Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for February 18th, 2021. There’s quite a lot to talk about today. We begin with a quick summary of the Nintendo Direct presentation from yesterday before going into all of today’s new releases. Things are rounded out with the usual lists of incoming and outgoing sales. I’m already late for dinner, so let’s get going!
News
Lots of News from Yesterday’s Nintendo Direct
Did you watch it? Some people loved it, some people did not. Such is the state of anything that exists ever, especially on the internet. Personally, I liked it a lot. But I would, wouldn’t I? They showed a new strategy RPG called Project Triangle Strategy from the makers of Octopath Traveler that has Shaun written all over it. A Legend of Mana remaster! They put the RPG back into Mario Golf! All of this and so much more, friends. I’ll just list some highlights and let you watch the video if you want more information.
-Pyra and Mythra join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in March
-Fall Guys coming in Summer
-Outer Wilds is Switch-bound this Summer
-The Famicom Detective Club games release May 14th
-Samurai Warriors 5 comes in Summer
-Legend of Mana remaster releases June 24th
-Mario Golf: Super Rush comes June 25th
-No More Heroes 3 hits August 27th
-Annapurna’s Neon White looks bad-butt awesome, coming Winter 2021
-DC Super Hero Girls is adorable, arrives June 4th
-Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville coming March 19th
-Miitopia is getting a Switch port for some reason, May 21st
-Mario stuff coming to Animal Crossing March 1st
-Project Triangle Strategy set for 2022, demo available now
-Zynga F2P Star Wars game, oh boy
-Knockout City coming May 21st
-World’s End Club releases May 28th
-Hades will get a physical release on March 19th from Nintendo!
-Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection comes June 10th
-Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is getting an Expansion Pass
-The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD arrives July 16th
-Splatoon 3 exists, coming in 2022
New Releases
Capcom Arcade Stadium (Free)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Capcom brings a whopping 32 of its arcade classics to the Switch in this collection. The free download includes 1943: The Battle of Midway, with the remaining titles available in decade-themed packs of 10 for $14.99 each or as an all-in-one bundle for $39.99. Additionally, Ghosts ‘n Goblins is available as a stand-alone for $1.99 but is also included in the all-in-one bundle. Some games on here overlap with previous Capcom Switch collections, such as Street Fighter 2 or Final Fight, but the majority of the line-up is completely new to the platform. On top of that, a few titles are appearing here for the first time in any Capcom collection. An elaborate front-end helps drive the arcade experience home, and plenty of options and extras (including a rewind feature) allow you to customize the experience to your liking. Unfortunately, there are emulation issues particularly with the later games, with some frame drops and input lag being the main problems. I still think it’s a good set for the price, but I leave it up to you to decide how bothered by that stuff you are.
SNK Vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium ($7.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Finally, my favorite NEOGEO Pocket Color game is here! Sure, I like the card game too. I really hope it’s coming as well. But this was the game I played the most on my NEOGEO Pocket Color back in the day, and I’m glad to have it on the Switch. Like the rest of these re-releases so far, this is a fighting game. The gimmick to this one is in the title: it includes fighters from both SNK and Capcom, 26 in total, and a variety of mini-games inspired by both companies. The Code Mystics have applied the same shell they’ve used for previous releases in this line-up, and that’s fine by me because it’s excellent. This was the biggest game ever released for the NEOGEO Pocket Color in terms of sheer memory size, and it shows in just how awesome it is. I’ll have a review of this soon, but you can probably take a stab at my verdict already.
Astrologaster ($9.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Nyamyam’s Astrologaster is an odd little game, but it certainly has its charms. This narrative-driven dive into Shakespearean London follows one Simon Forman, who looks to the stars in order to cure patients of various maladies. Given the state of medicine at the time, it’s as good a method as any. You have to advise patients with a mix of strange circumstances, and the dialogue while doing so is where the game’s best qualities rest. It’s quite funny, and even when jokes miss you can’t help but admire the attempt. The astrological divinations that sit at the heart of the gameplay aren’t much more than a thin veneer for a choice-based story, but it’s at least a novel approach. This one doesn’t hold up so well to replays as the illusionary nature of its choices becomes quickly apparent if you poke at it too much, but the first trip through is a ride worth taking.
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust ($19.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Anodyne was a bizarre little game that was better off experienced than explained, and I think the sequel follows in that pattern. This is a far more ambitious game, of course, at least in terms of the technology driving it. I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that perhaps the Switch version is not the best way to play this game, but I suppose it will do if you have a preference for the system or don’t have any other options. It plays around a lot with concepts from both 16-bit and 32-bit games, seeing you explore both 2D and 3D landscapes as you clean out Nano Dust from the various people who have fallen sick. To do that you enter their minds, and each one presents its own unique feel. I may have a review of this one if I have the extra time. I don’t think everyone will take to it, but those that do will likely fall in deep.
Speed Limit ($9.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Yeah, this is neat. A little on the short side but the replay value helps it a bit. The idea here is that you’re constantly shifting between mini-games that represent popular action set pieces from movies and classic games. There are a handful of different ones to play, but don’t expect an endless supply of fresh ideas. Still, each of the games is fun and sticks around just long enough to enjoy without getting dull. There’s an endless mode that just keeps on shuffling the stages until you lose, and that’s where most of the value will rest after you’ve gone through the other modes. If you’re on the hunt for something a bit different in the action category today, this might tickle your fancy.
Arcade Archives Cybattler ($7.99)
Another deep cut from Hamster this week in the Arcade Archives, but I suppose when you’ve already released more than a hundred games you’re not going to be left with much but the esoteric. Cybattler is a 1993 shoot-em-up from Jaleco, and I wish I could tell you that it’s some lost classic but the truth is that it probably got buried for a reason. You control a mech in this vertically-scrolling action game, with the chief gimmick being that your loadout changes with each stage. You always have a melee beam sword you can use, but your ranged weapon goes from cannons to gatling guns to twin shots and so on. Your mech can attack in any direction, and you’re able to strafe by holding the fire button. There are some good ideas in here but ultimately it’s just kind of bland, and as such only the hungriest of shoot-em-up fans should bother with it.
Cathedral ($14.99)
This is a pretty solid Metroidvania-style game with some fun environment designs and absolutely brutal hit-sponge bosses. You play as a amnesiac knight who teams up with a spirit to make his way through a world that isn’t his own. The gameplay is really fun, but gosh those bosses definitely tax my patience. It’s not so much that they’re too hard but rather that you figure out the patterns and then just have to keep chipping away for ages. Don’t take that as too harsh of a criticism, mind you. The game is very good, but there are definitely some design decisions that I personally didn’t get on with. You’ll want to check out anyway if you’re on the lookout for a new Metroidvania game to play.
Black Jack World Tour ($3.99)
Four bucks gets you a very simple, no-frills take on Black Jack. It’s not a lot of money, I’ll grant. But it’s also not a lot of game. Considering the many different ways you can play Black Jack on your Switch, I’m not sure why someone would opt for this one in particular. To be very kind, I suppose it doesn’t look like an especially incompetent game of Black Jack. That’s all I’ve got.
Cape’s Escape Game 2nd Room ($4.90)
So after the first game in this series hit the Switch, I hopped over to the developer’s page on the App Store and played through most of their games. That includes this one, naturally. I can’t say I had a bad time, but they were all free games with the occasional ad and they felt about right with that model. At least in my case, this particular game took about twenty minutes to finish. Maybe less. It was amusing enough but as room escape games go it’s not terribly lengthy, elaborate, or challenging. Normally I’d recommend trying out the free mobile version to see if you feel this is worth grabbing on Switch, but you’ll probably finish it while doing that. Instead I’ll just say that you should play them on your mobile device and pass on these console ports, assuming you have any interest in them at all.
Glam ($19.99)
This looks promising. Glam is a side-scrolling platformer that focuses on acrobatic moves like wall climbing, hanging from the ceiling, and swinging using your hair. It’s quite challenging, demanding precise sequences of carefully-timed actions. There are more than 220 single-player levels, along with 60 two-player levels you can tackle with a friend in local multiplayer. Those levels in particular are quite the tricky affairs, requiring each player to work perfectly in tandem with the other to trigger things at just the right times to allow both players to move forward. I haven’t been able to lay hands on this one, but as long as the controls are solid I’d say it’s worthy of consideration for platformer fans.
Crazy Oce ($5.99)
I’ve spent more time trying to find out anything about this game than most people will playing it, I’m sure. As near as I can tell this is a fairly simple platformer, the kind that used to be a dime a dozen on mobile before the bottom fell out on the idea. Like many games of this sort it plays around with gravity in certain areas, and there appear to be a few other gimmicks sprinkled in as well. The aim seems to be to grab the key in each stage and then make your way to the exit. I wish I could tell you more, but that’s really all I can surmise. I haven’t had a chance to play it yet and as I write this it doesn’t look like anyone else has, either.
Rodent Warriors ($9.99)
This game seems to be wearing many gameplay hats, but when you get right down to it I think you’ll find it most resembles an idle clicker. Choose your rodent, go as far as you can, power up, die, start again a bit stronger. Repeat until one of the rodents is strong enough to win. There’s a rudimentary crafting system here and both navigation and fights are a bit more involved than a pure clicker, but the core appeal here is in the whole “fight/die/repeat/inevitably win" loop that sub-genre tends to lean on. Provided that’s the kind of experience you’re looking for, this is fine. It’s cute. A little rough around the edges in places, but that somehow adds to its charm.
Ace Invaders ($9.99)
Hmm. Well, this isn’t particularly trying to hide where it’s drawing inspiration from. But worry not: although Ace Invaders cribs a lot of things from Taito’s classic, it’s not a direct clone. It plays with the concept but cranks things up with multiple ships to control and some wild enemy patterns. Whatever else you might say about it, I can say that the experience is different enough from Space Invaders to avoid being pegged as a clone or what-have-you. So it’s its own thing, but is it worth picking up for a tenner? In my opinion, not really. But I’m just one person, so take that as far as it’s worth. At least it’s not short on levels. There are 100 in total to play through, which will keep you busy for a while even with some of them being on the briefer side.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
I stayed at work late enough again for a bunch of the Thursday sales to pop up, so we’ve got quite a list already. KEMCO RPGs, Ratalaika releases, and 2K Games stuff highlight the assortment, but I’ll leave it to you to comb through it all because, as I mentioned, I am late for dinner. Do note the variety of finishing sales for Ubisoft and Capcom in the outbox, however. Happy spending!
Select New Games on Sale
Framed Collection ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/25)
Paradise Killer ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/25)
Think of the Children ($2.59 from $12.99 until 2/25)
The Stillness of the Wind ($4.54 from $12.99 until 2/25)
Super Mutant Alien Assault ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/25)
The Church in the Darkness ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/25)
Neo Cab ($11.99 from $19.99 until 2/25)
In Other Waters ($10.49 from $14.99 until 2/25)
Spinny’s Journey ($7.99 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Rush Rally 3 ($9.99 from $14.99 until 2/28)
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI ($19.79 from $59.99 until 3/1)
XCOM 2 Collection ($19.99 from $49.99 until 3/1)
BioShock: The Collection ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/1)
BioShock Remastered ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
BioShock 2 Remastered ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
BioShock Infinite: Complete ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Borderlands Legendary Collection ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/1)
Borderlands: GotY Edition ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/1)
Borderlands: Handsome Collection ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/1)
WWE 2K18 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 3/1)
WWE 2K Battlegrounds ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/1)
NBA 2K21 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 3/1)
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 ($7.49 from $29.99 until 3/1)
PGA Tour 2K21 ($29.99 from $59.99 until 3/1)
Carnival Games ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/1)
Aggelos ($4.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Songbird Symphony ($10.19 from $16.99 until 3/1)
Cat Quest II ($8.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Lunch A Palooza ($11.19 from $15.99 until 3/1)
Inertial Drift ($15.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Stay ($3.59 from $11.99 until 3/1)
Evergate ($7.49 from $9.99 until 3/1)
Nexomon Extinction ($14.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Aokana: Four Rhythms Across Blue ($22.49 from $29.99 until 3/1)
Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls? ($26.79 from $39.99 until 3/1)
Arcade Spirits ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
ibb & obb ($4.49 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Juiced! ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/3)
GraviFire ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/3)
Alphadia Genesis ($10.49 from $14.99 until 3/4)
Fernz Gate ($6.49 from $12.99 until 3/4)
Alvastia Chronicles ($6.49 from $12.99 until 3/4)
Sephirothic Stories ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/4)
Monochrome Order ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/4)
Archlion Saga ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/4)
Everdark Tower ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/4)
Legal Dungeon ($8.99 from $9.99 until 3/4)
The Rainsdowne Players ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/4)
Hero Hours Contract ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/4)
Replica ($3.49 from $4.99 until 3/4)
Ace Invaders ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/9)
Void Gore ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/10)
Break Dot ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Zero Strain ($3.99 from $9.99 until 3/11)
Deep Space Rush ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Under Leaves ($9.09 from $12.99 until 3/11)
Delta Squad ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Battojutsu ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Red Bow ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Refreshing Sideways Puzzle ($22.39 from $27.99 until 3/11)
Pity Pit ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Sushi Reversi ($9.99 from $13.99 until 3/11)
112th Seed ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Drunken Fist ($5.99 from $7.99 until 3/11)
Football Game ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
FoxyLand ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
FoxyLand 2 ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/11)
Milo’s Quest ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Madoris R ($4.00 from $5.00 until 3/11)
Family Tree ($1.99 from $7.99 until 3/11)
Super Box Land Demake ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Just Ignore Them ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Mekabolt ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Whipseey & the Lost Atlas ($2.03 from $5.99 until 3/11)
Legend of the Skyfish ($4.39 from $7.99 until 3/11)
Himno ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Projection: First Light ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/11)
Distraint: Deluxe ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/11)
Scheming Thru Zombie Apocalypse ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Sagebrush ($3.29 from $5.99 until 3/11)
Gravity Duck ($2.24 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Hoggy2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Super Wiloo Demake ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Mochi Mochi Boy ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Zeroptian Invasion ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Bird Game+ ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
My Big Sister ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Super Weekend Mode ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Iron Snout ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Access Denied ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Daggerhood ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Peasant Knight ($2.00 from $2.99 until 3/11)
Metagal ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
FullBlast ($3.29 from $5.99 until 3/11)
Super Destronaut DX ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Tetra’s Escape ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
I and Me ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/11)
Jack N’ Jill DX ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Shadow of Loot Box ($3.59 from $7.99 until 3/11)
Storm Boy ($2.03 from $5.99 until 3/11)
I Am The Hero ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/11)
Heroes Trials ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/11)
League of Evil ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/11)
36 Fragments of Midnight ($2.00 from $2.99 until 3/11)
Midnight Deluxe ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Devious Dungeon ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/11)
Devious Dungeon 2 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/11)
Warlock’s Tower ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Neon Junctions ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Cybarian: Time Traveling Warrior ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Attack of the Toy Tanks ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Paradox Soul ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Bouncy Bullets ($2.74 from $4.99 until 3/11)
InkSplosion ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Squareboy vs Bullies ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
Morphite ($5.09 from $14.99 until 3/11)
Kid Tripp ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/11)
Plantera Deluxe ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/11)
One More Dungeon ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/11)
Twin Robots: Ultimate ($3.19 from $7.99 until 3/11)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, February 19th
#Funtime ($6.71 from $14.99 until 2/19)
#Halloween, Puzzles Dream ($1.99 from $5.99 until 2/19)
4×4 Dirt Track ($5.99 from $11.99 until 2/19)
80’s Overdrive ($2.49 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Almost There: The Platformer ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Assassin’s Creed III ($15.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
Assassin’s Creed Rebel Collection ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
Body of Evidence ($5.49 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Breakpoint ($2.48 from $4.99 until 2/19)
Burn! SuperTrucks ($6.99 from $7.99 until 2/19)
Car Driving School Sim ($6.99 from $13.99 until 2/19)
Carnage: Battle Arena ($4.49 from $14.99 until 2/19)
Child of Light Ultimate ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
City Driving Simulator ($5.99 from $11.99 until 2/19)
Deleveled ($4.97 from $9.95 until 2/19)
Doom & Destiny Advanced ($9.59 from $11.99 until 2/19)
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/19)
Family Feud ($20.09 from $29.99 until 2/19)
Florence ($2.99 from $5.99 until 2/19)
FootGoal! Tiki Taka ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/19)
Fracter ($3.48 from $6.99 until 2/19)
Gurgamoth ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Icey ($6.99 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Immortals Fenyx Rising ($35.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
Jeopardy! ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Just Dance 2020 ($29.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
Just Dance 2021 ($29.99 from $49.99 until 2/19)
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
Mario + Rabbids: KB Gold ($19.99 from $79.99 until 2/19)
Monopoly ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
Okami HD ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Onimusha: Warlords ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Phoenix Wright: AA Trilogy ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/19)
Picklock ($3.99 from $7.99 until 2/19)
Puss! ($9.59 from $11.99 until 2/19)
Rayman Legends Definitive ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
RISK Global Domination ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Roundguard ($8.95 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Shinsekai Into the Depths ($14.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
South Park Fractured But Whole ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
South Park The Stick of Truth ($11.99 from $29.99 until 2/19)
Splashy Cube ($3.49 from $4.99 until 2/19)
Starlink Battle for Atlas ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
Starlink BfA Deluxe ($23.99 from $79.99 until 2/19)
Tanuki Justice ($11.24 from $14.99 until 2/19)
The Ambassador: Fractured Timelines ($6.71 from $14.99 until 2/19)
The Bridge ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Thomas Was Alone ($7.99 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Tiny Troopers Joint Ops XL ($3.24 from $12.99 until 2/19)
Trials Rising Gold ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/19)
Trials Rising Standard ($5.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Trivial Pursuit Live! ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
UNO ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Valiant Hearts: TGW ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Vera Blanc: Ghost in the Castle ($3.99 from $4.99 until 2/19)
Wheel of Fortune ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with the remaining new releases of the week, with the top title looking to be the new Switch port of Thomas Was Alone. We’ll have summaries of all the new games, plus the incoming and outgoing sales. Even with the big drop today I am expecting a lot of new sales tomorrow, so save a few pennies just in case. I hope you all have a great Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
