Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for October 19th, 2021. In today’s article, we’ve got a couple of reviews that work out to a few more somehow. The latest from Onion Games, Mon Amour, and the recent Cotton Guardian Force Saturn Tribute are in the review spotlight. There are also several new releases to look at, including Dying Light: Platinum Edition, Regency Solitaire, and more. There’s a small slice of news that is more of a reminder than anything, and the usual lists of new and expiring sales for you to ponder. Let’s get into it and see what’s what!
News
Sora is Now Available in ‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’, Go Get Him
Hey, friends. The last big-pants update for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is now available. Version 13.0.0 most notably adds Sora from Kingdom Hearts to the game as a DLC either individually or as part of the Fighters Pass 2 expansion. Alongside him comes some new Kingdom Hearts-themed Spirits, new Mii Fighter costumes, and a bevy of balancing adjustments for a variety of characters. Whether you’re picking up Sora or not, you’ll probably want that update post-haste.
Reviews & Mini-Views
Mon Amour ($8.99)
What a curious little game this is. I didn’t really pay attention to Mon Amour before it released, because I see games from Onion Games as a gift and I don’t like to know what I’m getting until I unwrap it. So when I started the game and my little flying man took an instant nose dive leading to a game over, I was a little confused. I soon surmised this game worked a bit like Flappy Bird, where I need to touch either the screen or my buttons just so in order to keep my guy from going too high or low and slamming into the obstacles surrounding him. Once he reaches the character at the other side of the screen and gives them a kiss, it’s off to the next one. Finish all fifty stages and you’ll save your princess. Well, that’s… that’s not much, is it?
But as is always the case with Onion Games, the surface read is just that. Every ninth stage is a special one, complete with unique obstacles and a random special character, and the tenth sees you (hopefully) triumphantly entering the castle and properly saving the characters you smooched. Unless you took some hits along the way, in which case some of those characters will be lost. Oh well. Then there are those obstacles on the top and bottom of the screen. Buildings, generally. They grow with each stage, leaving you with a smaller and smaller safe area to fly in. You can push them back by collecting fruit or grabbing a big enough heart.
When you smooch a character, hearts fly out in a direction based on the angle you approached them from. If those hearts glom together, they get bigger and are worth more points. When they get big enough, they gain that building-shoving quality. Managing these hearts and using your fruits at the right moments are the keys to surviving this game and racking up a high score. You’ll also want to protect the the characters you’ve rescued. They’ll follow you after you make out with them, but if you mess up you will lose one of them. Only by bringing them into the castle tower at the end of each set will you permanently add them to your collection. And you’ll need them all if you want to bring the game to its conclusion. They also help your score out, of course.
Mon Amour isn’t the most complicated or lengthy of games, but it has more depth and heft to it than you would initially assume. If you enjoy score chasing, you’ll especially find a lot to chew on here. Like a classic arcade game of old, it takes simple mechanics and gives you enough to do with them that there ends up being a wide range of scoring possibilities. Take that and wrap it all up in the usual quirky Onion Games charm, and you’ve got a real winner.
SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5
Cotton Guardian Force Saturn Tribute
This is a curious case of three games that are technically part of a set that you can buy physically at the Strictly Limited Games Store, but sold separately on the eShop. I’ll also be doing Mini-Views of each of the three games here, as that is the manner in which they are most widely accessible to most players. Accessibility is a key point here, as all three of the games in this collection are incredibly expensive to buy in their original forms and haven’t been reissued before now. That should make this a slam dunk, but it’s unfortunately not that simple. As a collection, these three games have many shared advantages and disadvantages.
A rewind and slow-motion feature is present, along with full button remapping, screen size options, and an anti-aliasing feature that you will want to turn off immediately. Why? Because it adds an extra frame of input lag to a batch of games that is already suffering from significant problems in that area. The various extras and features are largely the same across all three games, but the dreadful input lag is also quite consistent. This latter point factors heavily in my scores for all three games.
I don’t mind a little lag, but these games have between nine to eleven frames of input lag each. That’s going to be noticeable for quite a few people, even with the naked eye. City Connection has stated it will be trying to fix this, but makes no promises as to whether it will be possible or not. The games are fun and this collection is appreciated in principle, but it’s hard to recommend in its current state.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
Cotton 2 – Saturn Tribute ($17.99)
At first blush, Cotton 2 is a somewhat safe follow-up to the original. You still play as a witch who rides around on her broom, firing off magic spells as special attacks. New to this game is the ability to grab just about anything or anyone and use them as a strong projectile attack. You can even catch some enemy projectiles and send them sailing back at your foes. Also new is a set of special moves you can perform by doing fighting game-style commands. These new elements make for a rather unusual horizontal shoot-em-up, and a very fun one.
The extras present in this Saturn Tribute version make for an even better experience than the original, particularly for those who aren’t shoot-em-up wizards. Unfortunately, the massive amounts of input lag leave the game feeling unresponsive, which adds a layer of frustration that Cotton 2 certainly didn’t need. It doesn’t make the game unplayable by any means, but it hurts the playability whenever the action gets hot. There aren’t many options for playing this game at a reasonable price, so I don’t blame anyone for choosing this one. I just wish the emulation had been better handled.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
Cotton Boomerang – Saturn Tribute ($17.99)
Cotton Boomerang is something of a remix of Cotton 2, and one that shoot-em-up fans tend to prefer. You get double the amount of special moves, the ability to throw objects in eight directions, and a new multi-character set-up that gives you more options for how you want to play. Each of the selectable characters has their own weapons, so you’ll want to try them all to see who is right for you. You get to pick three to take with you, and each one serves as a hit. This replaces the life bar of Cotton 2, finding a balance between its highly-forgiving nature and the one-hit kills of the original game.
While it recycles most of its assets from the previous game, there are some new sights to see in Cotton Boomerang now and then. More importantly, the game feels different to play in a lot of ways. This is one of the finer shoot-em-ups from the excellent Saturn shooter library, and the extras here should make for the best version of it yet. Sadly, the nasty input lag that permeates the three games in this set does its whammy here, too. This is an intensely challenging game that already had a bit more lag than it should have on the Saturn, and the extra helping thrown on top of this Saturn Tribute takes a must-have down to a solid maybe.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Guardian Force – Saturn Tribute ($17.99)
Guardian Force trades out the colorful candy-loving witches and side-scrolling action of Cotton for some multi-directional scrolling tank shooting. The screen scrolls as it will, and you just have to roll with it. While you can always shoot straight ahead, whatever direction that may be, you can also move the turret of your tank to shoot in any other direction at the same time. Cool gimmick. The Saturn flexes its 2D muscles a bit in this game, with tons of sprites on screen at times. There are a variety of weapon pick-ups that give you plenty of ways to destroy your foes. It’s as SEGA Saturn of a game in its own way as the Cotton games are in another.
While I wouldn’t say Guardian Force is anywhere near the level of either of the Cotton games, it is a solid shoot-em-up in its right. It’s a very technical game that requires you to pay a lot of attention at all times, and trying to keep track of your turret while dodging bullets assuredly requires a great deal of concentration. Indeed, the game is very demanding and that is perhaps why it is hurt the most by the input lag that persists in these Saturn Tribute releases. Guardian Force has the worst lag of them all, up to a whopping eleven frames. It’s just too much, and unlike with the Cotton games, I’m not sure it’s worth suffering through here.
SwitchArcade Score: 2.5/5
New Releases
Dying Light: Platinum Edition ($49.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Dying Light has proven a big hit on other platforms, and now it finally makes its debut on the Switch. Explore an open world in a zombie apocalypse, trying to survive while fending off monsters both figurative and literal. This version of the game includes four DLCs and seventeen skin packs, earning it that Platinum Edition moniker. New features for Switch include gyro aiming, motion controls, HD rumble support, and touch screen controls for menus and other interfaces. If you have two Switch units you can play local co-op, or head online and play with others. Surprisingly, this is a very solid port and another technical achievement in terms of Switch conversions.
Regency Solitaire ($12.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
The much-loved solitaire romance game comes to Switch in Regency Solitaire. Play 180 different levels as you work your way through Bella’s story. You’ll unlock upgrades as you go, and there are multiple difficulty levels to play on. You’ll get the chance to make over Bella’s costume and her ballroom, playing through twenty chapters of romance and intrigue in Regency England.
The Caligula Effect 2 ($49.99)
The Caligula Effect was often written off as a bargain-bin Persona, which I don’t think was really a fair or accurate assessment. The issues it was tackling and how it went about tackling them were quite unique, which makes it rather unfortunate that the gameplay that delivered those ideas wasn’t terribly good. Now here we are with The Caligula Effect 2, and I can firmly say that the gameplay is improved in many ways over the previous game. Unfortunately, the story almost requires familiarity with the original game so you can’t really just jump in here and get the most out of it. Is the juice worth the squeeze? This one is on the borderline, so it’s really hard to say. I’ll have a review of this one as soon as I can manage it.
Angry Alligator ($29.99)
You’re a baby alligator just chilling out in your swamp when some annoying humans arrive and start to ruin everything. As we do. You need to grow up and become strong so that you can chase them away and save the swamp. Explore an open world and eat everything you can get your jaws around, which turns out to be quite a bit. You’ll get bigger and change in appearance, gaining new abilities in the process. There are actually a variety of alligators to choose from, and you can dress them in silly outfits because this is 2021 and you have to be able to do at least that much.
Duo Zombies ($7.99)
This is one of those puzzle platformers where you have to use multiple characters and their unique abilities to clear each stage. In this case, you’ve got two characters. They are zombies, but that isn’t particularly important. They dab when you clear the stage, for whatever reason. Otherwise, there isn’t really much of note here to separate the game from other titles with a similar structure.
The Dark Side of the Moon: An Interactive FMV Thriller ($13.99)
Sometimes the title does most of the work for me. But yes, this is an FMV adventure game. There are some choices to be made and some light puzzles to solve, leading to one of five endings. The story sees you investigating the disappearance of your two children in a small village called Marywine. Things take a decidedly sci-fi bent by the end of it, and the game luckily rolls with its silly nature instead of trying to present itself seriously.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Oh yes, I see some good stuff in today’s list. Return of the Obra Dinn? How could you not own that one? Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle is quite solid. All of those Thalamus Digital games like Death Ray Manta SE and Rogue Aces are worth snapping up too. Nothing too worth getting fussed about in the outbox, but I suppose if you want to stock up on LEGO or other WB Games, act now or wait two weeks. Check those lists on your own, though. I’m not the Chief Executive Superman in Charge of Sales.
Select New Games on Sale
Return of the Obra Dinn ($13.99 from $19.99 until 10/25)
Them Bombs! ($3.49 from $13.99 until 10/25)
Highway Haste ($1.99 from $19.99 until 10/25)
My Coloring Book ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/25)
Super Punch ($2.09 from $2.99 until 10/25)
Let’s Cook Together ($4.99 from $19.99 until 10/25)
Puzzle Plowing A Field ($2.09 from $2.99 until 10/25)
Urban Flow ($1.99 from $14.99 until 10/25)
Tomb Sweeper ($2.09 from $2.99 until 10/25)
Klondike Solitaire ($1.99 from $8.99 until 10/25)
Shadowverse: Champion’s Battle ($34.99 from $49.99 until 10/25)
Merrily Perilly ($2.49 from $4.99 until 10/26)
Fates of Ort ($10.49 from $14.99 until 10/26)
Into a Dream ($6.99 from $13.99 until 10/26)
Potion Party ($4.99 from $9.99 until 10/26)
Big Dipper ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/26)
Forest Guardian ($2.74 from $10.99 until 10/26)
Between Time Escape Room ($7.49 from $9.99 until 10/31)
Palindrome Syndrome Escape Room ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/1)
Speed Dating for Ghosts ($2.09 from $6.99 until 11/1)
Tested on Humans Escape Room ($4.99 from $9.99 until 11/1)
Infernium ($2.49 from $24.99 until 11/4)
Route Me Mail & Delivery Co ($4.79 from $7.99 until 11/8)
Lumo ($1.99 from $19.99 until 11/8)
Rogue Aces ($2.59 from $12.99 until 11/8)
Death Ray Manta SE ($2.00 from $10.00 until 11/8)
Cecconoid ($1.99 from $19.99 until 11/8)
Bezier Second Edition ($1.99 from $19.99 until 11/8)
LOVE: A Puzzle Box With Stories ($1.99 from $19.99 until 11/8)
10 Second Ninja X ($5.99 from $11.99 until 11/8)
Golf Peaks ($1.99 from $4.99 until 11/8)
Cooking Tycoons 2 – 3 in 1 ($1.99 from $12.99 until 11/8)
Sushi Time! ($1.99 from $4.99 until 11/8)
Food Truck Tycoon Asian Cuisine ($1.99 from $4.99 until 11/8)
Super Battle Cards ($1.99 from $5.99 until 11/8)
EQI ($2.49 from $4.99 until 11/8)
Zombie Hill Race ($1.99 from $9.99 until 11/8)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 20th
Apocalipsis Wormwood Edition ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Angry Alligator ($26.99 from $29.99 until 10/20)
Back to Bed ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Bakugan: CoV ($14.99 from $49.99 until 10/20)
Batu Ta Batu ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
BFF or Die ($4.79 from $7.99 until 10/20)
Big Pharma ($5.99 from $29.99 until 10/20)
Bullet Beat ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Cars 3: Driven to Win ($7.99 from $39.99 until 10/20)
Castle of Pixel Skulls ($3.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Cybxus Hearts ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Dark Grim Mariupolis ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Die for Valhalla! ($2.39 from $11.99 until 10/20)
Dimension Drive ($1.99 from $12.99 until 10/20)
Effie ($11.99 from $19.99 until 10/20)
From Shadows ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Golazo! ($3.99 from $14.99 until 10/20)
Heart Chain Kitty ($5.90 from $9.90 until 10/20)
Help Will Come Tomorrow ($4.99 from $19.99 until 10/20)
Immortal Planet ($5.99 from $14.99 until 10/20)
Inferno 2 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Instant Sports Paradise ($27.99 from $34.99 until 10/20)
LEGO City Undercover ($5.99 from $29.99 until 10/20)
LEGO DC Super-Villains ($11.99 from $59.99 until 10/20)
LEGO Jurassic World ($9.99 from $39.99 until 10/20)
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 ($7.49 from $29.99 until 10/20)
LEGO Ninjago Movie Game ($9.99 from $49.99 until 10/20)
LEGO The Incredibles ($11.99 from $59.99 until 10/20)
LEGO Worlds ($5.99 from $29.99 until 10/20)
Lost Wing ($1.99 from $7.99 until 10/20)
Luckslinger ($6.99 from $9.99 until 10/20)
Lumini ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/20)
May’s Mysteries: TSoD ($11.99 from $14.99 until 10/20)
Mortal Kombat 11 ($12.49 from $49.99 until 10/20)
My Maite ($3.20 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Nexoria ($2.49 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Nyakamon Adventures ($2.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Rainswept ($2.49 from $9.99 until 10/20)
ReactorX ($2.49 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Roarr! Jurassic Edition ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Scribblenauts Mega Pack ($7.99 from $39.99 until 10/20)
Scribblenauts Showdown ($3.99 from $39.99 until 10/20)
Sheepo ($9.34 from $10.99 until 10/20)
Skyhill ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Smart Moves ($2.00 from $5.99 until 10/20)
Space Crew ($7.99 from $19.99 until 10/20)
STAB STAB STAB! ($3.99 from $9.99 until 10/20)
Steamburg ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
Tetsumo Party ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
The Bug Butcher ($1.99 from $7.99 until 10/20)
The Explorer of Night ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/20)
The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game ($7.99 from $39.99 until 10/20)
The Sinking City ($19.99 from $49.99 until 10/20)
This is the Zodiac Speaking ($3.99 from $12.99 until 10/20)
Void Source ($1.99 from $5.99 until 10/20)
Warp Shift ($2.49 from $9.99 until 10/20)
We. The Revolution ($5.99 from $19.99 until 10/20)
Wingspan ($13.39 from $19.99 until 10/20)
Zombo Buster Advance ($2.79 from $3.99 until 10/20)
That wraps it up for today, friends. There is a handful of new releases on the schedule for tomorrow, and I expect this pace to more or less keep up for the rest of this year. There will probably be some news to go through, and there will definitely be some sales to check out. There could be a review or something, but I can’t make any promises on that front. I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!
