Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 8th, 2021. In today’s article, we go over all of the new releases for the day. There are quite a few of them! No really huge names, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any good games to consider. We’ve also got the lists of incoming and outgoing sales, as usual. And that’s pretty much it, but I promise it’s a lot. Let’s get to it!
New Releases
Astro Aqua Kitty ($14.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
I rather enjoy Tikipod’s games. Iron Crypticle was a great top-down twin-stick game, and Rock Boshers DX almost perfectly recreated a particular time and place. And then there’s Aqua Kitty UDX, an excellent homage to Defender. Now here’s a follow-up to that game, and it takes things to a whole new level. It’s kind of an action-RPG exploratory game, but with the same quality shoot-em-up mechanics seen in the original Aqua Kitty. I’ll be doing a review of this one soon, but I think it’s pretty cool. If you, like me, enjoy this developer’s work, rest assured that it has once again delivered.
Maiden & Spell ($12.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Here’s a magical girl projectile battler for up to four players, and it apparently even includes online multiplayer. There’s a story mode if you want to play solo, as well. Anyway, you choose your favorite magical girl from a cast of eight, each of whom has her own abilities, and go into aerial battles against other magical girls to see who will come out victorious. It’s basically a bullet hell battler, and its reception on other platforms has been very sunny indeed. I can’t say I’ve seen a game quite like this before, and it works quite well at first glance. Worth looking into if you want a slightly different way to battle your buddies.
Super Fowlst 2 ($4.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Oh hey, Dadish creator’s latest Switch port is here. And zowie, it’s Super Fowlst 2. I really dug this game on mobile, and I dig it here too. This game describes itself as an endless action game, and that’s because the levels are different every time you play. There’s also a different bonus treasure to search for each day, encouraging you to come back. The key to this game is in Fowlst’s unique movement. It jumps up-right and up-left. It can also stomp and use power-ups. A small list of moves, to be sure, but one that gets put to its test by some truly inventive stage mechanics. And hey, the price is only a little higher than the mobile version. How about that?
Island ($59.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
This visual novel comes from the same developer as The Fruit of Grisaia, and if you enjoyed that one you’ll probably really dig this. A tropical island called Urashima was once a paradise, but a mysterious disease threatens its very existence. A man washes up on a beach claiming to be a time traveler, but he has lost most of his memories save that he is supposed to complete a mission. He meets three girls who are the key to saving the island… and maybe more than that. Like in Grisaia, there are plenty of choices to make along the way that will determine the ending you ultimately reach. Island has gotten plenty of acclaim on other platforms, and I expect it will go over just as well with Switch-owning visual novel fans.
Arcade Archives Saboten Bombers ($7.99)
This is a 1992 release from NMK, and while it’s not the most famous thing around it apparently did pretty well in Japan back in the day. It’s one of those Bubble Bobble-ish single screen action-arcade games. In this one you play as a good cactus who throws bombs at other, more morally ambiguous cacti, and also insects? I’m not sure where they stand, ethically speaking. But you have to bomb them anyway. It’s colorful, it’s cute, it’s okay. As always, Hamster has done a proper job of bringing the game to the Switch. Saboten Bombers, what’s not to like?
Always Sometimes Monsters ($9.99)
The last time I played this game, it was via a rather awkward mobile port. I didn’t come away with the best impression of it, though I found the story to be quite interesting. Fortunately, this is a more straightforward port of the game. I still have a few issues with it, but there’s enough of merit here that it may be worth the ride if you’re okay with rather depressing stories. While the game was originally built using RPG Maker, it feels more like a visual novel with some playable bits gluing it all together. Well, it’s not as though we haven’t seen experimental uses of that engine many times by now. Anyway, there are tons of reviews of this game out there for other platforms. There’s nothing particular about this port that would make those previous evaluations irrelevant.
Sakura in Gameland ($9.99)
Ha… well, what can I say here? This is a 2D platformer about a character named Sakura who gets transported to GameLand to defend it against the Wizard of Woe. It’s set across eight different worlds, each vaguely themed around a popular game of some kind or another. My impression is that this is the product of a one-man team, so I’m not going to be too harsh on it. But I think it’s safe to say that this is probably not the best bang for your ten bucks on the eShop. Still, if you want to support a small developer, this is a way to do it. It’s a cute idea, at the very least.
Cozy Grove ($14.99)
Recently seen making its debut on Apple Arcade, Cozy Grove now comes to the Switch. If you haven’t played it already, this is somewhat similar to the likes of Animal Crossing. Similar enough that if you’re totally burnt out on New Horizons specifically but want to scratch that “daily tedious chores" itch, this will serve the job well enough. It slowly feeds you its story and world as the days go by, so there’s only so much you can do in any given session. The game is a good fit for the Switch conceptually, though there are some technical issues in handheld mode. Nothing too serious, mind you. Personally, I think this one is best enjoyed on a mobile device, especially since that keeps pizza money in my pocket, but it’s fine enough on the Switch as well if you’d prefer not to be tied to a subscription.
Legends of Talia: Arcadia ($2.99)
This is a brief visual novel from Winged Cloud, a developer largely known for its somewhat raunchy Sakura series. This one isn’t as risque as the typical affair from the developer, but it’s not exactly safe for work either. A legendary knight named Arcadia comes to a town that resents her for an incident that happened in the past. A dragon attacked the town, burnt it to the ground, and killed almost everyone there. What happened? Why is Arcadia here? And how will it all end? Three whole dollars and ninety minutes or so will give you your answers, friends.
Delicious! Pretty Girls Mahjong Solitaire ($5.99)
Another EastAsiaSoft game about marrying a proven gameplay concept with stripping cartoon ladies. This time it’s Mahjong Solitaire, and frankly I’m surprised it took it this long for this combination to happen on Switch. At any rate, you play the game and the ladies change into skimpy costumes as you clear the board. There are a handful of different ladies, and each has a number of costumes available. As we often see from these kinds of things, the art is okay but not as good as you might hope. Not really much else to say here. The game is pretty clear about what it offers, so it’s up to you whether that’s a thing you want to buy.
Don’t Give Up: A Cynical Tale ($9.99)
I don’t know if this was inspired by Undertale, but it sure feels like it. Like that game it kind of uses the trappings of the RPG genre without actually being an RPG, and features unconventional combat. Here, the battles mostly feel like puzzles you have to figure out. The main character is kind of hard to like, almost obnoxious really, but I guess that’s a genre these days. They do get better over the course of the story, as these sorts often do. It’s hard to judge this as a piece of art because it’s clearly a deeply personal one, but taken as a product I find it a bit hard to recommend. A lot of it comes down to how well the writing and humor connect with you, and it really didn’t connect with me at all.
Pixel Game Maker Series Osyaberi! Horijyo! Holin Slash ($11.99)
The latest in both the Pixel Game Maker and Osyaberi series is a side-scrolling platformer that looks rather plain. The chatty Anna Holinski heads out on an adventure to stea… er, go treasure hunting. Collect ores and other valuable to upgrade your equipment, and through that, your stats. Battle enemies on the land, sea, and air as you make your way across precarious platforms and through bodies of water. I don’t know, friends. This seems okay, but it also seems like the most middle-of-the-road side-scrolling action platformer a person could imagine. At half the price I’d feel like tossing the dice on it, but I’m extremely confident you can find better things along these lines on the eShop for twelve bucks.
Graviter ($7.99)
Ah, this looks neat. The basic idea here is that you need to guide the comet to the paw prints on each of the 101 stages. You don’t control the comet directly, however. Rather, you must manipulate the position and size of celestial bodies to influence the forces of gravity and thus the path of your little comet. We’ve seen puzzle games with similar ideas, but this is still a fresh enough concept that I find it engaging. If you’re on the hunt for a clever puzzler that feels like it came from the good old day of mobile gaming, you’ll assuredly want to give this one a look.
Potion Party ($9.99)
Lots of party games today, friends. This one is for up to four players via local multiplayer and sees you either cooperating or competing to make potions and become the best alchemist. Create, combine, and sell potions from your alchemy shop. You can also upgrade and decorate your shop as you go along. There are three modes, with a story mode and an endless mode aimed at the solo player, and a versus mode where you break up into teams with other players. It feels a bit like Overcooked, though there isn’t as much variety at play. It seems fine, even if it the gameplay isn’t the most original we’ve seen. Would you choose it over Overcooked? Well, I’ll leave that to you.
The Mysterious Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde ($9.99)
Hidden object adventure meets a classic of horror literature in this new release from Ocean Media. You play as an inspector who is investigating the murder of Sir Danvers Carew. All fingers point to the notorious Mr. Hyde, and you’ll have to find hidden objects and play mini-games to get to the bottom of the case. The game description talks about discovering a “horrifying secret", which is kind of cute given how famous this particular tale is. Spoiler alert: it’s in the heckin’ title.
What the Dub?! ($7.99)
This is a party game for up to twelve players locally where you watch a video clip and then make your own lines for certain moments. The text you enter is read back by text-to-speech, and then everyone votes for their favorite. There are more than 300 movie clips in total, which seems like a lot but will probably run out faster than you’d think. Still, it’s a fun idea and the price certainly seems right. I could see it playing well with the right group, but make sure you’ve got at least two witty people or it might get boring fast. You can use your phone, tablet, or even your computer to enter the text for your answers, which is neat.
Laid-Back Camp – Virtual – Fumoto Campsite ($20.99)
I guess they’re going back for another scoop on this one. This is a similar idea to the last Yuru Camp title from this publisher. You get to sit in on a short story with the characters, this time at the Fumoto Campsite. Take some pictures, eat some food, and enjoy some character moments with Nadeshiko, Rin, and the rest of the gang in this anime episode-length experience. The description hints at VR stuff, so it may work with the Toy-Con Goggles. Or it may not. I’m not going to spend the twenty bucks to find out, sorry. Anyway, if you like the series or had a nice time with Lake Motosu, you’re probably going to appreciate this more than the average person.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
As usual, most of the sales haven’t kicked in at the time of writing, but we’ve got a decent list so far to look at. The upcoming Atelier Mysterious Trilogy ports have their pre-launch discounts applied, This War of Mine: Complete is as cheap as chips, and both Moonlighter and Children of Morta are at very nice prices. By comparison, there isn’t too much in the outbox to get too carried away about. Take a good look anyway, friends.
Select New Games on Sale
Art Sqool ($6.19 from $12.99 until 4/15)
Sakura in Gameland ($7.99 from $9.99 until 4/15)
Cyber Protocol ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/15)
OMG Police: Car Chase TV ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/15)
Clumsy Rush ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/15)
Nirvana Pilot Yume ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/15)
Torn Tales: Rebound ($4.39 from $7.99 until 4/21)
Azurebreak Heroes ($3.49 from $6.99 until 4/21)
Demon’s Rise: Lords of Chaos ($5.59 from $7.99 until 4/21)
Atelier Sophie DX ($35.99 from $39.99 until 4/22)
Atelier Firis DX ($35.99 from $39.99 until 4/22)
Atelier Lydie & Suelle DX ($35.99 from $39.99 until 4/22)
Atelier Mysterious Trilogy ($80.99 from $89.99 until 4/22)
Rain on Your Parade ($13.49 from $14.99 until 4/22)
What the Dub?! ($6.99 from $7.99 until 4/23)
Monster Blast ($2.39 from $5.99 until 4/26)
Word Mesh ($2.09 from $6.99 until 4/26)
Radon Blast ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/26)
Moonlighter ($6.24 from 24.99 until 4/27)
This War of Mine: Complete ($7.99 from $39.99 until 4/27)
Beat Cop ($2.24 from $14.99 until 4/27)
Children of Morta ($10.99 from $21.99 until 4/27)
Bubble Cats Rescue ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/28)
Delicious! Pretty Girls Solitaire ($4.79 from $5.99 until 4/29)
Graviter ($6.39 from $7.99 until 4/29)
#SinucaAttack ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/29)
Many Faces ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/29)
Kawaii Deathu Desu ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/29)
Zero Strain ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/29)
Skatemasta Tcheco ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/29)
Lost Sea ($2.99 from $9.99 until 4/29)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, April 9th
Adam’s Venture: Origins ($23.99 from $39.99 until 4/9)
Among the Sleep Enhanced ($6.99 from $24.99 until 4/9)
Brawl Chess ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/9)
Cargo Crew Driver ($8.99 from $11.99 until 4/9)
CATTCH ($5.59 from $6.99 until 4/9)
Defunct ($1.99 from $14.99 until 4/9)
Dog Duty ($1.99 from $19.99 until 4/9)
Galactic Trooper Armada ($2.99 from $5.99 until 4/9)
Gangsta Paradise ($7.49 from $9.99 until 4/9)
Gorilla Big Adventure ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/9)
Let’s Sing 2021 ($27.99 from $39.99 until 4/9)
Monstrum ($19.99 from $29.99 until 4/9)
My Little IceCream Booth ($2.40 from $3.00 until 4/9)
Pix the Cat ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/9)
Say No! More ($13.49 from $14.99 until 4/9)
Truck Driver ($34.99 from $49.99 until 4/9)
Unknown Fate ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/9)
Unspottable ($9.59 from $11.99 until 4/9)
Vampire: Coteries of New York ($8.99 from $19.99 until 4/9)
Vampire: Shadows of New York ($8.44 from $12.99 until 4/9)
That’s all for today, friends. Tomorrow will see a whole bunch of new releases to close out the week. Trails of Cold Steel IV, The House in Fata Morgana, and Ravensword: Shadowlands are leading the pack, but there are several other games to check out as well. And check them out we will. There will also probably be a huge bucket of sales to sort through, as there always are on Fridays. Well, that’s a problem for Future Shaun. I hope you all have an excellent Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
