Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for May 27th, 2021. There are a lot of new games today. That’s really all there is to it. So many new games that I became actively annoyed writing all of this. There are a couple of really good games in this bunch, a few intriguing ones, and a whole lot of shovelware. That’s how it is some days. In addition to the summaries, we’ve got the usual lists of incoming and outgoing sales. Thankfully, they aren’t too big. Let’s get to work.
New Releases
Earth Defense Force: World Brothers ($59.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
The Earth Defense Force series makes its way to the Nintendo Switch, but perhaps not in the way that you might remember it. See, this game is set in a parallel world where everything is made of digital blocks. From there, things go as you might expect for a game in this series. Recruit block versions of past EDF games and take the fight to a wide variety of enemies, also featuring some familiar faces. Play on your own, or team up with other players in local or online multiplayer modes. Up to four players can join the fight at once, each with their own squad. We’ll have a review of this one soon.
Connect Color Dots: Fun Water Flow Pipe Line Art Puzzle Game ($9.95)
Sigh. Look at that title. That is some old-fashioned App Store SEO spam right there. Imagine calling your game that. You can’t even pretend you care about the art of it when you do that. It’s just a stupid lottery ticket that you’re hoping to win big on. Anyway, Connect Color Dots: Purple Monkey Dishwasher Umbrella Tango is nothing more than a no-frills take on Pathpix/Slitherlink. Connect the colored dots with lines, making sure none of them cross over another’s path. You get 2,000 puzzles with the hardest having a maximum size of 14 x 14, so don’t expect anything on the level of intricacy you see in the Pathpix games. Well, that’s what it is.
Super Bomberman R Online (Free)
Ever wanted to play Super Bomberman R but didn’t like all that pesky paying to do so? Here’s your answer: Super Bomberman R Online. It is stuffed to the gills with disgusting monetization nonsense, but it will let you play some online Bomberman for free. Up to 64 players can play at once, and that goes pretty much how you would expect. If you want to go beyond merely playing and get into the realm of extra characters, bomb skins, and outfits? Well, that will cost you. There’s a subscription pass, currency, and other ways to spend your real cash in a never-ending fashion. Whee!
Family Vacation: California ($9.99)
This is a hidden object adventure game with a decidedly lighter theme than we usually see in these kinds of games. The Simmons family is on a family vacation to California, and you’ll follow their story through eight chapters filled with puzzles and mini-games. Somehow they end up on a game show, as families do when they go on vacation. It looks like there isn’t quite as much to this one as you might see in other hidden object adventures, so it could be a good choice for beginners to the genre. As regular readers know, these aren’t usually in my wheelhouse so I don’t have too much more to add.
LiEat ($9.99)
Efina is a young girl who is also a dragon. I’m not sure how this came about, but she’s traveling with a vagabond, exploring a world and trying to uncover the truth about her and her friend. It’s a three-chapter story and there isn’t a whole lot to its gameplay, but there are worse tales to walk your way through. You can pick this game up a fair bit cheaper on Steam, but if you don’t mind the cost and are okay with an RPG that’s light on gameplay mechanics, there are worse things you could grab today.
Kings of Paradise ($24.99)
Smooching handsome dudes is on the menu today in Kings of Paradise, a new otome game from the romance game experts at Voltage. The heroine has just divorced from her husband and has essentially lost everything. She gets a job as a housekeeper in a luxury apartment building, where she meets an assortment of good-looking guys who just happen to fit into the usual archetypes. You’ve got the arrogant dude, the cold dude, the bad-boy, and the funny guy. Pick your favorite boy and get to the courting!
Arcade Archives Time Pilot ’84 ($7.99)
This is the 1984 follow-up to Konami’s Time Pilot. It leans more into a science-fiction style, and that’s saying something given the first game was about time traveling. Which this game kind of isn’t? The multidirectional shoot-em-up action is about the same as before, but without the time trips it loses a little something. It’s still a Konami shoot-em-up, so you can expect a reasonably good time out of it, but it’s not as enjoyable as the original. Hamster has done as you would expect in terms of porting it and adding in the usual options, so if you’re familiar with the game you probably know what you’re getting.
Siebenstreich’s Nerdventure ($14.99)
Well, that’s a name that just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? This is an adventure game about a group of role-playing friends who need to solve puzzles and rescue a realm in need of heroes. It has a nice hand-drawn look to its visuals, an up-beat humorous tone, and lots of unusual characters to meet and converse with. Well, you know how this sort of thing goes. You either get on with the humor and have a good time with the adventure, or you don’t and should probably give it a pass. As a taste, there’s a game show hosted by a guerilla unicorn named Sylvestor Stallione. Does that work for you? I leave it to you.
Hentai vs. Evil ($9.99)
A lot of people describe the eShop’s glut of junky games as being a “mobile dumping ground", but I think the truth of it is that it’s more of a “Steam dumping ground". Take this game, for example. A pretty boring and clunky shooter with a military theme gets released and no one pays it much mind. Reskin it with iffy models of anime girls and give it a provocative title, and boom, you’re in business. It works, too. Just as some people will ignore good games just for having risque content, others will buy bad games just for having such things. Heck, this approach has pretty much become eastasiasoft’s bread and butter. This is probably the worst of the publisher’s efforts in this category, mind you. Oh well, a lot of people will pick it up anyway.
Best Sniper Legacy: Dino Hunt & Shooter 3D ($6.99)
Well, as weird hunting games go, this one is at least cheap. Anyway, you have to use your sniper rifle to kill some dinosaurs in various locations. Some kind of apocalypse happened, I guess. You’re somehow the last sniper on Earth, and for some reason that means you’re the one who has to kill the wild dinosaurs that are roaming around. I don’t know why wild dinosaurs are roaming around. Oh, and there are zombies. You’ll earn experience points, and you can upgrade your weapons. I mean, it’s probably trash, but at least it’s weird trash. You’re trying to land head shots on dinosaurs, for crying out loud.
Horse Club Adventures ($39.99)
The Horse Club characters from Schleich star in this game, adding another family-friendly horse-riding game to the Switch’s line-up. There are quests to complete, mini-games to join in on, and side-quests complete with their own storylines. Brush your horses, clean their hooves, and accessorize as you see fit. Then get on your horse and ride around a colorful world. Once you think you’ve got the hang of things, you can test your skills on 90 race courses of varying degrees of difficulty. I’m not going to sit here and pretend I’m the target audience for this kind of thing, but it looks well-made enough.
Weaving Tides ($24.99)
This is an action-adventure game of sorts where you fly on the back of carpet dragons and explore a woven world, solving puzzles and battling weird creatures. You’re apparently trying to find your missing parents, and there’s a whole story that will unravel as you make your way through the game. There are three different dragons to choose from, each with its own personality. The game’s presentation is absolutely gorgeous, so it at least has that much going for it. When it comes to this sort of thing, it all comes down to the quality of the puzzle design and how the controls feel. I haven’t had a chance to play this one yet, so I can’t speak for those particulars.
Sumire ($14.99)
Sumire is a narrative adventure about a young girl who one day meets a spirit who offers to grant her a wish if she can complete a list of tasks before the day comes to an end. Some of those tasks are big, and some of them not so much. You don’t have time to do everything, so you’ll have to choose which ones you tend to and which you refuse. As the day goes on, what is available to you will change based on what you’ve done. There are other things to find as you poke around the town where it all takes place. I’ll be doing a review of this rather intriguing-looking title soon, in case you need more details.
Crying Suns ($24.99)
A sci-fi roguelite strategy game with echoes of FTL about it, Crying Suns is a really enjoyable game that scratches most of the itches that it needs to. At least for a while, anyway. It runs into the problem that many of these games do where most of the excitement is front-loaded, ultimately ending up a little too routine after a few hours. Still, in the absence of the real FTL on the Switch this may do the job well enough for some. There are more than 300 story events you can stumble across as you make your way through the storyline’s six chapters, which should at least keep the narrative end of things fresh as you make your attempts.
32 Secs ($25.00)
This is a port of a free-to-play mobile game, and I think the price is aiming a bit high. I mean, the original game certainly has a lot of monetization infesting it. But with all of that stripped out, is what remains worth more than twenty bucks? In essence, this is a lane-based racer. Zip your way through traffic, grab some doodads, spend those doodads on upgrades, you know how it works. It sure looks nice, I’ll give it that. I don’t know. Give it a try on your mobile device, and see if you feel like owning that on your Switch minus all the shenanigans.
Mini Car Racing ($7.99)
Benjamin Kistler, oh joy. This is a cheap-looking racing game with nine tracks and three modes. It has a split-screen mode for two players, assuming you can find someone to get in on the misery with you. The gameplay is horrible, of course. I suspect Benjamin didn’t spend more than a few days making this, so I’m not spending more than a few minutes writing about it.
Kontrakt ($6.99)
This game would like to be the discount Hotline Miami, but it’s more like the Hotline Miami you find in the dumpster behind the discount store. The style is probably the best thing about it, as it sort of captures that low-fi feel of its obvious source of inspiration. But the gameplay is just plain lousy. Repetitive, clunky, and frankly lacking all of the little things that make Hotline Miami or any other decent top-down action game fun to play. Personally, I’m not feeling it.
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground ($39.99)
So many Warhammer games out there. So what is this one all about? Well, it’s a turn-based strategy game with roguelite elements. Somewhat compact areas for the battles, it seems. The early buzz on this is that it’s good for fans of Warhammer Age of Sigmar, but otherwise doesn’t have anything particularly special going on. Unless you have a special affinity for the brand, you’re probably better off rolling the dice on Pathway today if you’re looking for something in this genre.
Pecaminosa – A Pixel Noir Game ($13.99)
I’m always up to see fresh settings applied to familiar genres, so Pecaminosa has my eye already. It’s an action-RPG set in a crime/noir world where you play as a former detective named John who has seen better days. A ghost comes to John seeking redemption for his crimes in the living world. John has to track down the spirit’s former associates in order to help him finally rest in peace. You’ll be able to customize John’s look, equipment, and his stats as you progress through the game. There are some mini-games to play if you need a break from the action, and the whole thing is done up in a really slick pixel-art style with a cool jazz soundtrack. This one looks very promising, and I’m looking forward to spending some time with it to see if it can live up to my expectations.
Spy Alarm ($9.99)
Aw heck, it’s Sabec. Now enough of a viral darling that everyone is paying attention to them instead of just Shaun. It’s like watching baby bird fly for the first time, except it’s pooping all over everything. Anyway, Spy Alarm is another one of those gadget/toy apps. It uses the right Joy-Con’s IR feature. You point it at whatever you want it to guard, then arm the alarm. If someone breaks the beam, the alarm goes off. It works up to a whopping one meter, supposedly. I don’t think I’d pay ten bucks for this, or even the two bucks it’s going to cost when it goes on sale in a month or two, but I won’t tell you how you should deal with your own boredom.
Eight Dragons ($7.99)
Why settle for Double Dragons when you could have Eight Dragons? I’m sure that’s what they were thinking when they picked a title for this game. This is a beat-em-up that pays considerable homage to the classics while still having a look and feel of its own. True to the name, up to eight players can join in on this one in local multiplayer. Each character has their own path and story to follow, and if you’re playing in multiplayer they’ll thread together. If you want a more traditional set-up, there’s a linear arcade mode that does things the way Papa Technos used to. I’ll be real with you: there are better beat-em-ups you can buy on the Switch, but this one is alright. If you can corral eight people who want to play, I daresay it’s really fun.
Pathway ($15.99)
This is a turn-based tactical game with an unusual setting: it’s 1936, and you’re searching for secret treasures before the Nazis can get their hands on them. Kind of Indiana Jones meets XCOM, at least in theory. It’s a bit tedious in practice, unfortunately. You may find its attractive visuals and novel theme enough to help you push through that, and I suppose it’s sound enough where it counts. The roguelite elements aren’t as well-balanced as you might hope, so expect a few bad bounces here and there if the invisible dice don’t favor you. It’s okay, but the premise got me too excited for what the game ultimately delivers.
Cape’s Escape Game 2.5th Room ($4.90)
The strange, poorly-translated escape room series makes its return with Cape’s Escape Game 2.5th Room. Once again, a mischievous ghost has trapped you in a room. Solve some reasonably well-designed puzzles and laugh with/at the bizarre dialogue that peppers the game. You can play this one on mobile for free if you like, or enjoy this ad-free version on your Switch for a reasonable price. These aren’t too shabby as escape room games go, and I do like the strange sense of humor in them.
O—O ($3.49)
This is an action-arcade game where you control a thing that looks like the title. You move the one side, and then you move the other side. Try not to die. Seems simple, as these things do. It sure isn’t, as these things usually are. I have no idea how to pronounce this game’s name. That’s really all I’ve got to say about this one. If you think it looks neat, grab it. It’s only a few bucks, after all.
Fishing Fighters ($19.99)
There are a lot of middling fishing games on the Switch, but this looks to be another relatively decent one. Hop into the story mode as you take on increasingly difficult challenges in pursuit of a legendary fish, or join up with friends or family for some local multiplayer fishing for up to eight players. There are lots of different places to fish, and plenty of baits, lures, and types of equipment to use. It seems pretty solid, so if you’re looking for a new fishing game to keep you busy this just might fit the bill.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Today is the 35th anniversary of Dragon Quest‘s release! In addition to all of the news about new games, some 35% discounts on certain Dragon Quest games have gone into effect. That’s the main point of interest in the inbox at the time of writing, but we’ll probably have more to talk about tomorrow. As for the outbox, I’d say the most interesting title going off sale is Jay & Silent Bob: Mall Brawl. It gets discounted very rarely, so if you had your eye on it you’d best grab it. Check those lists!
Select New Games on Sale
eCrossminton ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/31)
Let’s Cook Together ($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/31)
Them Bombs! ($9.79 from $13.99 until 5/31)
Monster Blast ($2.39 from $7.99 until 5/31)
Under Leaves ($8.44 from $12.99 until 6/3)
Sumire ($13.49 from $14.99 until 6/4)
Moon Raider ($5.99 from $9.99 until 6/7)
Word Mesh ($2.09 from $6.99 until 6/7)
Radon Blast ($1.99 from $3.99 until 6/7)
Dragon Quest ($3.24 from $4.99 until 6/10)
Dragon Quest II: LotLL ($4.21 from $6.49 until 6/10)
Dragon Quest III: TSoS ($8.11 from $12.49 until 6/10)
Mutazione ($15.99 from $19.99 until 6/10)
Necroworm ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/16)
Liberated ($5.99 from $19.99 until 6/16)
Gradiently ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/16)
I, Zombie ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/16)
Yet Another Zombie Defense HD ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/16)
Fury Unleashed ($9.49 from $19.99 until 6/16)
Dynos & Ghosts ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/16)
Hellbreachers ($3.49 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Hentai vs. Evil ($7.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Tardy ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Blue Rider ($2.49 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Ghost Blade HD ($4.49 from $14.99 until 6/17)
ibb & obb ($4.49 from $14.99 until 6/17)
Pity Pit ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Crowdy Farm Rush ($1.99 from $5.99 until 6/17)
Sense: Cyberpunk Ghost Story ($11.99 from $19.99 until 6/17)
The Pillar: Puzzle Escape ($5.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, May 28th
Aces of the Luftwaffe: Squadron ($4.49 from $14.99 until 5/28)
Alphaset by POWGI ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Beautiful Desolation ($17.99 from $19.99 until 5/28)
Block-A-Pix Deluxe ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Broken Lines ($12.49 from $24.99 until 5/28)
C14 Dating ($15.99 from $19.99 until 5/28)
Crypto by POWGI ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Epic Word Search Collection ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Epic Word Search Collection 2 ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Fantasy Checkers ($4.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Fifty Words by POWGI ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Fill-a-Pix: Phil’s Adventure ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Gal*Gun Returns ($42.49 from $49.99 until 5/28)
Grimshade ($12.49 from $24.99 until 5/28)
Infestor ($3.99 from $4.99 until 5/28)
Jay & Silent Bob: Mall Brawl ($13.49 from $14.99 until 5/28)
Just a Phrase by POWGI ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Knowledge Trainer: Trivia ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/28)
Link-A-Pix Deluxe ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Mittelborg: City of Mages ($4.49 from $8.99 until 5/28)
Monster Energy Supercross 3 ($9.99 from $39.99 until 5/28)
MotoGP18 ($2.99 from $19.99 until 5/28)
n Velore Verstand ($2.09 from $14.99 until 5/28)
Pic-A-Pix Deluxe ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Pic-A-Pix Pieces ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Port Royale 4 ($44.99 from $49.99 until 5/28)
Pure Mahjong ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/28)
Quantum Replica ($8.99 from $9.99 until 5/28)
Quell Memento ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Quell Reflect ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Raji: An Ancient Epic ($12.49 from $24.99 until 5/28)
Roundabout by POWGI ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Route Me Mail & Delivery Co ($5.19 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Squids Odyssey ($2.09 from $14.99 until 5/28)
The Wardrobe: Even Better ($1.99 from $19.99 until 5/28)
Tic-Tac-Letters by POWGI ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Tyd wag vir Niemand ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/28)
Unepic ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/28)
Warparty ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/28)
Word Puzzles by POWGI ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/28)
Word Search by POWGI ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Word Sudoku by POWGI ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Word Sweeper by POWGI ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Word Wheel by POWGI ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/28)
Wuppo Definitive Edition ($3.99 from $14.99 until 5/28)
That’s all for today, friends. Wow, what a whopper that was. I feel sorry for the goofball who wrote all of that. He’ll be back tomorrow to cover the rest of the releases for the week, of which there are still a good dozen or so. Oh boy. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
