Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 30th, 2021. In today’s article, we’ve got four reviews of recently-released games. The excellent No More Heroes III, the impressive Rush Rally Origins, the somewhat disappointing King’s Bounty II, and a jigsaw puzzle game. That’s the curve ball. Do you like it? We’ve also got a summary of the sole new release of the day, plus the latest lists of new and expiring sales. It’s a lot for a Monday, so let’s dig in!
Reviews & Mini-Views
No More Heroes III ($59.99)
This is one of those games that makes me wish we had a few more notches in our review scale. If we had the means, I’d give this a little more than a four, but it’s not quite up that step to the next level. This is in a lot of ways the best game in the No More Heroes series, even as it takes a step back in a couple of other facets. Travis Touchdown is facing off a galactic threat this time around, and the story kicks into high gear almost immediately and only goes up from there. Some of the things that happen during its course are genuinely surprising and bold.
Structurally, this is more like the first game than the second. The open world is back, and with it comes the many side activities that some people like and others loathe. You have to gather the necessary money to pay for your next entry and win some qualifying battles before you can battle the next boss. The levels leading up to the bosses are mostly gone in this game, with the qualifying battles essentially standing in for them. Personally, I don’t miss the levels much but you may feel differently about that. Both the open world and the battle system have seen serious improvements over the previous games, and almost every last one of the boss fights is a masterpiece.
Unfortunately those elements aren’t the only things returning here. The game also has some technical issues, especially when traveling the open world. The framerate and resolution can get nasty when you’re riding around on your bike, and the pop-in is extremely obvious. Some parts of the battles also seem to be pushing the hardware a little too far. Load times aren’t too bad on the whole, but fast traveling can (ironically) take a while. If you’re sensitive to technical issues, you probably won’t be happy here. But I could say that about all of the games in this series, I suppose.
I imagine anyone coming into No More Heroes III has some sort of expectations based on previous Suda51 or Grasshopper games. By and large, those expectations will likely be met. It doesn’t revolutionize the series, but it does make serious improvements on almost every aspect of the mechanics. The story feels a bit less subversive than the older games did in their era, but it’s certainly not lacking in shocking twists and turns. The humor, pop culture references, quirky touches, and over-the-top violence all fit the usual Suda51 style. Whatever No More Heroes III lacks in fresh ideas, it makes up for with sheer refinement. If this is the way Travis and his oddball action series goes out, I think it’s a fine enough finale.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
King’s Bounty II ($59.99)
Ultimately, this is a pretty rough port of a pretty rough game. King’s Bounty II is ostensibly a follow-up to the classic title that kicked off the Heroes of Might & Magic series, but in practice it takes a lot of cues from the games that 1C Company made when they revived the brand a bit over a decade ago. An interesting blend, to be sure. You’ve got the tactical turn-based battles that have been part of the series all along, married to a more typical open-world RPG framework. In the latter bits, it feels like a jankier take on The Witcher. You take on quests, wander around the rather large world, and recruit new forces for your army. Whenever you hit a combat situation, you’re brought over to a turn-based battle screen that pits your forces against the enemy’s.
I don’t imagine this game is a technical marvel even on the PC, but on Switch it is really struggling. Issues with resolution, framerate, pop-in, lengthy load times, and even the odd crash plague this game. If you can drag yourself past those issues, you’ll run right into the flaws in the game design itself. Difficulty spikes abound, movement through the world is slow even on horseback, and there’s a lot of cumbersome backtracking that is only made worse by that plodding pace. The voice acting is painfully bad, and that hurts a story that already isn’t the greatest. Bob and weave around all of that, and you may find things to like here. The battle system is excellent, and there is certainly a bit of clunky charm to the game. Promising, but in the end it falls well short of its potential.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
Rush Rally Origins ($6.99)
Brownmonster has been doing rally racers long enough by now that you can trust the developer knows what they are doing, and Rush Rally Origins doesn’t rock that boat. The shift to the overhead perspective that was used in the first game in the series is a nice way to freshen up the gameplay without shaking up the fundamentals too much. Indeed, the actual nuts and bolts of the action are as deep and satisfying as that of Rush Rally 3, making for a rather serious top-down racer. No real cars, of course, but the homages are clear and likely familiar to many players by now. You get thirty-six different tracks to race on and a wide variety of vehicles to unlock, upgrade, and drive. Various types of terrain, weather conditions, and time of day are here as well, naturally.
With a solid racing model, tons of content, and buttery-smooth visuals, Rush Rally Origins easily rockets to the head of the class for top-down racers on the Nintendo Switch. I wish it had multiplayer support of some kind beyond being able to race against other players’ ghosts, but as long as you don’t mind playing on your own you’ll find an awful lot to enjoy here. With an excellent behind-the-car racer in Rush Rally 3 and now a superb overhead entry, it’s hard to imagine what more this developer can do in the rally racing category, especially at such an incredibly competitive price point.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
How Buddy’s Parents Met ($3.99)
I’m not sure who needs me to give a thumbs up or thumbs down on a jigsaw puzzle game, but here we are. How Buddy’s Parents Met presents you with six different pictures showing how a couple met and came together. You can play each of those pictures on five different levels of difficulty, and even the lowest one for each will take a decent amount of time to solve. You can use touch controls or button controls, and there are are various help features you can activate if you want them. I like how you can lock pieces together even before you know where they fit within the puzzle. You don’t see that in every jigsaw puzzle game for whatever reason. There isn’t much here to recommend it specifically over other similar efforts, but it’s not a bad way to spend a quiet evening.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
New Releases
Speedway Heroes ($8.00)
Another simple and relatively cheap top-down racer, this time with a motorcycle theme. There are more than 100 stadiums set across the world to race in, upgrades to earn, and lots of customization items to unlock. Up to four players can race at once via local multiplayer. There’s certainly plenty in here for the price, I’ll give it that.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Wow, is that Ultra Street Fighter II on sale? Has that happened before? The Street Fighter brand transferring back to Capcom Japan from the US branch is already paying dividends, I guess. I’d still recommend the 30th Anniversary Collection over it, but I’ll say it’s neat anyway. Beyond that, we’ve got Wuppo, the usual 2K Games sales, and many of the names we always see on Mondays. In the list of expiring sales, Tikipod’s cool games are worth grabbing: Aqua Kitty, Astro Aqua Kitty, Iron Crypticle, and Rock Boshers. Star Wars Pinball, Pumpkin Jack, and Radical Rabbit Stew would be my other picks. Check those lists as you always do, lovely people.
Select New Games on Sale
Wuppo: Definitive Edition ($4.49 from $14.99 until 9/1)
Pony World 3 ($3.74 from $4.99 until 9/2)
Carnage: Battle Arena ($4.49 from $14.99 until 9/3)
City Driving Simulator ($5.99 from $11.99 until 9/3)
4×4 Dirt Track ($5.99 from $11.99 until 9/3)
Car Driving School Sim ($6.99 from $13.99 until 9/3)
Nuts ($14.99 from $19.99 until 9/3)
Summer Catchers ($5.99 from $11.99 until 9/3)
Ultra Street Fighter II ($29.99 from $39.99 until 9/4)
Street Fighter 30th Anniversary ($14.99 from $29.99 until 9/4)
High Noon Revolver ($1.99 from $2.99 until 9/5)
Grand Guilds ($1.99 from $19.99 until 9/5)
Towertale ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/5)
Gnome More War ($1.99 from $2.99 until 9/5)
Mad Carnage ($1.99 from $4.99 until 9/6)
Dead Dungeon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 9/6)
Atomic Heist ($1.99 from $7.99 until 9/6)
One Person Story ($1.99 from $2.99 until 9/6)
Breathing Fear ($1.99 from $4.99 until 9/6)
Dark Burial ($1.99 from $3.99 until 9/6)
Swordbreaker The Game ($1.99 from $4.99 until 9/6)
Debtor ($1.99 from $2.99 until 9/7)
Pew Paw ($1.99 from $6.99 until 9/7)
Grood ($1.99 from $4.99 until 9/7)
Colorful Colore ($1.99 from $2.99 until 9/7)
Farabel ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/7)
Mushroom Quest ($1.99 from $2.99 until 9/7)
Skull Rogue ($1.99 from $2.99 until 9/7)
Event Horizon ($1.99 from $5.99 until 9/7)
FunBox Party ($1.99 from $2.49 until 9/7)
Tactical Mind ($1.99 from $2.99 until 9/7)
Tales from the Borderlands ($19.99 from $24.99 until 9/8)
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 ($7.49 from $29.99 until 9/8)
Carnival Games ($9.99 from $39.99 until 9/8)
WWE 2K18 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 9/8)
WWE 2K Battlegrounds ($15.99 from $39.99 until 9/8)
PGA Tour 2K21 ($19.79 from $59.99 until 9/8)
XCOM 2 Collection ($14.99 from $49.99 until 9/8)
BioShock: The Collection ($19.99 from $49.99 until 9/8)
BioShock Remastered ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/8)
BioShock 2 Remastered ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/8)
BioShock Infinite: Complete ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/8)
Borderlands Legendary Collection ($19.99 from $49.99 until 9/8)
Borderlands: GotY Edition ($11.99 from $29.99 until 9/8)
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection ($15.99 from $39.99 until 9/8)
Cricket 19 ($34.99 from $49.99 until 9/10)
Boris The Rocket ($10.04 from $14.99 until 9/11)
Super Disc Soccer ($1.99 from $3.99 until 9/11)
One Dog Story ($5.99 from $14.99 until 9/11)
Mystery Mine ($1.99 from $3.99 until 9/11)
BDSM ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/11)
Hardcube ($2.10 from $7.00 until 9/11)
My Hidden Things ($4.68 from 6.99 until 9/11)
Space Blast Zom ($1.99 from $7.99 until 9/13)
Slots of the Season ($3.99 from $7.99 until 9/13)
Marbles Rush ($3.49 from $4.99 until 9/13)
Tardy ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/14)
Sweets Swap ($2.99 from $5.99 until 9/14)
Golf Club Wasteland ($7.49 from $9.99 until 9/15)
My Little Ice Cream Booth ($1.99 from $3.00 until 9/16)
A Night at the Races ($6.66 from $9.99 until 9/17)
Tower of Babel ($1.99 from $5.99 until 9/17)
Final Light, The Prison ($1.99 from $6.99 until 9/17)
Xtreme Club Racing ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/17)
Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise ($1.99 from $19.99 until 9/17)
Orbibot ($3.99 from $4.99 until 9/17)
One-Eyed Lee & Dinner Party ($3.99 from $4.99 until 9/17)
Midnight Evil ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/17)
Super Arcade Soccer ($2.02 from $6.99 until 9/17)
Green Game: TimeSwapper ($2.00 from $2.99 until 9/17)
Grand Prix Rock ‘N Racing ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/17)
Paper Wars: Cannon Fodder Devastated ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/17)
Solitaire Card Games ($1.99 from $5.99 until 9/17)
LocO-SportS ($1.99 from $5.99 until 9/18)
Basketball Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 9/19)
League of Champions Soccer ($4.79 from $5.99 until 9/19)
Space Wars ($2.39 from $2.99 until 9/19)
Hammer 2 Reloaded ($4.79 from $5.99 until 9/19)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 31st
Aery: Little Bird Adventure ($3.49 from $6.99 until 8/31)
Aery: Sky Castle ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/31)
Apocalipsis Wormwood Edition ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/31)
Aqua Kitty UDX ($6.74 from $8.99 until 8/31)
Aquatic Rampage ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/31)
Astro Aqua Kitty ($11.24 from $14.99 until 8/31)
Atomik: RunGunJumpGun ($1.99 from $7.99 until 8/31)
Beast Quest ($3.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Big Crown: Showdown ($2.59 from $12.99 until 8/31)
Big Pharma ($5.99 from $29.99 until 8/31)
Black Future ’88 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Bridge Strike ($1.99 from $6.99 until 8/31)
Candy 2048 Challenge ($5.59 from $7.99 until 8/31)
Color Your World ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/31)
Croc’s World 3 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/31)
Curved Space ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
CyberHive ($7.99 from $9.99 until 8/31)
Deer Drive Legends ($3.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Degrees of Separation ($5.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Devil May Cry ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Devil May Cry 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Devil May Cry 3 SE ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Disjunction ($11.99 from $15.99 until 8/31)
Effie ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Faraday Protocol ($19.99 from $24.99 until 8/31)
From Shadows ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/31)
Gems of Magic: Lost Family ($6.99 from $9.99 until 8/31)
Gleaner Heights ($6.49 from $9.99 until 8/31)
Golazo! ($4.04 from $14.99 until 8/31)
Help Will Come Tomorrow ($5.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Heroes of Loot ($3.99 from $7.99 until 8/31)
I am Ball ($3.24 from $4.99 until 8/31)
I Dream of You & Ice Cream ($3.24 from $4.99 until 8/31)
Iron Crypticle ($7.49 from $9.99 until 8/31)
John Wick Hex ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Lamentum ($14.39 from $15.99 until 8/31)
Life of Fly 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/31)
Lofi Ping Pong ($3.74 from $4.99 until 8/31)
Milanoir ($2.50 from $12.99 until 8/31)
Override 2: Super Mech League ($9.89 from $29.99 until 8/31)
Pumpkin Jack ($17.99 from $29.99 until 8/31)
Radical Rabbit Stew ($3.99 from $15.99 until 8/31)
Retro Tanks ($2.99 from $5.99 until 8/31)
Riverbond ($4.99 from $24.99 until 8/31)
Roar! Jurassic Edition ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/31)
Rock Boshers DX: Director’s Cut ($5.24 from $6.99 until 8/31)
Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break ($7.49 from $29.99 until 8/31)
Sector 781 ($3.98 from $5.91 until 8/31)
Semblance ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/31)
Sky Rogue ($14.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Skyhill ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/31)
Star Wars Pinball ($17.99 from $29.99 until 8/31)
Stela ($6.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
Tanky Tanks ($2.99 from $5.99 until 8/31)
Techno Tanks ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/31)
The Choice of Life: Middle Ages ($3.74 from $4.99 until 8/31)
The StoryTale ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/31)
This is the Zodiac Speaking ($4.54 from $12.99 until 8/31)
Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince ($5.99 from $29.99 until 8/31)
Troll and I ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/31)
Unspottable ($7.19 from $11.99 until 8/31)
We. The Revolution ($5.99 from $19.99 until 8/31)
West of Loathing ($6.16 from $11.00 until 8/31)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with some more new releases and perhaps a review or two. New sales will almost certainly be here. Some news, perhaps? I hope so. We’ll have to see what happens. I hope you all have a marvelous Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!
