Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for June 9th, 2023. There’s quite a bit going on today thanks to Summer Game Fest, and we’re just hitting the big points. I’ve got some new about a new Sonic game, and our pal Mikhail dives right into the Day of the Devs to let you know what’s up. We then cover the new releases of the day, and finish things up with the latest sales and expiring discounts for the weekend. Let’s get to work!
News
‘Sonic Superstars’ Announced for Fall 2023 Release
Wow, this came pretty much out of nowhere and is releasing relatively soon. There’s a new 2D (well, 2.5D to be precise) Sonic game coming, and this time it allows for four players to play together. There isn’t a whole ton of information outside of what you see in the trailer above, except that Naoto Ohshima (the creator of the Sonic and Dr. Robotnik character designs among others) is back to do more character designs for this installment. We’ll have more details for you as we get them, but that trailer at least looks like a lot of fun.
Day of the Devs: Summer Game Fest 2023 highlights
DoubleFine and iam8bit’s Day of the Devs returned in its Summer Game Fest incarnation with multiple new game announcements and updates. This event took place right after Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest stream with updates on existing and new upcoming indie games. This is the first Day of the Devs showcase I watched all the way, and it was worth the time for sure. I love checking out interesting indies, and this event delivered in spades. While there were far too many to list out, I’m going to mention my highlights and also link to the whole event for anyone interested. It is worth noting that most of the games don’t have platforms announced, or were confirmed for Steam with more to be announced later. Given the current landscape of indie games, Switch is almost certainly something most developers are looking at, so I’m going to hope and assume a majority of the games I mention are coming to Switch if they aren’t already confirmed for the platform.
Wishes Unlimited, the makers of Chicory, showcased Beastieball, a turn-based volleyball game that is also an RPG. When sports games blend in with RPGs, I love seeing interesting takes like Golf Story, but then you have instances of mediocre results like Sports Story from the same developers. Beastieball looks really good. Geometric Interactive’s COCOON is a game I’ve been interested in for a long time. It features the lead gameplay designer of both Limbo and Inside. COCOON has you going across different worlds with a very creative aesthetic. I’m looking forward to this one on Steam and Switch. Hauntii by Moonloop Games was another highlight for me with how much freedom it seemingly gave you to haunt things and beings during the gameplay.
Hyper Light Breaker, the follow-up to Hyper Light Drifter by Heart Machine, is a co-op roguelite adventure game. It looks excellent, and seems to be properly bringing in 3D gameplay to the universe. The next game that caught my attention is available on Steam Early Access right now. Retro Gadgets from Evil Licorice felt like a digital playground where you can do whatever you want with gadgets including soldering, coding, and more. Viewfinder by Sad Owl Studios looked a bit too good to be true with how you can use an instant camera to create a new world out of a picture. It looked gorgeous as well. It is currently announced for PlayStation and Steam, but I hope it does come to Switch eventually. I’ll be playing it on PS5 and Steam Deck until then. iam8bit Presents is publishing Simpler Times from developer stoneskip that has you experiencing Taina’s life across different seasons without any fail states. This looks like a nice game for fans of Gone Home. There were many more games featured, but these are the ones that stuck out to me. Overall, the showcase was excellent and I’m looking forward to playing these games when they release. -Mikhail Madnani
New Releases
Harmony: The Fall of Reverie ($24.99)
An interesting new choice-based narrative adventure from the developer that brought us things like Life is Strange and Vampyr. The idea here is that the main character can predict the future, and that manifests mechanically by basically showing you the flowchart of the story. You can’t see it all the way to the end, but you can certainly see a good bit ahead at any given time. But just because you can see how things go, it doesn’t mean you can just lazily make your way through to the best ending. You’ll have to satisfy the conditions of some future outcomes if you want to move down those branches. An intriguing game that every so slightly recontextualizes a very familiar genre.
Cat Souls ($4.99)
Here’s our five-dollar Switch platformer for the day, and it’s a decent one. You get forty-five levels spread across six worlds, and your goal in each is to grab the keys and get to the exit. The gimmick is that you have seven lives to clear each stage with, and you will have to sacrifice them to make platforms and get past certain obstacles. There are a lot of worse ways to drop a fiver if you enjoy your platformers.
Eastern Exorcist ($17.99)
If you’re looking for some solid action today, this will serve you well. You play as a sword-wielding exorcist who is battling against evil forces in a gorgeously painted world. There are some RPG elements here, as you would expect these days, but the actual combat is more than enough to carry the game with its depth and excitement. The story is also surprisingly interesting and well-told. Reviews on other platforms from critics and players alike are quite sunny, so if it seems cool to you I think it’s probably a safe pick-up.
Avia Corporation ($16.00)
You don’t see a lot of airline business management simulation games these days, but here is one. You have to build your fleet and choose your routes, slowly building up your assets to expand further. I haven’t been able to spend enough time with this game to say if it’s the real deal or not, but if nothing else I think some folks will appreciate the effort.
Dogotchi: Virtual Pet ($12.99)
All the dog lovers who were howling (get it? eh?) about the cat virtual pet RedDeer put out a little while ago should now be satisfied. This is a dog version. That’s pretty much the only difference, but if you want to live that Tamagotchi life on your Switch with a pixel dog instead of a pixel cat, the universe has satisfied your needs.
Super Drunken Guy ($6.99)
A thoroughly uninspired Super Mario Bros.-inspired platformer. The main character is a drunk guy. That’s pretty much the whole gag. Seven bucks, eh? I’d stick with Cat Souls for a platforming fix today if I were you, but I’m not so you have to make your own choices.
Dungeon & Tales: Warriors and Dragons ($3.99)
I remember back when TSR was TSR and not part of Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast, they were litigious about their copyrights and trademarks in a way that even The Pokemon Company would feel is too far. Things are more relaxed now, but sometimes when I see utter dross like this latest release from Cooking & Publishing trying to bite off the Dungeons & Dragons brand, I pine ever so slightly for the past. Just another choice-based narrative game with very little of value or interest to say.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
There’s a lot of stuff on sale right now, but it’s mostly the usual sales from the usual companies. With that in mind, I’ve mainly cut this down to more unusual sales, or ones that have hit new low prices. Note things like 9th Dawn III, the Teslagrad games, The Room and The Room Two, Space Moth Lunar Edition, and Gibbon: Beyond the Trees. Check both of those lists and see what jumps out at you, though.
Select New Games on Sale
Harmony: The Fall of Reverie ($22.49 from $24.99 until 6/16)
9th Dawn III ($7.99 from $15.99 until 6/18)
Flewfie’s Adventure ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/18)
Pinku Kult: Hex Mortis ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/18)
Namco Museum Archives Vol 1 ($4.99 from $19.99 until 6/19)
A Musical Story ($5.99 from $14.99 until 6/22)
Severed Steel ($9.99 from $24.99 until 6/22)
Bunhouse ($15.99 from $19.99 until 6/22)
Overloop ($9.74 from $14.99 until 6/22)
Tunnel of Doom ($5.59 from $13.99 until 6/22)
Bloody Rally Show ($7.99 from $19.99 until 6/22)
The Procession to Calvary ($5.99 from $14.99 until 6/22)
Lost Dream Darkness ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/22)
Repentant ($5.49 from $9.99 until 6/23)
Tauronos ($3.84 from $6.99 until 6/23)
Johnny Rocket ($2.74 from $4.99 until 6/23)
Little Kite ($5.49 from $9.99 until 6/23)
Teslagrad Remastered ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/23)
Teslagrad 2 ($15.99 from $19.99 until 6/23)
Teslagrad Power Pack ($23.98 from $29.98 until 6/23)
Pocoyo Party ($11.99 from $29.99 until 6/23)
Clunky Hero ($8.99 from $14.99 until 6/23)
1971 Project Helios ($7.99 from $19.99 until 6/23)
Dungeon Munchies ($8.49 from $16.99 until 6/26)
Star Hunter DX ($3.49 from $9.99 until 6/26)
Space Moth Lunar Edition ($2.79 from $7.99 until 6/26)
The Jackbox Party Starter ($11.99 from $19.99 until 6/26)
Mothmen 1966 ($4.49 from $8.99 until 6/26)
Yuoni ($7.99 from $15.99 until 6/26)
A Matter of Principle ($1.99 from $3.99 until 6/26)
Varney Lake ($7.99 from $9.99 until 6/26)
Dyadic ($4.89 from $6.99 until 6/26)
Little Orpheus ($8.44 from $12.99 until 6/26)
Wobbledogs ($13.99 from $19.99 until 6/26)
Tanky Tanks 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/26)
Horace ($5.99 from $14.99 until 6/26)
Cubic Light ($1.99 from $2.99 until 6/26)
Fran Bow ($13.99 from $19.99 until 6/26)
Divinity: Original Sin 2 ($24.99 from $49.99 until 6/26)
Ten Dates ($12.79 from $15.99 until 6/26)
Post Void ($4.79 from $5.99 until 6/26)
Serial Cleaners ($12.49 from $24.99 until 6/26)
Alwa’s Awakening ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/26)
Alwa’s Legacy ($8.99 from $17.99 until 6/26)
Cathedral ($7.49 from $14.99 until 6/26)
Two Hundred Ways ($7.19 from $11.99 until 6/26)
The Room ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/26)
The Room Two ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/26)
FurryFury: Smash & Roll ($5.99 from $9.99 until 6/26)
Rob Riches ($6.74 from $8.99 until 6/26)
Poker Club ($12.09 from $21.99 until 6/26)
Nadir: A Grimdark Deck Builder ($14.99 from $19.99 until 6/26)
Pure Pool ($5.24 from $14.99 until 6/26)
Roller Drama ($10.49 from $14.99 until 6/26)
Ironcast ($3.24 from $12.99 until 6/26)
Haak ($15.12 from $18.90 until 6/26)
Tape Unveil the Memories ($13.39 from $19.99 until 6/26)
Backpack Twins ($8.99 from $11.99 until 6/26)
Aery – Calm Mind 3 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/26)
Grapple Dog ($5.99 from $14.99 until 6/26)
Endless Memories ($9.99 from $19.99 until 6/26)
Skellboy Refractured ($7.00 from $20.00 until 6/26)
Rabi-Ribi ($13.99 from $19.99 until 6/29)
The Gardens Between ($3.19 from $19.99 until 6/29)
Omega Labyrinth Life Deluxe ($23.99 from $79.99 until 6/29)
Gibbon: Beyond the Trees ($2.99 from $14.99 until 6/29)
The Bass Fishing ($5.99 from $14.99 until 6/29)
Samurai Maiden Deluxe ($56.24 from $74.99 until 6/29)
Magical Drop VI ($23.99 from $29.99 until 6/29)
Smashing the Battle ($3.99 from $4.99 until 6/29)
Smashing the Battle Ghost Soul ($9.99 from $14.99 until 6/29)
Alekon ($10.71 from $15.99 until 6/29)
The House of the Dead Remake ($8.49 from $24.99 until 6/29)
BookyPets Legends ($14.99 from $19.99 until 6/29)
The Atla Archives ($7.49 from $14.99 until 6/29)
Aircraft Carrier Survival ($4.99 from $19.99 until 6/29)
Sakura Dungeon ($15.99 from $19.99 until 6/29)
Raging Blasters ($10.29 from $14.70 until 6/30)
Gemini Arms ($6.64 from $9.49 until 6/30)
Missile Dancer ($6.99 from $9.99 until 6/30)
Sales Ending This Weekend
Bush Hockey League ($9.59 from $15.99 until 6/10)
Accidental Queens Collection ($3.74 from $14.99 until 6/11)
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure ($7.99 from $19.99 until 6/11)
Alt-Frequencies ($1.99 from $7.99 until 6/11)
Anarcute ($2.99 from $14.99 until 6/11)
Ashwalkers ($11.99 from $19.99 until 6/11)
Astria Ascending ($21.99 from $39.99 until 6/11)
Astrologaster ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/11)
Away: Journey to the Unexpected ($2.54 from $16.99 until 6/11)
Before I Forget ($5.19 from $7.99 until 6/11)
Bombslinger ($2.39 from $11.99 until 6/11)
Chernobyl Origins ($7.49 from $14.99 until 6/11)
Children of Zodiarcs ($5.39 from $17.99 until 6/11)
Dead in Vinland ($8.39 from $27.99 until 6/11)
Double Kick Heroes ($10.99 from $21.99 until 6/11)
DragoDino ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/11)
Dungeon Rushers ($2.24 from $14.99 until 6/11)
Ghost of a Tale ($11.24 from $24.99 until 6/11)
Guild of Ascension ($9.34 from $16.99 until 6/11)
Healer’s Quest ($7.49 from $14.99 until 6/11)
Hover ($4.99 from $24.99 until 6/11)
Iris and the Giant ($6.74 from $14.99 until 6/11)
Knights of Pen and Paper 2 DE ($2.59 from $12.99 until 6/11)
Knights of Pen and Paper Bundle ($4.49 from $22.49 until 6/11)
Knights of Pen and Paper DE ($2.99 from $14.99 until 6/11)
Linelight ($4.49 from $9.99 until 6/11)
Lost Phone Stories ($2.49 from $9.99 until 6/11)
My Arctic Farm 2018 ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/11)
My Exotic Farm 2018 ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/11)
My Farm ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/11)
My Jurassic Farm 2018 ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/11)
NeuroVoider ($2.79 from $13.99 until 6/11)
Old School Musical ($3.24 from $12.99 until 6/11)
Old School RPG Bundle ($7.49 from $29.99 until 6/11)
Out of Space: Couch Edition ($3.99 from $9.99 until 6/11)
Pankapu ($2.39 from $11.99 until 6/11)
PictoQuest ($2.99 from $9.99 until 6/11)
Piczle Cross Adventure ($3.49 from $9.99 until 6/11)
pixelBOT EXTREME! ($6.99 from $9.99 until 6/11)
RUN: The World In-Between ($6.99 from $9.99 until 6/11)
ScourgeBringer ($7.64 from $16.99 until 6/11)
Shape of the World ($2.99 from $14.99 until 6/11)
Souldiers ($13.99 from $19.99 until 6/11)
Splasher ($2.99 from $14.99 until 6/11)
The Dungeon of Naheulbauk ($21.99 from $39.99 until 6/11)
The Last Door Complete Edition ($2.99 from $14.99 until 6/11)
They Always Run ($13.99 from $19.99 until 6/11)
Yono & the Celestial Elephants ($3.99 from $19.99 until 6/11)
Zombie Night Terror ($2.99 from $14.99 until 6/11)
That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with some reviews, lots of new games, plenty of sales, and some news as it comes. It’s looking like a bit of a quiet weekend for me, so I might just do something different and play a little Zelda. As a treat. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!
