News

SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘A Hat in Time’ Coming in October, ‘Grandia HD Collection’ and Today’s Other New Releases, the Latest Sales Including ‘GRIS’, and More

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 16th, 2019. In today’s article, we’ve got summaries of today’s new releases, some interesting news, and a big list of sales. Some neat releases today, including Grandia HD Collection, Gravity Duck, and The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. I hope to review some of them, but that’s not happening today thanks to that mega-big bunch of new sales. Let’s see what we’ve got!

News

‘Fire Emblem: Three Houses’ Had a Smashing Launch in the USA

I’ve said this a million times, but as a Fire Emblem fan from the real prehistoric era of the series, it’s been a real trip watching its roller coaster ride to success overseas. Going from being on the verge of total cancellation to being one of Nintendo’s premiere brands in just a few short years is something nobody expected, but it’s great to see. Fire Emblem: Three Houses had a middling launch in Japan, but it’s cracking heads sales-wise in the West. The latest news comes from the NPD, who track retail sales in the USA. In July, Fire Emblem: Three Houses was the 2nd-best selling game across all platforms, edged out only by multiplatform release Madden NFL 20. Better still, it was the best North American launch for any game in the Fire Emblem series, tripling the previous record holder. After just one month, it has already racked up the second highest total sales for a Fire Emblem game in the region, topped only by Fire Emblem: Awakening. Frankly an incredible success for a well-deserving game.

‘A Hat in Time’ Launches on Switch on October 18th

It’s been known for quite a while that A Hat in Time would be coming to Switch, but we never had anything close to a specific release date until now. The game will arrive both physically and digitally on October 18th. Those who buy the physical version will also receive the Seal the Deal DLC at no extra cost. If you’ve never heard of this one before, it’s an homage to the sorts of classic 3D platformers that the Nintendo 64 played host to. A lot of people feel that this game actually does a better job of that than Yooka-Laylee. It will be nice to see this game on a Nintendo platform just on the basis of its inspiration. Let’s hope the port is a good one.

‘DOOM’ and ‘DOOM 2’ Have Been Updated to Remove Mandatory Login

The process of fixing a problem that didn’t need to happen has taken a big first step. Both DOOM and DOOM 2 have updates available that will allow players to skip the Bethesda Account login screen. These updates will also remove the disconnection message while you’re playing, something that was a particular problem if you woke your Switch up and tried to continue while away from an internet connection. Bethesda is apparently working on further updates that will reduce the visibility of the optional login, but it sounds like that’s going to be a bigger job. No word on music fixes or patches for any of the other little problems people have run into. I wouldn’t hold my breath, though.

New Releases

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter ($19.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

The critically-acclaimed mystery adventure is now available on Switch. Play as a detective named Paul Prospero who is investigating the disappearance of a boy named Ethan Carter. There’s more going on than meets the eye, and you’ll have to explore carefully to sort it all out. Not a terribly taxing game in terms of puzzle-solving, but as atmospheric experiences go, it’s a really strong game. The story is really something, too. You’ll want to see it through to its end, and make sure you find everything along the way so that you can find out how the story really finishes. Very cool to have this game on a handheld.

Gravity Duck ($4.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

Hey, it’s Gravity Duck! I enjoyed this game fairly well when it came out on mobile. As you might be able to guess from the visuals, this comes from Woblyware of Devious Dungeon and Daggerhood fame. Like most of their other games, it’s been completely nuked from the App Store, not even appearing in purchase histories anymore. So if you want to play it again, here’s a way to do it. If you’ve never played it before, the idea is that you are playing as a duck that can change the direction of gravity. Up, down, left, right, it’s all the same to this duck. Kind of, anyway. You have to hit gravity wells to change directions, so you can’t just break all the rules willy-nilly. Anyway, you get 140 levels of egg-collecting action, and I promise you’ll feel like you got your money’s worth by the time you reach the end.

Grandia HD Collection ($39.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

Grandia HD Collection packs in two HD remasters of classic JRPGs. Grandia 2 was originally released on the Dreamcast. This version of the game, Grandia 2 HD, looks pretty darned good in high resolution. You play as Ryudo, a mercenary who has been hired to escort a songstress from the Church of Granas on her journey. Things go completely ca-ca on the way, and you won’t believe who the real bad guys turn out to be. Yeah, the story is a bit predictable, but it’s a fun game. The first Grandia sees a young boy named Justin heading out on an adventure, as heroes in the era were wont to. Things also go ca-ca on the way. It’s how things are in most RPGs. It was first released on the SEGA Saturn, but in the West it’s best known through its somewhat middling PlayStation port. Grandia HD appears to be based on that version with some tweaks to try to bring it in line with the Saturn version. Well, I’ll be a doing a full review of this set, but what I’ll say at the moment is that if you’re in this for the second game, you’ll probably be happy. The first game, though? Hm.

Escape from the Universe ($9.99)

And here’s our ascended free-to-play mobile game for the day. Escape from the Universe is a shoot-em-up with a few twists. Like, there are various mission goals. Sometimes you have to chase an enemy, pouring on the speed and putting yourself at a lot of risk. Sometimes you’re on foot and need to stick to a path. Sometimes you have to kill a certain number of enemies. But no matter what you’re doing, you’re going to find yourself grinding currency like wild. In some games, like Sky Force, that works out well enough. Here? I’m not sure the game itself is enjoyable enough for people to put up with that silliness. It’s not terrible, but given how many great shoot-em-ups there are on the Switch, I feel like most people can do better than “not terrible".

Please Teach Me Onedari Shogi ($7.99)

Uh. Ha ha, well… this is a shogi game. If you don’t know what shogi is, it’s more or less the Japanese cousin of chess. It shares a lot of the same feel and many of the rules, but it’s different enough that you really do have to learn how to play it even if you’re a fan of chess. And what better way to learn it than with an untranslated Japanese single-player shogi video game where your opponents are all girls who themselves are learning how to play? Well, there are probably a lot of better ways to learn. So yes, your opponents are novices and they will basically plead with you to let them have do-overs or to give them a hint, and if you play along, they will become friendlier with you. From there, you may get a special treat. Perhaps one of them will show you her fetching ankles, or whatever it is the kids are into these days. Anyway, the fact that the game isn’t translated means the language barrier is going to be near-insurmountable here if you don’t understand Japanese. What an odd release.

Sales

Lots of good stuff on sale today, including many of Team 17’s titles, the award-winning GRIS, a bunch of FDG Entertainment games, and more. You should definitely check out GRIS and Blossom Tales, but do check through the list and see if there’s anything else that catches your eye. Nothing too serious in the outbox this weekend, so feel free to spend on the new stuff.

New Games on Sale

Gris ($10.19 from $16.99 until 8/22)
Aperion Cyberstorm ($5.99 from $14.99 until 8/23)
Project Nimbus: Complete ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/29)
Overcooked Special ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/21)
Overcooked! 2 ($17.49 from $24.99 until 8/21)
Lichtspeer: Double Speer ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/25)
Sine Mora EX ($14.99 from $29.99 until 8/29)
Butcher ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/25)
Inversus Deluxe ($4.49 from $14.99 until 8/29)
Axiom Verge ($17.99 from $19.99 until 8/22)
The Jackbox Party Pack 4 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 9/2)
RiME ($9.89 from $29.99 until 8/29)
Plague Road ($1.00 from $15.00 until 9/4)
Yooka-Laylee ($19.99 from $39.99 until 8/21)
Mecho Tales ($0.49 from $0.99 until 9/4)
Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure ($9.59 from $14.99 until 8/25)
The Escapists: Complete ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/21)
The Escapists 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/21)


Raging Justice ($5.09 from $14.99 until 8/21)
Legendary Eleven ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/2)
Baobabs Mausoleum Ep.1 ($2.99 from $5.99 until 8/22)
Baobabs Mausoleum Ep.2 ($3.49 from $6.99 until 8/22)
Yoku’s Island Express ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/21)
Drawful 2 ($5.99 from $9.99 until 9/2)
Mugsters ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/21)
Phantaruk ($0.49 from $4.99 until 9/4)
Planet Alpha ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/21)
Lifeless Planet: Premiere ($5.99 from $19.99 until 8/29)
The Gardens Between ($7.99 from $19.99 until 8/27)
A Case of Distrust ($4.49 from $14.99 until 8/29)
The Room ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/21)
Eternum Ex ($6.49 from $12.99 until 8/22)
Pinstripe ($5.99 from $14.99 until 8/29)
Timber Tennis: Versus ($1.39 from $1.99 until 8/25)
Nidhogg 2 ($6.74 from $14.99 until 8/29)


Beholder: Complete ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/29)
Beholder 2 ($11.99 from $14.99 until 8/29)
Sheltered ($10.04 from $14.99 until 8/21)
Mecho Wars: Desert Ashes ($1.00 from $9.99 until 9/4)
War Theatre ($1.00 from $9.99 until 9/4)
Monkey Wall ($3.99 from $4.99 until 8/29)
Bleep Bloop ($1.99 from $3.99 until 8/22)
Freecell Solitaire ($4.04 from $4.49 until 8/22)
Rotating Brave ($3.99 from $4.99 until 8/29)
Elevator…to the Moon! ($1.00 from $14.99 until 9/4)
Super Star Path ($3.99 from $4.99 until 9/4)
Bot Vice ($7.99 from $9.99 until 9/4)
Silence ($19.99 from $39.99 until 9/4)
Rolling Sky ($7.69 from $10.99 until 9/4)
My Time at Portia ($20.99 from $29.99 until 8/21)
Joe Jump Impossible Quest ($1.49 from $2.99 until 8/22)
HexaGravity ($0.99 from $1.99 until 8/22)


Lost Artifacts: Soulstone ($5.99 from $9.99 until 8/25)
Monster Puzzle ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/22)
Thief Simulator ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/4)
GoFishing 3D ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/29)
The Savior’s Gang ($3.99 from $4.99 until 8/22)
The Childs Sight ($3.34 from $4.99 until 9/4)
Furwind ($7.49 from $9.99 until 8/29)
Q-YO Blaster ($6.69 from $9.99 until 9/4)
Lines Infinite ($1.49 from $1.99 until 8/22)
Fin and the Ancient Mystery ($3.49 from $4.99 until 9/3)
Oceanhorn ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/5)
Blossom Tales ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/5)
Urban Trial Playground ($2.99 from $14.99 until 8/30)
Venture Kid ($5.00 from $10.00 until 9/5)
Dream Alone ($0.99 from $9.99 until 9/1)
Exorder ($1.29 from $12.99 until 9/1)
Bubble Cats Rescue ($2.99 from $3.99 until 9/5)

Sales Ending This Weekend

Soulblight ($10.49 from $14.99 until 8/17)
12 is Better Than 6 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/18)
Awesome Pea ($4.19 from $5.99 until 8/18)
Battle Group 2 ($0.99 from $9.99 until 8/18)
Cinders ($14.99 from $19.99 until 8/18)
Darkwood ($12.74 from $14.99 until 8/18)
Energy Cycle Edge ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/18)
Grab the Bottle ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/18)
It’s Spring Again ($0.99 from $1.99 until 8/18)
Morphies Law ($7.99 from $19.99 until 8/18)
My Memory of Us ($11.24 from $14.99 until 8/18)
One Eyed Kutkh ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/18)


Peace, Death! Complete ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/18)
Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs ($14.99 from $24.99 until 8/18)
Riot – Civil Unrest ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/18)
SkyTime ($1.64 from $2.99 until 8/18)
State of Anarchy: Master of Mayhem ($3.19 from $7.99 until 8/18)
Stellar Interface ($9.09 from $14.99 until 8/18)
The Count Lucanor ($3.74 from $14.99 until 8/18)
Unbox: Newbie’s Adventure ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/18)
Where Are My Friends? ($1.01 from $5.99 until 8/18)

That’s it for today and this week, friends. Next week has a whole bunch of cool stuff coming, including Oninaki from Square Enix, a couple of SEGA AGES titles, and a handful of neat indie games. And those are just the games we know about. I hope you all have an excellent weekend full of gaming goodness, and I’ll see you all back here on Monday. As always, thanks for reading!