Welcome back to the SwitchArcade Roundup, this time for July 24th! Today sees the release of Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 and 2 for the Nintendo Switch, so beyond celebrating that new release, I also have a themed Game of the Day to commemorate the occasion. Alongside all of that is your daily dose of news, other new releases, and sales–the latter for all of us who want to squeeze every dollar we can out of our wallets! First, though, let’s teleport into our Game of the Day!
Game of the Day
20XX ($17.99)
Yesterday’s Game of the Day, Sonic Mania Plus was heralded by yours truly because of how it felt like an exact copy of the Genesis/Mega Drive classic games control and physics-wise. Well, today’s Game of the Day takes Mega Man X‘s controls and feel and makes a roguelite game out of it. I can’t think of a better opportunity to cover Batterystaple Games’ 20XX than on today’s release of Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2!
20XX features similar gameplay to what you’d find in Capcom’s futuristic action-platforming series, complete with blasting enemies to smithereens with your character’s arm cannon, charging up shots, scaling walls, and so forth. Except, whereas the Mega Man X series is comprised of masterfully arranged levels (well, for the first half of the series anyway…), 20XX follows a procedurally generated formula, taking level pieces and arranging them in a somewhat randomized order. Thus, no two runs are exactly the same.
You probably won’t get through 20XX‘s campaign’s ten levels on your first try. Not only does one death result in a game over (three deaths on Easy Mode), but you most likely won’t have enough health and abilities to work with. Each consecutive run you attempt in 20XX results in earning Soul Chips, and these are the only things you carry with you outside of runs. They’re used to purchase both permanent upgrades (health, attack, defense, speed, etc.) and increased drop types in levels to discover during your future play-throughs of the campaign. Soon enough, you’ll be able to breeze through the game like a “Mega Maniac" with all of your current upgrades both permanent and temporary (i.e. “only for that run" upgrades).
20XX continues to bring me back for more. I’m always earning more Soul Chips to purchase new drops in levels to allow me to do better on each subsequent run. I’m occasionally playing local co-op with my older brother or hopping online with a faraway friend. The boss battles are intense affairs as are the levels, and as you progress through the campaign, the bosses and levels become more difficult. I personally found it strategic to take on bosses that would otherwise be harder to battle late in the game, as they have more moves and fill up the screen faster with difficult to avoid attacks, and would try to face them as soon as possible. That way, I’d just have the “easy" bosses saved for last.
All in all, 20XX delivers a Mega Man X-like experience in roguelite clothing. The material used for the clothing? Awesomeness.
…I’m going to move onto News before you folks groan too loudly.
News
2K and Saber Interactive team up to expand the 2K line of NBA games with NBA 2K Playgrounds 2
Announced this morning, 2K and Saber Interactive are joining forces with 2K publishing and Saber Interactive developing to release the game formerly known as NBA Playgrounds 2 to expand on the publisher’s NBA 2K series. Whereas the NBA 2K games are simulation-like, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a more arcade-y action sports game where two teams of a two duke it out on the court, pulling off dunks and plays that would have Michael Jordan in his prime jealous.
Saber Interactive’s CEO Matt Karch elaborates, “No one is more committed to bringing fans a great basketball experience than 2K. We can’t wait to share more on how we’re teaming up to make NBA 2K Playgrounds 2’s incredible arcade action bigger and better than ever for players." The fruits of labor between 2K and Saber, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2, releases this fall. Hmm… 2 teams of 2… 2K… NBA 2K Playgrounds 2… How am I expected to hold all of these 2’s?
Available now: Paladins version 1.3 brings a new champion and more
A huge update has released for Paladins: Champions of the Realm on the Nintendo Switch after a fair stretch of time having the servers offline. The wait seems to have been worth it, as Paladins version 1.3 brings with it (according to the developer’s patch notes) a new champion in Koga, a new Team Deathmatch map called Abyss, a second Battle Pass, a cosmetic wheel, a brand-new Ranked Split mode, and of course, the most important addition to any game of this type: the ability to mount a FREAKING DRAGON! …Sorry. I get too enthusiastic about this sort of stuff! The new update for Paladins is available now, so if you jumped in on the game already, what are you waiting for!
Bandai Namco reveals trailer for upcoming new DLC characters in Dragon Ball FighterZ
How many versions of Goku and Vegeta does it take to screw in a light bulb? I… I don’t know the answer to that as I’ve been horrible at riddles, but I DO know new versions of Goku and Vegeta will make their way into Dragon Ball FighterZ‘s roster of characters. That makes a total of three or so different versions of Vegeta in FighterZ and about… oh, 74 of Goku. Give or take 68… maybe. In all seriousness, I’m just floored at how true to the characters the designers at Arc System Works are so closely depicted. With new moves and fighting styles in the normal versions of Goku and Vegeta, they’re shaping up to be terrific additions to the DLC roster. Also, what Dragon Ball Z fan doesn’t want to relive the culmination of the series’ first story arc? Sure, you might feel like you have a serious case of deja vu due to it being the 131st time in a Dragon Ball-related video game, but never before have the characters looked so good!
Next Party Crash for ARMS begins July 27th
From July 27th at 2 am PST to July 30th at 2 am PST, Mechanica takes on Springtron in a “Metal Meets Metal" ARMS Party Crash. For those who have not yet crashed an ARMS monthly weekend party, players hop online and compete in lobbies, earning points for wins and losses (less points for losses, of course), and as they gain points, their rank goes up. By using either of the featured characters in the matchup–this time around Mechanica and Springtron, the points earned are multiplied 1.5 times. At the end of the Party Crash weekend, points and ranks are tallied up, earning players ARMS currency and badges for how well they did and how many times they ranked up. Party Crashes are always a good time, and ARMS continues to deliver entertainment more than a year after its launch.
Mobile gaming’s Cytus gets into the groove with an announced Switch port
The mobile ports keep coming to the Nintendo Switch, but when they’re of such pleasant overall quality, what is there to complain about?! From the most recent issue of Japanese magazine Famitsu, news reveals that Flyhigh Works will publish the originally Rayark-developed rhythm game Cytus to the Switch with an altered name, Cytus Alpha. If the development team of Rayark sounds familiar, that’s because the studio is the force behind other well received mobile-to-Switch games like VOEZ and Deemo. With such quality rhythm games under Rayark’s collective belt, there seems to be no reason to doubt that its third Switch rhythm game will also get you to bust a move… to buy Cytus Alpha as soon as it releases. For now, check out a trailer for the mobile version of the game:
Headup Games announces The Inner World and its followup will tell a tale on the Switch starting next week
Two–count ’em TWO–puzzle adventure games from Headup Games see a release on the Nintendo eShop next week, Friday, August 3rd. Both are celebrated and critically acclaimed games with a unique art style and a charming cast of characters. There’s The Inner World and its followup, The Inner World: The Last Wind Monk. For your viewing pleasure, here are both trailers for both games.
Cool Stuff: Super Mario toys leap back into McDonald’s Happy Meals
A new lineup of Super Mario series themed Happy Meal toys have arrived once again at McDonald’s locations in the United States. From figures to small games you’d ordinarily find in a grab bag at a child’s birthday party, these collectibles are sure to delight the Mario fan in your life (especially if that Mario fan is yourself!). Of the eight toys, Mario’s Super Mario Odyssey look with Cappy in his right hand is the one that appeals to me most. Meanwhile, poor Luigi expects Bowser’s baddies to be afraid of his fireball, but alas, Luigi, we can clearly see it’s not real. Well, at least Luigi fooled someone–himself. These Super Mario series Happy Meal toys will be around at participating McDonald’s for the next month.
New Releases
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2 ($19.99 each)
Not one but two Mega Man X compendiums release today, the first of which is Mega Man X Legacy Collection, spanning two console generations with the Super Nintendo (Mega Man X through X3) and the PS1 era with Mega Man X4. Three of these games are my favorites in the whole X series… and then there’s Mega Man X3, which is more than adequate. I just love the original and X4 the most, with Mega Man X2 following closely behind. See why the gaming world fell in love with the Blue Bomber all over again with this new generation of Mega Man by picking up four of the most cherished action-platformers in gaming history.
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 also spans two console generations: the PS1 with Mega Man X5 and X6, and the PS2 with Mega Man X7 and X8. Mega Man X7 shows the X series mightily struggling to get the hang of fully 3D gameplay, while X8 brings the series closer to its roots while taking advantage of a 2.5D gameplay perspective. Between the first Mega Man X Legacy Collection and the second, I don’t think it will lead to any major malfunctions in thought for me to say that your priority should be the first collection, particularly if you can only afford one of them. While Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2‘s X5 and X8 are of quality, X6 and X7 heavily bring the Maverick-hunting party down (X7 especially, but it’s good to play for curiosity’s sake, regardless).
Both collections contain a challenge mode that pits X against two bosses at once. Though Bubble Crab from Mega Man X2 was too much of a breeze? Sorry to burst your… ahem… bubble, but why not try out taking on Bubble Crab AND Wheel Gator at once? In addition to the boss challenges, both Mega Man X Legacy Collections house art galleries, music players, character databases, and much more. If you have fond memories of the Mega Man X series, these are the collections for you.
Semblance ($9.99)
Semblance from Good Shepard Entertainment and Nyamakop is a puzzle-platformer where everything in the environment has the ability to be deformed. Need some ledges to scale a vertical part of a level? Slam into the walls to create footholds for your character. That’s but one of the innovative functions that your soft-bodied hero and the world around them can perform. The trailer raised my interest for Semblance greatly, as the cute animated movie and gameplay clips really turned me on to the game. Maybe I’ll take advantage of that 10% off sale the game’s having until July 31st. It might be a small discount, but it adds up over time!
Sales
New Games on Sale
- R.B.I. Baseball 18 ($20.99 from $29.99 until July 30)
- Semblance ($8.99 from $9.99 until July 31)
- Mecho Tales ($0.79 from $0.99 until August 12)
Sales Ending Wednesday, July 25th
- Cartoon Network: Battle Crashers ($14.99 from $29.99 until July 25)
- Monster Jam Crush It! ($14.99 from $29.99 until July 25)
All right, Switch fans and Mega Maniacs alike, do you like how the SwitchArcade Roundup has been “rounding up" things as of late? Hit me up with a comment below, or just tweet at us! I’ll see you right back here, same TouchArcade site, same SwitchArcade channel! Until then, keep your Joy-Cons charged and your Switches entertained with great games!
