Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for February 14th, 2020. It’s Valentine’s Day, and although romance may be in the air for some, a night at home playing vids will be how many people spend their evening. In either case, the Switch is perfect for getting some gaming time in. Today we look at a bunch of new games and sales, a very special few of which are good. Well, let’s get on with it!
New Releases
Speed Dating For Ghosts ($6.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Well, it’s what it says on the tin. You’re a ghost looking for a little companionship in the afterlife. You’ll do a couple rounds of speed-dating, then you’ll go out on a date with one of the spirits in question. For as wacky as the concept seems, the actual narrative content is a bit heavy and sad at times. There’s a lot of discussion around the concepts of death, mortality, regret, and the meaning of life. It doesn’t take long to zip through all of the possible dates, but for seven dollars it’s a ride worth taking. Definitely more interesting than I was initially expecting it to be.
Kitty Maestro ($7.00)
Uhhh… okay. So, this one is a little hard to grasp. It’s a classic-inspired game where you need to, I think, collect music notes to complete charts while avoiding enemies? And it’s really hard because even though it seems like things should pass behind your tall cat’s head, if anything touches any part of your sprite, you’re dead. Is the classic that inspired this game ALF on the Master System? Anyway, put together all of the riffs that you complete by clearing each stage and you’ll have your, and I quote, “Oh-Puss that will be performed at the magnificent Meowditorium". It’s weird enough that I want to like it, but annoying enough that I’m not sure I can. There’s a demo available if you want to see if you take to it better than I did.
Project Starship ($4.99)
Okay well, first of all, this is a pretty decent little bullet-hell shooter. It randomizes things every time you play, so you’re always facing a new challenge. The mechanics are solid and the music is great. But holy smokes, epilepsy warning. I don’t usually feel many effects from strobing/flashing lights, but the red/orange/yellow flashing in this game made me feel funky within a minute or so. Shooter fans will probably enjoy it with the low price it carries, especially if you get into the randomized patterns. Be careful about those lights though. Wow.
Darksiders Genesis ($39.99)
The Darksiders series moves over to a new developer with this fourth installment, and with that comes a shift in perspective. Well, neither of those two changes are as dramatic as you may think. Many of the members of the new development team at Airship Syndicate formerly worked at the studio that created Darksiders, Vigil. And though you’re playing this game from a top-down perspective more akin to Diablo, the gameplay is very much the blend of action, exploration, and puzzle-solving we tend to associate with this series. The Switch never received a port of the third game, so you might be worried about whether you’ll be able to follow the story here. Don’t worry: the story is pretty lousy in this one. Also, technical problems abound. This game is a lot for the poor ol’ Switch, and it shows. That said, the action remains enjoyable and being able to bring a friend along sure doesn’t hurt.
The Incredible Adventures of Super Panda ($6.99)
Frankly speaking, the most incredible thing about this adventure is that it sells for more than twice this price on Steam. Because really and truly, this feels like one of those throwaway Lep’s World games that you buy for a buck on the App Store and play a few levels of before finding a better way to use your limited time on Earth. I can’t see myself recommending this at seven dollars given the plethora of better platformers you can get for less money on the Switch eShop. Heck, today alone you could buy Reed Remastered instead and have a far better experience. At best, I can that its cute and colorful visuals might make it tolerable for a kid who really likes pandas.
Snackworld: The Dungeon Crawl – Gold ($49.99)
The latest release from Level-5, the developers behind such titles as Professor Layton, Ni No Kuni, and Yo-Kai Watch, Snackworld is actually an enhanced port of a game that hit the Nintendo 3DS in Japan in 2017. This was Level-5’s attempt at getting in on the whole “toys to life" fad, and it splattered harder than any other attempt I’ve seen. This Western version strips out the toy gimmick and allows players to get those items through other means in-game, thankfully. What remains is a somewhat dull but playable enough hack-and-slash dungeon crawler for up to four players. The game is clearly aimed at younger players yet has some surprisingly spicy bits of dialogue here and there, so your guess is as good as mine as to who this is really supposed to be for. Imagine Fantasy Life but without all the interesting sim elements that made that game so much fun, and you’ll more or less have Snackworld. No sir, I don’t like it.
Speedway Racing ($9.99)
Try to go easy on the car! Well, you know what this game is aiming for, even if it’s rolling without the expensive NASCAR license. Take some fancy, colorful cars out onto the speedway and try to come in first against 20 rivals. There are a few different modes, including a four-player local multiplayer mode. This is arcade-style racing, so don’t count on any realistic simulation physics or anything. The big question: is this game as good as SEGA’s Daytona USA? No, no it isn’t. But if you squint enough, you might be able to pretend it’s somewhat close. Who wants to take the gamble for ten bucks?
Reed Remastered ($4.99)
Most TouchArcade readers will be familiar with Reed in one form or another. Perhaps even in this Remastered form, which is available on the App Store for a buck. It’s a tough platformer that sees a little weird cat-like beast jumping through 50 levels full of tricky traps and precarious platforms. It’s competently made if not the most blazingly original thing around, and having button controls certainly doesn’t hurt in games like these. Five bucks is a pretty good price for what you get here, too. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive than the mobile version, but not egregiously so. If you prefer to play on your Switch, it may well be worth the few extra dollars.
Go All Out! ($12.99)
This is something of a poor man’s Super Smash Bros., featuring some famous public domain characters, a few indie guests, and some original characters for good measure. Up to eight players can play in the multiplayer mode online. If you’ve somehow exhausted Nintendo’s incredible offering and want something similar in many ways, I suppose you could give this a go. The price is reasonable for what it is, but be ready to deal with a certain amount of rough edges and jankiness. The obvious issue is that I’m not sure how many people want something like Smash Bros. but not Smash Bros. itself when it comes to Nintendo platforms. Guess we’ll see!
Arcade Archives: Sasuke Vs Commander ($7.99)
Phew, this is an oldie. Originally released by SNK in 1980, Sasuke Vs Commander is a medieval Japan-themed Space Invaders-style game. It is noteworthy for a few reasons. First, it is one of SNK’s earliest releases. Like, the company was still called Shin Nihon Kikaku when this came out. This is also one of the earliest known works from shadow developer TOSE, who are still around today doing ports that make you go “ehn“. Lastly, this is believed to be the first game to call a powered-up enemy a ‘boss’. That’s neat. The game is okay but it definitely feels like something made in 1980, and I’d recommend people just buy the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection. It includes this game, 23 other games, and a ton of interesting historical materials. Assuming you were already willing to spend eight bucks on this game alone, it’s worth the extra money, I promise.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Lots of new sales today as expected. Plenty of good games, too. Ghostbusters! Cat Quest for under four bucks! Iconoclasts for half-price! Yes, check through that list carefully today, friends. Between all the mucky bits there are many games worth picking up should you be hunting for one. Not too much to worry about in the outbox, but a couple of 2K games and some of Team 17’s titles are worth considering.
Select New Games on Sale
Ghostbusters: Remastered ($17.99 from $29.99 until 3/2)
Let’s Sing Country ($31.49 from $44.99 until 3/2)
Served! ($5.09 from $5.99 until 2/27)
Slime-san ($4.79 from $11.99 until 3/1)
Troll and I ($2.99 from $29.99 until 2/20)
The Jackbox Party Pack ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/27)
Semispheres ($2.49 from $9.99 until 2/20)
Tower of Babel ($1.19 from $5.99 until 3/4)
Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
Cat Quest ($3.89 from $12.99 until 3/2)
Vostok Inc. ($6.74 from $14.99 until 3/2)
Fe ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Bridge Constructor Portal ($8.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Little Triangle ($9.69 from $14.99 until 2/28)
Fear Effect Sedna ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Last Day of June ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
#Breakforcist Battle ($0.99 from $9.99 until 2/20)
Baobabs Mausoleum Ep.1 ($2.99 from $5.99 until 2/20)
Baobabs Mausoleum Ep.2 ($3.49 from $6.99 until 2/20)
Pode ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/1)
Drawful 2 ($5.99 from $9.99 until 2/27)
Runbow ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
The Inner World ($5.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Final Light, The Prison ($1.39 from $6.99 until 3/4)
Pixel Action Heroes ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/4)
Iconoclasts ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Ninjin: Clash of Carrots ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/20)
Stay ($5.99 from $11.99 until 3/2)
Super Dungeon Tactics ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/24)
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/20)
Oh My Godheads: Party ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Rooms ($10.49 from $14.99 until 2/28)
Goosebumps The Game ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
Rapala Fishing Pro Series ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
Big Buck Hunter Arcade ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
Nickelodeon Kart Racers ($11.99 from $29.99 until 3/4)
Eternum Ex ($6.49 from $12.99 until 2/20)
Sports Party ($4.99 from $39.99 until 2/18)
Road Redemption ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/27)
GRIP ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/2)
Forgotton Anne ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
ABZU ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Battle Princess Madelyn ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Cake Laboratory ($1.49 from $2.99 until 3/4)
The Office Quest ($1.79 from $11.99 until 2/27)
Color Zen Kids ($3.19 from $3.99 until 3/4)
Bleep Bloop ($1.99 from $3.99 until 2/20)
Degrees of Separation ($1.99 from $19.99 until 2/20)
Nice Slice ($0.99 from $1.99 until 3/4)
BlazeRush ($8.39 from $11.99 until 3/2)
Alien Cruise ($6.59 from $11.30 until 2/28)
American Ninja Warrior ($11.99 from $29.99 until 3/4)
Unravel Two ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Hob: Definitive ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/18)
Aggelos ($8.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Isoland ($1.89 from $2.17 until 2/28)
Isoland 2: Ashes of Time ($3.12 from $3.62 until 2/28)
Shalnor Legends ($0.99 from $9.99 until 2/29)
Xtreme Club Racing ($1.97 from $9.89 until 3/4)
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons ($10.49 from $14.99 until 3/2)
Deer Drive Legends ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/20)
Vosaria ($0.99 from $9.99 until 2/29)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night ($27.99 from $39.99 until 3/2)
Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/2)
Outlast: Bundle of Terror ($6.24 from $24.99 until 2/18)
Outlast 2 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/18)
Rain City ($6.40 from $7.58 until 2/28)
Terraria ($20.99 from $29.99 until 3/2)
High Noon Revolver ($1.49 from $2.99 until 2/19)
Songbird Symphony ($13.59 from $16.99 until 3/1)
Bear With Me: The Lost Robots ($2.49 from $4.99 until 2/20)
Torchlight II ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/18)
FIFA 20 Legacy ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/1)
Trine 4 ($19.49 from $29.99 until 2/20)
Trine: Ultimate Collection ($29.99 from $49.99 until 2/20)
Beast Quest ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/20)
Zombieland: Double Tap Road Trip ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/4)
Override: Mech City Brawl ($23.99 from $39.99 until 2/20)
Monaco: Complete ($9.89 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Street Outlaws: The List ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/4)
Cube Creator X ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
Sparklite ($17.49 from $24.99 until 2/26)
Simulacra ($10.39 from $12.99 until 2/27)
Kingdom Rush Frontiers ($11.99 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions ($9.59 from $11.99 until 3/4)
Goblin Sword ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/3)
Fred3ric ($8.99 from $9.99 until 3/4)
Wanderlust Travel Stories ($13.49 from $14.99 until 3/4)
Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/1)
Invisible Fist ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/2)
Sales Ending This Weekend
Never Stop ($3.49 from $4.99 until 2/15)
Pianista ($19.99 from $24.99 until 2/15)
Battle Group 2 ($0.99 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Crazy Zen Mini Golf ($1.49 from $4.99 until 2/16)
Deployment ($2.49 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Golf Peaks ($2.99 from $4.99 until 2/16)
Monaco: Complete ($9.89 from $14.99 until 2/16)
My Time at Portia ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
NBA 2K20 ($29.99 from $59.99 until 2/16)
Queen’s Quest 2 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/16)
Real Drift Racing ($2.49 from $4.99 until 2/16)
Riot – Civil Unrest ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Santa Tracker ($0.89 from $2.99 until 2/16)
Solo: Islands of the Heart ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
Space Ribbon ($0.99 from $4.99 until 2/16)
The Church in the Darkness ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/16)
The Count Lucanor ($2.99 from $14.99 until 2/16)
The Room ($3.39 from $9.99 until 2/16)
Unbox: Newbie’s Adventure ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Vaporum ($8.74 from $24.99 until 2/16)
Worms W.M.D ($10.19 from $29.99 until 2/16)
Yoku’s Island Express ($6.79 from $19.99 until 2/16)
That’s all that’s good for today and this week, friends. Hopefully you’ve got plenty of good games loaded up for the weekend between new releases, great sales, and interesting DLC. Next week will see another huge bunch of new releases, including the amazing improved version of Devil May Cry 3, a pair of SEGA AGES releases, and a couple of sweet retro compilations. That’s the way Shaun likes it. I hope you all have an awesome weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!
