some sort of penalty, but if you can make it to a shopkeeper without dying, you’re able to sell those negative items and score some useful stuff. You can play with a friend in co-op mode or face off in a competitive battle mode if you like. It’s very fun and if you happen to own one of Qubic’s other games, you’ll get a nice discount on this one. And if you don’t? Go buy Odium to the Core for half a buck or whatever to save several dollars on this.

Lovecraft’s Untold Stories ($14.99)

Well, this is another twin-stick shooter with roguelite leanings. Imagine two of those in one day! This has a very different pace from the usual sort, though. A slower pace. More story and mystery. Now, there’s still plenty of the old bang-bang, don’t worry. But if you’re looking for something that is focused on fast-paced fun, this isn’t it. That said, it nails its atmosphere and we see so blasted many games of this style that having one that tries to do things a little differently is a bit refreshing. Fans of Lovecraft or the horror themes his work conveys might find this an enjoyable little trip. Others would likely be better off sticking with Blazing Beaks for their fix today.

Saints Row: The Third ($39.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

I sometimes wonder how much money Rockstar has left on the table by not putting any of the Grand Theft Auto games on the Switch. Oh well. We may not have that series on our lovable little hybrid console, but we do have its wackier cousin. Saints Row is so over the top that it’s absurdly stupid, but you know what? That’s its brand, and it owns it. And while the series is never going to have a story that will be called Oscar-worthy, the games themselves are ridiculously good fun. Saints Row: The Third is one of the most popular in the series, and this version includes just about everything that has ever been added to the game over the years. Well, there are a couple of DLC packs that got cut for balance purposes, but you’ve still got dozens of hours of good times here.

Dragon Pinball ($2.99)

Whee, another generic pinball game from EnjoyUp Games. This one is, as you can see, dragon-themed. The developer has done the usual job of recreating an actual machine within the game, which is always neat when it’s done for a pinball game that doesn’t really exist. There’s not really much to talk about here, though. It’s a fairly standard table with a couple of cute gimmicks. If you love dragons and pinball, I guess this might be worth a couple bucks? I don’t know. I like both of those things and I think I’ll just stick to Pinball FX. But you do you, friends.

Reverse Crawl ($12.99)

The idea behind this one is neat. Rather than control the heroes plundering the dungeon, you take control of the forces of darkness. Sadly, rather than flip the genre on its head, you’re really just playing monsters who are doing the same kinds of things heroes tend to do. So yeah, squandered premise, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the game itself can’t be fun. In this case, however, what little enjoyment the game has to offer doesn’t stick around very long. It’s not terrible but it definitely chucks its rock in the shallower end of the pool, if you catch my drift. And like a lot of Digerati-published Switch games, the price is twice on Switch what it is on the PC version. It’ll surely be on deep discount before too long, so there’s no real reason to pick it up now even on the off-chance you think it looks interesting.

Sales

Yee-ikes. Look at that list. Just… just look at it. There are so many quality games on sale right now that I can’t possibly tell you all of the ones you should consider. So I’ll point out a few notables. Minecraft is on sale for, I think, the first time ever. If you don’t have it and want it, you may never have a better chance to get it. Iron Crypticle is tons of fun and is also on sale for the first time, I believe. Steredenn is as cheap as chips, and top-notch 2D action games like Guacamelee and Owlboy are also at very reasonable prices. Honestly, if you can look at that list and walk away with less than $50 spent, you have my respect.

New Games on Sale

Minecraft ($19.99 from $29.99 until 5/23)
Guns, Gore and Cannoli ($6.69 from $9.99 until 5/24)
Guns, Gore and Cannoli 2 ($8.70 from $12.99 until 5/24)
Aqua TV ($5.99 from $9.99 until 5/24)
Thief Simulator ($16.19 from $17.99 until 5/16)
Heroine Anthem Zero Episode 1 ($11.69 from $12.99 until 5/23)
Star Sky ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/23)
Fast RMX ($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
Severed ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Guacamelee! Super Turbo ($8.99 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Guacamelee! 2 ($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
NeuroVoider ($6.99 from $13.99 until 5/23)
Lichtspeer: Double Speer Edition ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/16)
Beach Buggy Racing ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
SteamWorld Dig ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)


SteamWorld Dig 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate Edition ($5.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
Pankapu ($5.99 from $11.99 until 5/23)
Butcher ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/16)
Earth Atlantis ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Yono and the Celestial Elephants ($5.99 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Party Golf ($3.75 from $15.00 until 5/23)
Splasher ($5.99 from $14.99 until 5/23)
RiME ($14.99 from $29.99 until 5/23)
Worms W.M.D. ($14.99 from $29.99 until 5/20)
Riptide GP: Renegade ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Mutant Mudds Collection ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Xeodrifter ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Totes the Goat ($0.99 from $4.99 until 5/23)
Yooka-Laylee ($19.99 from $39.99 until 5/20)


Woodle Tree Adventures ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/23)
The Next Penelope ($2.99 from $12.99 until 5/23)
Pic-a-Pix Deluxe ($4.79 from $7.99 until 5/23)
Draw a Stickman: Epic 2 ($0.99 from $6.99 until 5/23)
Darkest Dungeon ($17.49 from $24.99 until 5/23)
Shu ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Tachyon Project ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/27)
Black Hole ($3.95 from $5.99 until 5/24)
Aegis Defenders ($10.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
Owlboy ($14.99 from $24.99 until 5/23)
Monster Energy Supercross ($17.99 from $59.99 until 5/23)
Old Man’s Journey ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/29)
Bridge Constructor Portal ($8.99 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Detention ($7.79 from $12.99 until 5/23)
A Normal Lost Phone ($3.59 from $5.99 until 5/23)
Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story ($3.59 from $5.99 until 5/23)
Lost Phones Stories ($5.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)


Steredenn: Binary Stars ($4.99 from $12.99 until 5/23)
ClusterPuck 99 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Word Search by POWGI ($4.79 from $7.99 until 5/23)
Urban Trial Playground ($5.99 from $14.99 until 5/24)
Super Rocket Shootout ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Infernium ($4.99 from $24.95 until 5/29)
Bombslinger ($5.99 from $11.99 until 5/23)
Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs ($16.25 from $24.99 until 5/16)
Zotrix: Solar Division ($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Burly Men at Sea ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Skee-Ball ($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
Agatha Knife ($8.39 from $11.99 until 5/23)
Jotun: Valhalla Edition ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Death Road to Canada ($8.99 from $14.99 until 5/24)
Suicide Guy ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/23)
Suicide Guy: Sleepin’ Deeply ($2.99 from $5.99 until 5/23)


Hyper Sentinel ($0.90 from $12.99 until 5/16)
Wizard of Legend ($10.39 from $15.99 until 5/23)
White Night ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/23)
6180 the Moon ($2.79 from $3.99 until 5/23)
Knights of Pen and Paper +1 ($9.99 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Knights of Pen and Paper 2 ($10.99 from $12.99 until 5/23)
Knights of Pen and Paper Bundle ($19.99 from $22.49 until 5/23)
Shape of the World ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Soccer Slammers ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
SpiritSphere DX ($4.00 from $10.00 until 5/23)
Muddledash ($4.19 from $5.99 until 5/23)
Fill-a-Pix: Phil’s Epic Adventure ($4.79 from $7.99 until 5/23)
Super Volley Blast ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
The Inner World – The Last Wind Monk ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Chicken Assassin: Reloaded ($5.59 from $7.99 until 5/23)


Cycle 28 ($1.74 from $6.99 until 5/16)
Shio ($7.79 from $12.99 until 5/23)
Western 1849 Reloaded ($3.19 from $7.99 until 5/23)
The Messenger ($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
STAY ($8.39 from $11.99 until 5/23)
Old School Musical ($7.99 from $12.99 until 5/23)
Surgeon Simulator CPR ($7.79 from $12.99 until 5/24)
Bastion ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Hover ($12.49 from $24.99 until 5/23)
Wandersong ($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
Whispering Willows ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story ($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Party Crashers ($7.50 from $15.00 until 5/23)
Splash Blast Panic ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Art of Balance ($5.99 from $8.99 until 5/23)


Tricky Towers ($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/24)
Spencer ($3.49 from $6.99 until 5/18)
1001 Ultimate Mahjong 2 ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
Word Puzzles by POWGI ($5.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Black and White Bushido ($9.10 from $13.00 until 5/23)
The Shapeshifting Detective ($7.79 from $12.99 until 5/23)
Deru – The Art of Cooperation ($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Swamp Defense 2 ($1.49 from $2.99 until 5/18)
M.A.C.E. Space Shooter ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/18)
Steamburg ($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/23)
Word Sudoku by POWGI ($4.79 from $7.99 until 5/23)
Julie’s Sweets ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Desert Child ($9.59 from $11.99 until 5/23)
MIND: Path to Thalamus ($5.99 from $11.99 until 5/29)
Nippon Marathon ($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
RAZED ($5.99 from $11.99 until 5/23)


Sundered: Eldritch Edition ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
Pic-a-Pix Pieces ($4.79 from $7.99 until 5/23)
Bubble Shooter DX ($1.49 from $2.99 until 5/18)
Caveblazers ($11.99 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Marble Power Blast ($1.49 from $2.99 until 5/18)
Bury Me, My Love ($3.49 from $4.99 until 5/23)
Stellar Interface ($10.39 from $12.99 until 5/16)
Dying: Reborn ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Balance Blox ($1.49 from $2.99 until 5/18)
Perry Pig Jump ($1.49 from $2.99 until 5/18)
Zombie Night Terror ($10.99 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Oniken: Unstoppable Edition ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Odallus: The Dark Call ($5.99 from $11.99 until 5/23)
Glass Masquerade ($5.99 from $11.99 until 5/23)
Iron Crypticle ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/24)


Tokyo School Life ($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Strikey Sisters ($7.99 from $9.99 until 5/29)
Hell Warders ($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Ghoulboy ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/16)
Golf Peaks ($3.49 from $4.99 until 5/24)
Snow Battle Princes Sayuki ($7.50 from $15.00 until 5/23)
Project Nimbus: Complete ($17.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
Battle Princess Madelyn ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/23)
Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/23)
Breakforcist Battle ($5.99 from $9.99 until 5/24)
New Star Manager ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/24)
Beat Cop ($11.24 from $14.99 until 5/23)
Space Lift Danger Panic! ($3.49 from $4.99 until 5/18)
The Legend of Evil ($7.15 from $7.99 until 5/18)
Nuclien ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/18)
Hiragana Pixel Party ($6.29 from $8.99 until 5/18)
Ultra Hyperball ($5.99 from $9.99 until 5/18)

Sales Ending This Weekend

Avenger Bird ($0.69 from $2.30 until 5/12)
Build a Bridge! ($8.99 from $14.99 until 5/12)
Candle: The Power of the Flame ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Cinders ($16.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Crimson Keep ($5.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Guess the Word ($0.56 from $1.89 until 5/12)
HoPiKo ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)
I Wanna Fly ($0.72 from $2.42 from 5/12)
Little Shopping ($0.44 from $1.49 from 5/12)
My Memory of Us ($12.74 from $14.99 until 5/12)
Never Stop ($3.74 from $4.99 until 5/12)
Pillar ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/12)
Puzzle Box Maker ($11.99 from $14.99 until 5/12)
SEGA AGES Phantasy Star ($5.99 from $7.99 until 5/12)

And that’s it for today and this week. What will next week bring? Oh, lots of goodies, friends. Rock of Ages 2, the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, Pocket League Story, Sniper Elite V2 Remastered, and many more. We’ll have summaries of all of them, reviews of a few of them, and news and sales for completely different games. It should be a fun time. As for me, I’ll be brushing up my Tetris skills to make sure I can get that Game Boy theme next weekend. What are you playing this weekend? Let me know in the comments. As always, thanks for reading!