Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 23rd, 2021. There are several new releases to look at as we close out this busy week, but it’s a bit of a step down from yesterday’s wild mix. Still some good games to check out, though. We also have sales! Not so many sales as I expected, but sales nonetheless. Oh, and the fancy weekend outbox. Who doesn’t love that? Very exciting, friends. We’d best get to it!
New Releases
Little Mouse’s Encyclopedia ($12.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
This is less of a game and more of an interactive encyclopedia, but whatever you want to call it, it’s pretty cute. You play as a little mouse who wanders around the game world. Investigating things brings up cards with information about them, with more than 160 species of animals and plants to discover across four different habitats. It’s both educational and kind of a chill way to spend some time. As long as you are aware of what you’re getting into, I think Little Mouse’s Encyclopedia is really neat.
Dungholes ($9.99)
The idea in this top-down action game is that you’re running around deadly dungeon floors trying to grab diamonds along with keys for locked doors. The floor will often fall out from underneath you, and there are traps everywhere. Very simple, but the frantic action works. There are more than 60 levels to clear, and doing so will take a fair bit of skill and the occasional stroke of luck. Not sure I like the idea of running around retrieving diamonds from poo-tunnels, but I guess if it was good enough for Lunar, it should be good enough here.
Grandmaster Sudoku ($4.99)
No support for docked mode for this one, it seems. Well, it’s just another sudoku game anyway. You get a little character named Dakota Jane who provides a sliver of context for the proceedings, but it’s the same old sudoku once you get into it. You know it, you may well love it, and if that is so, you probably already own a couple of games like it. There are four difficulty levels here for the puzzles, and a few optional bells and whistles you can use to enhance your experience. That’s about it.
EQI ($4.99)
In the battle of the cheapies today, EQI is the winner as far as I’m concerned. This is a first-person game where you explore extremely trippy environments in more than twenty stages, twisting the world around you and solving spatial puzzles to open the path forward. It’s a really short game, but the presentation is so wild that it’s worth taking the ride. Now, I’ll grant that the rotation mechanic can be a bit problematic and the game sometimes doesn’t give you much margin for error, but given its length I think it can get away with a few issues like that.
Dead Dust ($4.99)
They went and copy-pasted their text twice in the shop description. It’s a Wild West-themed top-down shooter where you’re playing as a bounty hunter who is trying to rescue a rich man’s daughter. To do that, you’ll have to take on bandits, murder a lot of Native Americans, and even shoot it out with space aliens. Collect loot from the bloody corpses of your victims and use to buy new equipment that will help you continue your reign of terror. It has vague similarities to games like Enter the Gungeon or Nuclear Throne, except it’s kind of horrible.
Trails and Traces: The Tomb of Thomas Tew ($4.99)
Alright, credit where it’s due: excellent job on the alliterative title, everyone. That’s the good stuff. This is a comedic point-and-click style adventure game about a detective searching for the tomb of a long-dead pirate. It’s fine enough, though not particularly fantastic by the standards of the genre. The most remarkable thing about it is that you get a megaphone early on that is used for one puzzle, but can be used on every NPC in the game to get a distinct reaction. It’ll give you at least a few hours of fun, and for the price I think that’s enough.
Moon Raider ($9.99)
Regular readers of the site may remember Moon Raider from its mobile release through Crescent Moon Games. Developed by Cascadia Games, it’s a decent little Metroidvania-style game with some cute visuals. It takes a couple of hours to run through and it doesn’t offer a whole lot of resistance as you make your way to the end, which may be a turn-off for some. It’s okay. I really don’t know what more to say about it than that. If there weren’t already a whole bunch of fantastic Metroidvanias on the Switch, it’s something I might even nudge a person towards. But in the context of the current market, it’s just so middle-of-the-road in every respect that I have trouble mustering up any strong feelings for it.
The Skylia Prophecy ($6.99)
I find myself immediately wary of games that are so heavily inspired by the Souls games that they feel the need to mention it in their descriptions. It’s one of those red flags, like saying your game is inspired by Earthbound. If you really got it right, you probably wouldn’t need to say it. Far too often, what games mean when they say they are inspired by the Souls games is that they’re really difficult. And indeed, The Skylia Prophecy is that. The controls are solid but the way the enemies and hazards are laid out make things very unpleasant for those without considerable patience and timing. The price is fairly reasonable, so those who relish being beaten about the head with their own severed arms (figuratively speaking) can get in on this without breaking the piggy bank.
Dungeon and Gravestone ($24.99)
This one comes from the people behind BQM: Block Quest Maker, and it kind of looks the part. Dungeon and Gravestone is a roguelite action-RPG, and it seems to be a fairly competent one. Although it’s grid-based, enemies and traps appear to move in real-time so you need to think and move quickly. There are more than 500 quests to complete, lots of loot to find, and some side activities like fishing. It’s a very substantial game, one that rewards the player that is willing to put in the time to learn its quirks. That said, this price puts it dangerously close to Shiren the Wanderer town, and while it’s enjoyable for what it is, it’s not quite Shiren-good. If you have a fondness for Japanese-style roguelikes, you will want to at least put this on your wishlist for when it goes on sale.
House Cleaning Survival ($23.99)
Hey, it’s a brand new game from the publisher that brought us Blaster Master, Batman for the NES, Journey to Silius, Ufouria: The Saga, and many more. And it’s not just another mahjong solitaire game this time! But it’s also not the kind of game you would probably associate with Sunsoft, either. You have to use your cleaning equipment to take care of some truly nasty messes in a variety of rooms. Seriously, is that… is that poo on the walls, Sunsoft? Geez. Anyway, you hose things down, pick up trash, wash dishes, do laundry, and generally clean up until the houses are nice and clean. It doesn’t seem like it would be very fun, but I suppose there’s a “zen garden" feeling to making these foul locations sparkle again.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Wow, only a hundred new sales today? I guess the eShop feels bad for me after last week’s utter nonsense. Some highlights from today: Tangledeep, the roguelike treat. Kuukiyomi 2, for those who need to learn important social skills. 20XX, for those who enjoy both the running and the gunning. And in the weekend outbox? Some really good indies, actually. I know the weekend outbox is sometimes dull, but you really should give it a careful look this time.
Select New Games on Sale
eCrossminton ($3.74 from $14.99 until 4/26)
Axiom Verge ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/29)
Legend of Keepers: Career of a Dungeon Manager ($15.99 from $19.99 until 4/29)
Space Warrior ($3.49 from $4.99 until 4/29)
Demon’s Tilt ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/29)
A Duel Hand Disaster: Trackher ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/29)
Tangledeep ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/30)
Police Stories ($4.49 from $14.99 until 5/1)
Raiden IV x MIKADO remix ($26.99 from $29.99 until 5/6)
Turmoil ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/6)
The Copper Canyon Dixie Dash ($3.74 from $7.49 until 5/6)
Lunch A Palooza ($7.99 from $15.99 until 5/6)
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion ($11.99 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Demon Pit ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/6)
Straimium Immortaly ($4.07 from $11.99 until 5/6)
XenoRaptor ($4.49 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Verlet Swing ($5.09 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Oniken: Unstoppable ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/6)
Odallus: The Dark Call ($3.59 from $11.99 until 5/6)
Tallowmere ($2.79 from $6.99 until 5/6)
Valfaris ($11.24 from $24.99 until 5/6)
Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut ($3.74 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Nefarious ($3.74 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Letter Quest Remastered ($2.99 from $11.99 until 5/6)
Slain: Back From Hell ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/6)
UnExplored ($4.50 from $15.00 until 5/6)
Don’t Knock Twice ($5.62 from $12.49 until 5/6)
Monster Slayers ($3.74 from $14.99 until 5/6)
DayD: Through Time ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/6)
Super Blood Hockey ($7.49 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Black Paradox ($4.49 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Frost ($3.89 from $12.99 until 5/6)
Reverse Crawl ($3.24 from $12.99 until 5/6)
Skelly Selest ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/6)
Golem Gates ($7.49 from $24.99 until 5/6)
Fall of Light: Darkest Edition ($4.49 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Defoliation ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/6)
Cubers: Arena ($5.99 from $14.99 until 5/6)
Behind the Screen ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/6)
10 Second Run Returns ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/6)
Blacksea Odyssey ($3.24 from $12.99 until 5/6)
Snakeybus ($7.19 from $11.99 until 5/6)
#Breakforcist Battle ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/7)
Discovery ($5.99 from $7.99 until 5/7)
NekoMiko ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/9)
Prison Princess ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/9)
Fantasy Tavern Sextet Vol.1 ($5.59 from $7.99 until 5/9)
Fantasy Tavern Sextet Vol.2 ($5.59 from $7.99 until 5/9)
TroubleDays ($4.79 from $7.99 until 5/9)
NinNinDays ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/9)
KukkoroDays ($4.79 from $7.99 until 5/9)
Effie ($16.99 from $19.99 until 5/10)
Chess Royal ($2.29 from $2.99 until 5/10)
Flying Hero X ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/10)
Livestream: Escape from Hotel Izanami ($16.99 from $19.99 until 5/10)
Ascendance ($1.99 from $5.99 until 5/10)
Kuukiyomi 2: Consider It More! ($3.74 from $4.99 until 5/12)
Forest Home ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/12)
Strikey Sisters ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)
Mini Motor Racing X ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Cloudpunk ($14.99 from $24.99 until 5/12)
Aragami: Shadow Edition ($11.99 from $29.99 until 5/12)
HoPiKo ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)
Sparklite ($9.99 from $24.99 until 5/12)
Battle Group 2 ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)
Candle: Power of the Flame ($5.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Drift Legends ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)
Smashing the Battle ($7.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)
Solo: Islands of the Heart ($5.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
In Celebration of Violence ($6.49 from $12.99 until 5/13)
Mystic Fate ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/13)
Sakura Succubus ($7.99 from $9.99 until 5/13)
Here Be Dragons ($8.09 from $17.99 until 5/13)
Dead Z Meat ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/13)
Under the Jolly Roger ($12.99 from $19.99 until 5/13)
Super Soccer Blast ($5.99 from $7.99 until 5/13)
Urban Trial Tricky ($4.94 from $14.99 until 5/13)
Mushroom Heroes ($2.39 from $5.99 until 5/13)
Odysseus Kosmos & his Robot Quest ($11.99 from $14.99 until 5/13)
ZOMB ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/13)
Sorry, James ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/13)
Warhammer 40k: Space Wolf ($8.99 from $17.99 until 5/13)
Balthazar’s Dream ($2.00 from $8.00 until 5/13)
Lines Infinite ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/13)
Lines X ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/13)
AeternoBlade II: DR ($14.99 from $19.99 until 5/13)
The Big Journey ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/13)
Hyperforma ($2.09 from $14.99 until 5/13)
Wayout ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/13)
Ghoulboy ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/13)
Crazy Strike Bowling EX ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/13)
20XX ($8.99 from $17.99 until 5/13)
Bit Dungeon Plus ($2.24 from $8.99 until 5/13)
Six Sides of the World ($2.50 from $10.00 until 5/13)
Urban Trial Playground ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/13)
Trax: Build It Race It ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/13)
Ice Cream Surfer ($2.00 from $8.00 until 5/13)
Sales Ending This Weekend
Brawl ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/24)
Castle of No Escape 2 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/24)
Chop ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/24)
Dark Quest 2 ($2.74 from $10.99 until 4/24)
Get Me Outta Here ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/24)
Gunslugs ($3.19 from $7.99 until 4/24)
Gunslugs 2 ($3.19 from $7.99 until 4/24)
Odium to the Core ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/24)
Party Treats ($1.99 from $2.49 until 4/24)
Shipped ($1.99 from $5.99 until 4/24)
Story of a Gladiator ($2.74 from $10.99 until 4/24)
Super Hero Fight Club ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/24)
Unit 4 ($1.99 from $14.99 until 4/24)
Wondershot ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/24)
Wreckin’ Ball Adventure ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/24)
ZikSquare ($1.99 from $6.99 until 4/24)
7 Billion Humans ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
88 Heroes: 98 Heroes Edition ($5.99 from $29.99 until 4/25)
A Magical High School Girl ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Adventure Pinball Bundle ($2.96 from $8.99 until 4/25)
Anthill ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/25)
Awesome Pea ($3.99 from $5.99 until 4/25)
Blackmoor 2 ($4.49 from $4.99 until 4/25)
Cake Bash ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
Clouds & Sheep 2 ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/25)
Conga Master Party ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/25)
Crashbots ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/25)
Curious Expedition ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Deep Ones ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/25)
Deru: Art of Cooperation ($4.99 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Elli ($5.99 from $7.99 until 4/25)
Energy Balance ($2.00 from $2.99 until 4/25)
Energy Cycle ($2.00 from $2.99 until 4/25)
Energy Invasion ($2.00 from $2.99 until 4/25)
Etherborn ($7.64 from $16.99 until 4/25)
Fault: Milestone One ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Flipping Death ($3.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
Grab the Bottle ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/25)
Grass Cutter: Mutated Lawns ($1.99 from $6.99 until 4/25)
Heaven’s Vault ($10.79 from $17.99 until 4/25)
Horizon Chase Turbo ($6.79 from $19.99 until 4/25)
Human Resource Machine ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Ironcast ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/25)
Jet Lancer ($9.89 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Light Tracer ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Little Inferno ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Metropolis: Lux Obscura ($2.99 from $7.99 until 4/25)
My Girlfriend is a Mermaid!? ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/25)
Nairi: Tower of Shirin ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/25)
Never Give Up ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
One Eyed Kutkh ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/25)
OVIVO ($1.99 from $6.99 until 4/25)
Pawarumi ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
PHOGS! ($18.74 from $24.99 until 4/25)
Planet RIX-13 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/25)
Pressure Overdrive ($3.89 from $12.99 until 4/25)
Relic Hunters Zero: Remix ($8.70 from $12.99 until 4/25)
Rival Megagun ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Road Redemption ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
Root Double Before Crime After Days ($36.79 from $45.99 until 4/25)
Safari Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 4/25)
Sigi ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/25)
SkyTime ($2.00 from $2.99 until 4/25)
State of Anarchy: MoM ($1.99 from $7.99 until 4/25)
SteamWorld Dig ($2.49 from $9.99 until 4/25)
SteamWorld Dig 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
SteamWorld Heist ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
SteamWorld Quest ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/25)
Stick It to The Man ($2.39 from $11.99 until 4/25)
Summer in Mara ($16.99 from $24.99 until 4/25)
Swim Out ($1.99 from $5.99 until 4/25)
The Adventure Pals ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
The Darkside Detective ($5.84 from $12.99 until 4/25)
The Spectrum Retreat ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/25)
Through the Darkest of Times ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Townsmen: A Kingdom Rebuilt ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
Trailblazers ($5.99 from $29.99 until 4/25)
Trover Saves the Universe ($16.49 from $29.99 until 4/25)
Vasilis ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/25)
Whispering Willows ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/25)
World of Goo ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Worse Than Death ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/25)
That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week to close out the month with an assortment of intriguing games that will vie for your entertainment dollars and precious time. I mean, one of them is New Pokemon Snap. Good luck, the rest of the games. Good luck. That’s not going to stop the likes of R-Type Final 2 and Battle Axe from trying, though. We’ll look at them all in due time. For now, I hope you have a great weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!
