News

SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Raiden IV x MIKADO remix’ Review, ‘Zombies Ate My Neighbors’ Coming to Switch, Plus the Latest Releases and Sales

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for May 11th, 2021. In today’s article, we’ve got a full-sized review of the action-packed shoot-em-up Raiden IV x MIKADO remix, some news about some cult classics coming to Switch, a pretty dull new release to look at, and a whole lot of sales to check out. It’s a bit quiet, but things will heat up considerably as the week goes on. Let’s dig in!

News

‘Zombies Ate My Neighbors’ & ‘Ghoul Patrol’ Coming to Switch

With Virtual Console a thing of the past, many publishers have been releasing some of their classics through other avenues. Disney Interactive got in on the fun a little while ago with Disney Classic Games: Aladdin & The Lion King, and now they’re coming back with a second round. Lucasfilm Classic Games: Zombies Ate My Neighbors & Ghoul Patrol is set to arrive on the Nintendo Switch on June 29th, and has apparently been developed in conjunction with DotEmu. In terms of new additions, you can look forward to save states, some museum features like video interviews and art galleries, the ability to listen to the soundtracks of both games, and more. Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a cult favorite from the 16-bit era, and Ghoul Patrol is its lesser-known sequel. No word yet on which versions specifically will be included, but we should know soon.

Reviews & Mini-Views

Raiden IV x MIKADO remix ($29.99)

Phew, now this is it. I’ll get one thing out of the way immediately: this Switch version of Raiden IV doesn’t have any new content beyond an extra optional soundtrack over the previous release on PlayStation 3 and Windows. The new tunes are good, but if you own Raiden IV OverKill and are content with it, you’re not missing out much by skipping on this release. With that out of the way, let’s talk about the game itself. Raiden IV had a bit of a bumpy road to reaching its final form, but it eventually became one of the better shooters in the modern era. This Switch version is a fantastic way to enjoy it.

Raiden IV originally launched in arcades in 2007 before making its way to the Xbox 360 in 2008. It was MOSS’s second crack at the series after reviving it with 2005’s Raiden III. It had a more confident design, but that first version was missing a certain something. The initial home release caused a minor (and in hindsight, incredibly quaint) stir by having two of its three playable ships be paid DLC. An updated version was released in arcades in 2012, which led to the release of Raiden IV OverKill on PlayStation 3 and Windows in 2014 and 2015 respectively. These versions added a new mode called OverKill that proved to be the final piece of the puzzle, pushing you to pump shots into defeated enemies to generate score items.

This Switch version basically takes the Windows Raiden IV OverKill, adds in a new optional remixed soundtrack, and calls it a day. You get a wide variety of modes, allowing to play the original arcade version, the second arcade version, or OverKill. All of the ships are included here, and so are the various galleries and unlockable assists. You can play solo as either player, team up with a friend in local multiplayer, or control both player one and two by yourself in an amusing, mind-bending dual-stick set-up. There are online leaderboards so you can compare your scores with the rest of the world, too. Among the various options is one that allows you to rotate the display as you like, making this Flip Grip compatible.

Raiden IV is a fast, challenging game. Enemies will fire bullets from every angle, and if you stay still for even a second you will die. It’s not quite bullet hell, but it’s not far from it at times. Boss battles can be particularly intense affairs, with multiple stages to defeat. You’re not defenseless by any means. You have a wide array of weapons, including a couple of variants of the series trademark “toothpaste" laser, to fend off the enemies with. You also have a selection of the now-standard screen-clearing bombs, and you are going to need them. While you have a limited stock of lives and continues, you’ll earn extra continues as you play, along with the ability to start on the farthest stage you reach. With these elements, even more relaxed players should eventually be able to fight their way through the game.

Expert players will find numerous ways to push themselves. In addition to collecting score items from defeating regular enemies, OverKill gives you a way to earn even more points. The Flash Shot system that rewards you for defeating enemies as soon as they appear is another way to earn extra points, albeit one that is often at odds with taking full advantage of the OverKill system. Whichever angle you approach Raiden IV from, it’s an exciting, rewarding shoot-em-up with a lot to offer. Granted, being that the game originally launched in 2007 it’s hardly the prettiest thing around, but it looks good enough and importantly runs fast and buttery-smooth.

Raiden IV x MIKADO remix is going to be largely familiar for fans of the genre by this point, but having it on the Nintendo Switch in such fine form is indeed quite welcome. While it may not offer as much bang for your buck as some other shooters on the system, it’s a rather substantial game for those willing to put in the time with it. In a lot of ways, I think I may prefer it to Raiden V. It’s fast, furious, and full of neat tricks to learn to consistently bring your play to a higher level. It sure doesn’t hurt that it’s an incredibly competent port with just about every option you would want. Those who love shoot-em-ups shouldn’t miss it.

SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5

New Releases

Fantasy Checkers ($7.99)

Another checkers game, eh? Is there really a big market for these? Well, I’ll give this one credit for at least putting some effort in. You get four different sets of rules to play with: American/English, Russian, Brazilian, and Spanish. You can play alone or with a friend in local multiplayer, use one of six different fantasy themes, and view the board from a few different angles. Like, if you’re going to do this kind of thing you should at least try to best the experience of using a real board that you picked up at the dollar store, and this does crawl past that particular line.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Ratalaika Games put a whole bunch of their games on sale today, and there are always some nice treasures to be found in the indie publisher’s catalog. I’ll toss recommendations at Clash Force and Thunderflash, but do take a good look through the list on your own. In the outbox, sales from Capcom, Abylight, and Idea Factory are coming to an end. Abylight in particular doesn’t do sales very often, so indulge while you can.

Select New Games on Sale

Among Us ($4.00 from $5.00 until 5/17)
Gangsta Paradise ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/17)
Among Pipes ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/17)
Wrestling Empire ($15.99 from $19.99 until 5/17)
Fall Gummies ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/17)
Perfect Traffic Simulator ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/17)
The Legend of Ninja ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/17)
Royal Tower Defense ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/17)
Fantasy Tower Defense ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/17)
Chess Ace ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/17)
Urban Flow ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/17)
Trancelation ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/17)
Street Basketball ($1.99 from $5.99 until 5/17)
Real Drift Racing ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/17)
WRC 8 FIA ($19.99 from $49.99 until 5/17)


Food Truck Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/17)
RoboPhobik ($7.99 from $9.99 until 5/22)
Super Street: Racer ($12.49 from $39.99 until 5/23)
Speed 3: Grand Prix ($14.99 from $39.99 until 5/23)
Quest Hunter ($10.49 from $29.99 until 5/24)
Wingspan ($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/24)
Last Encounter ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/24)
Ellipsis ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/26)
Fin & the Ancient Mystery ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/26)
Ultra Foodmess ($2.39 from $3.99 until 5/26)
Team Troopers ($9.30 from $15.50 until 5/27)
Fantasy Checkers ($4.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Music Racer ($4.89 from $6.99 until 5/30)
Pantsu Hunter: Back to the 90s ($9.09 from $12.99 until 5/30)
SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off ($14.99 from $29.99 until 5/31)
Warplanes: WW2 Dogfight ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/31)


Jet Kave Adventure ($13.39 from $19.99 until 5/31)
Deadly Fighter 2 ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/31)
Thunder Paw ($2.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Duck Souls+ ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Random Heroes: Gold ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Thy Sword ($5.49 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Concept Destruction ($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Strawberry Vinegar ($5.49 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Castle Pals ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/31)
A Summer with the Shiba Inu ($5.49 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Clash Force ($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Jisei: The First Case HD ($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Rush Rover ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Spacejacked ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Destrobots ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/31)


Endless Fables: Dark Moor ($2.09 from $14.99 until 5/31)
Micetopia ($3.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Paw Paw Paw ($6.49 from $9.99 until 5/31)
More Dark ($3.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Autumn’s Journey ($3.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
My Magic Florist ($1.99 from $6.99 until 5/31)
Loot Hero DX ($3.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Balancelot ($5.19 from $7.99 until 5/31)
Freddy Spaghetti ($3.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Traffix ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Radio Squid ($2.74 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Blind Men ($2.74 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Reflection of Mine ($4.79 from $7.99 until 5/31)
Two Parsecs from Earth ($4.79 from $7.99 until 5/31)
CrossKrush ($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)


The Language of Love ($7.79 from $11.99 until 5/31)
Ord. ($3.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
S.N.I.P.E.R. – Hunter Scope ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/31)
Distraint 2 ($4.49 from $8.99 until 5/31)
Ultra Hat Dimension ($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Roommates ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/31)
Sumatra: Fate of Yandi ($4.89 from $6.99 until 5/31)
Golf Zero ($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Tamiku ($3.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Jet Set Knights ($5.99 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Birthday of Midnight ($3.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Guard Duty ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Nicole ($11.39 from $18.99 until 5/31)
Rogue Cube ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Devious Dungeon Collection ($7.14 from $12.99 until 5/31)


Prehistoric Dude ($2.74 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Even the Ocean ($8.99 from $14.99 until 5/31)
Paratopic ($2.19 from $5.49 until 5/31)
A Hero and a Garden ($3.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Jet Ski Rush ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/31)
Gun Crazy ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Zero Zero Zero Zero ($2.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Reed Remastered ($2.24 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Reed 2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Vera Blanc: GitC ($3.49 from $4.99 until 5/31)
How to Take Off Your Mask ($10.49 from $14.99 until 5/31)
UltraGoodness 2 ($3.49 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust ($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/31)
Thunderflash ($3.49 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Dreaming Sarah ($3.49 from $4.99 until 5/31)


Pinkman+ ($3.49 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Knightin’+ ($2.99 from $5.99 until 5/31)
Ganbare! Super Strikers ($5.49 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Syrup & the Ultimate Sweet ($2.74 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Super Destronaut: Land Wars ($2.74 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Castle of Heart ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/31)
Enigmatis 2: Mists of Ravenwood ($2.09 from $14.99 until 5/31)
SpellKeeper ($1.99 from $5.99 until 5/31)
The Innsmouth Case ($3.74 from $14.99 until 5/31)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 12th

A Day Without Me ($3.99 from $5.99 until 5/12)
Aragami: Shadow Edition ($11.99 from $29.99 until 5/12)
Arc of Alchemist ($9.99 from $39.99 until 5/12)
Battle Group 2 ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)
Bridge Constructor: Walking Dead ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)
Candle: Power of the Flame ($5.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Cloudpunk ($14.99 from $24.99 until 5/12)
Cursed Castilla ($8.39 from $13.99 until 5/12)
Drift Legends ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)
Fairy Fencer F: ADF ($11.99 from $29.99 until 5/12)
Fate/Extella Link ($24.99 from $49.99 until 5/12)
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star ($19.99 from $39.99 until 5/12)
Final Light, The Prison ($1.99 from $6.99 until 5/12)
Forest Home ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/12)
HoPiKo ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)


Hyper Light Drifter: Special ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Kuukiyomi 2: Consider It More! ($3.74 from $4.99 until 5/12)
Let’s Sing 2018 ($23.99 from $59.99 until 5/12)
Let’s Sing 2019 ($23.99 from $59.99 until 5/12)
Mary Skelter 2 ($13.99 from $39.99 until 5/12)
Mega Man 11 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 5/12)
Mega Man Legacy Collection ($9.99 from $14.99 until 5/12)
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Mega Man X Legacy Collection ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection ($19.79 from $29.99 until 5/12)


Megadimension Neptunia VII ($13.49 from $29.99 until 5/12)
Mini Motor Racing X ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Moero Chronicle Hyper ($7.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
OctaFight ($2.99 from $5.99 until 5/12)
Park Inc ($2.39 from $2.99 until 5/12)
Qbics Paint ($2.99 from $4.99 until 5/12)
Slime-san ($3.59 from $11.99 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)
Sparklite ($9.99 from $24.99 until 5/12)
Strikey Sisters ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)
Super Hydorah ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/12)
Super Neptunia RPG ($17.99 from $39.99 until 5/12)
The Darkside Detective: AFitD ($11.69 from $12.99 until 5/12)
Xtreme Club Racing ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/12)

That’s all for today, friends. Tomorrow has several releases on the schedule already, so we’ll have plenty to talk about in the Round-Up even if the news and new sales are quiet. But I suspect they won’t be. Wednesdays have been picking up more and more in recent weeks, and tomorrow should follow suit. I hope you all have a great Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!