Welcome to the SwitchArcade Roundup for May 16th! We’ve got word on a few new games coming to the Switch, including Tin Man’s debut, Flashback coming to the US, and waifu bartending! But perhaps the biggest news today is the 50% sale on Wonder Boy. Which isn’t to be confused with Monster Boy, which is getting an FDG-published spiritual sequel to the Wonder Boy series. Good luck trying to keep that all together. Plus, there’s some good new releases this week. Let’s dive in, shall we?
News
Warlock of Firetop Mountain from Tin Man Games coming to Switch
Tin Man Games’ brand of interactive fiction is coming to the Switch, huzzah! And not just their awesome interactive gamebooks, but the isometric interactive fiction RPG based on Warlock of Firetop Mountain appears to be in development. This isn’t just a text-based visual novel, but gives you an RPG-style representation of your experience. Switch owners, if you haven’t played this on mobile yet, definitely get excited for this.
It appears that something is loading on a #NintendoSwitch… pic.twitter.com/Wvcq2tlnVh
— The Tin Minions (@TinManGames) May 16, 2018
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon gameplay from BitSummit
After the trailer was revealed for the retro spinoff of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, some footage has surfaced from a Japanese livestream showing off about 15 minutes of the game in action. Check out the Castlevania 3-inspired action ahead of the game’s release next Thursday, May 24th, for $9.99:
[youtube]https://youtu.be/tZHzLc09is8
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Amazon taking preorders for Flashback 25th Anniversary in the US
Classic platformer-adventure game Flashback had a physical version announced recently, but no US release was planned. Well, well, well, Amazon just listed the Collector’s Edition for the US, with a June 19th release. That seems like quick turnaround for a US release for this, but no complaints here! This enhanced port will feature a new rewind feature, tutorials, new graphics filters, and remastered sound. The Collector’s Edition includes a cartridge of the game, a metal case in the shape of an SNES cartridge, the soundtrack, and an instruction manual! Yes, a real instruction manual, here in 2018! Shocking!
VA-11 Hall-A coming to Switch
This visual novel-inspired bartending sim will come to consoles in early 2019. You’ll find out more about the people who come through your cyberpunk bar, and dig deep into their stories. But you’ll have to craft a mean drink in order to do that. This isn’t actually the first console or handheld release for the game, as it’s also on the Vita, of all platforms. RIP!
Guilty Gear coming to Switch
For the series’ 20th anniversary, Arc System Works is releasing the original Guilty Gear fighting game for the Switch later this year. While things have gotten a lot more intense since then, if you enjoy the nostalgia of seeing where this series came from, this is your chance to check it out. I really liked Guilty Gear XX #Reload on Xbox back in the day, in particular.
New Releases
Splitter Critters ($9.99)
One of the best mobile games of the last few years makes its way to Switch today. This puzzle game by RAC7 has you trying to get some lost, wandering aliens back to their ship. You do so by splitting and moving the landscape to allow the aliens to reach spots they otherwise couldn’t reach. You eventually get to make more splits, and have new hazards to look out for, which lead to some more complex puzzles for you to solve. The game got a 4.5 star review from us, and the iPhone Game of the Year from the App Store for a reason.
The game adds a new drone to the experience, which you can control with the analog sticks. You then use A to trigger the splitting process, and use the left stick to control the angle you split. The touchscreen is more accurate for creating the angle, but you can use the d-pad as well, and quick taps will let you adjust the angle slightly. While I’d still recommend playing with the touchscreen if possible, the controller support makes the game perfectly available for those who prefer joysticks. Definitely check this one out if you haven’t yet on Switch. Now how about Dark Echo on Switch, RAC7?
Battle Chasers: Nightwar ($39.99)
Your RPG selection for the day. Published by THQ Nordic, this is a JRPG-inspired game of dungeon crawling and adventuring, with turn-based combat. It’s all based on a comic from the 1990s, with a strong Chrono Trigger influence.While I have so many other games to play that I might pass on this one for now, at least until a sale, the production values look ridiculously good, and the reviews have been quite positive for this RPG!
Wizard of Legend ($15.99)
Check out our impressions from the other day for this roguelike game of magical combat. You equip and find new arcana to deploy in fast-paced battle against your wizarding enemies. This one’s a lot of fun, especially if you get a friend to play with you, though it’s perfect for singleplayer as well.
The Adventures of Elena Temple ($4.99)
This puzzle platformer is shamelessly targeting fans of retro gaming, as all the levels take place on monitors that resemble retro systems. It won’t work on me…though hey, is that the GBA SP? That’s my favorite handheld ever! You evil geniuses at GRIMTALIN!
Calculation Castle: Greco’s Ghostly Challenge – Addition/Multiplication/Subtraction/Division ($9.99 each)
Hooray for edutainment! If your kids are goths but need to learn maths, perhaps Greco’s Ghostly Challenge games are perfect for you? Hopefully this series is successful and we get more advanced mathematics. Teach me about derivatives, Greco!
The Mystery of the Hudson Case ($4.89)
If you need a quick point-and-click adventure game to play for yourself, this one makes its way from mobile to the Switch. Magic Frame promises no hidden objects, so it’s all about solving puzzles without any devious tricks.
Sales
Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap ($9.99 from $19.99 until May 22nd)
Now this is a freaking sale! This is a remake of Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap, featuring new graphics, a new character, and new secret areas. This remake was highly-acclaimed for reviving a game that perhaps some people missed back in the day, but with a fresh coat of paint. It looks absolutely stunning, too. This was an instabuy for me. I like the idea of holding off on a sale for a while, and then dropping a massive sale that convinces anyone who had been holding off to buy right now. It worked on me!
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle ($40.19 from $59.99 for Standard, $50.39 from $79.99 for Gold Edition, until May 21st)
Ubisoft’s unlikely game that’s a crossover between a legendary game franchise and also the Mario series, and is a turn-based strategy game, was once ripe for mockery for how unlikely it was. Then one of the developers was seen on camera crying about seeing this unlikely project coming to life, and it turned out the game was really fun. I mean, the concept is still kind of ridiculous, but if it’s fun…why not?
Battle Chef Brigade ($13.99 from $19.99 until May 23rd)
Chicago-based Trinket Studios’ long-in-development cooking action game is at its deepest sale on Switch yet. The artwork is absolutely fantastic, especially with all the hand-drawn animation in play here. The game works like a fantasy version of Iron Chef, where you have to hunt for ingredients, often literally, before preparing all kinds of fantastical dishes.
Darkest Dungeon ($21.24 from $24.99 for Standard, $29.84 from $34.99 for Ancestral Edition, until May 21st)
Another 15% sale for this roguelike where you not only have to survive the hazards and enemies that oppose you, but also try to maintain your sanity in a dark world. A new DLC is in the works right now, with The Color of Madness releasing on PC on June 19th, with console release happening later.
Keep an eye out every weekday for more SwitchArcade Roundups! We want to hear your feedback on Nintendo Switch coverage on TouchArcade. Comment below or tweet us with your thoughts!
