Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for November 6th, 2019. By the time you read this, there’s a good chance Terry Bogard will have joined the fight in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but at the time I’m writing it’s just a strong possibility. That also means the usual Wednesday Smash event announcement isn’t out yet. Thus, I’m skipping the news and heading right to the reviews again today. We’ll catch up on the news tomorrow. For now, enjoy a couple of reviews, a summary of today’s sole new release, and the latest list of sales. Let’s check it out!
Reviews
Pinball FX3 – Williams Pinball: Universal Monsters Pack ($9.99)
While the speed at which Zen Studios has been delivering tables since they acquired the Williams license hasn’t quite kept up with that of the previous license holder, you really can’t fault the quality of the end product at all. Each table gets a souped-up Zen version with little animated characters and so on, and a realistic version of the real thing. There are lots of goals to shoot for, and unlockable perks and bonuses. The physics on either version of each table are solid and predictable, and you’ve got plenty of options to mess around with. The only drawback to any of Zen’s Williams tables is that some of the art and voices have been altered for ratings purposes.
So it’s little surprise then that the latest bundle of tables is as well-done as it is. The Universal Monsters Pack gives you two tables rather than the three tables we’ve seen in previous packs, but I believe that’s the trade-off for getting games that require an additional license. In this case, the tables in question are John Trudeau’s 1992 hit Creature from the Black Lagoon and George Gomez’s much-loved 1998 title Monster Bash. The former is kind of a comedic send-up of the drive-in movie experience rather than being specifically about the vintage horror film, while the latter is about various Universal Monsters getting together to form a rock band. Very awesome themes.
Both tables are quite well-regarded in the pinball community, though Black Lagoon has seen its star fall somewhat in recent years. For its part, Monster Bash makes it into just about every top 10 table listing out there, and this pack is arguably worth picking up just for this excellent digital version of the game. Creature from the Black Lagoon is a fine game in its own right, but it’s a little bit mean-spirited and was clearly designed to be quite coin-hungry. I do like how the special version of the table in this set has a 3D model of the Creature climb up out of the hologram on the playfield.
Now, if you’re just looking to pick up a pack of tables for Pinball FX3, I’m not sure this would be my first choice. Each of the Williams packs has at least one table that can hang with Monster Bash, and the fact that you get three tables in the other packs and only two here makes them a slightly better value. If you have a fondness for either of the tables in this pack or have all of the other Williams packs already, you won’t be unhappy with what you get here. It’s encouraging to see a licensed pack come in the Williams line, and gives me hope we’ll see some of the other amazing licensed tables from the Williams back catalog like The Addams Family, Indiana Jones, and Twilight Zone.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Door Kickers: Action Squad ($14.99)
What a strange, cool game Door Kickers: Action Squad is. You may or may not be familiar with the original Door Kickers. It’s a top-down real-time strategy game where you control a SWAT team and complete a variety of missions. Kind of like Rainbow Six from a bird-eye view. It’s a great game, but we’ve certainly seen things of its ilk before. For this spin-off, developers KillHouse Games and PixelShard have re-imagined the SWAT team concept as a side-scrolling 2D game, complete with vintage-style pixel-art. Taking the third dimension out of play leads to a slightly less-strategic game, but Action Squad retains more than enough of that tactical depth to make it feel quite unique.
Your goal is to complete 84 levels filled with dangerous threats, hostages to rescue, and plenty of doors to kick. You can use your pick of six different characters, each of which has slightly different weapons and abilities available to them. As you play through the levels you’ll unlock more skills and gear that increase your tactical options and your overall survivability. The characters are quite different from each other and you’ll need to adopt different tactics with each of them.
The 2D perspective and well-realized pixel art make you want to play this like an action game, and although there is plenty of action to be found in here, you really have to think strategically about how to approach each room lest things go pear-shaped in a hurry. You can add to the fun (or the chaos) by bringing in a second player for some couch co-op or online play. Having a second human in the mix really adds to the squad feeling and is definitely the best way to go if you have a like-minded friend to join in with you. That’s not to say the game isn’t fun in single-player, because it’s perfectly enjoyable if you’re flying solo.
Playing through the entire campaign takes several hours, but there’s still more to the game once you’ve finished that. There’s an endless tower that offers floor after floor of tactical action that can keep you busy for quite some time, and a zombie invasion mode that puts a whole new spin on familiar scenarios. Even going back to the core missions and trying out different characters or new approaches is a good bit of fun, plus there are some secrets to find for those who scout the levels carefully.
Door Kickers: Action Squad is a concept that I wouldn’t have expected to work as well as it does. It has a nice sense of style, good action, and plenty of tactical options that force you to think before you kick down a door. The Switch is amassing a rather nice selection of 2D run-and-gun action games, but if you want to try something with a slightly different flavor to it, Door Kickers: Action Squad is a good way to go.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
New Releases
Construction Simulator 2 US ($19.99)
Hey, another job simulator. Just what the Switch needed! To this game’s credit, it’s not as bad as the average one of these. They’ve gone and gotten all the licenses to the proper equipment and done a nice job of making everything look authentic. There are lots of vehicles to buy and master, and a good variety of jobs to mess about with. I don’t think it’s going to convince anyone who isn’t already very interested in the concept of construction work, but if you are? This may be your best choice in that category on Switch.
Sales
Another interesting list of sales today. I think the pick of the litter is This War of Mine, provided you haven’t already played it elsewhere. Moonlighter is decent, and 99Vidas is an alright beat-em-up. The outbox is quite big today, so make sure you check through there and see if there are any sales you want to catch before they’re gone. THQ’s titles should be back around before long, but XSEED sales are few and far between. Choose wisely!
New Games on Sale
Beat Cop ($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/10)
Dungeon Rushers ($2.99 from $14.99 until 11/11)
Deployment ($2.49 from $9.99 until 11/16)
This War of Mine: Complete ($19.99 until $39.99 until 11/10)
99Vidas – Definitive ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/19)
Moonlighter ($12.49 from $24.99 until 11/10)
Zen Chess Collection ($0.99 from $3.99 until 11/19)
Aldred Knight ($0.99 from $1.99 until 11/19)
The Tiny Bang Story ($7.49 from $9.99 until 11/17)
Niffelheim ($11.99 from $14.99 until 11/17)
STANDBY ($0.49 from $4.99 until 11/11)
Box Align ($0.99 from $1.99 until 11/19)
House of Golf ($7.49 from $9.99 until 11/8)
Light Fingers ($12.99 from $19.99 until 11/14)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Thursday, November 7th
Asdivine Kamura ($13.49 from $14.99 until 11/7)
Basketball ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/7)
Blue Rider ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/7)
Boreal Blade ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/7)
Brave Dungeon + Dark Witch Story ($7.19 from $8.99 until 11/7)
Braveland Trilogy ($3.74 from $14.99 until 11/7)
Bulb Boy ($0.89 from $8.99 until 11/7)
BurgerTime Party! ($17.99 from $19.99 until 11/7)
Coffee Crisis ($0.99 from $9.99 until 11/7)
Conga Master Party! ($2.48 from $9.95 until 11/7)
Corpse Party Blood Drive ($17.99 from $19.99 until 11/7)
Cycle 28 ($1.74 from $6.99 until 11/7)
Darksiders II Deathinitive ($23.99 from $29.99 until 11/7)
Darksiders: Warmastered ($20.09 from $29.99 until 11/7)
Darkwood ($11.24 from $14.99 until 11/7)
Die for Valhalla! ($5.99 from $11.99 until 11/7)
Don’t Knock Twice ($6.24 from $12.49 until 11/7)
Fate/EXTELLA LINK ($29.99 from $49.99 until 11/7)
Fate/EXTELLA: The Umbral Star ($24.99 from $49.99 until 11/7)
Firefighters – The Simulation ($13.59 from $39.99 until 11/7)
Firefighters: Airport Fire Dept ($13.59 from $39.99 until 11/7)
Flowlines VS ($0.49 from $4.99 until 11/7)
Forgotten Tales – Day of the Dead ($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/7)
Freedom Planet ($7.49 from $14.99 until 11/7)
Gal Metal ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/7)
Ghost Blade HD ($11.99 from $14.99 until 11/7)
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams ($19.99 from $29.99 until 11/7)
Giga Wrecker Alt ($18.74 from $24.99 until 11/7)
Gnomes Garden ($2.99 from $4.99 until 11/7)
Goat Simulator: The GOATY ($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/7)
Halloween Pinball ($1.97 from $2.99 until 11/7)
Hidden ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/7)
Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?! ($11.99 from $14.99 until 11/7)
Holy Potatoes! We’re In Space?! ($11.99 from $14.99 until 11/7)
Immortal Redneck ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/7)
Iro Hero ($3.89 from $12.99 until 11/7)
Lost Sea ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/7)
Ludomania ($0.99 from $3.99 until 11/7)
Lumo ($11.97 from $19.95 until 11/7)
Madorica Real Estate ($9.99 from $14.99 until 11/7)
Meow Motors ($9.74 from $14.99 until 11/7)
Mercenaries Saga Chronicles ($8.99 from $14.99 until 11/7)
MotoGP19 ($29.99 until $49.99 until 11/7)
Mummy Pinball ($1.97 from $2.99 until 11/7)
MXGP3 – The Official Motocross ($11.99 from $39.99 until 11/7)
Ninja Shodown ($8.97 from $14.95 until 11/7)
Pirates Pinball ($1.97 from $2.99 until 11/7)
Professional Construction ($13.59 from $39.99 until 11/7)
Professional Farmer ($13.59 from $39.99 until 11/7)
RICO ($15.99 from $19.99 until 11/7)
Sea King ($2.49 from $4.99 until 11/7)
Senran Kagura Peach Ball ($29.99 until $39.99 until 11/7)
Senran Kagura Reflexions ($6.99 from $9.99 until 11/7)
Soul Searching ($7.99 from $9.99 until 11/7)
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy ($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/7)
Spy Chameleon ($5.59 from $7.99 until 11/7)
Steamburg ($2.49 from $4.99 until 11/7)
Storm In A Teacup ($2.39 from $2.99 until 11/7)
Super Volley Blast ($6.99 from $9.99 until 11/7)
Tetsumo Party ($2.49 from $4.99 until 11/7)
The Bunker ($6.49 from $12.99 until 11/7)
The Legend of Dark Witch ($5.59 from $6.99 until 11/7)
The Missing: J.J. Macfield ($19.49 from $29.99 until 11/7)
The Raven Remastered ($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/7)
Thea: The Awakening ($13.49 from $17.99 until 11/7)
Trailblazers ($17.99 from $29.99 until 11/7)
Unit 4 ($1.49 from $14.99 until 11/7)
Utopia 9 ($0.99 from $9.99 until 11/7)
Werewolf Pinball ($1.97 from $2.99 until 11/7)
That’s it for today, friends. I’m feeling a bit under the weather today, so I’m hoping I feel better tomorrow and not worse. Either way, I’ll be back tomorrow with summaries of all of the new releases, a list of fresh sales, and whatever other stuff I deem worth passing along. Have a great Wednesday, and as always, thanks for reading!
