Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for October 29th, 2019. There ended up being so many amazing new releases today that I ran out of time for almost anything else. Well, we’ve got the latest sales information as well, but other than that, please enjoy my brief thoughts on such hits as Disgaea 4 Complete+, Atelier Ryza, Aladdin and The Lion King, Vampyr, and many, many more. Let’s start digging!
New Releases
Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King ($29.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
One of the more notable missing games from the SEGA Genesis Mini was Disney’s Aladdin. It was one of the most popular games on the console, after all. Then this set was announced and it all made sense. It includes several versions of each game. For Aladdin, you get the original US Genesis version, the improved Final Cut of said Genesis version, a demo of the Genesis version that was originally shown at a trade show, the Japanese Mega Drive version, the black-and-white Game Boy version, and the slightly colorized Game Boy Color version. For The Lion King, you get the US Super NES version, the US Genesis version, the Japanese Super Famicom version, the black-and-white Game Boy version, and the slightly colorized Game Boy Color version. While developer Digital Eclipse has done their usual admirable job of cramming in an incredible amount of features and extra materials, this really does come down to two classic games for thirty bucks. Is it worth it? Only you can answer that for yourself, but I’ll have a review with my opinion up tomorrow.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout ($59.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
There are quite a few games in the Atelier series on Switch, and there are more on the way. If you’ve never played one before, you might be wondering what the most accessible jumping-on point is, and I think my new answer for that is going to be Atelier Ryza. A lot of things have been simplified in this game, making it a lot easier to figure out than the often surprisingly intricate systems in previous games. It’s also a fresh start storywise. If you like what you play here, you can investigate the other titles for a more complex take on crafting and such, but as an RPG experience, this is a really nice time. I’ll have a full review in the next few days if you want more details.
Disgaea 4 Complete+ ($49.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
If you liked Disgaea 5 and gobbled up Disgaea 1 Complete, you’ll probably be quite happy with Disgaea 4 Complete+. This one follows the story of a once-feared tyrant named Valvatorez who leads a rebellion against the president of the Underworld. It features the same cheeky humor and intense tactical RPG gameplay seen in other games in the series, though where exactly it ranks is a question that can spark wars in Disgaea fan circles. What most people will agree with is that the revised version this Complete+ port is built from is a far better game than the original Disgaea 4 that hit way back in 2011. I’ll have a full review of this one in the next day or two, but I think you’ll find that I mostly fall in with the consensus. Great for fans of the series, but newcomers should go directly for Disgaea 5.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD ($39.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Yay, Super Monkey Ball is back! It’s not really a new entry, though. This is an enhanced port of the Wii Super Monkey Ball game, which was very successful for its time. Strangely, every last bit of the motion controls have been stripped out of this remake, even in some of the mini-games where it would clearly make sense. SEGA has also made adjustments to some of the levels that were more tied up in motion control gimmicks, and added in Sonic the Hedgehog as an unlockable character. I’ll have a full review soon, but this is if nothing else a very strong remake regardless of how you feel about the source.
Vampyr ($49.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Another impressive Switch port from the folks at Saber Interactive, Vampyr puts you in the role of a newly-turned member of the undead. You have to find out who made you that way, but there are plenty of other mysteries and adventures along the way in this action-RPG. You can choose how far you want to lean into the whole “feeding on humans" thing. Do too little and you may end up too weak to win in battles. Do too much and you’ll invite all kinds of unexpected consequences. No one in this game is a nobody, and that really makes a big difference in how you approach the game’s morality.
Resident Evil 5 ($29.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Mmm, Resident Evil 5. It’s like Resident Evil 4, but not as good. Still, in following very carefully in the gameplay footsteps of its predecessor, Resident Evil 5 is at least pretty fun to play for the most part. This Switch version gives you all of the original content and DLC that was released for it, along with a new mode called Mercenaries United. This Switch version has some technical issues that really shouldn’t be happening, but it’s certainly playable enough. If you’re framerate sensitive, however, I encourage you to check out the game’s demo on the eShop before buying. Heck, do that anyway. Your progress carries over to the full version so there’s really no reason not to.
Resident Evil 6 ($29.99)
As a series, Resident Evil has taken on many forms to stay relevant. Some have been more successful than others, but at least as far as the numbered games are concerned, this is probably the low point in terms of quality. With multiple characters and a variety of playstyles, some parts of the game are definitely more tolerable than others, but I can’t imagine any reality where I’d want to play this game instead of just running through Resident Evil 4 one more time. If you feel differently, know that this version contains all of the DLC and even some costumes that you had to get through a special offer before. Also know that it doesn’t run as well as you would hope on the Switch, and indeed falls behind the original versions in a few ways. There’s a demo on the eShop that you really should try before you buy this, in any case.
Dusk Diver ($39.99)
Dusk Diver is a seriously stylish take on Dynasty Warriors-style large-scale combat. You battle in a fictionalized but still quite accurate version of Taipei against hordes of enemies using a fairly extensive set of moves. It’s pretty fun, but without the more strategic elements of Koei’s brand of action games, it falls to the action itself to carry the game. It also makes pretty heavy demands of the player, as you need to get high grades in battles to open the way forward. If you aren’t able to pull that off, you’ll find yourself replaying the same battles again and again. A decent game that makes a strong first impression, Dusk Diver is definitely going to be appealing to some folks. It didn’t hold my interest, though.
Earthfall: Alien Horde ($19.99)
This is a new version of a game that has already released and met a tragic fate on a number of other platforms. Most describe it as Left 4 Dead with aliens, and that’s a pretty good fit. Not as good as Left 4 Dead by any means, but at least in terms of its structure it’s quite familiar. Will it meet a similar end on Switch as it did elsewhere? I don’t know. But they’ve done what they could here, even going so far as to implement a local multiplayer mode for those who want to play in the same room as their Switch-owning friends rather than hop online. But you can hop online if you want to. I can safely say we won’t be seeing a Switch port of Left 4 Dead anytime soon so I suppose if you want something like it, you could give this a go.
Polyroll ($9.99)
Wait a minute. I think I remember this game. Yes, Polyroll came out on mobile almost seven years ago exactly. It’s a platformer that draws a lot of inspiration from Sonic the Hedgehog, though it’s just different enough in its physics that it doesn’t quite scratch the itch the same way. This Switch version seems to have had some extra care put into it, with the visuals looking a bit better and what I think are some new levels. This was pretty fun on mobile and button controls definitely make it easier to play, but with a higher price tag and the level of competition in this genre on Switch, I’m not sure Polyroll has what it takes to break out from the pack. If you’ve tapped out the obvious choices and are looking for a bit of platforming fun, you could do worse than this.
Harvest Moon: Mad Dash ($29.99)
The latest entry in the Harvest Moon series isn’t what you would usually expect from the brand. Instead of being a farming simulation/RPG, Mad Dash is a puzzle/time management game focused around filling orders by fishing, harvesting, milking, and more. Up to four players can join in on the fun in local play. I mean, it looks okay, but I can’t imagine paying thirty bucks for this when there are so many other compelling puzzle games on the Switch at much lower prices.
Mountain Rescue Simulator ($39.99)
Well, sure. Why not a game about rescuing stranded people from a snowy mountain? It’s a cool idea and it has an element of danger that gets away from a lot of the usual scenarios. You can use different vehicles in your rescues like helicopters, quads, and snow cats. There’s even a dog! This sounds neat, but the reality isn’t all that good. That’s hardly unusual for this type of affair, so you can probably guess all the problems if you’ve dipped your toe into the whole simulator business before. To make matters worse, this Switch version is inexplicably double the price of the Steam version that came out a couple of weeks ago.
Sales
Wow, there are lots of really great games on sale today. My personal recommendations? The Mummy Demastered is a really fun exploratory action game, 20XX mixes Mega Man X with roguelite elements to fun results, A Robot Named Fight does the same but swaps out the Blue Bomber for Super Metroid, and Horizon Chase Turbo is an incredible homage to classic racing games. There are plenty of goodies in the outbox as well, so make sure you give that a second look before the prices bump back up.
New Games on Sale
The Mummy Demastered ($11.99 from $19.99 until 11/1)
Night in the Woods ($13.99 from $19.99 until 11/1)
Severed ($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/4)
Lichtspeer: Double Speer ($2.99 from $9.99 until 11/3)
The Count Lucanor ($2.99 from $14.99 until 11/17)
Unbox: Newbie’s Adventure ($5.99 from $29.99 until 11/17)
The Long Reach ($1.49 from $14.99 until 11/17)
Cast of the Seven Godsends ($1.29 from $12.99 until 11/17)
A Robot Named Fight ($1.94 from $12.99 until 11/1)
Light Fall ($3.74 from $14.99 until 11/4)
20XX ($8.99 from $17.99 until 11/8)
Candle: The Power of the Flame ($3.99 from $19.99 until 11/17)
True Fear: Forsaken Souls Part 1 ($7.49 from $9.99 until 11/8)
Guacamelee! Super Turbo ($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/4)
Battle Group 2 ($0.99 from $9.99 until 11/17)
The Walking Vegetables: Radical ($2.59 from $12.99 until 11/17)
Horizon Chase Turbo ($11.99 from $19.99 until 11/1)
Crimson Keep ($3.99 from $19.99 until 11/17)
Instant Tennis ($4.97 from $9.95 until 11/17)
HoPiKo ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/17)
Riot – Civil Unrest ($4.99 from $19.99 until 11/17)
Aragami: Shadow ($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/17)
Cel Damage HD ($7.99 from $9.99 until 11/4)
Vaporum ($12.49 from $24.99 until 11/17)
You Died But a Necromancer Revived You ($7.64 from $8.99 until 11/3)
Solo: Islands of the Heart ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/17)
The Sinking City ($34.99 from $49.99 until 11/4)
Green Game: TimeSwapper ($0.29 from $2.99 until 11/4)
Red Game Without a Great Name ($0.29 from $2.99 until 11/4)
Paper Wars: Cannon Fodder Devastated ($0.99 from $9.99 until 11/4)
Munchkin: Quacked Quest ($21.24 from $24.99 until 11/19)
Wonder Boy Returns Remix ($11.99 from $14.99 until 11/5)
MachiKnights -Blood Bagos- ($11.99 from $14.99 until 11/5)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 30th
ACA NEOGEO Aero Fighters 2 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 10/30)
ACA NEOGEO Metal Slug ($3.99 from $7.99 until 10/30)
ACA NEOGEO Sengoku ($3.99 from $7.99 until 10/30)
ACA NEOGEO The King of Fighters ’94 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 10/30)
ACA NEOGEO Zed Blade ($3.99 from $7.99 until 10/30)
Adventure Time: Pirates ($23.99 from $39.99 until 10/30)
Arcade Archives Crazy Climber ($3.99 from $7.99 until 10/30)
Arcade Archives Kid’s Horehore Daisakusen ($3.99 from $7.99 until 10/30)
Arcade Archives Moon Cresta ($3.99 from $7.99 until 10/30)
Arcade Archives Ninja-Kid ($3.99 from $7.99 until 10/30)
Arcade Archives Terra Cresta ($3.99 from $7.99 until 10/30)
Back to Bed ($3.49 from $4.99 until 10/30)
Bard’s Gold ($2.69 from $8.99 until 10/30)
Ben 10 ($11.99 from $19.99 until 10/30)
Crayola Scoot ($17.99 from $29.99 until 10/30)
Dimension Drive ($6.49 from $12.99 until 10/30)
Dreamworks Dragons ($29.99 from $39.99 until 10/30)
Hob: The Definitive Edition ($15.99 from $19.99 unti 10/30)
Hotel Transylvania 3 ($17.99 from $29.99 until 10/30)
Inferno 2 ($3.99 from $4.99 until 10/30)
JYDGE ($6.74 from $14.99 until 10/30)
Mars or Die! ($9.99 from $19.99 until 10/30)
Mr Blaster ($0.99 from $1.99 until 10/30)
NBA 2K20 ($40.19 from $59.99 until 10/30)
Omen Exitio: Plague ($6.69 from $9.99 until 10/30)
Otto ($2.49 from $4.99 until 10/30)
Parallel ($2.99 from $9.99 until 10/30)
PAW Patrol: On a Roll! ($29.99 from $39.99 until 10/30)
Phantaruk ($0.49 from $4.99 until 10/30)
Q-YO Blaster ($4.99 from $9.99 until 10/30)
Solitaire Klondike Black ($4.00 from $5.00 until 10/30)
Spaceland ($13.49 from $14.99 until 10/30)
SpiderSolitaire Black ($4.00 from $5.00 until 10/30)
Stranded Sails ($21.24 from $24.99 until 10/30)
Super Inefficient Golf ($3.99 from $7.99 until 10/30)
The Bug Butcher ($5.59 from $7.99 until 10/30)
The Childs Sight ($2.49 from $4.99 until 10/30)
Thief Simulator ($6.79 from $19.99 until 10/30)
Torchlight II ($15.99 from $19.99 until 10/30)
Toridama: Brave Challenge ($3.50 from $5.00 until 10/30)
UglyDolls ($29.99 from $39.99 until 10/30)
Valfaris ($22.49 from $24.99 until 10/30)
Where the Bees Make Honey ($6.99 from $9.99 until 10/30)
That will wrap things up for today, friends. Tomorrrow seems much lighter for new releases, so it should be a more usual article tomorrow. I know I have a review or two that I want to include, but as always it’s going to depend on time and how busy other things are. So which games are you buying from today’s new releases and sales? I can’t believe we’ve got this many interesting games on a Tuesday, of all things. Anyway, I hope you all have a great day, and as always, thanks for reading!
