Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 19th, 2021. In today’s article, we do the usual Friday thing of mopping up the rest of the new releases for the week and checking out a bunch of sales. A handful of games jumped on to the schedule out of nowhere, so the new release section is a bit heftier than I was expecting. Let’s get to work!
New Releases
KUUKIYOMI 3: Consider It More and More!! Father to Son ($4.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Hey, I love this series. This is the third game and aside from the fact that the mini-games are mostly new, the other big change is that you’re using a female protagonist in many of them. The core idea is the same, however. You have to quickly assess the situation you find yourself in and do the socially acceptable thing. Some of it is obvious, like moving your legs when someone is trying to walk past. Some of it… is a little more out there. Enjoyable to play, funny, and sometimes heart-warming, Kuukiyomi 3 is well-worth your time and money.
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville Complete Edition ($39.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Alright, Plants vs. Zombies on Switch! Wait… it’s not the original one? Sigh, okay. EA brings its Frostbite Engine to the Switch with this release, a port of the latest in the Garden Warfare line of fully 3D third-person shooter/tower defense hybrids. This one hit other platforms a couple of years ago and was reasonably well received if not overly so. Up to sixteen players can battle each other online in a variety of modes, with plenty of customizable elements to keep things interesting. The real question mark here is in how well EA has been able to get it up and running on the Switch. I haven’t been able to put my hands on it myself, so I can’t say how well it’s been pulled off. EA’s done pretty good work tech-wise up until now on the Switch, so I’m feeling reasonably confident about this one.
Sumatra: Fate of Yandi ($6.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
After a nasty landslide, Yandi finds himself lost in the jungle. He needs to make his way home, and it’s up to you to help him in this point-and-click style adventure game. There are lots of puzzles to solve, most of which are inventory puzzles of some sort or another. This game was clearly influenced by classic Sierra and LucasArts games, and in a bit of a change from the norm it seems to be more the former than the latter. Not in the sense that you’ll be dying a series of stupid deaths, but more in how it’s trying to create a proper sense of space for its world. The story is actually quite interesting once it gets going, too. This game is fairly well-liked on PC, and the only real knock on this version I can make is that it’s a bit more awkward to play with a controller than a mouse.
Gem Miner ($5.99)
This one looks quite simple. A young woman named Ashley is seeking riches by, I think, fishing gems and fossils out of the ground using a giant winch? You need to get those things while avoiding bombs and big stones, scooping up as much loot as you can before the timer runs out. If you meet the target score, you win. That seems to be all there is to it. Well, the presentation is decent enough and I suppose someone looking for a lighter bit of fun might get some kicks out of it. I sure can’t write much more about it, though.
Can’t Drive This ($19.99)
Well, this is a neat idea for a racing game. This is a multiplayer game where one player drives a monster truck while the other builds the road in real time. If the driver goes too slow, they’ll explode. So it’s kind of a frantic battle to cobble a track together with very little time to do so while the racing player has to negotiate the chaos. Oh, and up to four players can play at once via local or online multiplayer. One person handles the track construction while the others race. By its nature this seems to be a game where you really need other players to have proper fun with it, but if you’re into party games and want something a bit different this may serve you well.
Root Film ($39.99)
This is, by name, in the same series as the intriguing Root Letter, but don’t worry if you haven’t played that particular game. This takes place in the same part of Japan but it’s a completely unrelated story, as near as I can tell. You follow the story of a young man named Rintaro Yagumo who has been chosen to direct a reboot of a mystery show that was canceled under unique circumstances. Just when he’s started scouting a location, a murder happens. Soon you’ll be doing detective work and questioning witnesses and suspects to figure out the truth behind everything. It sounds like it’s going to be similar to Ace Attorney, but it’s a bit more on rails than that, at least in terms of the questioning. It’s also quite different tonally, with a darker streak running through it all. If it’s like Root Letter, you can expect a solid if not necessarily mind-blowing visual novel here.
Gangsta Paradise ($9.99)
This looks like a wave-based defense game, with a cartoon mafia theme. Yes, I’m also disappointed that it has nothing to do with Coolio. It seems pretty typical of this sort of thing, with a bunch of stages to play and upgrades to pick up. It apparently supports two players, so if you feel like battling a friend or family member locally that is something you can do. Unfortunately, the game description doesn’t give us a lot of details and its title is web search-proof because of how it conflates with Coolio’s album and the popular Gangster Paradise series of mobile games. That means I don’t have much more to say about it, so let’s move on.
Among Pipes ($7.99)
Well, that sure is Pipe Dreams, isn’t it? They call it a classic game with remastered graphics, but let’s call it what it is. You get more than 300 puzzles in this one, along with some power-ups to help you with trickier ones should you feel the need. If you’ve never played a game like this before, the idea is that you have to connect pipe pieces to keep the goo flowing all the way to its destination point. The movement of the goo adds an element of pressure to laying down the pieces, and as you make your way through the levels you’re going to have to think very quickly indeed. Seems like a decent chunk of content for the price, so if you like pipe puzzles you may want to give it a look.
Fancy Solitaire ($8.99)
Another Klondike Solitaire game, in case you need another one. As with many of the other games of this sort on the eShop, there are various decks, backgrounds, and pieces of music to choose from. You can also play both the Draw One and Draw Three variants, though that’s hardly unusual. I feel like if you enjoy Klondike Solitaire you probably already own a Switch version that does everything this one does and perhaps more. Not sure where that leaves this one, but at least it’s fancy?
3D Arcade Fishing ($14.99)
The Switch has a fair number of fishing games, and here’s another one. As it says in the title, there’s little interest in presenting a realistic simulation of the sport here. Rather, it’s some simple arcade fishing fun where you can catch up to eleven different fish species at a variety of locations. There are three lakes in total, and fifteen fishing spots spread among them. You get nine anglers to choose from, and that’s about all you need to worry about. After that, just enjoy fishing. Your character will level up as you do, which will unlock new bait and better equipment that will enable you to bring in bigger hauls. Not sure I’d personally pay fifteen bucks for this, but it’s at least a bit more fun than many other fishing games around the same price on the eShop.
Chess Knights: Viking Lands ($3.99)
Another low-priced chess puzzle game from the folks at QUByte Interactive and Minimol Games. This one has 40 levels and has you using your knights to rescue your other pieces that have been captured somewhere on the board. Some spiffy backgrounds help spruce up what is quickly becoming a well-trodden trail for this developer. I enjoy these games as something to play between bigger games, so I’ll probably pick this one up as well. Ultimately, it’s another chess puzzle game from people who know what they’re doing in this category. If that’s what you want, here it is.
Cargo Crew Driver ($11.99)
Here’s another one of BoomBit’s driving games, this time with a cargo truck theme. You drive ten different vehicles around a realistic port environment, trying to accomplish 50 missions or just driving around and chilling. Forklifts, trailer trucks, and even police cars are available for your pleasure. The game seems awfully proud of its traffic, but I’m not sure it’s much better than mediocre. If you want to get a taste of what’s in store, you can try out the free-to-play version on your mobile device, where it’s going under the title Cargo Crew: Port Truck Driver. Soon to be featured in the sales list for half-price, no doubt.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Perhaps not as big as some weeks, but then again yesterday was busier than the typical Thursday. Some interesting stuff to consider, such as the CastleStorm games and the bevy of Circle Entertainment titles. Shadows of Adam, Incredible Mandy, and the Mercenaries games are my picks from that bunch, but they all have something to offer. As for the weekend outbox, nothing in there is really getting me too excited. But you should check both lists out yourself to see how it is for you.
Select New Games on Sale
Axiom Verge ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/24)
CastleStorm ($3.74 from $14.99 until 3/25)
CastleStorm II ($8.99 from $19.99 until 3/25)
Clouds & Sheep 2 ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/25)
Stunt Kite Party ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/25)
Omega Labyrinth Life ($27.59 from $59.99 until 3/31)
Escape Trick 35 Enigmas ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/31)
Gakuen Club ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/31)
My Secret Pets ($10.49 from $14.99 until 3/31)
Secrets of Me ($10.49 from $14.99 until 3/31)
Enchanting Mahjong Match ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/31)
The Charming Empire ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/31)
Nightshade ($28.79 from $47.99 until 3/31)
Dangerous Relationship ($10.49 from $14.99 until 3/31)
Pub Encounter ($8.49 from $16.99 until 3/31)
The Amazing Shinsengumi: HiL ($5.99 from $11.99 until 3/31)
Pool Billiard ($1.99 from $7.99 until 3/31)
The Card: Poker, Etc ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/31)
The Number Puzzle ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/31)
The Golf ($3.99 from $9.99 until 3/31)
Wuppo: Definitive ($4.99 from $14.99 until 3/31)
Heroes of the Monkey Tavern ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/31)
Toki ($1.99 from $14.99 until 3/31)
Funghi Explosion ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/31)
Up Cliff Drive ($2.10 from $6.00 until 4/1)
Raji: An Ancient Epic ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/1)
The Office Quest ($4.19 from $11.99 until 4/1)
MotoGP 19 ($6.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Time Carnage ($7.79 from $12.99 until 4/1)
Chess Knights: Viking Lands ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/1)
Way of the Passive Fist ($2.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)
L.A. Noire ($24.99 from $49.99 until 4/1)
Dungeon and Puzzles ($7.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Lost Artifacts ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
39 Days to Mars ($10.04 from $14.99 until 4/2)
The Town of Light: Deluxe ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/2)
Space Ribbon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/6)
Crazy Zen Mini Golf ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/6)
Pinball Lockdown ($1.99 from $5.99 until 4/6)
Ploid ($2.09 from $2.99 until 4/6)
Chill Panda ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/6)
Kuukiyomi 3: Father to Son ($4.49 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Glam ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/7)
Aeolis Tournament ($2.24 from $14.99 until 4/7)
Ploid Saga ($2.15 from $11.99 until 4/7)
Tap Skaters ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
80’s Overdrive ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Agatha Christie: ABC Murders ($19.49 from $29.99 until 4/7)
Grave Keeper ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Q-YO Blaster ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Mad Bullets ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Sudoku Relax 2 Summer Waves ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Diggerman ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Thief Simulator ($1.99 from $19.99 until 4/7)
Red Siren: Space Defense ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Phantom Doctrine ($1.99 from $19.99 until 4/7)
The Childs Sight ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Surfingers ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Hard West ($1.99 from $19.99 until 4/7)
IHUGU ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/7)
Fishing Universe Simulator ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Bad Dream: Coma ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Bad Dream: Fever ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Dungeons & Aliens ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/7)
Merchants of Kaidan ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Clock Simulator ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/7)
Grab Lab ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Bedtime Blues ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
My Brother Rabbit ($2.99 from $14.99 until 4/7)
Hardway Party ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
The Mahjong Huntress ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Find the Balance ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Phantaruk ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Realpolitiks ($2.49 from $24.99 until 4/7)
Hollow ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Gear.Club Unlimited ($2.98 from $14.90 until 4/7)
Qbik ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Risky Rescue ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Violett ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Signs of the Sojourner ($15.99 from $19.99 until 4/7)
Goetia ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Star Story: Horizon Escape ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
NoReload Heroes ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Shut Eye ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/7)
Glaive: Brick Breaker ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Quest of Dungeons ($2.99 from $8.99 until 4/7)
Syberia 3 ($9.99 from $49.99 until 4/7)
Startide ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Moto Racer 4 ($1.99 from $14.99 until 4/7)
Nyan Cat: Lost in Space ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Paper Train ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Dark Veer ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/7)
Agony ($1.99 from $19.99 until 4/7)
Georifters ($5.99 from $29.99 until 4/7)
Despotism 3k ($2.74 from $10.99 until 4/7)
Sinless ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? ($22.49 from $29.99 until 4/7)
Karma Knight ($5.39 from $8.99 until 4/7)
Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness ($14.99 from $29.99 until 4/7)
Sin Slayers ($1.99 from $19.99 until 4/7)
OmoTomO ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
Sparkle 4 Tales ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
ATV Drift & Tricks ($1.99 from $34.99 until 4/7)
Asterix & Obelix XXL ($19.49 from $29.99 until 4/7)
They Bleed Pixels ($4.49 from $14.99 until 4/7)
The Bluecoats North & South ($17.99 from $29.99 until 4/7)
My Universe: Fashion Boutique ($17.99 from $29.99 until 4/7)
My Universe: School Teacher ($17.99 from $29.99 until 4/7)
My Universe: Cooking Star ($17.99 from $29.99 until 4/7)
Mercenaries Saga Chronicles ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/8)
Mercenaries Blaze: DotTD ($15.99 from $19.99 until 4/8)
Pan-Pan ($2.00 from $5.00 until 4/8)
World Conqueror X ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/8)
European Conqueror X ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/8)
Great Conqueror: Rome ($6.99 from $9.99 until 4/8)
Koi DX ($2.00 from $5.00 until 4/8)
Shelter Generations ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/8)
Will: A Wonderful World ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/8)
Solstice Chronicles: MIA ($5.99 from $14.99 until 4/8)
The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/8)
Arrest of a Stone Buddha ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/8)
A Dark Room ($1.99 from $6.99 until 4/8)
Shadows of Adam ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/8)
Paper Dolls Original ($8.49 from $16.99 until 4/8)
Button Button Up! ($4.79 from $11.99 until 4/8)
Rabi-Ribi ($25.49 from $29.99 until 4/8)
Incredible Mandy ($5.99 from $14.99 until 4/8)
Maitetsu: Pure Station ($20.99 from $34.99 until 4/8)
Goblin Sword ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/8)
Runestone Keeper ($6.99 from $9.99 until 4/8)
Metaverse Keeper ($10.49 from $14.99 until 4/8)
Sales Ending This Weekend
99Moves ($2.00 from $2.99 until 3/20)
99Seconds ($2.00 from $2.99 until 3/20)
Abyss ($2.00 from $2.99 until 3/20)
Aery: Broken Memories ($8.99 from $14.99 until 3/20)
Broken Lines ($14.99 from $24.99 until 3/20)
Cubicity ($3.60 from $6.00 until 3/20)
Darts Up ($2.00 from $2.99 until 3/20)
Horror Pinball Bundle ($2.96 from $5.99 until 3/20)
My Little Dog Adventure ($5.99 from $9.99 until 3/20)
My Little IceCream Booth ($2.10 from $3.00 until 3/20)
Power Racing Bundle ($5.94 from $16.99 until 3/20)
Purrs In Heaven ($2.09 from $6.99 until 3/20)
Rally Rock ‘N Racing ($2.99 from $9.99 until 3/20)
Rock ‘N Racing Bundle GP&R ($5.99 from $19.99 until 3/20)
Top Gun Air Combat ($4.49 from $8.99 until 3/20)
Touchdown Pinball ($2.01 from $2.99 until 3/20)
3000th Duel ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/21)
7th Sector ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/21)
Bass Pro Shops: The Strike ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/21)
Cabela’s: The Hunt ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/21)
Death Squared ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/21)
I, AI ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/21)
Legendary Eleven ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/21)
Mask of Mists ($10.49 from $14.99 until 3/21)
Music Racer ($4.89 from $6.99 until 3/21)
My Aunt is a Witch ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/21)
Pantsu Hunter: Back to the 90s ($9.09 from $12.99 until 3/21)
Rainbows Toilets & Unicorns ($4.89 from $6.99 until 3/21)
Rally Road: Crashy Car Racing ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/21)
Regina & Mac ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/21)
Suicide Guy: Sleepin’ Deeply ($1.99 from $5.99 until 3/21)
Super One More Jump ($1.99 from $7.00 until 3/21)
Tcheco in the Castle of Lucio ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/21)
Ultimate Racing 2D ($2.99 from $9.99 until 3/21)
That’s all for today and this week, friends. Next week will see some interesting releases, including Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, Vaporum: Lockdown, Overcooked: All You Can Eat!, Tesla Force, Tales from the Borderlands, Balan Wonderworld, and… hm, am I forgetting anything? Right, right. Some sort of Monster Hunter Rise business. It’s going to be a busy week, friends. Some laughs, some tears, and a whole lot of burnt cash. I hope you all have a great weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!
