Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for June 8th, 2023. In today’s article, we’ve got a bunch of new releases to look at. It’s Thursday, after all. There’s nothing particularly huge today, at least in terms of what’s on the schedule. One never knows what will happen with that Keighley fellow running about. Still, there are a lot of really enjoyable games in the list, and that’s what really counts. We finish things up in the usual manner with the lists of new and expiring sales for you to consider. Let’s head on in!
New Releases
MotoGP 23 ($39.99)
The MotoGP series is by now a fairly known quantity on the Switch, and I’d imagine most of the people who would be interested in a new game have grabbed at least one of the previous ones. The biggest new feature this time is dynamic weather, but there’s also a new career mode to play through. Multiplayer is included, but it’s local wireless only so I’d imagine most players won’t get to enjoy that maximum eight human racers on the road. Expect it to be heavily discounted down the road, if you’re patient.
Bleak Sword DX ($9.99)
This one is making its way over from Apple Arcade, but with some new content and features to sweeten the deal. That stuff might come to the Apple Arcade version at some point, but I will tentatively say that this at least gives you a big reason to pay for it here rather than play it on your Apple Arcade subscription. Anyway, this is a really striking fantasy game where you need to battle a variety of creatures in a diorama-like world. In addition to the main campaign and all of the extra DLC, you get a new Randomizer campaign, a Boss Run gauntlet, and an Arena mode. I enjoyed this a fair bit on Apple Arcade and I might just go ahead and grab it here so I can keep it.
Speed Crew ($19.99)
I remember when we had tons of games aiming at Overcooked‘s co-op crown coming out at a regular clip. That has slowed down a lot, but we still see some new spins on the idea now and then. This one sees you and your friends or family working as a pit crew, having to coordinate repairs and maintenance to get your team’s car back on the road as fast as possible. It allows for up to four players via local or online multiplayer, so you can play with folks near or far. I like the visuals on this one, and with forty-eight levels in the story mode, there’s a lot to dig into.
Mask of the Rose ($19.99)
The latest from Failbetter Games, and if you’ve played their previous games you almost have to be intrigued by this one. The setting is Fallen London, and it’s essentially a mix between an adventure game and an RPG. You’re sort of living your life in this setting, and while there is a main plot to pull you along, there are also a lot of side diversions to get into if you’re inclined to. The setting is richly detailed, as you would expect from this team, and a lot of the enjoyment is just soaking in its bizarre elements.
Talk to Strangers ($4.99)
Play as a door to door salesperson in a very unusual neighborhood. Knock on the doors, talk to the people who come out, and maybe sell them something. Depending on which house you visit at which time of the day, you’ll get different people in different moods. Just keep an eye on your rage and depression meters, and keep enough money set aside to afford your motel room. There are thirty-six endings to reach depending on your choices. You might get a chuckle or two out of it.
Inhabit ($4.99)
The premise behind this one is that you’re a person who has let their self-care slip for a while. Your house is a mess, you’ve neglected your friends, and you’ve let your stress get the best of you. That changes today. Solve various puzzles to accomplish goals around the house, and day by day lift yourself out of your funk. Seems a little small in its focus, but at this price point I suppose that is fine.
A Painter’s Tale: Curon, 1950 ($6.99)
An odd little adventure game that tells the story of the lost Italian village of Curon, which was flooded more than seventy years ago. It was a work of deliberate destruction, meant to facilitate the building of a dam. The game’s protagonist is a painter who is visiting the new village built after the flooding, Curon Venosta. He’s suddenly pulled into the past, where he gets a front row seat to the events of 1950. Don’t expect a fully factual account, of course. Fictionalized history. Just in case the time traveling hero didn’t give it away.
Demon Sword: Incubus ($14.99)
A fairly mindless side-scrolling hack and slash action game starring a cute heroine. She has to wield a sword that has been possessed by an incubus in order to save her kingdom from invading demons. There are some RPG elements in here as well, plus the expected various outfits to dress the main character in. Oh, and her costumes will take damage as she does, ripping and exposing more skin. I’m not sure how far the Switch version goes with all of this, but suffice it to say you might want to clear the kids out of the room until you’ve sorted that out.
Sakura Dungeon ($19.99)
I was expecting another visual novel here given the title and the fact that Gamuzumi is behind it. And yes, there does appear to be a lot of dialogue with attractive ladies in skimpy outfits here, but this is actually a dungeon crawling RPG. Weird. It’s not a particularly good one, but it’s playable enough. Since this is a Sakura game, the women can get an assortment of different outfits to change into. There is almost certainly better bang for your buck on the Switch in this genre, but I respect the hustle.
Angel Symphony ($2.23)
A modest little shoot-em-up that features some silly character designs. Not the fanciest dining by any means, but you might be amused enough for your couple of bucks. Honestly, you’re probably better off scrounging up a few more dollars for an Arcade Archives game, but I’m not going to begrudge you if you want to try something off the beaten path instead.
Annalynn ($4.99)
Add another one to the pile of homages to the classic era of arcade gaming. You know, like Donut Dodo, Galacticon, Murtop, and so on. Like those games, Annalynn is both affordable and highly enjoyable. Since the game is designed with a vertical alignment to its display, you can turn your Switch on its side and play in tate mode if you want. I grabbed this the minute it popped up on the eShop and I don’t regret it.
Arcade Archives Bravoman ($7.99)
The latest Namco game to be added to Hamster’s Arcade Archives line is 1988’s Bravoman. It’s a quirky scrolling action game that originally used pressure-sensitive buttons that allowed the player to decide just how hard they wanted to hit the enemies. There are a few different control layouts to choose from here to handle that, so don’t worry too much. It’s just nice to see this game coming home again, as it has been quite a while since its last console version.
Hatsune Miku – The Planet Of Wonder And Fragments Of Wishes ($28.00)
It’s weird watching Crypton try to make their own games with Hatsune Miku. They’re getting more ambitious with this one, at least. It looks like some sort of adventure where you can play nine different minigames to help people solve their problems. It also includes a couple of ports of simple Miku smartphone games, albeit without their touch screen controls. Would I pay thirty bucks for it? Probably not, but a big Hatsune Miku fan might. Maybe that is you, pal.
Cubic Figures 2 ($0.99)
One of those puzzle games where you’re given an assortment of pieces in different shapes and have to fill out a pre-designated picture with them. The price is really low, but you can also find tons of games like this for free on your mobile device if you really feel like playing one.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
There’s a Game Trials thing going on with NBA 2K23 right now, so Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can try it for free if they don’t mind a 50GB+ download. Everyone gets to enjoy the deep discount on it, at least. Beyond that, nothing really jumps out at me in that list of new sales. As for the outbox, the Ori games are always worth buying if you don’t have them yet. Check those lists yourself to see if anything else catches your eye, though.
Select New Games on Sale
Everdell ($16.99 from $19.99 until 6/13)
Insomnis ($10.49 from $14.99 until 6/18)
Among Us ($3.50 from $5.00 until 6/21)
SUPERHOT ($11.24 from $24.99 until 6/21)
Path to Mnemosyne ($6.99 from $9.99 until 6/22)
Jump, Step, Step ($3.49 from $4.99 until 6/22)
Risk System ($6.99 from $9.99 until 6/22)
NBA 2K23 ($5.99 from $59.99 until 6/22)
NBA 2K23 Michael Jordan Edition ($19.99 from $99.99 until 6/22)
Dead by Daylight ($14.99 from $29.99 until 6/22)
Hike Isle ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/22)
Hike Trip ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/22)
Hike Valley ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/22)
Tribe Explorer ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/22)
Fight of Steel: Infinity Warrior ($10.49 from $14.99 until 6/22)
Dungeon and Puzzles ($2.99 from $9.99 until 6/22)
Shuttlecock-H ($5.99 from $7.99 until 6/23)
Marble Maid ($6.49 from $9.99 until 6/23)
Waifu Discovered 2 Medieval Fantasy ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/23)
Albacete Warrior ($5.99 from $9.99 until 6/23)
Wings of Bluestar ($10.49 from $14.99 until 6/23)
Divination ($2.99 from $4.99 until 6/23)
Hyper-5 ($7.49 from $9.99 until 6/23)
Christmas Tina ($20.24 from $26.99 until 6/25)
Chinese Parents ($9.74 from $12.99 until 6/25)
Necrobarista Final Pour ($16.49 from $21.99 until 6/25)
Rascal Fight ($8.99 from $11.99 until 6/25)
Shio ($9.74 from $12.99 until 6/25)
Dying Reborn ($7.49 from $9.99 until 6/25)
Rhythm Fighter ($12.74 from $16.99 until 6/25)
LUNA The Shadow Dust ($14.99 from $19.99 until 6/25)
Asdivine Saga ($7.49 from $14.99 until 6/26)
Spy Bros. ($5.59 from $7.99 until 6/26)
Sol Cresta ($27.19 from $39.99 until 6/26)
Gate of Windoria ($10.49 from $14.99 until 6/26)
FerroSlug ($2.83 from $5.67 until 6/28)
Overlanders ($1.99 from $24.99 until 6/28)
Just Black Jack ($1.99 from $2.99 until 6/28)
History 2048 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/28)
Super Loop Drive ($1.99 from $3.99 until 6/28)
Miniature: The Story Puzzle ($1.99 from $3.99 until 6/28)
Super Mabus Mania ($3.94 from $7.89 until 6/28)
Retro Game Pack ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/28)
Ploid ($2.00 from $2.00 until 6/28)
Ploid Saga ($5.99 from $11.99 until 6/28)
West of Loathing ($5.50 from $11.00 until 6/28)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, June 9th
Autonauts ($6.79 from $19.99 until 6/9)
Chenso Club ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/9)
Cyber Citizen Shockman ($4.79 from $5.99 until 6/9)
Demonaica: Everlasting Night ($7.49 from $14.99 until 6/9)
Explosive Candy World ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/9)
Fights in Tight Spaces ($21.24 from $24.99 until 6/9)
From Space ($7.49 from $14.99 until 6/9)
Funtasia ($4.94 from $14.99 until 6/9)
Gardenia ($13.49 from $14.99 until 6/9)
Human Fall Flat ($5.99 from $19.99 until 6/9)
Jetboard Joust ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/9)
Just Die Already ($4.49 from $14.99 until 6/9)
Memories of East Coast ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/9)
Omen of Sorrow ($14.99 from $19.99 until 6/9)
Ori & the Blind Forest ($4.99 from $19.99 until 6/9)
Ori & the Will of the Wisps ($5.99 from $29.99 until 6/9)
Phantom Breaker Omnia ($4.99 from $19.99 until 6/9)
PI.EXE ($2.99 from $5.99 until 6/9)
Raptor Boyfriend ($9.79 from $13.99 until 6/9)
Saboteaur SiO ($6.59 from $10.99 until 6/9)
Saboteur II: Avenging Angel ($4.80 from $8.00 until 6/9)
Saboteur! ($4.80 from $8.00 until 6/9)
Sea Horizon ($10.04 from $14.99 until 6/9)
Space Gladiators ($11.99 from $14.99 until 6/9)
The Sorrowvirus A Short Story ($5.99 from $14.99 until 6/9)
Until the Last Plane ($6.49 from $9.99 until 6/9)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with some news from Summer Games Fest, the remaining releases of the week, and whatever new sales roll in. I’m expecting quite a few, but I suppose we’ll know soon enough. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
