Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for September 21st, 2023. I got back from the Tokyo Game Show at 8 PM, got to the office here at 9:30 PM, and it is presently 11:30 PM. I’ve done what I can today, and I hope you enjoy it. Let’s get to it!
New Releases
Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission ($29.99)
I don’t know, friends. Sometimes I think Taito could be a little more careful about who it rents its IP out to. Anyway, Microids. It doesn’t have the worst possible track record, but it doesn’t have a good one either. This was originally a VR game, and it got decidedly middling scores in that incarnation. Take out the VR and you’re left with a really shoddy-looking gallery shooter that somehow manages to be as simple as the thirty-six year old game that inspired it without being nearly as fun. Would I spend thirty bucks on this? No. No, I would not. But if you want to, I will not stop you.
Osyaberi! Horijyo! Gekihori: Anna Holinski Saves The Universe, Alright?! ($16.99)
If you’ve ever played a shoot-em-up and found yourself wishing the main character would never, ever shut up, you might be in luck. This is a cute yet challenging side-scrolling shooter and it’s actually pretty good. It’s been out for a while in Japan, but this version not only translates everything but also includes the paid DLC at no additional cost. The main character does indeed talk a lot, but you can turn her off in the options if you’re tired of hearing her. I’ll have a full review of this as soon as I can manage it.
Mon-Yu: Defeat Monsters And Gain Strong Weapons And Armor. You May Be Defeated, But Don’t Give Up. Become Stronger. I Believe There Will Be A Day When The Heroes Defeat The Devil King ($49.99)
I refuse to abridge that title, at least right here. Look at that. Glorious. At any rate, this is a dungeon crawler RPG from Experience, the folks behind things like Demon Gaze and Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi. This is a developer that knows its way around this genre well, so there’s a certain level of quality to be expected. There are eight different classes to choose from when building your party, and your goal is to defeat the Devil Kings and conquer the Dragon King’s Tower. There are some roguelite elements here, as the title alludes to. Our pal Mikhail wasn’t super thrilled with it, but you can read his thoughts in his review when it’s posted tomorrow.
Aireo FlightSimulator ($24.99)
This is the second Switch release from this publisher, and it follows very much in the pattern of the first. You’ll need to be online to play this one since it draws from real satellite images for its maps. It features more than ten thousand real airports you can take off from, and you can explore the whole world. Sure, it’s the “McDonalds we have at home" version of Microsoft Flight Simulator, but I know a lot of people enjoyed the previous release from Airror Studio and they’ll likely enjoy this one as well.
Evil Wizard ($19.99)
An amusing action-RPG that uses the set-up of you being an ex-final boss who has fallen on hard times and is trying to regain their former glory. It is absolutely trying way too hard to be funny, but if you give it some time to get over itself it’s not a bad little game. Not terribly original, but what is these days? I wouldn’t call it a must-have or anything but if you like the premise and are willing to be patient with the game long enough for it to get its hooks into you, I think you’ll have a decent enough time with it.
Arcade Archives Strike Gunner S.T.G. ($7.99)
This week’s Arcade Archives game is one that I’m mainly familiar with via its Super NES release. Strike Gunner S.T.G. isn’t a terribly great shoot-em-up, but for whatever reason I rented that SNES cart a lot. Anyway, this is an Athena game, originally released in arcades in 1991. In addition to the basic upgradable shot, you can also choose from one of ten different sub-weapons. It’s a really bland affair in virtually every regard, so unless you have some kind of special nostalgia for it like I do, I would advise giving it a pass.
Livestream 2: Escape from Togaezuka Happy Place ($24.99)
This follow-up takes the action to a shopping mall, where a mascot hunts the streamers as they try to find a way to escape. You control all three of them, as they are each located in a different spot and need to work together to accomplish their goals. If you enjoyed the first game, you’ll probably like this one. If you haven’t played it, you’re probably better off starting there and then swinging back around for this one.
Days of Doom ($29.99)
A tactical roguelite RPG… from Atari? Wow. Atari, out here making games again. This represents another step in the restoration of the company, in my opinion. We’ve seen some great reissues, enhanced versions of classics, smaller originals, and now something not only a bit more substantial but also kind of out of Atari’s usual wheelhouse. After an apocalypse, a small band of survivors is trying to reach the fabled Sanctuary. Use your heroes and their skills to defeat your foes both undead and living, encounter more than fifty events, collect more than seventy items, and see if you can earn some permanent upgrades to carry with you into the next run in case you fail. I’m hoping to review this one soon, but we’ll have to see how things go.
Super Adventure Hand ($12.99)
This is a 3D platformer whose main character kind of freaks me out. It’s a hand, complete with a watch. It looks too real and moves like Thing, and I do not care for how it skitters about. Anyway, more than fifty levels stand between you and your friend Arm, which was apparently stolen by the Feet? I think you’ll have to reach the ending to get any real answers to these questions. I’ll be doing a review of this one to let you know my thoughts on it, but there is a demo available if you want to give it a spin in the meantime. It’s certainly unusual, I’ll give it that.
Fragment’s Note2+ ($19.99)
Well, here’s another Fragment’s Note visual novel. The protagonist lost his family in a plane crash, and he’s still struggling with the trauma from it. His step-sister is doing her best to help him, and now another girl is on the scene who looks just like his deceased older sister. Seems like enough drama already, but then a mechanical god comes stomping in to really mess things up. The usual advice applies here. I wouldn’t jump into this without playing the other games in the series, but if you have played those and liked them then there is no reason not to grab this one as well.
Warriors of the Nile 2 ($14.99)
This is a tactical roguelite with a rather unusual theme to it. If you enjoyed Into the Breach and are looking for something vaguely similar to it, you’ll want to look into this one for sure. You’ll lead warriors who have been blessed by Egyptian gods as they battle against the invading Romans. Each character has their own skills and you’ll have to determine when and where to use them. You’ll also have to consider when to make use of the Miracles of the Gods. A surprisingly cool game. It’s easy to see why so many people have nice things to say about it on other platforms.
Evolings ($8.99)
A minimalistic turn-based roguelite with a monster-catching component, Evolings aims to cut the fat while giving you all the tasty meat of building a team of weird creatures and battling through various challenges. It certainly has a distinctive look and I’ll admit there is a certain appeal to this kind of structure. The price is right, too. Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to play this one yet so I can’t really comment on how well it does the thing it’s doing. We’ll have to see how it plays out.
Raid on Taihoku ($10.99)
This adventure game is set in Taiwan during World War 2, when it was under control of Imperial Japan. American bombing raids leave many residents dead and the remaining ones in a struggle to pick up the pieces. The protagonist of this game, Sayako, is suffering from amnesia after being injured during a raid. She has to make her way through the burned-out city and try to survive while piecing her memories back together. There are various puzzles to solve along the way. This is a perspective we don’t hear much from in gaming. It’s the point of view of a people caught between the battles of two superpowers at war, and it’s not a pretty one. I’m not sure how well this game is able to grip the concepts it’s reaching for, but the attempt is interesting on its own.
Paperman: Adventure Delivered ($29.99)
Mindscape is putting out a 3D collectathon platformer now? Well, okay. A dragon apparently steals all the mail from the post office in order to get its claws on some golden letters, and your team of mail carriers has to get it back and deliver it properly. There are three different worlds to explore, and you can even pull in a friend for some splitscreen two-player action. There are four playable characters, each with their own skills, and you’ll need to swap between them if you want to recover every letter. It looks okay, but for thirty bucks I think it needs to be better than okay. I’ll investigate this one a bit more and let you know if I find it to be anything particularly special.
Final Exerion ($14.99)
This is apparently the start of a new line of remakes from City Connection under the “Final" branding. As you can see, this one tackles Exerion. It’s a shoot-em-up released in 1983 and is most famous for its unusual perspective. I don’t think it’s really all that well-known in the West, but that’s fine. I think this looks pretty good for what it is, but this is definitely a crowded genre on Switch and I’m not sure Final Exerion has the necessary zing to stand out for those who don’t have any particular attachment to the brand.
Earthshine ($4.99)
A visual novel about two travelers who are making their way across the desert in search of special flowers that grow only in the Fields of Oblivion. Who are these travelers? What is their relationship? Why do they seek the flowers? Find out by playing this short story. I think the visual design on this one is pretty interesting, so it might be worth the punt if you’re in the mood for an evening of entertainment.
HammerHelm ($14.99)
A dwarf has been banished from his underground home for his radical ideas about living above ground, which strikes me as punishing him with free cake or something. Anyway, he decides to start his own dwarf colony above ground for other weird dwarfs to live in, and you have to help him. It’s a bit of RPG, a bit of crafting, and a bit of a simulation game. It certainly has a following on Steam, even if its review scores aren’t as high as some games. Everyone loves dwarfs. Maybe you will too.
Bro Falls Deluxe ($12.99)
If you want to play Fall Guys but weirder and worse, here’s your game for today. It’s got an upfront price, has a bunch of IAP, but does come with all tracks unlocked, the BattlePass Season 1 Premium path unlocked, and an offline mode. Online play is still here for up to sixty players at once. Do what you will with it.
FRAG Pro Shooter (Free)
This one makes its way over from mobile, and the best way to describe it is like a cross between Overwatch and Clash Royale. You can play alone or hop online and enjoy some multiplayer for up to four players. This is a fairly well-liked game in the mobile scene, but you don’t have to take my word for it. The game is free to try out, and if you like it you can then decide if you’d prefer to be shaken down for “diamonds" or more characters. Or both!
Kind Heart Defenders ($3.99)
An unusual mix of tower defense and shoot-em-up, Kind Heart Defenders seems to do what it sets out to do for the price. I find the shooting part a bit slow and dull and I’m not a big tower defense fan, which suggests to me that I’m probably not the target audience for this one. Perhaps you will feel differently. It certainly seems to have its fans on other platforms.
Tick Tack Puppet ($4.99)
A quirky little game where you control the limbs of a puppet and try to help it complete various challenges. When you’re not moving a limb time slows down to a crawl, allowing you to pull off the fancy moves you’ll need to keep the puppet safe. If you’re after something off the beaten path that doesn’t cost too much today, you might want to consider this game.
ALTF4 ($5.99)
An absolute, unadultered, pure rage game. And you don’t have the necessary keys to do what its title suggest, so be careful if you choose to buy it and be ultra-careful if you choose to play it. It’s basically a troll game, but it seems to be well-regarded within such circles.
Pan-Dimensional Conga Combat ($9.99)
I see a new Thalamus game, I buy it. It’s just that simple. I recommend you do the same, provided you enjoy that old-school hoo-haa action like I do.
The Bin Bunch
Magic Donut Adventure: Line Match 3 Puzzle ($9.99)
Sugar Tanks ($9.99)
Retro Kart Rush ($4.99)
Samurai – Japan Warrior Fighter ($11.99)
Haunted Zombie Slaughter ($14.99)
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Sorry, I’m to make the new sales list today. We’ll catch up tomorrow. Enjoy the outgoing sales, at least.
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, September 22nd
Breakneck City ($2.99 from $9.99 until 9/22)
Feeble Light ($3.49 from $4.99 until 9/22)
Gastro Force ($5.59 from $6.99 until 9/22)
John Wick Hex ($2.99 from $19.99 until 9/22)
Live by the Sword: Tactics ($2.24 from $14.99 until 9/22)
Monster Train First Class ($9.99 from $29.99 until 9/22)
Onion Assault ($3.19 from $7.99 until 9/22)
Pretty Girls Mahjong Solitaire ($2.49 from $4.99 until 9/22)
Suicide Guy: The Lost Dreams ($5.59 from $7.99 until 9/22)
Terra Flame ($15.99 from $19.99 until 9/22)
Until the Last Plane ($4.99 from $9.99 until 9/22)
X-Force Under Attack ($2.00 from $10.00 until 9/22)
Xposed Switched ($1.99 from $9.99 until 9/22)
That’s all for today, friends. I’m going to cut this short because I’m exhausted. We’ll be back tomorrow with the usual business. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
