Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 10th, 2020. Wow, what happened yesterday? Ol’ Shaun was sick as a dog, that’s what. Probably food poisoning? I’m not sure, but I’m right as rain today so we’re getting on with the show. Just in time, too. There are tons of new releases, a shocking amount of which are pretty good. We also have to catch up on two days’ worth of sales. Let’s get to it!
New Releases
Minoria ($19.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
A spiritual sequel to the Momodora series, which saw one of its games release on the Switch a while back, Minoria offers more challenging Metroidvania-style action. The exploration in this one gets a bit less of a focus in favor of deeper combat mechanics. It’s safe to say that if you enjoyed Momodora, you should check this game out. If you haven’t played either and are trying to pick between the two, I honestly prefer Momodora just a little. Still, Minoria does a lot to distinguish itself in a very crowded genre on the Switch and is worth taking a look at.
Death and Taxes ($12.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
A little cottage industry has sprouted up in the wake of Papers, Please. Death and Taxes is one of those games, putting you in the role of a grim reaper who has to decide who lives or dies from the comfort of your office chair. Check the files, make some choices, and see how things turn out. It’s a neat game with excellent writing, so as long as you’re fine with this sort of narrative choice-based experience I think you’ll get a lot out of this one. It really nails the concept of having a very supernatural job placed into the most mundane context possible.
Deleveled ($9.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
This is a puzzle-platformer where you need to make your way through more than 120 levels set across ten different worlds. The trick is that you can’t jump, so you need to transfer momentum between the blocks you’re controlling to navigate each level’s obstacles and hit the right switches. It’s a bit complicated to explain, but you’ll see how it works if you watch the video on the eShop. There’s enough leeway that you should be able to bash your way through the game through persistence, but if you want to unlock all of the bonus levels you’ll need to clear stages skillfully without taking any hits or resetting your position. Quite well-made, with nice level designs and a good hook. Worth looking into if you enjoy this sort of affair, and what do you know? I do.
Hotshot Racing ($19.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
You know, I can appreciate a game that knows exactly what it wants to be and manages to pull it off. Hotshot Racing has one experience in mind that it wants to deliver: the classic 1990s arcade racing experience. Think SEGA-style blue skies and colorful courses, games less interested in simulating reality and more interested in simulating radical-ity. Is that a word in the way that I’m using it? Who cares! You get 16 different racing circuits set in a variety of locations, a wide cast of characters, and some sweet drifting mechanics. There are some fantastic extras, including a very fun cops and robbers mode. Up to eight players can get in on the action via online multiplayer, too. Is this one for the ages? No, not really. But it’s a heck of a lot of fun, and solid arcade racers don’t come around all that often these days.
Wintermoor Tactics Club ($19.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
An interesting take on the turn-based tactics genre, Wintermoor Tactics Club sees you playing as a group of social outcast high schoolers who need to rise up to a challenge in order to save their club. You get traditional turn-based battles with characters you build up and develop as you see fit, interspersed with visual novel-like social events and narrative scenes. There are also some light adventure elements that see you wandering around the school and other locations. It might sound like an odd blend, and it is. But it mostly works, and I put a lot of value on games with fresh premises.
MO: Astray ($14.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
This quirky action-platformer sees you playing as a little slime-thing. You have to use your slime-thing powers, such as sticking to walls, performing parasitic takeovers, and chomping on brains to play back their memories in order to uncover the mystery behind the disaster that left humanity and the laboratory you woke up in in such a shambles. This one’s been out for a while on other platforms, and it has received a mostly sunny reception from players. I’d imagine this Switch version will meet with equal praise. It’s not too challenging but the intriguing story and unusual array of abilities certainly makes for a novel experience.
Bounty Battle ($24.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
So this is basically indie game Super Smash Bros., with more than 25 fighters drawn from a wide selection of games including Dead Cells, SteamWorld Dig, Owlboy, Guacamelee!, Darkest Dungeon, and many more. Kind of wild. This roster may actually be better than that PlayStation All-Stars game. But how is the gameplay? That’s the real mystery at this point, and until I get a chance to play it a bit with others, I can’t say too much definitively about it. It certainly seems fine, though most things do when you’re playing with three other people. How cool is it that indie games have become popular enough to do this sort of thing? And why isn’t Shovel Knight here? I thought he was in every game!
Arcade Archives Gemini Wing ($7.99)
Well, this is an interesting pick. Gemini Wing is a vertical shoot-em-up released in 1987 by Tecmo. It uses a nature motif for its stages and enemies for the most part, with lots of insect, animal, and plant-based monsters to fight. It has a rather unusual power-up system. Rather than picking up permanent upgrades, you instead collect one-time-use bombs that have a variety of effects. You can have several of them following you at a time, and knowing when and where to use them is the key to success. Two players can play this one simultaneously. I love its vibrant look and oddly chill tunes. It’s nothing too amazing, but if you need another vertical shooter, you probably haven’t played this one before.
Tin & Kuna ($29.99)
Play as a weird little critter named Kuna as he tries to rescue his friend Tin in this 3D rolling platformer. It would be fine were it not for the fact that you have to babysit a ball that serves as the key to the exit on each stage, a process so thoroughly frustrating that it brought back long-buried trauma from playing Billy Hatcher. Maybe you like being a ball escorting another ball across precarious hazards and ledges. I do not. But if you do, if that is indeed your thing, then perhaps Tin & Kuna is for you.
Tomoyo After -It’s a Wonderful Life- CS Edition ($34.99)
A follow-up to the hit visual novel Clannad, Tomoyo After tells the story of the blossoming romance between Tomoyo Sakagami and Tomoya Okazaki. Picking up some time after the events of Clannad, Tomoyo After sees the pair of lovers trying to get a little alone time without much success. Whether it be Tomoyo’s younger brother barging into the room or a troubled runaway girl entering the picture, it seems the summer of their dreams just isn’t going to happen. This is mostly a visual novel, but once you reach a certain point you can unlock an extra game that is essentially a mini tactical RPG. Clannad fans are a bit split on this one and it’s hardly Key’s best work, but Key on its worst day is still pretty good.
Drums ($9.99)
Oh heck, it’s Sabec. Following in the footsteps of its tepid Piano, Sabec introduces a similarly bare-bones drumming app. There are nine lessons that supposedly teach you how to play “like a professional", and a free play mode where you can, and I quote, “amaze you family and friends". They want ten flippin’ dollars for this. Unreal.
Bake ‘n Switch ($29.99)
Enter a bizarre and strangely cute world of living dough where apprentice bakers must catch and bake the little fellows in order to appease the gods. Play on your own, enjoy some couch co-op, or hop online to play against other players to see who is the best baker. There are 100 levels to play through, 12 different enemies to fight, and a pair of tough bosses to take down. You can choose your character from six different bakers, each with their own unique abilities. It sounds like it might be a cooking game, but it’s really more of an arena brawler. The unusual theme and cute art is what helps it stand out, to the extent that it does.
Caveman Tales ($9.99)
This is another one of those games in the vein of Gnomes Garden and its ilk. Light strategy, in other words. You play through 40 different levels, each with its own goals to accomplish. Those goals will generally require you to send your units out to gather some resource or build some kind of structure. There are a few different difficulty levels so that you can choose how chill you want the game to be. All the while, you get a story about some cavemen trying to find a new home for their tribe. I know some players who subsist on games like these, and they’ll surely be happy to have another.
Space Robinson ($9.99)
Space Robinson is a top-down roguelite action game, fulfilling our requirement to have at least one game of this type per week on the Switch. It seems like a pretty ordinary take on the idea, though it at least has animal sidekicks that help you out. For example, there’s a raccoon. Its name is Rocket. Hm. Anyway, there’s a heavy survival component here, and while death is a setback you won’t lose everything. Gather resources, upgrade your base, and repeat the process until you are the master of your domain. It’s okay but it doesn’t really do anything to set itself apart from the many other games that share its general concept.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York ($12.99)
A stand-alone expansion for Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York, this is another visual novel set in the World of Darkness. Being an expansion it assumes you already have some general knowledge of the setting, so it doesn’t waste much time explaining things before getting right into its tale. You play as a member of the Lasombra clan and will need to make full use of your powers and wits if you want to survive. There are lots of paths to take and you’ll need to play the game multiple times to see everything. A solid follow-up to Coteries of New York, to be sure.
The Snake King ($7.99)
It’s a fancy take on Snake. You play as the titular Snake King and need to eat all of the apples in each dungeon room. There are more than 150 dungeon rooms to make your way through, and you can look forward to the occasional power-up that will help spice things up. In addition to the pre-built stages, there are also some procedurally-generated arcade stages you can tackle. Not much more to add, unfortunately. It’s a rather straightforward game based on a concept that was more or less perfected from the start.
Adventures of Pip ($9.99)
This side-scrolling action-platformer’s main gimmick comes in the form of its main character’s ability to switch between three different forms. He starts out as a single pixel but soon learns how to change into 8-bit and 16-bit forms, each with their own abilities. You’ll have to make use of these forms to solve puzzles and defeat bosses across five different worlds. It’s kind of visually all over the place, but the idea is a fun one. I’ll have a review of this one early next week in some form or another.
Takotan ($6.99)
Takotan is a side-scrolling cute-em-up featuring a little flying octopus. There are eight levels to shoot your way through and plenty of power-ups to help you on the way. One interesting thing about this game is that it offers four different modes that essentially work like difficulty settings. As such, it’s got something to offer players of all ranges of skill. Is that enough to make it stand out in one of the more competitive genres on the Switch? Hm. I suppose it depends on how much you need another shoot-em-up in your life.
Valentina ($0.99)
As is often the case with releases from QUByte, the greatest feature of Valentina is that it’s very, very cheap. This is an action-platformer with 40 stages where you play as a girl named Valentina who battles enemies with a bow. Sometimes these games feel like a steal, and at other times it very much comes off like you’re getting what you pay for. Valentina is probably a little closer to the latter, but I can’t imagine anyone’s expectations being all that high for the price of a can of soda. If you’ve only got a dollar to spend today and you really feel like spending it, here you go.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
So yeah, due to yesterday’s little misadventure, we’ve got two days of new discounts to check out. As usual, there will be even more by the time you read this that we’ll have to catch up on tomorrow. But there’s lots going on here already. Undertale is on sale, the Resident Evil games are all discounted, lots of board game conversions, some more Bandai Namco games, and a whole lot more. There are some nice games in the outbox as well, so make sure you do the usual thing and take a careful look through it.
Select New Games on Sale
Undertale ($9.99 from $14.99 until 9/23)
Takotan ($5.59 from $6.99 until 9/30)
CastleStorm II ($17.99 from $19.99 until 9/23)
Resident Evil 0 ($12.99 from $19.99 until 9/23)
Resident Evil ($12.99 from $19.99 until 9/23)
Resident Evil 4 ($14.99 from $19.99 until 9/23)
Resident Evil 5 ($14.99 from $19.99 until 9/23)
Resident Evil 6 ($14.99 from $19.99 until 9/23)
Resident Evil Revelations ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/23)
Resident Evil Revelations 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/23)
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/15)
Naruto: Ninja Storm Trilogy ($19.99 from $39.99 until 9/22)
My Hero One’s Justice ($19.79 from $59.99 until 9/22)
Super Dragon Ball Heroes ($17.99 from $59.99 until 9/22)
Dragon Ball FighterZ ($9.59 from $59.99 until 9/22)
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 ($9.99 from $49.99 until 9/22)
One Piece Unlimited World Red ($9.99 from $39.99 until 9/22)
Katamari Damacy Reroll ($9.89 from $29.99 until 9/22)
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive ($14.99 from $49.99 until 9/22)
God Eater 3 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 9/22)
Little Nightmares Complete ($7.49 from $29.99 until 9/22)
Monopoly ($9.99 from $39.99 until 9/22)
UNO ($3.99 from $9.99 until 9/22)
RISK Global Domination ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/22)
Battleship ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/22)
Pandemic ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/22)
Wheel of Fortune ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/22)
Jeopardy ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/22)
Trivial Pursuit Live! ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/22)
Carcassonne ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/22)
Catan ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/22)
Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/22)
Munchkin: Quacked Quest ($9.99 from $24.99 until 9/22)
Clue ($14.99 from $29.99 until 9/22)
Blood Breed ($0.59 from $5.99 until 9/28)
Vasara Collection ($0.99 from $9.99 until 9/28)
Pet Shop Snacks ($0.49 from $4.99 until 9/28)
Flowlines VS ($0.24 from $4.99 until 9/28)
Colorgrid ($0.09 from $0.99 until 9/28)
Him & Her ($0.49 from $0.99 until 9/28)
Swarmriders ($0.19 from $1.99 until 9/28)
Valentina ($0.49 from $0.99 until 9/28)
Real Drift Racing ($0.49 from $4.99 until 9/28)
Bubble Cats Rescue ($0.39 from $3.99 until 9/28)
Street Basketball ($1.19 from $5.99 until 9/28)
Ludomania ($0.20 from $4.00 until 9/28)
Draw a Stickman: Epic 2 ($0.99 from $6.99 until 9/28)
Adrenaline Rush – Miami Drive ($0.39 from $3.99 until 9/28)
Moto Rush GT ($1.49 from $14.99 until 9/28)
Mortal Kombat 11 ($19.99 from $49.99 until 9/14)
Red Wings: Aces of the Sky ($13.99 from $19.99 until 9/14)
Perseverance ($0.49 from $4.99 until 9/29)
Trancelation ($0.99 from $9.99 until 9/29)
The Deer God ($0.99 from $7.99 until 9/29)
Subdivision Infinity DX ($6.49 from $14.99 until 9/29)
Infinite – Beyond the Mind ($3.99 from $9.99 until 9/29)
Infliction: Extended Cut ($13.39 from $19.99 until 9/29)
Ironcast ($6.49 from $12.99 until 9/13)
Chess Ultra ($6.24 from $12.49 until 9/13)
The Spectrum Retreat ($6.49 from $12.99 until 9/13)
Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics ($12.49 from $24.99 until 9/13)
Undead Horde ($5.94 from $16.99 until 9/13)
Rock’N Racing Off Road DX ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/27)
Grand Prix Rock ‘N Racing ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/27)
Summer in Mara ($19.99 from $24.99 until 9/27)
Super Arcade Soccer ($1.95 from $6.99 until 9/27)
Dragon Pinball ($0.98 from $2.99 until 9/27)
Jurassic Pinball ($0.98 from $2.99 until 9/27)
World Soccer Pinball ($0.98 from $2.99 until 9/27)
Nine Parchments ($5.99 from $19.99 until 9/21)
A Robot Named Fight ($6.49 from $12.99 until 9/21)
Trine Enchanted ($4.49 from $14.99 until 9/21)
Trine 2: Complete Story ($5.09 from $14.99 until 9/21)
Elemental Knights R ($0.75 from $22.75 until 10/1)
Artifact Adventure Gaiden DX ($6.99 from $9.99 until 10/1)
Death’s Hangover ($3.99 from $4.99 until 10/1)
Moero Crystal H ($33.99 from $39.99 until 10/1)
Drag Racing Rivals ($7.99 from $9.99 until 10/1)
Nevaeh ($10.39 from $12.99 until 10/1)
Stellar Interface ($1.49 from $12.99 until 9/20)
The Little Acre ($6.49 from $12.99 until 9/25)
Roundguard ($12.99 from $19.99 until 9/18)
Deleveled ($7.99 from $9.99 until 9/18)
Lost Ember ($26.99 from $29.99 until 9/24)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, September 11th
911 Operator ($4.49 from $14.99 until 9/11)
911 Operator Deluxe ($10.99 from $21.99 until 9/11)
Ambassador: Fractured Timelines ($11.24 from $14.99 until 9/11)
Astro Bears ($0.69 from $6.99 until 9/11)
BE-A Walker ($2.49 from $9.99 until 9/11)
Big Crown: Showdown ($6.49 from $12.99 until 9/11)
Call of Cthulhu ($17.99 from $39.99 until 9/11)
Carnage: Battle Arena ($4.49 from $14.99 until 9/11)
Clumsy Rush ($3.99 from $4.99 until 9/11)
Code: Realize ~FB~ ($27.99 from $39.99 until 9/11)
Code: Realize ~GoR~ ($27.99 from $39.99 until 9/11)
Collar X Malice ($27.99 from $39.99 until 9/11)
Demon’s Tilt ($13.99 from $19.99 until 9/11)
Earthworms ($0.01 from $7.99 until 9/11)
Farming Simulator ($8.99 from $29.99 until 9/11)
Farming Simulator 20 ($30.14 from $44.99 until 9/11)
Food Truck Tycoon – Asian ($1.49 from $4.99 until 9/11)
Fun! Fun! Animal Park ($14.99 from $29.99 until 9/11)
Gas Station: Highway Services ($5.99 from $11.99 until 9/11)
Ghost Parade ($19.99 from $39.99 until 9/11)
Hamster Bob ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/11)
Little Dragons Cafe ($17.99 from $59.99 until 9/11)
Little Friends: Dogs & Cats ($34.99 from $49.99 until 9/11)
LocO-SportS ($1.79 from $5.99 until 9/11)
Mahjong Deluxe 3 ($15.99 from $19.99 until 9/11)
Mars Power Industries ($0.79 from $3.99 until 9/11)
Masters of Anima ($2.99 from $9.99 until 9/11)
Perfect Traffic Simulator ($6.99 from $9.99 until 9/11)
Quad Fighter K ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/11)
Radical Rabbit Stew ($11.99 from $15.99 until 9/11)
Spirit Hunter: Death Mark ($19.99 from $49.99 until 9/11)
Spirit Hunter: NG ($24.99 from $49.99 until 9/11)
Stardust Galaxy Warriors ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/11)
The Way Remastered ($0.75 from $14.99 until 9/11)
Them Bombs! ($9.79 from $13.99 until 9/11)
Under Night In-Birth Exe ($27.99 from $39.99 until 9/11)
Vampyr ($22.49 from $49.99 until 9/11)
VSR: Void Space Racing ($0.49 from $4.99 until 9/11)
Warparty ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/11)
#womenUp, Super Puzzles Dream ($1.85 from $6.19 until 9/11)
That’s all for today, friends. Barring any further sudden illnesses, I’ll be back tomorrow with the rest of this week’s releases, a whole bunch of new sales, and perhaps even a bit of news. Yes, we missed out on reporting about that awesome looking Hyrule Warriors game. And a new Pocky & Rocky. Oh well, some days you get the bear, and some days the bear gets you. I hope you all have a good Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
