Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for June 8th, 2021. We’ve got a few more reviews to go through today. The line-up includes Mighty Goose, Pecaminosa: A Pixel Noir Game, and Mystic Pillars: A Story-Based Puzzle Game. There are a few new releases to check out, but it’s not exactly a stellar batch. After that, we head on over to the new sales of the day, and all I can say is: they make the new releases look good. All that, plus the outgoing sales! What a fun day! Let’s get to it.
Reviews & Mini-Views
Pecaminosa – A Pixel Noir Game ($14.99)
I really wanted to like this game more than I did. It’s a noir detective story with heavy supernatural elements, all set to the tune of an action-RPG. And in the beginning, I had a good time. A frustrating time, thanks to the awkward combat, but a good time on the whole. The more I played, the more disappointed I became. Why is my character so slow when I have to walk around so darned much? Why does he get tired so quickly in battle even when I boost my endurance stat? Where the heck is this story going? What started as a fresh take on a familiar concept soon became more of a chore than anything else.
The presentation on the whole was pretty good, even if the animations were a bit stiff at times. It reminded me of a 1990s RPG in a lot of the right ways. The story generally had me interested, but when it goes off the rails it really goes off the rails. The combat is simple, using controls similar to a twin-stick shooter, but that simplicity can get repetitive over the course of the game. If you’re patient, there’s something here to enjoy. How often do we get noir detective RPGs on the Switch, after all? But you’re going to have to be prepared to put up with a lot of rough edges.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
Mighty Goose ($19.99)
Mighty Goose is a real run-and-gun treat while it lasts. You play as a goose in a power suit, and it’s really just a goose. You even start with a honk button that doesn’t do anything but make noise. The moment to moment action feels a lot like the Metal Slug games, and the excellent pixel art holds up its end of that comparison too. At the same time, there’s a bit more here than you would see in games from that series. Upgrades, companion characters, and slightly more sprawling levels. The pacing is a little different, too. Not bad, just… different.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t come in too much longer than the average Metal Slug game either. It feels just a bit too slight for its own good, but at the same time it also feels like it ends where it needs to. This isn’t a game long on ideas. It wants to give you some stylish old-school action, and it does that. And to its credit, it’s fun almost the entire way through. There can be bits of frustration in places because of how the checkpoints are placed, but if we again look to games like Contra or Metal Slug it’s not as though Mighty Goose is far afield in that regard. Mighty Goose may only keep your attention for an evening or two, but it’s a honking good time.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Mystic Pillars: A Story-Based Puzzle Game ($6.99)
This is an interesting puzzle game that uses Mancala as the basis for its play mechanics. You’re given a template that you need to recreate by moving stones around pillars. Stones can only move as far as the number being moved, no more or less. On the whole it’s not very difficult, but you will come across the occasional challenge as you make your way through the one hundred stages. For the most part, this puzzle game leans more on the relaxing end of the equation, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. As you solve puzzles, a story unravels via a rather generous amount of cutscenes. Personally, I found the puzzles more engaging than the story, but your mileage may vary. At the very least, I can say that I haven’t played a game exactly like this before. That could be a good or bad thing; here it’s the former.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
New Releases
Willy Morgan and the Curse of Bone Town ($24.99)
Willy Morgan clearly wants to evoke the heyday of the point-and-click adventure game genre. It’s not a bad stab at it, but it feels decidedly average by the standards of the genre. It puts its strongest foot forward early on, only to mess things up in the back half by trying to wrap things up too quickly. Again, it’s not unpleasant or anything. A perfectly serviceable adventure game for those seeking such a thing.
Lost Lands: Mistakes of the Past ($6.99)
Mistakes were made, apparently. And it’s up to poor Susan to clean up the mess, as usual. She’ll be traveling back in time, Marty McFly-style, to try and correct the various mistakes people made. But wouldn’t that have unpredictable consequences for the future? Haha, who cares, just find the hidden objects and solve the mini-games. It’s not that deep. Or is it? As I see it, you’re either into this series already and will pick this one up too, or you’ve passed on the first four or five that have been released on Switch and will pass on this as well.
Red Ball Escape ($2.99)
We’ve got two Benjamin Kistler games today, friends. And would you look at this? If ol’ Benny spent more than four hours putting this together, I’d be shocked. You get 100 levels where you have to bounce the ball safely over gaps and past obstacles. Amazingly, this isn’t handheld-only so you can actually use the buttons. Only three bucks, but that’s probably the only good thing about it.
Bring Honey Home ($7.99)
And here’s the other one. This one is handheld only. It’s just one of those games where you’re given a pattern along with a number of pieces, and need to place those pieces in the pattern such that they fill it out. You get 240 puzzles in total to complete. You can find about a zillion of these on the App Store for free, if you’re so inclined. This one also feels like it was knocked together in a day or so, max.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Ultimate Games. Far from the worst of the eShop, but in terms of sheer volume of throwaway content, it’s a hard company to rival. Don’t believe me? Check today’s list of new sales. Almost everything dated with a June 17th expiry date is theirs, and it’s a whole lot of junk with only a few decent titles in the mix. The other games in the list aren’t too great either. Lair of the Clockwork God is excellent, and Behold the Kickmen may tickle your fancy, but by and large there isn’t a lot of high-quality stuff here. The outbox has Dicey Dungeons, which you should get if you haven’t before, but there’s not much to see there either. Check both lists anyway. Such is our tradition.
Select New Games on Sale
Salad Bar Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/14)
Food Truck Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/14)
Urban Flow ($1.99 from $14.99 until 6/14)
Chess Ace ($1.99 from $7.99 until 6/14)
Gangsta Paradise ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/14)
Colorfall ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/14)
Fantasy Checkers ($1.99 from $7.99 until 6/14)
Street Basketball ($1.99 from $5.99 until 6/14)
Fall Gummies ($1.99 from $7.99 until 6/14)
Real Drift Racing ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/14)
Bubble Cats Rescue ($1.99 from $3.99 until 6/14)
Classic Games Collection Vol.1 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/14)
Trancelation ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/14)
The Legend of Ninja ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/14)
Perfect Traffic Simulator ($2.49 from $9.99 until 6/14)
Fantasy Tower Defense ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/14)
Royal Tower Defense ($1.99 from $7.99 until 6/14)
Among Pipes ($1.99 from $7.99 until 6/14)
All Walls Must Fall ($2.99 from $9.99 until 6/15)
Godly Corp ($2.39 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Car Mechanic Manager ($2.19 from $3.99 until 6/17)
Car Mechanic Sim Pocket Edition ($2.99 from $19.99 until 6/17)
Garage Mechanic Simulator ($2.09 from $6.99 until 6/17)
Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator ($2.09 from $6.99 until 6/17)
Tank Mechanic Simulator ($5.39 from $17.99 until 6/17)
Bus Driver Simulator ($2.99 from $29.99 until 6/17)
Super Star Panda ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Electro Ride: The Neon Racing ($2.39 from $11.99 until 6/17)
Dead Ground ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Hed the Pig ($2.39 from $5.99 until 6/17)
Four in a Row ($2.39 from $5.99 until 6/17)
Solar Blast ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/17)
War Truck Simulator ($2.39 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Otti: The House Keeper ($2.69 from $8.99 until 6/17)
Car Trader ($2.19 from $3.99 until 6/17)
Bus Fix 2019 ($2.39 from $5.99 until 6/17)
GoFishing 3D ($2.99 from $14.99 until 6/17)
Selma and the Wisp ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Billy Bomber ($2.00 from $5.00 until 6/17)
Ultra Off-Road 2019: Alaska ($2.84 from $18.99 until 6/17)
Ships ($2.09 from $13.99 until 6/17)
Robot Squad Simulator ($2.99 from $14.99 until 6/17)
Please the Gods ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Help Me Doctor ($2.39 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Incredible Adv. of Super Panda ($2.09 from $6.99 until 6/17)
Fishing Adventure ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Otherwordly ($2.09 from $6.99 until 6/17)
Scrap ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Redneck Skeet Shooting ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Catch a Duck ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Epic Clicker Journey ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/17)
ESport Manager ($3.19 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Shadows ($2.39 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Shadows 2: Perfidia ($2.39 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Chicken Rider ($2.19 from $3.99 until 6/17)
Feathery Ears ($2.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Ailment ($2.39 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Climbros ($2.97 from $9.90 until 6/17)
Undead & Beyond ($2.19 from $10.99 until 6/17)
Pangeon ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
The Executioner ($2.07 from $9.90 until 6/17)
Paint Your Pet ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Ramageddon ($2.39 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Indygo ($2.09 from $6.99 until 6/17)
Swords & Sandals: Spartacus ($2.72 from $12.99 until 6/17)
Gerty ($2.59 from $12.99 until 6/17)
Hotel Dracula ($2.27 from $5.69 until 6/17)
Grass Cutter: Mutated Lawns ($4.68 from $6.99 until 6/17)
Blindy ($3.19 from $7.99 until 6/17)
The Mims Beginning ($2.69 from $8.99 until 6/17)
Bouncy Bob 2 ($2.00 from $5.00 until 6/17)
Ski Sniper ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/17)
AvoCuddle ($2.59 from $12.99 until 6/17)
Bug Academy ($2.59 from $12.99 until 6/17)
Her Majesty’s Ship ($2.30 from $10.99 until 6/17)
Vampire’s Fall: Origins ($3.89 from $12.99 until 6/17)
Nubarron: Adv. of an Unlucky Gnome ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Maze ($2.09 from $6.99 until 6/17)
Poltergeist Crusader ($2.39 from $5.99 until 6/17)
Detective Puz ($2.39 from $5.99 until 6/17)
The Long Return ($2.69 from $8.99 until 6/17)
Boss Rush: Mythology ($2.69 from $8.99 until 6/17)
CopperBell ($2.09 from $6.99 until 6/17)
Repressed ($2.39 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Doubles Hard ($2.39 from $5.99 until 6/17)
RMX Real Motocross ($2.09 from $6.99 until 6/17)
Down to Hell ($2.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Gallic Wars: Battle Simulator ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Storm Tale ($3.99 from $7.99 until 6/17)
CyberTaxi ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/17)
Hike ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Angry Golf ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Kontrakt ($4.89 from $6.99 until 6/17)
Felix the Toy ($3.49 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Cow Catcher ($3.49 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Justin Danger ($3.49 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Nature Matters ($3.49 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Technosphere ($2.24 from $14.99 until 6/17)
Frodoric the Driver ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Dirt Bike Insanity ($2.39 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Ziggy the Chaser ($2.39 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Contract Killers ($3.99 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Ski Jump Challenge ($2.99 from $5.99 until 6/17)
iota ($3.99 from $7.99 until 6/17)
Lawnmower Game: Racing ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Lawnmower Game: Next Generation ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Gold Digger ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/17)
Demolish & Build 2018 ($2.24 from $14.99 until 6/17)
WoM: Planar Conquest ($6.79 from $16.99 until 6/17)
Super Tennis ($2.39 from $5.99 until 6/17)
Chess Royal ($2.29 from $2.99 until 6/21)
Super Street: Racer ($11.99 from $39.99 until 6/21)
Demon’s Rise: War for the Deep ($2.49 from $6.99 until 6/23)
Lair of the Clockwork God ($5.99 from $19.99 until 6/28)
Behold the Kickmen ($1.99 from $3.99 until 6/28)
Commander Keen in Keen Dreams ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/28)
OVIVO ($4.68 from $6.99 until 6/28)
Zombie Hill Race ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/28)
Persian Nights 2: The Moonlight Veil ($2.09 from $14.99 until 6/28)
Crashbots ($6.69 from $9.99 until 6/28)
Energy Cycle ($2.00 from $2.99 until 6/28)
Energy Invasion ($2.00 from $2.99 until 6/28)
Energy Balance ($2.00 from $2.99 until 6/28)
Energy Cycle Edge ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/28)
Planet RIX-13 ($3.34 from $4.99 until 6/28)
One Eyed Kutkh ($3.34 from $4.99 until 6/28)
Spiral Splatter ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/28)
Alteric ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/28)
Metropolis: Lux Obscura ($5.35 from $7.99 until 6/28)
Deep Ones ($3.34 from $4.99 until 6/28)
Where Are My Friends? ($2.39 from $5.99 until 6/28)
Save the Ninja Clan ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/28)
Grab the Bottle ($3.34 from $4.99 until 6/28)
Doug Hates His Job ($3.49 from $6.99 until 6/28)
Werewolf Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 6/28)
Mummy Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 6/28)
Pirates Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 6/28)
Halloween Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 6/28)
SkyTime ($2.00 from $2.99 until 6/28)
Vasilis ($3.34 from $4.99 until 6/28)
Sigi ($3.34 from $4.99 until 6/28)
State of Anarchy: MoM ($5.35 from $7.99 until 6/28)
Solitaire Deluxe Bundle: 3 in 1 ($2.49 from $14.99 until 6/28)
Family Mysteries: Poisonous Promises ($2.09 from $14.99 until 6/28)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 9th
0 Degrees ($3.99 from $4.99 until 6/9)
Animal Hunter Z ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/9)
Baila Latino ($6.99 from $9.99 until 6/9)
Balloon Girl ($5.99 from $7.99 until 6/9)
Battle & Crash ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/9)
Bingo ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/9)
Caterpillar Royale ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/9)
Collide-a-Ball 2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/9)
Crimson Keep ($5.99 from $19.99 until 6/9)
Curling ($3.95 from $5.99 until 6/9)
Dicey Dungeons ($8.99 from $14.99 until 6/9)
Dirt Trackin 2 ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/9)
Dirt Trackin Sprint Cars ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/9)
Dungeon Shooting ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/9)
Dungholes ($7.49 from $9.99 until 6/9)
Invirium ($6.79 from $7.99 until 6/9)
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes ($14.99 from $24.99 until 6/9)
Overboard! ($12.74 from $14.99 until 6/9)
Ping Pong Trick Shot Evolution ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/9)
RIOT: Civil Unrest ($5.99 from $19.99 until 6/9)
Super Ping Pong Trick Shot ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/9)
The Long Reach ($4.49 from $14.99 until 6/9)
The Walking Vegetables: Radical ($3.89 from $12.99 until 6/9)
Vaporum ($9.99 from $24.99 until 6/9)
Vortex Attack EX ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/9)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with a couple of new releases, some news, whatever sales come along, and maybe one more review if I’ve got it ready to go. I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!
