Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 18th, 2022. In today’s article we’ve got reviews of a few lower-profile recent releases, plus summaries of the handful of new releases that popped up over the weekend. We finish things up with a look at the newest sales and expiring discounts in what is a rather slow start to the week. It is a holiday after all. For some of us, anyway. Let’s get to it!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Legend of Ixtona ($14.99)
I first reviewed this game on iOS about seven years ago, where it sold for about half the price. I found Legend of Ixtona to be mediocre but playable back then, and I still feel the same way after all these years. It’s as perfunctory as a strategy RPG gets, but it benefits from being something a little different from a publisher that so often bangs the same drum. Story? Well, it has one. Not a very interesting one, but it’s there. Gameplay? Completely what you would expect, and not very challenging either. Characters? There are a few. It’s all very agreeable, as long as you don’t doze off.
Legend Of Ixtona isn’t a particularly great strategy RPG, but it’s not a bad one either. It’s short enough to plow through in a weekend, and just enjoyable enough to be worth doing just that. The weak AI makes it essentially a strategy RPG equivalent to a mindless button-masher. Those looking for any actual tactical challenge will probably want to keep on walking, but I think there’s a certain appeal to it if you get into the game’s story and quirky characters. That said, you can probably find better things in this genre on the Switch at a comparable price.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
Bush Hockey League ($15.99)
As a Canadian, I am obligated to award a piece of entertainment extra points if it includes the music of Stompin’ Tom Connors. That’s just how it is. Bush Hockey League includes the Canadian folk singer’s most famous tune, The Hockey Song. As such, I have awarded it the required extra points. I’ll let you look at the resulting score and take what you will from it about my opinions on the rest of the game. This is unfortunately the only stab at an EA Sports-style hockey game on the Switch, and I can see where the developer’s heart was at every step. It just doesn’t work very well.
The controls are laggy. The load times are horrendous, sometimes as long as a minute and a half to start a simple exhibition game. It crashes sometimes. The AI for your teammates and goalkeeper is utterly incompetent. The classic controls ape the EA NHL Genesis layout, but map the A/B/C to B/A/X, putting a key action on the most awkward button on the controller. But the real kicker? Even when everything is going right, Bush Hockey League just doesn’t feel good to play. There’s so much obvious love put into this game by a team I am sure is full of big hockey fans, but that doesn’t change the end result.
SwitchArcade Score: 2/5
Hidden Shapes: Animals + Lovely Cats ($3.99)
As puzzle games go, this is perhaps as casual as it gets. You’ve got pictures of cats and other animals all jumbled up, and you need to rotate the pieces until they create the desired image. You get forty of these puzzles in all. They get more complicated as you go, but they’re all just a matter of patience and fiddling around until lines line up. It’s cheap and chill, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish it had a little more bite.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
New Releases
Camper Van Simulator ($12.99)
This is another one of those driving games where you have a little open area, a handful of vehicles, and a bunch of missions to clear. It will probably be on sale for half price within a month or so, but if you want the camping car experience on your Switch now, don’t let me stop you. I mean, I’ll at least grant that a camping car is a novel take on this well-worn concept.
Rolling Car ($7.99)
Kind of a car platformer. You control a monster truck-looking thing and need to hop and cruise your way through thirty tricky levels filled with collectibles and deadly traps. It has a very unusual look to it, with stages basically rolling out on a treadmill as you roll along. I could see some people getting into this one at the right price.
Beautiful Ukraine ($4.00)
Some of you may know this already, but QubicGames is based in Poland. As such, they’re very near to the absolute tragedy and senseless violence going on in the Ukraine and, as a neighbor, likely quite familiar with the country in better times. QubicGames has put together this jigsaw puzzle game to show off some of the beautiful sights of the Ukraine before all this happened, while also raising money for a few charities that support and help out the Ukrainian people. All of this game’s profits will go towards Habitat for Humanity Poland, Polish Humanitarian Action, and Save the Children.
Jim’s Adventure ($2.99)
Gametry found another template. Play as a guy named Jim. Jump. Collect coins. Avoid enemies and hazards. What will happen when you hit the question mark block? It is a mystery.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Board games and Bethesda games, that’s what today’s batch of new sales is all about. You can load up on your Catans and your DOOMs as you like. Beyond that, Dice Legacy, Project Warlock, Horace, and Okinawa Rush are all decent ways to spend some money today. There are a few fun games in the outbox, but it’s mostly stuff that will be on sale again within a few weeks. Buy it if you’re interested, but don’t feel like you have to. Check both lists as always.
Select New Games on Sale
Catan ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/20)
Lord of the Rings Adv. Card Game ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/20)
Carcassonne ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/20)
Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embrace ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/20)
Kingdom Rush ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/20)
Kingdom Rush Frontiers ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/20)
Madorica Real Estate ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/24)
Path of Giants ($5.39 from $8.99 until 4/25)
Dice Legacy ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
Regalia Of Men & Monarchs ($14.99 from $24.99 until 4/25)
Winds of Change ($15.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
Project Warlock ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/25)
Darkwood ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/25)
My Memory of Us ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/25)
WARSAW ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
Horace ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/28)
Drawn to Life: Two Realms ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/28)
Portal Knights ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/28)
Zumba Burn It Up ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/28)
DOOM 1993 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/29)
DOOM II Classic ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/29)
DOOM 64 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/29)
DOOM 3 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/29)
DOOM 2016 ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/29)
DOOM Eternal ($19.79 from $59.99 until 4/29)
DOOM Eternal DX ($29.69 from $89.99 until 4/29)
DOOM Slayers Collection ($24.99 from $49.99 until 4/29)
The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/29)
Wolfenstein II New Colossus ($15.99 from $39.99 until 4/29)
Wolfenstein Youngblood ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/29)
Wolfenstein Youngblood DX ($14.99 from $29.99 until 4/29)
QUAKE ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/29)
Doom & Destiny ($5.99 from $11.99 until 4/29)
Doom & Destiny Advanced ($5.99 from $11.99 until 4/29)
Doom & Destiny Worlds ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/29)
Miner Warfare ($3.99 from $7.99 until 4/29)
Rogue Star Rescue ($11.24 from $14.99 until 4/30)
Western 1849 Reloaded ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/1)
Nova-111 ($5.99 from $9.99 until 5/2)
Okinawa Rush ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/2)
X-Force Genesis ($3.50 from $7.00 until 5/3)
Snooker 19 ($12.24 from $34.99 until 5/3)
Syberia 2 ($1.99 from $29.99 until 5/5)
The Padre ($3.99 from $19.99 until 5/6)
Ritual: Crown of Horns ($3.99 from $19.99 until 5/6)
DARQ Complete Edition ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/6)
Viviette ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/6)
Cook Serve Delicious 2 ($2.07 from $12.99 until 5/6)
Cook Serve Delicious 3 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 5/6)
Flower Shop: Summer in Fairbrook ($7.99 from $9.99 until 5/6)
Syberia 1 & 2 ($1.99 from $34.99 until 5/6)
UORiS DX ($1.99 from $9.00 until 5/7)
The Demon Crystal ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/7)
Sigi ($3.34 from $4.99 until 5/7)
Vasilis ($3.34 from $4.99 until 5/7)
Crashbots ($6.69 from $9.99 until 5/7)
Chess Gambit ($3.99 from $6.99 until 5/8)
Pixel Action Heroes ($3.99 from $4.99 until 5/8)
Color Zen Kids ($3.19 from $3.99 until 5/8)
Cube Life: Island Survival ($11.99 from $14.99 until 5/8)
My Maite ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/8)
Void Source ($1.99 from $5.99 until 5/8)
Dark Grim Mariupolis ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/8)
Nyakamon Adventures ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/8)
Nexoria: Dungeon Heroes ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/8)
Bullet Beat ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/8)
ReactorX ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/8)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 19th
Art Sqool ($1.99 from $12.99 until 4/19)
BioShock Infinite CE ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
BioShock The Collection ($19.99 from $49.99 until 4/19)
Borderlands Legendary Collection ($19.99 from $49.99 until 4/19)
Far: Changing Tides ($15.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Glyph ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
GTA The Trilogy Definitive ($39.99 from $59.99 until 4/19)
Guards ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/19)
Jurassic World Evolution CE ($20.99 from $59.99 until 4/19)
KORG Gadget ($33.60 from $48.00 until 4/19)
Little Mouse’s Encyclopedia ($3.89 from $12.99 until 4/19)
My Singing Monsters Playground ($25.99 from $39.99 until 4/19)
NBA 2K22 75th Anniversary ($32.99 from $99.99 until 4/19)
Niko and the Cubic Curse ($3.99 from $4.99 until 4/19)
OlliOlli World Rad Edition ($35.99 from $44.99 until 4/19)
Pendula Swing: Complete Journey ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/19)
PGA Tour 2K21 Deluxe ($17.49 from $69.99 until 4/19)
Pinball FX3 Bethesda Pinball ($4.39 from $10.99 until 4/19)
PLOID SAGA ($2.63 from $11.99 until 4/19)
Pode ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/19)
Reknum Cheri Dreamland ($2.00 from $6.99 until 4/19)
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 CE ($10.49 from $29.99 until 4/19)
Sid Meier’s Civ VI Platinum ($14.99 from $49.99 until 4/19)
Struggling ($5.24 from $14.99 until 4/19)
Super Soccer Blast ($3.99 from $7.99 until 4/19)
Super Tennis Blast ($4.49 from $14.99 until 4/19)
Super Volley Blast ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/19)
Syndrome ($9.99 from $24.99 until 4/19)
The Outer Worlds ($23.99 from $59.99 until 4/19)
Toby: The Secret Mine ($1.99 from $11.99 until 4/19)
Truck Simulator USA ($5.99 from $11.99 until 4/19)
Under Leaves ($1.99 from $12.99 until 4/19)
WWE 2K Battlegrounds Deluxe ($19.99 from $49.99 until 4/19)
WWE 2K18 Deluxe ($26.99 from $89.99 until 4/19)
XCOM 2 Collection ($9.99 from $49.99 until 4/19)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow to get the week started properly with a couple more reviews, some new releases, some new sales, and maybe a bit of news. I hope you all enjoy your Easter Monday if you’re having one, and if you’re not then I hope you have a nice normal Monday. As always, thanks for reading!
