Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 12th, 2023. In today’s article, we’ve got a few reviews to kick things off. I take a look at the Dimension Shellshock DLC for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, while our pal Mikhail checks out otome game Radiant Tale and the, er, quirky brawler AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & Undressed Director’s Cut. After that, we have a few new releases to check out, plus the lists of new and outgoing sales. Look, I have my ears open. I’m sure there’s a Direct coming very soon, but as I write this there is nothing concrete. Forgive me if that has changed by the time you read this. Let’s get going!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge – Dimension Shellshock ($7.99)
As much as I absolutely adored Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, there was definitely room to add things if the development team was so inclined. And it seems it was, because here we are with Dimension Shellshock, a paid DLC expansion for the game. It adds a new mode to the game, plus two new playable characters, more color palette options for existing characters, and some new tunes from Tee Lopes. Is it worth eight bucks? I think so, but I suppose it will depend on how much you liked the base game and what your priorities are for expanding it.
Let’s start with the biggest addition first: Survival Mode. Like similar modes in other games, the idea here is to last as long as you can against waves upon waves of enemies. There’s actually a story here that sees the Neutrinos seeking the aid of the Turtles to help stop some bad guy shenanigans. After every wave, you’ll be able to pick one of two perks and head on to the next one. Enemies will drop crystal shards from time to time, and sometimes the perk pick includes a cache of shards as well. Your aim is to collect enough shards to create a full crystal, after which you’ll warp to a new setting with a different colored crystal to create. To collect them all, you’ll have to defeat the Shredder in his new, most deadly form.
You’ll probably lose the first time, and maybe more times after that. Provided you can at least get far enough to make one crystal, your character will gain experience for the run. Leveling up earns you permanent perks, and collecting combinations of crystals will unlock new color palettes for the character that you can use in any mode. So yes, kind of a roguelite thing. I really dig it, actually. Especially since three of the perks let you temporarily play as Bebop, Rocksteady, or Shredder. That’s really cool! Playing through with each of the characters is fun and it certainly gives you something a little less predictable to come back to when you revisit the game. Online leaderboards give you something to shoot for even after you’ve collected all the crystals with everyone.
Of course, you also get two fully new characters in this DLC. They’re a pair of real fan favorites, too. Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo was created the same year as the Turtles and has teamed up with the heroes several times over the years, but this is his first time appearing in a game with them. He’s a rabbit samurai, and his move set feels like it was ripped right out of a Samurai Shodown game at times. His combo potential is wild, and I really had a blast using him in every mode. The other new character is Karai, who seems to take on a new form in every TMNT thing she appears in. She’s usually associated with the Foot Clan and is the one member of that bunch that finds occasion to work with the Turtles. In this game, she’s a speedy ninja who can really close distances in a hurry. I’m still trying to maximize her potential, but she’s another enjoyable character who feels quite distinct from the existing ones.
The new Tee Lopes tunes are of course excellent. The guy can really do no musical wrong. And while they’re a little thing, I also really liked the unlockable new color palettes. It’s fun to figure out what each of them is calling back to, from the original toys to some of the other animated series and comics. You don’t get any full-on new costumes or anything, but it’s surprising how far they can go with a few color changes. Small stuff, but welcome.
Ultimately, Dimension Shellshock extends Shredder’s Revenge in some smart ways, with some new characters to master and a highly-replayable new mode to enjoy. Sure, I’d love to see more characters and full-sized stages, but this is more than good enough to hold me over until what I hope is an inevitable sequel. Personally, I think it’s worth it just for either the new characters or the great survival mode, but both? Yes, that’s a win.
SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5
Radiant Tale ($49.99)
Whenever I wonder how folks find time for so many otome games, I start thinking about the work going into localizing and publishing said games in the West. Aksys Games is back with a new otome release in the form of Radiant Tale, and this one is a winner. Radiant Tale has been a very interesting otome game to play. Unlike most games in the genre, this one is a lot more positive and heartwarming almost across the board despite the themes it deals with. While I regret not writing about it earlier, I can safely say it is one of Aksys Games’ best otome releases so far in many years and a must play for fans of the genre.
Radiant Tale has you playing Tifalia who runs into a traveling performance troupe called CIRCUS. You end up joining CIRCUS to try and help them find success, and this is where the story begins with many eclectic main and side characters. It was great seeing how Tifalia develops across the five love interest routes, and also seeing the interests themselves reveal more as you also learn more about the world and the different cities where CIRCUS will be performing.
Most Otome games I review almost always have great interfaces, but I’m surprised at how stylish Radiant Tale is across the board. I initially thought it might feel overdesigned, but I love everything about the aesthetic from the character designs to the menus and font choices. This is all complemented by a great soundtrack and excellent voice acting in Japanese.
If you’re here for a traditional romance-focused experience, Radiant Tale isn’t that. I love otome games that try to do things differently, and Radiant Tale succeeds with that in its themes and narrative flow, but don’t come into this expecting anything beyond a traditional visual novel style experience.
Radiant Tale is another excellent otome release from Aksys Games, and while it isn’t as good as Jack Jeanne (few in the genre come close), it is worth your time with how uplifting it feels with its memorable characters and story. Not only is it gorgeous, but this aesthetic absolutely shines on the OLED screen in handheld mode. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 4.5/5
AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & Undressed Director’s Cut ($29.99)
As soon as AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & Undressed Director’s Cut was announced for Switch in the West, I knew I had to review it. The PS4 game was one of the first Japanese games I bought for my PS4 many years ago, and I will never forget how impressed I was by the inclusion of a full color instruction manual. The game itself on PS4 was fun for a few hours, but nothing special. I was curious to see how I’d feel revisiting the game through its Nintendo Switch release with additional content.
AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & Undressed Director’s Cut released in a very busy period game release wise, which is why my review is quite a bit later than I wanted. AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & Undressed Director’s Cut on Switch is a port of the PS4 and PC game with additional content that was sold as paid DLC for those versions.
If you’ve never played this before and are curious why it was ported to Switch all these years later, well I can’t answer the second part, but AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & Undressed is a basic but fun brawler involving stripping vampires while exploring an Akihabara recreation from a decade ago. I’m all for bringing older games to Switch, but this is definitely a surprising release with new content coming to other platforms.
I still remember laughing at the premise of a game where you run around Akiba and strip people. It turns out, replaying it got the same chuckle out of me, but the Switch version isn’t as nice as the PS4 version technically. There are visual cutbacks and the game takes a bit too long to load in some parts. If you do want to play this again on Switch or are curious if the Switch version is worth getting, the budget price definitely makes it easier to recommend assuming you know what you’re getting with the game.
I don’t have the PC version to compare and I haven’t bought the DLC on PS4, but as a handheld experience, AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & Undressed Director’s Cut on Switch gets the job done, but those hoping for much more than a port with new content.
If you enjoyed the prior AKIBA’S TRIP game on Switch, this one is a lot better not only in its gameplay, but also in port quality. If you already played or own AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead & Undressed on another platform, I’d grab the DLC for the low asking price rather than buying the whole game again on Switch unless of course you want to replay it. This is a great way to own the complete game with DLC on cartridge though from a preservation point of view. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
New Releases
Full Void ($14.99)
The cinematic platformer sure seems to be making a comeback lately. Full Void tells the story of a young teenager in a dystopian future who is trying to take down a rogue AI before it drives humanity to extinction. It’s absolutely gorgeous, and from what I’ve heard from those who have played other versions, if you’re into this particular subgenre of games then you’ll probably be suitably pleased with this one. It’s kind of wild that fairly small developers can turn out games like this these days.
Escape Academy: The Complete Edition ($29.99)
If you like escape rooms, you’ll want to give some attention to Escape Academy: The Complete Edition. This includes the original Escape Academy plus two full DLCs for the game, giving you a total of twenty deviously designed spaces to escape from. The selling point here is that the puzzles were designed with the assistance of people who make real-life escape rooms, which might lend this a different flavor in what is a very crowded genre. I’ll have a full review of this soon to let you know what I think.
The Isle Tide Hotel ($19.99)
These FMV adventure games don’t do a lot for me, but I’m glad to see they’ve found an audience big enough to keep them coming. In this one you’re playing as a father trying to rescue his teenaged daughter from a cult that is holed up in a hotel. There are several different endings to reach, and which one you get will depend on your choices and actions throughout the game. As usual, there are a lot of little secrets and bits of lore you can find if you look around enough. Anyway, I think Wales Interactive has an active fanbase at this point that likely doesn’t need much more than notice that a new game is out, so… here you go.
All That Remains: Part 1 ($5.99)
Another fun escape puzzle adventure from the folks at Glitch Games. You probably know how these go by now. Some quality puzzles to solve, a mysterious story, a quirky sense of humor, and so on. Not bad for the very reasonable price it asks.
HopSquash! ($5.00)
This game touts itself as a “spiritual successor" to a DOS game called Jump ‘n Bump that I am admittedly quite unfamiliar with. The idea here is that you have to try to jump on each other in a bit of fixed-screen action. Up to eight players can join in via local multiplayer, and you can fill out the seats with CPU players as needed. It looks pretty fun, actually. Only a fiver? Sure, I’ll bite.
The Bin Bunch
Spectator ($15.99)
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Hey, some under-the-radar games that I like a lot are on sale today. Horace, Mail Mole, and Super Mega Zero are all a lot of fun. Highly recommended. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is at its lowest price yet, and so is Terraria. Not too much in the outbox apart from some board game conversions, but if you like boomer shooters and don’t have Boltgun yet, go ahead and save a few bucks while treating yourself.
Select New Games on Sale
Fight Crab ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/25)
Gravity Heroes ($4.49 from $14.99 until 9/25)
The Plane Effect ($5.24 from $14.99 until 9/25)
Ciel Fledge: Daughter Raising Sim ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/25)
7 Years From Now ($2.99 from $9.99 until 9/25)
TOEM ($5.99 from $19.99 until 9/25)
Quantum Replica ($2.99 from $9.99 until 9/25)
Tears of Avia ($6.74 from $14.99 until 9/25)
Lair Land Story ($10.04 from $14.99 until 9/25)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night ($11.99 from $39.99 until 9/26)
Dust & Neon ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/26)
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons ($2.99 from $14.99 until 9/26)
Ghostrunner ($8.99 from $29.99 until 9/26)
Horace ($5.99 from $14.99 until 9/26)
Indivisible ($7.49 from $29.99 until 9/26)
Terraria ($11.99 from $29.99 until 9/26)
Grow: Song of the Evertree ($12.49 from $24.99 until 9/26)
Super Impossible Road ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/26)
ABZU ($4.99 from $19.99 until 9/26)
Super Mega Zero ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/26)
Titanium Hound ($11.25 from $15.00 until 10/1)
Mail Mole ($5.99 from $14.99 until 10/2)
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes ($9.99 from $39.99 until 10/2)
LEGO Jurassic World ($7.99 from $39.99 until 10/2)
LEGO City Undercover ($5.99 from $29.99 until 10/2)
Little League World Series Baseball 2022 ($9.99 from $49.99 until 10/2)
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2 ($5.99 from $39.99 until 10/2)
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 ($12.49 from $49.99 until 10/2)
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl ($4.99 from $49.99 until 10/2)
Miraculous: Rise of the Sphinx ($12.49 from $49.99 until 10/2)
Miraculous: Rise of the Sphinx UE ($14.99 from $59.99 until 10/2)
Cobra Kai: Karate Kid Saga ($5.99 from $39.99 until 10/2)
Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising ($9.99 from $49.99 until 10/2)
Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising NE ($11.99 from $59.99 until 10/2)
NHRA Championship Drag Racing: SFA ($12.49 from $49.99 until 10/2)
NHRA Championship Drag Racing: SFA DE ($14.99 from $59.99 until 10/2)
NHRA Championship Drag Racing: SFA UE ($15.99 from $79.99 until 10/2)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 13th
Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embrace ($7.99 from $19.99 until 9/13)
Blood Waves ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/13)
Breeder Homegrown Director’s Cut ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/13)
Carcassonne ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/13)
Catan ($7.49 from $14.99 until 9/13)
Drowning ($1.99 from $2.99 until 9/13)
Munchkin: Quacked Quest ($9.99 from $24.99 until 9/13)
North ($1.99 from $2.99 until 9/13)
Rift Keeper ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/13)
Stellatum ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/13)
The Lord of the Rings Adv. Card Game ($9.99 from $19.99 until 9/13)
The Mooseman ($3.49 from $6.99 until 9/13)
Warhammer 40k: Boltgun ($16.49 from $21.99 until 9/13)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new releases, more sales, and I’m feeling very confident about some kind of news as well. Depending on how things go, I might have a review ready too. But don’t make any fancy wagers on that or anything, okay? I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!
