Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for October 20th, 2022. We’ve got an absolute ton of new releases today, and the wheat-to-chaff ratio is decidedly unpleasant. We’ve got summaries of each of those new games so that you know what’s worth looking into and what is worth passing over. After that, a healthy list of new sales and an equally healthy list of expiring discounts are waiting for your perusal. It’s a big fellow today, so let’s get started!
New Releases
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope ($59.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
One of the odder cross-overs Mario has ever joined in on is back with a space-faring sequel. Mario, the Rabbids, and their friends are on a journey to save the Sparks from an evil entity that seeks to destroy them. Explore various planets, take part in turn-based tactical battles, and laugh at all the stupid humor. Well, not all of it. But laugh at some of it, or the Rabbids will feel bad.
The Jackbox Party Pack 9 ($29.99)
Oh, it’s that time of the year again, eh? For this ninth round of Jackbox antics, there are five different party games to play with your friends, family, or enemies. Fibbage 4 is another helping of the familiar bluffing game, Quixort sees you working with your team to sort trivia answers, Junktopia has you coming up with improbable backstories for items to sell them for high prices, Nonsensory involves trying to guess where other players’ prompts fall on a silly scale, and Roomerang has everyone joining in on a weird reality show. Make sure you’re packing your mobile device for maximum multiplayer mayhem.
Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef ($19.99)
A stylized 2D run-and-gun action game with a Warhammer 40,000 theme? Sure, that sounds cool. Better still, up to four players can get in on the fun via local or online multiplayer. I’ll have a review of this one for you all soon. This kind of game tends to live or die by the little details, so let’s cross our fingers that Shootas, Blood & Teef checks off all the necessary boxes.
Arcade Archives Tokidensho Angel Eyes ($7.99)
Announced a very long time ago for an Arcade Archives release, Tecmo’s unique 1996 entry into the 2D fighting genre has finally arrived. Featuring a cast of eight young women who have fused with angels, Angel Eyes has a mix of 3D models and traditional 2D sprites to create a distinct look. In terms of gameplay, there are a variety of movement options, reversals, and super moves that make this a flashy fighter if nothing else. The balancing is all over the place, but it’s a fun game to pick up and have a few rounds with here and there.
Gas Station Simulator ($19.99)
You probably don’t need me to give you the summary for this one, but we’re already here. Let’s just do this. You buy an abandoned gas station and need to clean it up, fix it up, open it up, run it, improve it, and generally try to do that whole entrepreneurial thing. So yes, if you ever wanted to run your own gas station but don’t want to smell like… well, like you run a gas station, here is your chance.
Matchpoint – Tennis Championships ($49.99)
The publisher behind the likes of Tropico 6 and Railway Empire is here with a tennis game, for some reason. I’m always game for another good digital tennis effort, and I hope this is one of those. You can customize your character and play in a variety of modes. There are a bunch of real tennis stars here, so you’re not just paying that premium price tag for giggles. I haven’t had a chance to play this one yet, so I can’t speak to the quality of the mechanics or anything like that. If, when I do, I find it particularly enjoyable, I will let you know.
Touhou Gouyoku Ibun ~ Sunken Fossil World. ($27.99)
This is a Touhou Project game that sees the familiar cast of characters thrown into a bullet-hell side-scrolling action-platformer. It’s basically a series of boss battles, feeling in equal parts like a fighting game and something from a weird cousin of Treasure. Reviews on Steam for this game are overwhelmingly popular, so if you’re the sort that generally trucks with Touhou-based video games you won’t want to miss this.
Beholgar ($9.99)
I’ve said this a few times now, but the Metroidvania genre is so over-saturated at this point that even games that mostly get things right end up getting lost in the muck. You really have to have some kind of draw to stand out at this point. Beholgar‘s big play is that it features a barbarian hero, and you know what? I think that is going to work for some people. If you are not one of those people, this is just another competently-made Metroidvania that does all the things you would expect a game in this genre to do. No more, no less.
Harmonia ($24.99)
Another of Key’s visual novels makes its way to the Switch with this release. Since it is Key, expect to get your feels punched right in their feels by the time it’s all said and done. A war has ravaged the planet and left things in a post-apocalyptic state. The few remaining humans huddle together and simply try to survive. Amidst this, an unfinished robot that was originally designated as a human companion wakes up. His emotions, meant to be an important feature of his model, are non-functional. Yet he desires to be with humans, and journeys the broken world. A cheerful human girl finds him and mistakes him for a fellow human. She brings him back to her little town, and he tries to develop his emotions through interactions with her and the other townspeople. And in the end, shall someone cry? Probably.
Aery – Last Day of Earth ($9.99)
It’s another Aery game and it doesn’t do anything particularly different from any of the others. At the same time, even the same old Aery is a lot better than most of what publisher EpiXR Games has been up to lately.
Shutter Nyan! Enhanced Edition ($14.99)
This is a puzzle platformer where you need to guide the cat to the goal using a magic camera. You can take pictures and then paste those pictures to create paths and make ways around obstacles. The idea is clever enough that the flaws in its execution are somewhat easier to forgive. If you like the sound of its concept, you’ll probably like the game itself well enough.
One More Island ($19.99)
A rather simplified take on an Anno-style resource management sim. You’re tasked by your Queen with the job of claiming islands, reaping their resources, and use them to establish a bustling city. Reviews on other platforms are quite mixed, with many feeling the game is a bit too streamlined for its own good. You may feel differently, of course.
Flying Neko Delivery ($19.99)
Play as a cat witch who flies around on a magic broom delivering packages to various folks. You have a cottage of your own that you can customize, and there are a lot of cool sights to see as you explore a bunch of colorful locations. It’s all rather low-pressure, and the soundtrack from A Short Hike‘s Mark Sparling certainly helps add to that atmosphere. The more packages you deliver to a villager, the deeper your relationship with them will grow. If you can make friends, you’ll receive rewards and open portals to new worlds. Another one I’ve got my eye on but haven’t had a chance to play yet. Just one of those weeks, I suppose.
One True Hero ($14.99)
This is a 3D platforming adventure with a humorous bent, largely owing to the comical cowardice of its hero. A town is mysteriously sinking into the ground, and this plucky farmer-turned-protagonist is apparently the only one that can get to the bottom of things. Perhaps literally. Battle enemies with your sword moves, pull off some tricky platforming challenges, and see if you’ve got what it takes to save the day. This looks like it could be a really good time.
Apre Lapli [After the rain] ($10.99)
A brief narrative adventure game about a girl named Maya and her grandfather. They’re on a journey through a dry, desolate landscape. As they travel, her and her grandfather talk about many topics, most of them about her parents. There are a few different interactive sections, giving you some gameplay-related things to do as you take in the story. Could be the game for you, if you’re in the right mood.
Dead Secret Circle ($14.99)
I’m not sure why we’re getting the sequel before its story-connected predecessor, but oh well. This is a first-person mystery game with a horror theme. Set in 1971, it puts you in the role of a woman investigating a serial killer. The trail has led to an apartment building in East Chicago filled with residents who are hiding their own secrets. Over in its computer version, this game seems to have gotten a fair bit of praise for its story but less for its gameplay. The consensus appears to be that the first game was better, but this is the only one we’ve got for now.
Sea Horizon ($14.99)
Are you tired of Darkest Dungeon-style card-based roguelite RPGs yet? If not, then you’ll want to check out Sea Horizon. It’s a High Seas-themed spin on the concept, with a hex map to traverse and plenty of turn-based battles to fight. There are hidden locations and treasures to find, new characters to unlock, and multiple endings to uncover. It’s had a favorable reception in Early Access on Steam, so unless they completely biffed the Switch port then this should be worth looking at.
Pure-hearted Gyaru and the Shape of Happiness ($19.90)
Here’s a visual novel about a young man who is reunited with a childhood friend he had promised to marry when they were kids. He’s excited to see her again, only to find out that she has become a gyaru! But don’t worry, she’s one of those pure-hearted ones you see so often in manga. Can he overcome this shock and rekindle his old feelings? And how about her friends? Can he deal with them? I know a lot of people are suckers for this kind of story, so this one might appeal to them.
Doomed to Hell ($4.99)
An affordable top-down roguelite shooter about a protagonist named Rose and their epic adventure to escape from hell. Well okay, it’s not that epic. Pretty ordinary in most ways, really. Just kill everything you see, making use of an assortment of weapons and skills. Upgrade every so often to try to stay ahead of the curve. Battle some big bosses from time to time. We all know this song, so if you feel like dancing go right ahead.
Seduced in the Sleepless City ($29.99)
Time for another otome visual novel from the folks at Voltage, I guess. You play as the editor of a women’s magazine, and you’ve been given the job of covering the grand opening of a new hotel and casino. While attending a party in the VIP room, you meet five different yet oddly familiar hunks. Which one will you pursue? There’s an actor, a writer, an F1 racer, a cosmetic surgeon, and a college student. Pick your favorite handsome boy and do your best to secure those smooches!
TEMPUS ($6.99)
A puzzle adventure game with a time travel motif, Tempus sees you as the resident of a small island who one day stumbles across a portal. Stepping through, you quickly realize two things: you’re hundreds of years in the future, and this is a one-way trip. You have to explore and solve puzzles to reactivate the portal, but it only seems to be able to take you forwards in time, not back. There are six levels of escape game-style riddles to solve, with the chief gimmick being that you get to see the same location change over the course of a long period of time.
Lost Grimoires 2: Shard of Mystery ($14.99)
Artifex Mundi already released the first and third in this series on Switch, so I guess it makes sense to bring in the second game. Prince Fern has run off with a mysterious girl, and as his teacher and protector it is up to you to find him and bring him back. It’s the usual sort of hidden object adventure from this publisher, and I’m sure the folks that chew through these things at record speed will gladly take another.
Backgammon: Board Game Puzzle ($9.99)
I know this looks like a mediocre, somewhat over-priced, wholly unremarkable backgammon game, but that’s only because it is a mediocre, somewhat over-priced, wholly unremarkable backgammon game. At least it has support for two players locally. I’d like to think that was a given, but here we are.
Forest Pop ($2.99)
See, this is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about in that summary of the new Aery game up there. A simple puzzle game where you try to pop all the mushrooms in as few moves as possible. The fewer moves you use, the more stars you’ll earn for the stage.
CubicBan ($2.99)
It’s just Sokoban with a neon-ish theme. Push the crates to the marked spots to clear the stages. You know how this goes. The only unique element here is that crates come in a few different varieties, and specific crates need to go to specific locations.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
There are a bunch of the usual sales today, including the typical assortment from Capcom, 2K Games, and WB Games. It’s all good stuff, so there’s really no wrong time to indulge. You can find a few interesting things in the outbox, but I’ll specifically call out TOEM, Xeno Crisis, and perhaps Coromon. Check both lists on your own, of course. I am not Lieutenant-Commander Game Recommender, so I’m more than capable of missing good stuff.
Select New Games on Sale
Pro Gymnast Simulator ($1.99 from $19.99 until 10/26)
OlliOlli World Rad Edition ($30.14 from $44.99 until 10/31)
The Outer Worlds ($23.99 from $59.99 until 10/31)
Tales from the Borderlands ($14.99 from $24.99 until 10/31)
Borderlands The Handsome Collection ($9.99 from $39.99 until 10/31)
Borderlands Game of the Year Edition ($9.89 from $29.99 until 10/31)
BioShock: The Collection ($9.99 from $49.99 until 10/31)
BioShock Remastered ($7.99 from $19.99 until 10/31)
BioShock 2 Remastered ($7.99 from $19.99 until 10/31)
BioShock Infinite Complete ($7.99 from $19.99 until 10/31)
XCOM 2 Collection ($7.99 from $49.99 until 10/31)
Sid Meier’s Civilization 6 ($8.99 from $29.99 until 10/31)
Sid Meier’s Civilization 6 Anthology ($27.99 from $69.99 until 10/31)
NBA Playgrounds 2 ($7.49 from $29.99 until 10/31)
PGA Tour 2K21 ($14.99 from $59.99 until 10/31)
PGA Tour 2K21 Deluxe ($17.49 from $69.99 until 10/31)
WWE 2K Battlegrounds ($15.99 from $39.99 until 10/31)
WWE 2K Battlegrounds Deluxe ($19.99 from $49.99 until 10/31)
Carnival Games ($9.99 from $39.99 until 10/31)
L.A. Noire ($24.99 from $49.99 until 10/31)
LEGO Star Wars Skywalker Saga ($35.99 from $59.99 until 11/1)
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles ($24.99 from $39.99 until 11/2)
Phoenix Wright: AA Trilogy ($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/2)
Ace Attorney Turnabout Collection ($34.99 from $59.99 until 11/2)
Okami HD ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Ultra Street Fighter II ($19.99 from $39.99 until 11/2)
Street Fighter Anniversary Collection ($11.99 from $29.99 until 11/2)
Capcom Fighting Collection ($29.99 from $39.99 until 11/2)
Capcom Fighting Bundle ($38.99 from $59.99 until 11/2)
Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Capcom Arcade Stadium Pack 1 DLC ($9.99 from $14.99 until 11/2)
Capcom Arcade Stadium Pack 2 DLC ($9.99 from $14.99 until 11/2)
Capcom Arcade Stadium Pack 3 DLC ($9.99 from $14.99 until 11/2)
Capcom Arcade Stadium 1+2+3 DLC ($19.99 from $39.99 until 11/2)
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate ($11.99 from $39.99 until 11/2)
Monster Hunter Rise ($29.99 from $39.99 until 11/2)
Monster Hunter Rise Deluxe ($34.99 from $49.99 until 11/2)
Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak DLC ($29.99 from $39.99 until 11/2)
Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak Deluxe DLC ($37.49 from $49.99 until 11/2)
Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak ($49.99 from $69.99 until 11/2)
Monster Hunter Rise + Sunbreak Deluxe ($59.99 from $79.99 until 11/2)
Monster Hunter Stories 2 ($29.99 from $59.99 until 11/2)
Monster Hunter Stories 2 Deluxe ($34.99 from $69.99 until 11/2)
Shinsekai Into the Depths ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection ($19.99 from $29.99 until 11/2)
Resident Evil 0 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Resident Evil ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Resident Evil 4 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Resident Evil 5 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Resident Evil 6 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Resident Evil Revelations ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Resident Evil Revelations 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Onimusha Warlords ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Mega Man Legacy Collection ($7.99 from $14.99 until 11/2)
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Mega Man X Legacy Collection ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Mega Man Zero/ZX Collection ($14.99 from $29.99 until 11/2)
Devil May Cry ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Devil May Cry 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition ($11.99 from $19.99 until 11/2)
Two Point Campus ($31.99 from $39.99 until 11/2)
Power Rangers Battle for the Grid ($10.99 from $19.99 until 11/3)
Power Rangers BftG Collector’s Edition ($16.49 from $29.99 until 11/3)
Power Rangers BftG Super Edition ($27.49 from $49.99 until 11/3)
MADiSON ($24.49 from $34.99 until 11/3)
The Mummy Demastered ($7.99 from $19.99 until 11/3)
Corpse Party ($13.99 from $19.99 until 11/3)
Corpse Party Blood Drive ($9.99 from $19.99 until 11/3)
Dawn of the Monsters ($20.99 from $29.99 until 11/3)
Grand Theft Auto: Trilogy Definitive ($29.99 from $59.99 until 11/7)
LEGO DC Super-Villains Deluxe ($11.24 from $74.99 until 11/8)
LEGO Harry Potter Collection ($9.99 from $49.99 until 11/8)
LEGO City Undercover ($5.99 from $29.99 until 11/8)
The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game ($5.99 from $39.99 until 11/8)
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes ($9.99 from $39.99 until 11/8)
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 Deluxe ($4.49 from $44.99 until 11/8)
Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate ($11.99 from $59.99 until 11/8)
Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath DLC ($11.99 from $39.99 until 11/8)
Scribblenauts Mega Pack ($5.99 from $39.99 until 11/8)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, October 21st
Attack on Beetle ($4.19 from $5.99 until 10/21)
Black Wolf ($2.09 from $2.99 until 10/21)
Caffeine: Victoria’s Legacy ($14.39 from $17.99 until 10/21)
Car Mechanic Pinball ($2.49 from $4.99 until 10/21)
Cat Cafe Manager ($14.99 from $19.99 until 10/21)
Clutter IX: Clutter IXtreme ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/21)
Coromon ($13.99 from $19.99 until 10/21)
Country Tales ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/21)
Crawlco Block Knockers ($3.59 from $8.99 until 10/21)
Cresteaju ($4.89 from $6.99 until 10/21)
Dark Deity ($14.99 from $24.99 until 10/21)
Faircroft’s Antiques: TFC ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/21)
Gliding Square ($1.99 from $4.00 until 10/21)
Glo ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/21)
Glyph ($1.99 from $19.99 until 10/21)
I Love Finding Critters! ($4.99 from $9.99 until 10/21)
I Love Finding MORE Cats! ($4.99 from $9.99 until 10/21)
Jewel Match Twilight Solitaire ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/21)
Kubi Adventures ($1.99 from $2.99 until 10/21)
Many Faces ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/21)
Metal Tales Overkill ($11.99 from $14.99 until 10/21)
Outbreak: Contagious Memories ($14.99 from $29.99 until 10/21)
Outbreak: Endless Nightmares ($9.99 from $19.99 until 10/21)
Pets No More ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/21)
Pity Pit ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/21)
Project Starship ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/21)
Rayland ($3.49 from $4.99 until 10/21)
Red Death ($1.99 from $4.99 until 10/21)
Sakura MMO 2 ($7.99 from $9.99 until 10/21)
Shipwreck Escape ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/21)
Soft Drift ($1.99 from $3.85 until 10/21)
SpelunKing: Mine Match ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/21)
Supaplex GO! ($10.49 from $14.99 until 10/21)
Threaded ($1.99 from $9.99 until 10/21)
TOEM ($9.99 from $19.99 until 10/21)
Xeno Crisis ($9.99 from $19.99 until 10/21)
That’s all for today, friends. The week is far from over, however. Tomorrow will see the release of Persona 5 Royal, New Tales from the Borderlands, and more. I suppose I’ll get started writing those now. There will also be more sales to consider, plus any major news that might happen to arrive. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
