News

SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Fortnite’ Gets Performance Improvements, Plus ‘RetroMania Wrestling’ and Today’s Other New Releases and Sales

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 31st, 2021. Here we are at the end of the month, friends. We made it through another one. April will have some interesting treats to enjoy, but let’s give March the good-bye it deserves by checking out the several new releases that hit the eShop today. We’ve got a couple of slices of news to look at on top of that, plus the usual lists of incoming and outgoing sales. Let’s have a look, shall we?

News

‘Fortnite’ Gets Performance-Enhancing Update on Switch

A new update has hit Fortnite for the Switch, and it’s quite a spiffy upgrade. The file size of the game has been reduced by 140 MB, which is important for those who need to make every megabyte count. The resolution in handheld mode is now 660p, and 880p in docked mode. That compares to 560p before in handheld and 780p while docked. The framerate has also seen improvements, and the game should now run more consistently with fewer hitches during gameplay. Right on.

No Really, Last Chance on ‘Super Mario 3D All-Stars’ & ‘Fire Emblem 1’

I mentioned this a couple days ago, but here it is again. Today is the last day you can buy Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light on the eShop. While you may find copies of the physical versions out there somewhere, the digital versions of both games will be pulled from the eShop after today. All aboard that’s coming aboard, and all that.

New Releases

RetroMania Wrestling ($29.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

Always nice to see a worthy fan project get the official blessing and become a full-on sequel. That’s what happened with RetroMania Wrestling, the official sequel to Technos Japan’s classic arcade game WWF Wrestlefest. The line-up of 16 wrestlers includes some legends, some modern superstars, and a few others. There are four different modes to play including a story mode with up to fifty different match variations. Of course, local multiplayer is here as well. You can have up to four players in the ring for some real arcade mayhem. Shame there’s no online multiplayer, but that’s how it is. This released a few weeks ago on computers and the consensus seems to be that it’s a faithful follow-up to that 30-year old arcade wrestling game, with all that entails.

Drive Buy ($24.99)

Oh hey, a new game from the folks at Glitchers. They made some cool mobile games back in the day. This game is a vehicular combat game with an emphasis on multiplayer. You can hop online and battle against other players or play locally as long as everyone has their own Switch. There are a few different modes that change up the rules slightly, but all of them have an emphasis on wacky, over-the-top action. You’ve got power-ups, customization options, different maps to battle on, and so on. I’m not sure if there’s any content here for solo players, but even if there is I can safely assure you that the main target is multiplayer fun. I haven’t had a chance to spend time with this game so I can’t say too much more than that, but if nothing else the developer has a decent pedigree.

Storm Tale ($7.99)

Quite a few of today’s releases have that “oh, another one of those" energy. Well, this is another one of those games where you play a matching puzzle to earn resources that you use to build up your village. It seems well-made enough, I guess. The art looks decent and it’s pretty hard to mess up this formula if you don’t venture too far outside of the lines. That doesn’t seem like it will be an issue here. You could probably find a lot of games like this for free on your mobile device, but if you want one for your Switch? Here’s another one of those. Oh.

Escape from Life Inc ($9.99)

This is a story-driven puzzle platformer featuring three playable characters. I like this set-up already. You’ve got a walking fish, an arrogant eagle, and a stuttering reindeer. Each character has their own abilities and you’ll have to make use of all of them to get through the game’s many challenges and escape the alien lab. This game was apparently made over the course of a year and a half by a 15-year-old solo developer, which is pretty amazing. When I was that age I was just reading bad Spider-Man comics and playing too much Mortal Kombat II.

Squad Killer ($4.99)

Another retro action game for the pile. This one sees you trying to clear out all of the enemies in each room to collect a key that allows you to move on to the next one. There are seventeen levels in total, and they’re shuffled each time you play to add a random element to the affair. There are multiple modes, upgrades, unlockables, and all that other stuff you like to see in this kind of thing. It looks alright. I wish I could get more excited about it, but we’ve seen so many games like this before it’s hard to say much about another one. For five dollars I’d imagine it will scratch your itch if you’re on the hunt for a bit of quick action.

Rainbocorns ($12.99)

While the title may sound promising, this is just a coloring book app with some webisodes to watch. There are 50 different pictures to color featuring the characters, and you can use either touch controls or button controls to do the job. I like that the description for the game goes out of its way to mention that the pictures are re-usable. Imagine if they weren’t? It seems a bit expensive to me for what you get, but I suppose if you have a little one that loves these characters it may be worth considering.

I Saw Black Clouds ($12.99)

Here’s another FMV adventure from the folks at Wales Interactive. A woman named Kristina returns to her hometown after the sudden death of her friend to get some answers. What she stumbles across is deeper and darker than she could have possibly expected. You’ll make choices at various points that will take you down branching paths and, hopefully, to a good ending. Reviews haven’t been kind on this game, but I’m sure if you enjoyed the other stuff along these lines from Wales Interactive you might want to take a gamble on it. Just be aware this has a bit of a darker storyline than some of the other titles from this developer.

Press “A" to Party ($6.99)

Okay, without looking at anything first: that’s a great name. Good job on that. Surprised someone didn’t take it already. Moving past the title, the game itself is a bit more mundane. It’s a party game that offers local multiplayer for up to four players. There are six different mini-games to play, and as you would guess from the title all of them feature rather simple controls. It’s fine, but I’d imagine the mini-games will get old fairly quickly with so few in the mix. Then again, for the price it’s asking I’m not sure what a person should reasonably expect. If you like having a bunch of characters to pick from, you’re at least covered there. You get more than 50 characters to choose from. Well, if you need to spice up your next gaming party I suppose you could give this a shot.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Not too much to look at in today’s inbox, friends. A couple of sales on new releases, and some decent discounts on Crysis Remastered, Lonely Mountains: Downhill, Dead By Daylight, and a number of otome visual novels. The outbox is substantial, however. Very little that won’t be on sale again sometime soon, but those Capcom, 2K, and Ubisoft sales are always worth considering. Comb through it all carefully, friends. If any week is quiet enough to justify spending money fattening up your backlog, this is it.

Select New Games on Sale

Lonely Mountains: Downhill ($13.39 from $19.99 until 4/13)
I Saw Black Clouds ($11.69 from $12.99 until 4/6)
RetroMania Wrestling ($25.49 from $29.99 until 4/6)
Enchanted in the Moonlight ($13.99 from $19.99 until 4/14)
Star-Crossed Myth ($20.99 from $29.99 until 4/14)
Kissed by the Baddest Bidder ($17.49 from $24.99 until 4/14)
Our Two Bedroom Story ($17.49 from $24.99 until 4/14)
Love Letter from Thief X ($17.49 from $24.99 until 4/14)
My Forged Wedding ($17.49 from $24.99 until 4/14)
Dead By Daylight ($14.99 from $29.99 until 4/15)
Crysis Remastered ($16.49 from $29.99 until 4/19)
Yonder: Cloud Catcher ($15.89 from $29.99 until 4/19)
Croc’s World 2 ($1.99 from $5.99 until 4/19)
Elemental Knights R ($2.00 from $8.64 until 4/20)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Thursday, April 1st

#Funtime ($6.67 from $14.99 until 4/1)
#RaceDieRun ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
12 is Better Than 6 ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
A Day Without Me ($3.99 from $5.99 until 4/1)
A Hero and a Garden ($3.24 from $4.99 until 4/1)
A Summer with the Shiba Inu ($5.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
AeternoBlade ($5.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)
AeternoBlade II: Director’s Rewind ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Ageless ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Akane ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Akuto: Showdown ($1.99 from $7.99 until 4/1)
Almost There: The Platformer ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Alternate Jake Hunter: Daedalus ($4.80 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Art Sqool ($5.84 from $12.99 until 4/1)
Assassin’s Creed III ($15.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)


Assassin’s Creed Rebel Collection ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Automachef ($5.09 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Autumn’s Journey ($3.49 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Balancelot ($5.59 from $7.99 until 4/1)
Barbarous: Tavern of Emyr ($1.99 from $7.99 until 4/1)
Barrier X ($2.09 from $2.99 until 4/1)
BioShock 2 Remastered ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
BioShock Collection ($19.99 from $49.99 until 4/1)
BioShock Infinite Complete ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
BioShock Remastered ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Birthday of Midnight ($3.24 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Bishoujo Battle Cyber Panic! ($4.79 from $5.99 until 4/1)
BIT.TRIP Series, Assorted ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Blasphemous ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/1)
Blazblue CentralFiction Special ($19.50 from $49.99 until 4/1)


Blazblue Cross Tag Battle ($5.00 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Blazing Beaks ($1.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Blind Men ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Borderlands Legendary Collection ($19.99 from $49.99 until 4/1)
Borderlands: GOTY Edition ($11.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection ($15.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Breakpoint ($2.47 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Burn! SuperTrucks ($5.99 from $7.99 until 4/1)
Candy 2048 Challenge ($4.99 from $7.99 until 4/1)
Carnival Games ($9.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Castle Pals ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Charterstone: Digital ($18.74 from $24.99 until 4/1)
Chess Knights: Viking Lands ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/1)
Child of Light Ultimate ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Clash Force ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)


Clumsy Rush ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Code Shifter ($4.50 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Coffee Crisis ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Concept Destruction ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Cooking Festival ($5.49 from $10.99 until 4/1)
Crazy Strike Bowling EX ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
CrossKrush ($3.24 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Crown Trick ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Cyber Protocol ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Damascus Gear Operation Osaka ($2.40 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Death’s Hangover ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Deleveled ($4.94 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Devil May Cry ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Devil May Cry 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Devil May Cry 3 Special ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)


Devious Dungeon Collection ($7.14 from $12.99 until 4/1)
Dex ($1.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Distraint 2 ($4.49 from $8.99 until 4/1)
Door Kickers ($5.99 from $11.99 until 4/1)
Double Dragon ($3.50 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Double Dragon & Kunio-kun Bundle ($20.00 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Double Dragon 4 ($3.50 from $6.99 until 4/1)
Double Dragon II: The Revenge ($3.50 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Double Dragon III: Sacred Stones ($3.50 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen ($14.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Draw Chilly ($2.09 from $2.99 until 4/1)
Duck Souls+ ($2.74 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Dungeon and Puzzles ($7.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
DungeonTop ($6.99 from $11.99 until 4/1)
Eight Minute Empire: Complete ($5.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)


Escape Doodland ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Even the Ocean ($9.74 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Eyes: The Horror Game ($1.99 from $2.49 until 4/1)
Family Feud ($20.09 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Footgoal! Tiki Taka ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Fracter ($3.46 from $6.99 until 4/1)
Freddy Spaghetti ($3.49 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Ganbare! Super Strikers ($5.49 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Gems of Magic: Lost Family ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Gods Will Fall ($18.74 from $24.99 until 4/1)
Going Under ($13.39 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Gold Digger ($3.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Golf With Your Friends ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Golf Zero ($3.24 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Grand Prix Rock ‘N Racing ($2.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)


Gravity Rider Zero ($1.99 from $6.99 until 4/1)
Guard Duty ($5.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Guilty Gear ($6.90 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus ($9.80 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Gun Crazy ($2.74 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Gurgamoth ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Hatsune Miku Logic Paint S ($10.50 from $14.00 until 4/1)
HyperParasite ($1.99 from $17.99 until 4/1)
Immortals Fenyx Rising ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/1)
Istanbul: Digital ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Jeopardy! ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Jet Set Knights ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/1)
Jigsaw Fun: PiT! ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Jisei: The First Case HD ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Jumping Joe & Friends ($1.99 from $2.49 until 4/1)


Just Dance 2020 ($24.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Just Dance 2021 ($24.99 from $49.99 until 4/1)
Kill la Kill -IF ($10.00 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Knightin’+ ($3.29 from $5.99 until 4/1)
Koloro ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
L.A. Noire ($24.99 from $49.99 until 4/1)
Loot Hero DX ($3.49 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Lost Artifacts ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Madorica Real Estate ($7.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Mana Spark ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Mario + Rabbids KB Gold Edition ($13.59 from $79.99 until 4/1)
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle ($9.99 from $59.99 until 4/1)
MazM: Phantom of the Opera ($11.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Mega Man 11 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Mega Man Legacy Collection ($9.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)


Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Mega Man X Legacy Collection ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection ($19.79 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Micetopia ($3.24 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Mini Trains ($1.99 from $5.99 until 4/1)
Missile Dancer ($7.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Mononoke Slashdown ($4.20 from $6.99 until 4/1)
Monster Sanctuary ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
More Dark ($3.24 from $4.99 until 4/1)
MotoGP 19 ($6.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Moving Out ($14.99 from $24.99 until 4/1)
Mugsters ($2.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)
My Time at Portia ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/1)
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/1)
NBA 2K21 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 4/1)


Neon Abyss ($13.39 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Never Stop ($4.24 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Nicole ($11.39 from $18.99 until 4/1)
Nirvana Pilot Yume ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Not Not: Brain Buster ($1.99 from $2.49 until 4/1)
Okami HD ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Olympic Table Tennis ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
OMG Police ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
One Strike ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Onimusha Warlords ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Ord. ($3.24 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Overcooked Special ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Overcooked! 2 ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/1)
Paw Paw Paw ($6.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Peace, Death! Complete ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)


PGA Tour 2K21 ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/1)
Phoenix Wright: AA Trilogy ($14.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Pinkman+ ($3.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Planet Alpha ($3.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Prehistoric Dude ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Radio Squid ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Raging Justice ($3.74 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Raji: An Ancient Epic ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/1)
Ramp Car Jumping ($4.19 from $12.99 until 4/1)
Random Heroes: Gold ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Rayman Legends Definitive ($9.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Reed 2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Reed Remastered ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Reflection of Mine ($5.19 from $7.99 until 4/1)
REKT! ($1.99 from $5.99 until 4/1)
Reventure ($3.99 from $7.99 until 4/1)


Rimelands: Hammer of Thor ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
RISK Global Domination ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
River City Melee Mach!! ($4.80 from $13.99 until 4/1)
River City Ransom ($3.50 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Rock’N Racing Off Road DX ($2.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Roguecube ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Roommates ($12.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Roundguard ($8.89 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Rush Rover ($2.74 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Scott Pilgrim vs The World ($11.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Sheltered ($3.74 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Shinsekai Into the Depths ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI ($19.79 from $59.99 until 4/1)
South Park: Fractured But Whole ($14.99 from $59.99 until 4/1)
South Park: Stick of Truth ($11.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)


Space Pioneer ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Spacejacked ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Standby ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Starlink Battle for Atlas ($14.99 from $59.99 until 4/1)
Starlink BfA Deluxe ($23.99 from $79.99 until 4/1)
Stay Cool, Kobayashi-San! ($5.60 from $13.99 until 4/1)
Stencil Art ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/1)
Strawberry Vinegar ($5.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Super Arcade Soccer ($2.02 from $6.99 until 4/1)
Super Destronaut: Land Wars ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Super Dodge Ball ($3.50 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Super Puzzle Pack ($19.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Super Space Serpent ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Swim Out ($2.99 from $5.99 until 4/1)
Synergia ($11.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)


Syrup & the Ultimate Sweet ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Tamiku ($3.24 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Tharsis ($2.99 from $11.99 until 4/1)
The Ambassador: FT ($6.67 from $14.99 until 4/1)
The Bridge ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
The Escapists 2 ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
The Escapists: Complete ($3.74 from $14.99 until 4/1)
The Language of Love ($7.79 from $11.99 until 4/1)
The Missing: JJ Macfield ($10.20 from $29.99 until 4/1)
The Office Quest ($4.19 from $11.99 until 4/1)
The Outer Worlds ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/1)
The Room ($2.49 from $9.99 until 4/1)
The Survivalists ($16.74 from $24.99 until 4/1)
The Wardrobe: Even Better ($6.79 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Thunder Paw ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/1)


Thy Sword ($5.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Time Carnage ($7.79 from $12.99 until 4/1)
Timothy & Mysterious Forest ($3.99 from $7.99 until 4/1)
Trials Rising Gold ($8.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Trials Rising Standard ($5.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Trivial Pursuit Live ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Tumblestone ($1.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Two Parsecs From Earth ($5.19 from $7.99 until 4/1)
Ultra Hat Dimension ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Ultracore ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Umihara Kawase BaZooKa! ($17.99 from $29.99 until 4/1)
UNO ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Unrailed! ($13.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Unreal Life ($16.09 from $22.99 until 4/1)
Up Cliff Drive ($2.10 from $6.00 until 4/1)


Utopia 9: Volatile Vacation ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Valiant Hearts: The Great War ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Wanderjahr ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)
Way of the Passive Fist ($2.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Welcome to Primrose Lake ($1.99 from $7.99 until 4/1)
Werewolf: The Apocalypse HotF ($11.99 from $14.99 until 4/1)
Wheel of Fortune ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Wingspan ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Worldend Syndrome ($16.00 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Worms W.M.D ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/1)
WWE 2K Battlegrounds ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
WWE 2K18 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 4/1)
XCOM 2 Collection ($14.99 from $49.99 until 4/1)
Yoku’s Island Express ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/1)
Yooka-Laylee ($9.99 from $39.99 until 4/1)
Yooka-Laylee & Impossible Lair ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/1)
Zero Zero Zero Zero ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/1)
Zombie Blast Crew ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/1)

That’s all for today and this month, friends. Tomorrow is Thursday, so we’ll be starting off April with a bang. A smaller bang than usual by the looks of it so far, but a bang nonetheless. We’ll have summaries of all of the new releases, plus whatever sales and very important news that come in the meantime. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday, and as always, thanks for reading!