Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 6th, 2023. In today’s article, we’ve actually got a bit of news to deal with. After that, it’s the list of new releases. There are a ton of new games on the shop today, though nothing extremely high-profile. Surprisingly, we have a gigantic list of new sales to sort through today. Normally those hit tomorrow, but here we are. And that means I am barely finishing this in time for dinner, so let’s get going!
News
‘Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster’ Series Switch Release Date Announced
It was inevitable from the minute the games were announced for mobile and PC, but it was still nice to see the announcement that the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series would be making it to consoles as well. We had a vague idea of the release date, and now we have an exact one: April 19th. These versions have new additions including the option to switch to the original soundtracks of each game, a considerably better font, and some new cheats. It appears the bundle of six games will be selling for $74.99, with the games also available a la carte for prices between $11.99 and $17.99 depending on the installment. You can even pre-order them now! Wow! But you don’t have to, because they are digital items. The eShop won’t sell out.
New Releases
Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories ($14.99)
Mm, bittersweet indeed. This is a narrative adventure game with a unique aesthetic. It might seem light and fluffy at first, but as you progress through the story things do get a bit more serious. It’s really light in terms of puzzles and things like that, so you’re really just moving through the story. That’s all well and good, but right now this game is really crash-prone for some reason. Very frustrating. I’ll be reviewing this soon, but I’d recommend waiting for a patch before jumping in on it in any case.
Dungeons of Aether ($14.99)
Set in the same universe as Rivals of Aether, this is a turn-based roguelite that uses dice mechanics. Choose from four different characters and make your way into the dungeons for some sort of reason that I’m sure is written in the game description. Does it matter? Just head in there and get some loot. It’s no Dicey Dungeons, but I’m sure some folks will get their kicks from it.
Batora: Lost Haven ($24.99)
This is an ambitious game that is trying to do a lot of things, such that it’s kind of hard to put it in any particular genre box. A hack-and-slash game? It has RPG elements, a choice-based narrative, and some puzzles to solve too. Well, whatever it is, it’s not bad. You can tell a lot of work went into building the setting, so if you like games that go deep on their lore, this might be right up your alley. I don’t think it’s an excellent game by any means but it takes some big swings and I genuinely appreciate that.
Curse of the Sea Rats ($19.99)
I’ve banged this drum before, but we have a lot of Metroidvania-style games on the Nintendo Switch. Like, more than anyone could have ever asked for. And in that kind of atmosphere, even a good example of the genre risks falling into the background. Curse of the Sea Rats is a decent Metroidvania-style game, and I love that it supports local multiplayer for up to four people. But is it good enough to stand out in the crowded eShop? I’m not so sure, but I’ll have a full review for you soon to let you know my final decision on the matter.
Gemini ($4.99)
A wordless adventure about two stars. You have to play through the game once on your own to unlock the local two-player mode, which strikes me as an odd choice as the multiplayer element seems like a draw and people generally aren’t going to play a narrative-focused game more than once. But it’s not my game, is it? For a fiver, those who enjoy narrative experiences may want to give this a closer look.
Marfusha ($11.99)
This is a very simple game in many ways, but there is a certain pleasure to it. You have to guard a gate from waves of enemies, and while that makes it sound like it’s going to be a base defense game, it’s actually more of a shooter. Each day you’ll earn money based on your performance and can choose a card to upgrade your character. Keep going until you can’t anymore. The main mode is okay and worth the playthrough, but the challenge mode will be what keeps you coming back. Not bad for something to just zone out with.
Witch Explorer ($19.99)
I have a tower defense game, I have a shooter, uhn, Witch Explorer. Ha ha, remember Pikotaro? I saw an advertisement in my local snack shop with him promoting some new whole grain Kit Kats or something. Right, this game. Like many games that try to do more than one thing at a time, Witch Explorer isn’t exactly an exceptional example of either of its genres. But it’s decent enough. Mainly a tower defense game, but one where you can directly go around and shoot things yourself. And occasionally it descends into full-on bullet hell, so that’s something. The charming art style does a lot of heavy lifting here.
Goroons ($10.00)
A sixty-five stage puzzle-platformer than can be enjoyed solo or with up to four players via local multiplayer. You have to use four monsters to make your way through each of the stages, and there are leaderboards to compete on to add a little replay value. Twice a month, new special challenges will rotate in to keep the good times rolling. Is this worth a tenner? Hm. I’m not so sure, to be honest. But you might feel differently.
IIN ($10.00)
This is a puzzle game from the same developer as Goroons. The idea is that you take over marked cubes and move them to reach their associated goals. You get eighty stages in total and can play alone or with a friend in local co-op. Each level has a global leaderboard associated with it so you can compare your performance with others, and there are also some rotating Special Challenges you can compete on.
Pupperazzi ($19.99)
If the game you need right now is one about taking pictures of dogs, then here you go. Meet various dogs, pet the dogs, dress the dogs, snap their photos. It’s not the deepest of games and it certainly has its rough edges, but I feel like the concept is strong enough and the execution is decent enough that those who are drawn to its basic pitch are likely to enjoy it. Mystifyingly, this isn’t even the only photography game releasing today.
The 7th Guest ($14.99)
Wow, this takes me back. In the old days, when CD-ROM technology was new, this was one of the first big games that was meant to push the medium. It’s a puzzle-heavy adventure game set in a spooky mansion. It shows its age, and that’s either going to be a good thing or a bad thing for you depending on your tastes. Nice to see it on the Switch in either case, though.
Alekon ($15.99)
Here’s the other photography game hitting the eShop today. You won’t be snapping shots of pups in this one, though. It’s all about taking pictures of magical creatures. There’s no dancing around it, this game is heavily inspired by Pokemon Snap. You’re on rails, you’re trying to get unique poses, and so on. But after a while you’re allowed to free roam in each of the areas, and that’s where it starts flying on its own wings. If you enjoyed Pokemon Snap, give this one a go. It’s quite well done.
Volley Pals ($6.49)
An arcade-style take on volleyball for up to four players via local multiplayer. It features cartoony graphics, relatively simple gameplay mechanics, and some wacky stages to play in. You can break all kinds of rules, and there are stage-specific mechanics to deal with. It might be worth looking into if you have people over to play games or just want something to play with the family. Not much here for someone playing alone apart from playing matches against the AI, though.
Arcade Archives Rezon ($7.99)
Here’s the next release springing from Hamster’s acquisition of the Allumer catalog. Rezon is a fairly naked homage to Irem’s R-Type, though you should obviously not expect it to quite live up to that game. It’s certainly as difficult as that game if not more so, and not always in the best ways. Nevertheless, it’s not too shabby and it’s extremely unlikely you’ll have played this before, so that’s something going for it. Intrepid shooter fans might want to give it a go.
Egglien ($5.99)
This is an action platformer game of sorts where you play as an alien that can propel herself by shooting eggs. There are forty levels in total to play, and it seems to be fairly inventive. Nice five dollar Switch platformer energy, inflation-adjusted to reflect our modern times.
Pretty Girls Tile Match ($5.99)
It’s another Pretty Girls game, and all the surrounding elements are the same as usual. Unlock outfits for the girls and fill out your gallery. The game aspect this time is a match-3 game involving mahjong tiles. It’s like mahjong solitaire but you’re removing three tiles at a time instead of two. Seems fine for what it is.
Eventide: Slavic Fable ($14.99)
Oh, if it isn’t a new Artifex Mundi release. That should make some people happy. This adventure game draws heavily on Slavic mythology and involves some sort of magical heritage park and some guy who kidnaps the heroine’s grandmother to try to gain control of its power. You have to rescue her and save the world. You know, the usual business. Some nice art in this one, as is the norm with Artifex Mundi games.
The Answer is 42 ($2.99)
A puzzle game where, as advertised, the answer is always 42. There are one hundred levels to play, and the idea is that you have to draw lines between the numbered tiles to reach the number 42. You have to use all of the tiles on the board to clear the level, so you’ll need to think carefully about your moves. It might seem simple but it gets very complicated in a hurry. Nothing fancy presentation-wise, but number puzzle fans will definitely get their money’s worth.
Lucky Slots ($7.99)
A slots game from Funbox Media. Yes, that’s certainly a slots game.
Tasty Slot Machine ($7.99)
A slots game from Funbox Media. Yes, that’s certainly a slots game.
Celebrity Slot Machine ($7.99)
A slots game from Funbox Media. Yes, that’s certainly a slots game. What? If they can copy and paste their eShop descriptions, I can copy and paste my summaries.
Waves Running Simulator – Surfing Hyper Runner Casual 3D Games ($2.99)
Our old pals INSTAMARKETINGANDGAMES again. This is a runner. It’s not very expensive. It’s not very good. Buy a couple of tasty Snickers bars instead and you’ll probably be happier.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Wow, there are a lot of neat games on sale right now. So many that I can’t even begin to pick out the best. This list is heavily curated, so make sure you swing by the eShop to see if anything on your wishlist is on sale. Over in the outbox, the only thing I will note is the Cloud Versions of the fancy Resident Evil games. I’m not sure how often Capcom is going to be doing sales on those, so if for some reason you want them, you might want to bite now.
Select New Games on Sale
Garden Story ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/11)
White Day A Labyrinth Named School ($22.49 from $29.99 until 4/18)
Metal Max Xeno Reborn ($26.79 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Metal Max Xeno Reborn Deluxe ($33.49 from $49.99 until 4/18)
Evergate ($2.49 from $9.99 until 4/18)
Starlink Battle For Atlas ($10.79 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Bustafellows ($17.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Shining Resonance Refrain ($5.99 from $29.99 until 4/18)
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled ($13.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy ($15.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Crash Bandicoot 4 ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Spyro Reignited Trilogy ($15.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Rayman Legends Definitive Edition ($9.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Sonic Forces ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Sonic Colors Ultimate ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Sonic Frontiers ($40.19 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Sonic Frontiers Deluxe ($46.89 from $69.99 until 4/18)
Sonic Mania ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Team Sonic Racing ($14.99 from $29.99 until 4/18)
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania ($17.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania Deluxe ($19.99 from $49.99 until 4/18)
Cook Serve Delicious 2 ($1.99 from $12.99 until 4/18)
Cook Serve Delicious 3 ($1.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Cook Serve Delicious Bundle ($2.99 from $24.99 until 4/18)
Shin Megami Tensei III HD ($19.99 from $49.99 until 4/18)
Shin Megami Tensei III Deluxe ($27.99 from $69.99 until 4/18)
Shin Megami Tensei V ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Shin Megami Tensei V Deluxe ($42.49 from $84.99 until 4/18)
Persona 3 Portable ($15.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Persona 4 Golden ($15.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Persona 3 & 4 Bundle ($29.61 from $39.49 until 4/18)
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax ($14.99 from $29.99 until 4/18)
Persona 5 Royal ($41.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Persona 5 Strikers ($23.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Persona 5 Strikers Deluxe ($27.99 from $69.99 until 4/18)
Yurukill: The Calumniation Games ($27.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Alien: Isolation ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium, Assorted DLC ($0.99 from $1.99 until 4/18)
Horizon Chase Turbo ($3.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Death’s Door ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Graze Counter GM ($11.24 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Raptor Boyfriend: High School Romance ($10.49 from $13.99 until 4/18)
McPixel 3 ($6.49 from $9.99 until 4/18)
Made in Abyss Binary Star ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Blanc ($11.99 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Sea Horizon ($11.19 from $14.99 until 4/18)
AI The Somnium Files ($7.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
AI The Somnium Files nirvanA Initiative ($41.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
MotoGP 22 ($7.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Monster Energy Supercross 3 ($2.49 from $24.99 until 4/18)
Owlboy ($11.24 from $24.99 until 4/18)
Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark ($8.99 from $29.99 until 4/18)
Monark: Deluxe Edition ($34.99 from $64.99 until 4/18)
Seven Pirates H ($29.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Thea 2: The Shattering ($8.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Return to Monkey Island ($18.74 from $24.99 until 4/18)
Divinity Original Sin 2 DE ($24.99 from $49.99 until 4/18)
Hot Wheels Unleashed ($12.49 from $49.99 until 4/18)
Dragon Ball Z Kakarot ($19.79 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Trek to Yomi ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Pipeline Panic ($4.49 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Wonder Boy Asha in Monster World ($13.99 from $34.99 until 4/18)
Disgaea 6 Defiance of Destiny ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Skelattack ($3.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Contra Anniversary Collection ($3.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Castlevania Anniversary Collection ($3.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Arcade Classics Anniversary ($3.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Castlevania Advance Collection ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection ($27.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
No Man’s Sky ($40.19 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Grandia HD Collection ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Suhoshin ($15.19 from $18.99 until 4/18)
Inscryption ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Loop Hero ($5.99 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Shiren the Wanderer TToF&tDoF ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World ($11.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Carrion ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
The Sorrowvirus ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Empire of Angels IV ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
LEGO Star Wars Skywalker Saga Deluxe ($27.99 from $69.99 until 4/18)
Star Wars The Force Unleashed ($12.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
My Friend Pedro ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Enter the Gungeon ($5.99 from $14.99 until 4/18)
GTA The Trilogy DE ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Stubbs the Zombie ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Gris ($4.24 from $16.99 until 4/18)
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 ($9.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Hatsune Miku Project DIVA Mega Mix ($19.69 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Inertial Drift ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
LEGO Brawls ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
AlphaLink ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Shantae and the Seven Sirens ($17.99 from $29.99 until 4/18)
Chaos;Head NOAH ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/18)
Chaos;Child ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/18)
13 Sentinels Aegis Rim ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls? ($3.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Potion Permit ($15.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Valkyria Chronicles ($5.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Valkyria Chronicles 4 Complete ($12.49 from $49.99 until 4/18)
The Captain ($17.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Townscaper ($3.59 from $5.99 until 4/18)
Pac-Man World Re-Pac ($17.99 from $29.99 until 4/18)
Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Rabbids Party of Legends ($11.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Arcade Spirits ($2.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Arcade Spirits The New Challengers ($13.39 from $19.99 until 4/18)
DC League of Super-Pets ($13.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Kitiara Fables ($8.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Super Bullet Break ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Tormented Souls ($13.39 from $19.99 until 4/18)
Nexomon ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/18)
ARK Dinosaur Discovery ($7.49 from $9.99 until 4/18)
Immortals Fenyx Rising ($11.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
NBA 2K23 ($14.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Pac-Man Museum+ ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
SEGA AGES Phantasy Star ($2.79 from $7.99 until 4/18)
Root Film ($13.19 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Maglam Lord ($21.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Maglam Lord Deluxe ($32.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Rush Rally Origins ($9.99 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Star Renegades ($7.49 from $24.99 until 4/18)
Demon Slayer Hinokami Chronicles ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Diablo II Resurrected ($13.19 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Diablo III Eternal Collection ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
BioShock 2 Remastered ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/18)
R-Type Final 2 Digital Deluxe ($29.99 from $59.99 until 4/18)
Ys VIII Lacrimosa of Dana ($19.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
Sifu ($29.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
It Takes Two ($29.99 from $39.99 until 4/18)
The Caligula Effect 2 Deluxe ($35.74 from $64.99 until 4/18)
Gato Roboto ($1.99 from $7.99 until 4/18)
The Talos Principle ($4.49 from $29.99 until 4/18)
The Swords of Ditto: Mormo’s Curse ($3.74 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Risk of Rain 2 ($12.49 from $24.99 until 4/18)
GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon ($14.99 from $24.99 until 4/18)
Beat Souls ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/18)
Scrapnaut ($5.39 from $11.99 until 4/18)
Batman: The Telltale Series ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Batman: The Enemy Within ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/18)
Disney Dreamlight Valley ($22.49 from $29.99 until 4/18)
Infernax ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Forklift Extreme ($2.99 from $9.99 until 4/26)
Insert Before Flight ($2.37 from $12.49 until 4/26)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, April 7th
Arsonist Heaven ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Back Again ($2.09 from $2.99 until 4/7)
Car Factory Driver ($7.79 from $12.99 until 4/7)
Collab Ball ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Explosive Candy World ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/7)
FUR Squadron ($4.89 from $6.99 until 4/7)
Hell Blasters ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/7)
Hentai RPG Isekai Journey ($3.99 from $8.99 until 4/7)
Live Factory ($2.99 from $14.99 until 4/7)
Mayhem Brawler ($11.99 from $19.99 until 4/7)
Melty Blood Type Lumina ($29.99 from $49.99 until 4/7)
Melty Blood Type Lumina Deluxe ($41.99 from $69.99 until 4/7)
Package Inc ($3.99 from $4.99 until 4/7)
Pretty Girls Rivers ($3.59 from $5.99 until 4/7)
Resident Evil 2 Cloud Vers. ($29.99 from $39.99 until 4/7)
Resident Evil 3 Cloud Vers. ($19.99 from $29.99 until 4/7)
Resident Evil 7 Biohazard Cloud Vers. ($29.99 from $39.99 until 4/7)
Resident Evil Village Cloud Vers. ($29.99 from $39.99 until 4/7)
Teratopia ($5.99 from $9.99 until 4/7)
The Guise ($4.79 from $5.99 until 4/7)
The Hand of Glory ($9.49 from $18.99 until 4/7)
Truck Simulator 3 ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/7)
Wind of Shuriken ($4.79 from $7.99 until 4/7)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with another dozen or so new releases to wrap up the week, plus a bunch more sales. Probably not as many as today, though. Well, I’d better get to my dinner. I have it cold a little too often these days, and that doesn’t make Mrs. Musgrave very happy. I hope you all have a great Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
