Welcome to your SwitchArcade Roundup for August 30th, 2018. After the figurative dam broke due to all of the awesome news published yesterday from the Nindies Summer Showcase, things have dried up news-wise for today. I’m not complaining, though, as that gives me more time to sum up the latest new releases and sales of the day. It IS Thursday, after all–the major eShop update day! In the meantime, let’s “never lose hope" with today’s Game of the Day.
Game of the Day
Implosion ($11.99)
A game with mobile beginnings and one that I would positively compare (in a very, very small sense) to high spectacle action games like what Platinum Games’ titles have to offer, Implosion is a sci-fi hack and slash game that features full customization of your mech suit, intense battles with either your suit’s blade or long-range weaponry (the latter has limited ammo), and combat that requires awareness of enemy attack patterns. You’ll quickly find yourself on the receiving end of a beat-down if you don’t learn to attack with grace and elegance (as in “no button-mashing) and properly evade with split-second timing.
Certainly, the goal of each level is to reach its conclusion, defeating enemies along the way, opening doors with key cards and things like that, but along the way you can discover hidden goodies like data cubes that unlock new customization options for your mech, as well as complete in-level goals. These goals have a variety of objectives, such as destroying all barrels in a given level or never taking damage. While this may seem like more trouble than it’s worth, the rewards are wonderful–unlocking badges that help make your mech suit even stronger of a bad-ass than it already is.
Implosion features an isometric camera angle, incredible enemy encounters–especially the grand spectacle that are the boss battles, voiced dialog, orchestrated music, and enough of a budget to make for a seriously impressive game. Thankfully, the actual gameplay itself is just as polished and impressive. For these reasons, I recommend checking out Implosion and recognize it as today’s Game of the Day.
News
Europe and Oceania eShop sale features big discounts on some very big games
Here at the SwitchArcade Roundup I tend to stick to North American sales and discounts, and that’s merely because TouchArcade is based in the States and because the SwitchArcade Roundup is a one-person gig. I’d find myself going crazy (or at least crazier than I already am) trying to track down sales from all over the world.
Regardless, today is an exception due to a really cool eShop sale for Europe, Australia, and many more territories where games that usually don’t get proper discounts on the eShop are doing so today, at least from now until September 6th. (Or would that be 6 September for our friends on the other side of the pond?)
For example, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, ARMS, and DOOM are all 33% off. Other games with discounts include FIFA 18, the Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion bundle, Rocket League (along with its various DLC packs), 20XX (a recent Game of the Day), among others. For a list of games on sale, check out Nintendo UK’s official Play Online Sale page.
Shovel Knight gets a treasure trove of new release date information
Shovel Knight fans, mark your calendars! Why? Because per IGN, on April 9th of next year, Yacht Club Games is bringing not one, not two, not three, but four different goodies pertaining to its indie hit sensation for the gaming public to enjoy.
First, the upcoming King of Cards and Shovel Knight Showdown DLC expansions are releasing that day. In addition to that, a physical version of Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove launches April 9th as well, containing the original Shovel Knight game, Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows, Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment, Shovel Knight: King of Cards, and the recently announced multiplayer expansion Shovel Knight Showdown. The physical release will be available at a price of $39.99.
Finally, April 9th, 2019 will finally bestow us with the amiibo three-pack of the stars of each of three single-player DLC expansions: Plague Knight, Specter Knight, and King Knight. I use the word “finally" because the trio of amiibo was originally announced back in 2017.
Folks who frequent the SwitchArcade Roundup are probably well versed in how much I love physical copies of games, so you can be assured that I’m quite excited by this news. Of course, if you prefer to go the digital route, you’ll only have to pay $24.99 for everything, including getting the upcoming King of Cards and Showdown DLC expansions absolutely free when they release.
New Releases
The Messenger ($16.99 from $19.99 until… ???)
Inspired by the classic NES Ninja Gaiden games, The Messenger plays just as tightly as its inspiration. From what I understand from impressions and reviews, The Messenger begins with linear levels before opening up in a big way in a Metroidvania-style fashion, so if you’re fearful of a short adventure, then throw those worries away like a ninja’s shuriken. The Messenger currently has a launch discount, but unfortunately and funnily enough, there’s no place on the game’s eShop page detailing when the discount ends! Still, even if you miss out on saving a few bucks via the discount (whenever the heck it goes away), The Messenger appears to be a great game worthy of buying a full price regardless.
Freedom Planet ($14.99)
Freedom Planet originally released on the Wii U and Steam, and before that, it was initially going to simply be a Sonic the Hedgehog fangame. The developer GalaxyTrail decided to go off on its own separate course, and while the final product has clear inspiration from the 2D Sonic games, Freedom Planet is a whole different beast of its own–and a mighty marvelous one at that. Freedom Planet is based on momentum for platforming, has its own fully voiced story, beautifully detailed visuals, a rockin’ soundtrack, and more sensational platforming than you can shake protagonist Lilac’s tail at.
Mini Metro ($9.99)
If you’ve ever wanted to enter to design your own subway system for a city and didn’t want to have the dire consequences of wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on a failed system, then perhaps planning one out in video game form would suffice and be less stressful. That’s the basic premise of Radial Games’ Mini Metro, available today for the Nintendo Switch. There are plenty of factors to consider when drawing up subway networks, such as how many people a subway and subway station can hold, being concerned about delays, and a lot more. Mini Metro is definitely a game that has a limited appeal, but for those that have an interest in its premise, the game comes off as a competent and satisfying subway designing experience.
Chiki-Chiki Boxy Racers ($9.99)
Offering 12 tracks, over 20 vehicles, local and online multiplayer for up to 8 players, a Party Battle Mode with four different match types, and two different control schemes to play around with, Chiki-Chiki Boxy Racers is not only fun to say but it looks fun to play. As a fan of isometric racing games of yore, Chiki-Chiki Boxy Racers looks to an upcoming purchase for yours truly.
Other New Releases
- The VideoKid ($4.99)
- Fall of Light: Darkest Edition ($13.49 from $14.99 until September 12th)
- Azure Reflection ($17.49 from $24.99 until September 12th)
- Gakuen Club ($24.99)
- Realpolitiks ($24.99)
- Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle ($13.99)
- Phantaruk ($4.99)
- Gnomes Garden 3: The Thief of Castles ($4.99)
- ACA NEOGEO Football Frenzy ($7.99)
- Arcade Archives ARGUS ($7.99)
Sales
Thursdays mean a whole heckuva lot of new discounts on offer on the Switch eShop, and that tradition continues today. My top picks for today are a duo of Mega Man collections, Mega Man Legacy Collection and Mega Man Legacy Collection 2. What better way to prepare for the upcoming Mega Man 11 than playing through the previous games in the series!
New Games on Sale
- Sausage Sports Club ($13 from $15 until September 4)
- Mega Man Legacy Collection ($11.24 from $14.99 until September 5)
- Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 ($14.99 from $19.99 until September 5)
- Tesla vs Lovecraft ($11.24 from $14.99 until September 5)
- Axiom Verge ($9.99 from $19.99 until September 6)
- Word Search by POWGI ($5.59 from $7.99 until September 6)
- Azure Reflections ($17.49 from $24.99 until September 12)
- Fall of Light: Darkest Edition ($13.49 from $14.99 until September 12)
- BINGO for Nintendo Switch ($2.99 from $4.99 until September 13)
- Bleed 2 ($5.09 from $14.99 until September 13)
- Earth Atlantis ($7.49 from $14.99 until September 13)
- Epic Loon ($7.49 from $14.99 until September 13)
- INK ($4.49 from $8.99 until September 13)
- Paranautical Activity ($2.39 from $7.99 until September 13)
- Super Ping Pong Trick Shot ($2.99 from $4.99 until September 13)
- UNBOX: Newbie’s Adventure ($10.19 from $29.99 until September 13)
- Final Light, The Prison ($6.29 from $6.99 until September 19)
- Tower of Babel ($5.49 from $9.99 until September 19)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, August 31st
Of all the sales ending tomorrow and on Saturday, my recommendation for you SwitchArcade Roundup readers to pick up is Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King. It’s quite reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, while offering its own gameplay perspective. I did a brief write-up of Blossom Tales for a past Game of the Day, which you can read up on right here.
- Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King ($9.99 from $14.99 until August 31)
- Calculation Castle: Greco’s Ghostly Challenge “Addition" ($6.99 from $9.99 until August 31)
- Calculation Castle: Greco’s Ghostly Challenge “Division" ($6.99 from $9.99 until August 31)
- Calculation Castle: Greco’s Ghostly Challenge “Multiplication" ($6.99 from $9.99 until August 31)
- Calculation Castle: Greco’s Ghostly Challenge “Subtraction" ($6.99 from $9.99 until August 31)
Sales Ending Sunday, September 2nd
- 36 Fragments of Midnight ($2.09 from $2.99 until September 2)
- Hacky Zack ($8.99 from $9.99 until September 2)
- League of Evil ($5.35 from $7.99 until September 2)
- Woodle Tree Adventures ($3.24 from $4.99 until September 2)
See? I take care of my European and Australian peeps on the SwitchArcade Roundup when I can! I hope you’ll take advantage of those rather awesome eShop sales. For those of us in North America, the sales may be less spectacular, but they’re pretty sweet all the same.
As always, your comments regarding the state of TouchArcade’s Switch coverage is definitely appreciated, so leave a comment below or tweet at us with your thoughts. Until then, stay tuned for the final SwitchArcade Roundup of the week happening tomorrow (when else?), and as I constantly like to end these Roundups, keep your Joy-Cons charged and your Switches loaded with great games!
