Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 16th, 2021. In today’s article, we go over the remaining new releases and sales for the week. You would have thought after yesterday that there wouldn’t be much more to go on sale this week, but there’s a healthy list to look at. The new releases on the other hand aren’t quite as impressive as yesterday’s lot, but if you’re looking for some cheap eats you may come away with something new on your home screen. Let’s get going!
New Releases
Heal: Console Edition ($6.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
This one comes from the same creator as the intriguing Distraint, and like that it has a lot of things it wants to talk about. The themes include aging and dementia, and it uses a 2D side-scrolling perspective to weave its yarn. The world is somewhat abstract in its presentation for certain reasons and there are plenty of puzzles to solve. Just be warned that most of the puzzles are of the timed variety, though you can keep on trying them until you get it right. Rather than tell its story through dialogue and text, it chooses to use its atmosphere as its main form of narrative. It takes a couple of hours to make your way through, and it is very much worth giving some time to.
Angry Golf ($4.99)
This affordable title comes from Ultimate Games, so set your expectations appropriately. You need to shoot the ball to reach the goal on each of the 43 levels. There are a set number of shots to clear each stage in, from one to five depending on the complexity. Traps, hazards, and other obstacles will try to keep you from achieving that goal. Oh, and it’s Angry Golf because your ball has an angry face on it. The graphics look quite… modest, to say the least. But there’s a B-game charm to it, I suppose. You could probably have five dollars’ worth of goofy fun with it if you’re in the right mood.
Tribal Pass ($6.99)
It’s an auto runner, but it’s an odd one. You control a group of what appears to be cavemen in an overhead run across a procedurally-generated landscape. There’s a resource management element to it as you need to make sure you have enough food for everyone, and while you run you need to tactically split and unite your people to avoid obstacles. It seems interesting if you’re still not tired of runners. It at least appears to be trying something different, and I give it credit for that.
Driving World: Nordic Challenge ($11.99)
Another week passes, another driving game from BoomBit. While the broad strokes are going to be intimately familiar for anyone who has played any of the publisher’s previous efforts, the specific spice this time around is in its northern island setting. All well and good, but when you get to the gameplay nuts and bolts there aren’t any surprises to be found. A decent-sized open area to drive around in, several different vehicle types to use, a bunch of missions to check off if you’re feeling like a more structured experience, and the usual “realistic" traffic and pedestrians. It will be on sale for half-price before long, I’m sure. Probably available for free on your mobile device if you want to try it out first.
Colorfall ($4.99)
You know, normally I’m pretty good at figuring out what a puzzle game is about just by looking at the screenshots, but this one has me stumped. The description talks about connecting paired elements to create a colorful waterfall? But for the life of me I can’t figure out what that actually entails. It looks pretty, and it promises some piano music. Piano music doesn’t usually go wrong. Well no, that piano music that played in the basement in the Director’s Cut of Resident Evil was bad. But it’s rare, right? Almost as rare as a generically-titled puzzle game that doesn’t explain its mechanics at all on its shop page. Moving on.
Rock ‘N Racing Bundle 3 in 1 ($24.99)
At last, no picking and choosing when it comes to which two of the three Rock ‘N Racing games you want to buy in a bundle. Here are all three games together in one easy-to-purchase package. The usual rules apply, of course. On its own this bundle is not much of a deal, especially as the included games go on sale relatively often for deeply discounted prices. This bundle itself will go on sale, however, and it’s there that this may end up the better deal. Assuming you want all three of these games, at any rate. They’re not terribly good, but I suppose there are worse racing games on the eShop.
Savage Halloween ($4.99)
An affordable run-and-gun from the folks at QUByte. It has a lot of the same rough edges we see in indie games of this sort at this price point: slightly awkward controls and physics, a relatively short run time, and a few too many references to the old days that don’t quite land. But it’s not too bad. Projectile weapons mitigate a lot of collision quirks, and I really do dig some of the boss designs and level layouts. Plus you get three different characters, each with a few qualities to call their own. Overall? It’s alright.
Snowball Collections Bubble ($5.99)
This looks to be a take-off of Puzzle Bobble/Bust-A-Move, with the idea being that you earn snow globes for clearing levels? I think? It’s not very clear but I figure that’s what is going on. I mean, at least it’s trying to put a slightly different spin on the idea. That’s more than most games inspired by Puzzle Bobble try. Unfortunately, I’ll have to give my usual advice: a couple dollars more will get you the real Puzzle Bobble via Hamster’s ACA NEOGEO release, and it’s a far better way to enjoy this sort of affair.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Lots of interesting games in the list today, even after yesterday’s avalanche. Team 17 is having one of its usual sales, with plenty of fun games to grab. Chasm is on sale again, and Kemco has a bunch of its RPGs discounted including recent release Citizens Unite!. All of the Picross S games are on sale in anticipation of the upcoming release of Picross S6 in case you want to fill your boots. There isn’t too much of note in the outbox for the weekend, so feel free to commit your resources on other things. As always, take a gander at both lists to see if something is of particular interest to you.
Select New Games on Sale
Chasm ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/21)
Deiland: Pocket Planet ($16.99 from $19.99 until 4/21)
Monster Sanctuary ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/22)
Yoku’s Island Express ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/22)
Worms W.M.D ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/22)
Crown Trick ($13.39 from $19.99 until 4/22)
The Escapists Complete ($3.74 from $14.99 until 4/22)
The Escapists 2 ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/22)
The Survivalists ($16.74 from $24.99 until 4/22)
Golf With Your Friends ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/22)
Yooka-Laylee ($9.99 from $39.99 until 4/22)
Yooka-Laylee & the Impossible Lair ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/22)
Blasphemous ($9.99 from $24.99 until 4/22)
Mugsters ($2.99 from $14.99 until 4/22)
Going Under ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/22)
Planet Alpha ($3.99 from $19.99 until 4/22)
The Room ($2.49 from $9.99 until 4/22)
Raging Justice ($3.74 from $14.99 until 4/22)
Moving Out ($14.99 from $24.99 until 4/22)
Neon Abyss ($13.39 from $19.99 until 4/22)
Overcooked Special Edition ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/22)
Overcooked! 2 ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/22)
The Low Road ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/22)
Godstrike ($11.99 from $14.99 until 4/22)
Ageless ($5.09 from $14.99 until 4/22)
My Time at Portia ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/22)
Sheltered ($3.74 from $14.99 until 4/22)
Riverbond ($7.49 from $24.99 until 4/22)
Automachef ($5.09 from $14.99 until 4/22)
Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/22)
World of Goo ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Human Resource Machine ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
7 Billion Humans ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Little Inferno $7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
PHOGS! ($18.74 from $24.99 until 4/25)
Cake Bash ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
Linn: Path of Orchards ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/26)
Half Past Fate ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/27)
Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing ($4.49 from $5.99 until 4/27)
Some Distant Memory ($3.89 from $12.99 until 4/27)
Monster Energy Supercross ($5.99 from $29.99 until 4/29)
Vaccine ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/29)
Moonfall Ultimate ($2.59 from $12.99 until 4/29)
The Sinking City ($12.49 from $49.99 until 4/29)
Bonkies ($10.49 from $14.99 until 4/29)
Royal Roads ($2.99 from $9.99 until 4/29)
Devil Slayer Raksasi ($11.99 from $14.99 until 4/29)
Mekorama ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/29)
Savage Halloween ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/29)
Monkey Barrels ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/29)
They Breathe ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/29)
Factotum 90 ($1.99 from $7.99 until 4/29)
Jotun Valhalla Edition ($3.74 from $14.99 until 4/30)
Zen Chess Collection ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/30)
UBERMOSH: OMEGA ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/30)
Dogurai ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/30)
Flatland Vol.1 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/30)
Rolling Sky ($4.39 from $10.99 until 4/30)
Rolling Sky 2 ($5.19 from $12.99 until 4/30)
Sundered Eldritch Edition ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/30)
99Vidas: Definitive ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/30)
Cyber Complex ($7.19 from $14.99 until 4/30)
Steel Rain ($7.19 from $14.99 until 4/30)
Jungle Z ($5.19 from $12.99 until 4/30)
Space Elite Force 2 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/30)
Swallow Up ($3.19 from $7.99 until 4/30)
Hardcore Maze Cube ($1.99 from $2.49 until 4/30)
Spiritfarer ($19.99 from $29.99 until 4/30)
Sky Mercenaries Redux ($7.20 from $15.00 until 4/30)
Press A to Party ($3.49 from $6.99 until 4/30)
Hunting Simulator 2 ($23.99 from $39.99 until 5/1)
Stitchy in Tooki Trouble ($9.74 from $12.99 until 5/1)
BQM Block Quest Maker ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/5)
Elea: Paradigm Shift ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/5)
Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/5)
Bulletstorm: Duke of Switch ($11.99 from $29.99 until 5/5)
Risk of Rain 2 ($9.99 from $24.99 until 5/5)
Hypnospace Outlaw ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/5)
Unitied ($2.09 from $2.99 until 5/5)
Newton’s Cradle Puzzle Game ($2.09 from $2.99 until 5/5)
Picross S ($6.39 from $7.99 until 5/5)
Picross S2 ($7.19 from $8.99 until 5/5)
Picross S3 ($7.99 from $9.99 until 5/5)
Picross S4 ($7.99 from $9.99 until 5/5)
Picross S5 ($8.99 from $9.99 until 5/5)
Picross Lord of the Nazarick ($7.99 from $9.99 until 5/5)
Kemono Friends Picross ($7.99 from $9.99 until 5/5)
Citizens Unite!: Earth X Space ($22.49 from $29.99 until 5/6)
Yodanji ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/6)
Fernz Gate ($6.49 from $12.99 until 5/6)
Miden Tower ($9.74 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Dragon Lapis ($9.74 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Monster Viator ($9.74 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Seek Hearts ($9.74 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Yes, Your Grace ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/6)
Nowhere Prophet ($12.49 from $24.99 until 5/6)
Zombie’s Cool ($2.99 from $3.99 until 5/6)
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion ($11.99 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Buildings Have Feelings Too! ($15.99 from $19.99 until 5/6)
Multi Quiz ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/6)
Black Jack World Tour ($2.39 from $3.99 until 5/6)
Kid Tripp ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/6)
Without Escape ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/6)
Null Drifter ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/6)
112th Seed ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/6)
Creepy Tale ($3.49 from $9.99 until 5/6)
Wallachia: Reign of Dracula ($9.99 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Steam Prison ($49.11 from $65.49 until 5/6)
Ephemeral Fantasy on Dark ($26.59 from $37.99 until 5/6)
Void Gore ($3.49 from $4.99 until 5/6)
Sales Ending This Weekend
Human: Fall Flat ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/17)
Moorhuhn Remake ($5.59 from $6.99 until 4/17)
Overdriven Reloaded: Special ($1.99 from $7.99 until 4/17)
Spinny’s Journey ($10.49 from $14.99 until 4/17)
Super Arcade Racing ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/17)
The Persistence ($10.19 from $29.99 until 4/17)
The Unexpected Quest ($11.25 from $15.00 until 4/17)
Aery: Little Bird Adventure ($3.49 from $6.99 until 4/18)
Aery: Sky Castle ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/18)
Alteric ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/18)
Bayala: The Game ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Big-Bobby-Car: The Big Race ($8.99 from $29.99 until 4/18)
Black The Fall ($4.49 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Blood Breed ($1.99 from $5.99 until 4/18)
Chess Ace ($1.99 from $7.99 until 4/18)
Eldrador Creatures ($20.99 from $29.99 until 4/18)
Energy Cycle Edge ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/18)
Knight Squad 2 ($11.99 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Mechstermination Force ($2.51 from $11.99 until 4/18)
Panda Jump ($1.99 from $5.99 until 4/18)
Perseverance ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/18)
Pizza Parking ($2.99 from $5.99 until 4/18)
Retro Tanks ($2.99 from $5.99 until 4/18)
Save the Ninja Clan ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/18)
Slots of the Season ($3.99 from $7.99 until 4/18)
SpaceColorsRunner ($2.99 from $5.99 until 4/18)
Spiral Splatter ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/18)
Super Jumpy Ball ($4.49 from $4.99 until 4/18)
Super Street: Racer ($12.49 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Tanky Tanks ($2.99 from $5.99 until 4/18)
Where Are My Friends? ($2.39 from $5.99 until 4/18)
That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with a bunch of great games to look at. Games like the Atelier Mysterious Trilogy, Shantae, Picross S6, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, and many more. I hope you all have a great weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!
