Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for January 10th, 2020. In today’s edition, we take a look at the big news from yesterday’s Pokemon Direct. We’ve also got word on when the next batch of SEGA AGES releases are hitting the West. There are a few new releases to check out, and an enormous list of new sales to celebrate the New Year. There’s a lot to chew on today, friends, so let’s pull up to the table!
News
‘Pokemon Sword and Shield’ Get Expansion Passes
Yesterday’s Pokemon Direct was mostly centered around two big pieces of news. Perhaps the most important was the announcement that in lieu of the usual third version, Pokemon Sword and Shield will be getting two rather large pieces of expansion content. The first will be arriving in June, and the other will come later in the year. These look like the real deal, with new Legendary Pokemon, huge new areas to explore, new rivals, and more than 200 returning Pokemon from the older games. There’s too much to go into in one paragraph, so watch the Pokemon Direct if you want all the details. The Expansion Pass is available right now for a price of $29.99. Note that Sword and Shield have separate Expansion Passes, so don’t buy the wrong one!
‘Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX’ Arrives in March
The other piece of news from the Direct was the announcement of a remake of the original Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX will come to Switch on March 6th at a price of $59.99, and a free demo is available right now. This entertaining sub-series has been out of action for a while, so I’m happy to see it finally make its return. The new art style is quite striking, too. Go ahead and give it a try to see if it’s something you’d be willing to part with sixty bucks for.
‘SEGA AGES Shinobi’ and ‘SEGA AGES Fantasy Zone’ Arrive in the West on January 23rd
Already released a little while ago in Japan, SEGA AGES Shinobi and SEGA AGES Fantasy Zone will arrive in eShops worldwide on January 23rd. As usual, these will go for $7.99 each. As always, these are extremely well-made versions of each game done by M2 and include a wide variety of options and extras. I’ve had both since they hit Japan, and I’d give a solid thumbs-up to the pair. Shinobi in particular has never been better.
New Releases
Drunk-Fu: Wasted Masters ($9.99)
This is a goofy multiplayer brawler where all of the characters control like the drunkards that they are. The emphasis here is on hilarious physics and that every player has to deal with the wacky controls, making for a pretty amusing punch-up to pull out at finer parties. Multiplayer can be enjoyed both locally or online, and I’m going to go out on a limb and say that if you don’t have any interest in such, this game may not be a good one for you. Well, you know what you’re in for here, I’m sure.
Arcade Archives Exerion ($7.99)
This vintage shoot-em-up was originally released in 1983 by Jaleco. Its chief gimmick is in its unusual floaty controls and its interesting attempt to approximate 3D space. If you want my opinion, it’s not much fun at all. But it certainly is interesting, so if that’s what brings you to the yard with these Arcade Archives releases, don’t let me stop you here. Hamster has done its usual excellent job, offering up quality emulation and a nice slate of options to mess with.
Technosphere ($14.99)
You can probably figure out what this game is about by the screenshots. You control a sphere and need to roll it through a variety of platform challenges and light puzzles. It’s okay, but I’m not sure I’d be running down the street naked yelling at people to play it or anything. Note that your sphere is kept fairly constricted by rails and narrow platforms, so it’s not quite the Marble Madness update you might be hoping for. The biggest weak point of the game is simply in how repetitive it gets. There just aren’t enough fresh ideas here to justify the experience. But if you can’t get enough of rolling balls, this will keep you going for another day, I suppose.
Aborigenus ($4.99)
This is a side-scrolling action game with some RPG elements. It’s okay, but be warned that the entire thing is about twenty minutes long, so in spite of its better qualities I’m not sure how heavily I can recommend it. You play as a warrior from a peaceful tribe who needs to save kidnapped friends and family. You’ll learn new moves as you go along and take on one of three roles: shaman, warrior, or hunter. Also, you can ride a chicken. Like I said, it’s not too bad, but it feels very slight in a lot of ways.
Sales
Well, they did it again. The New Year’s Sale has kicked off, and there are more than six hundred new discounts. I am not going to write all of those out, or even most of them. If you want to check all of them out, I’ll direct you to Nintendo’s site. Here, then, is a curated list of what I think are the coolest sales in the bunch.
Select New Games on Sale
SEGA AGES – All Games ($3.99 – $5.99 from $7.99 until 1/17)
Johnny Turbo’s Arcade – All Games ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/17)
Onimusha: Warlords ($11.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive ($24.99 from $49.99 until 1/17)
Neko Navy: Daydream ($9.74 from $12.99 until 1/17)
Momodora: Reverie ($10.49 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Sundered: Eldritch ($6.59 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Donut County ($6.49 from $12.99 until 1/17)
Gris ($8.49 from $16.99 until 1/17)
Marenian Tavern Story ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Horizon Chase Turbo ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
This War of Mine: Complete ($15.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
Super Hydorah ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/15)
Mother Russia Bleeds ($3.74 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI ($29.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Crashlands ($9.99 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Valiant Hearts: The Great War ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Astebreed ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Moonlighter ($9.99 from $24.99 until 1/17)
Grim Fandango Remastered ($3.74 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Broken Age ($3.74 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Bastion ($2.99 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Transistor ($3.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Gal Metal ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
LEGO Harry Potter Collection ($14.99 from $49.99 until 1/17)
Valkyria Chronicles ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Valkyria Chronicles 4 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/17)
Starlink: Battle for Atlas ($19.79 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Tricky Towers ($10.49 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Mark of the Ninja ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Mega Man 11 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/17)
FIFA 19 ($23.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
FIFA 20 Legacy ($34.99 from $49.99 until 1/17)
Dragon Ball FighterZ ($14.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
TowerFall ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
South Park: The Stick of Truth ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/17)
Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Freedom Planet ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/17)
The Messenger ($11.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Kero Blaster ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/17)
Minit ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/17)
Banner Saga 3 ($12.49 from $24.99 until 1/17)
Hand of Fate 2 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/17)
20XX ($8.99 from $17.99 until 1/17)
LIMBO ($6.69 from $9.99 until 1/17)
Lumines Remastered ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/17)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night ($27.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
Fairune Collection ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/17)
Framed Collection ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/17)
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive ($41.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate ($20.99 from $29.99 until 1/17)
Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse ($11.99 from $19.99 until 1/27)
Arcade Archives Terra Cresta ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/17)
Arcade Archives Ninja-Kid ($3.99 from $7.99 until 1/17)
Don’t Starve ($5.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Kirby Star Allies ($41.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Danmaku Unlimited 3 ($2.49 from $9.99 until 1/17)
Scribblenauts: Showdown ($9.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
Owlboy ($14.99 from $24.99 until 1/17)
Celeste ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Furi ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Enter the Gungeon ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Crimsonland ($5.59 from $13.99 until 1/17)
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle Gold ($19.99 from $79.99 until 1/17)
L.A. Noire ($24.99 from $49.99 until 1/17)
Stardew Valley ($9.99 from $14.99 until 1/17)
SteamWorld Dig 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
SteamWorld Quest ($17.49 from $24.99 until 1/17)
Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack ($19.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
Sonic Mania ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Namco Museum ($10.19 from $29.99 until 1/17)
Super Bomberman R ($9.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
Yoshi’s Crafted World ($41.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Fitness Boxing ($34.99 from $49.99 until 1/17)
Splatoon 2 ($41.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
ARMS ($41.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe ($41.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Jamestown+ ($12.59 from $17.99 until 1/17)
Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection ($29.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
Groove Coaster Wai Wai Party!!!! ($49.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Disney Tsum Tsum Festival ($34.99 from $49.99 until 1/16)
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games ($33.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD ($29.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
Disney Classic Games: Aladdin & Lion King ($19.79 from $29.99 until 1/17)
Resident Evil 4 ($19.99 from $29.99 until 1/17)
Resident Evil 5 ($19.99 from $29.99 until 1/17)
Cat Quest II ($13.49 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Raging Loop ($25.49 from $29.99 until 1/17)
Skullgirls 2nd Encore ($14.99 from $24.99 until 1/17)
Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth Complete ($34.99 from $49.99 until 1/17)
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete ($41.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Doraemon Story of Seasons ($34.99 from $49.99 until 1/17)
Neo Cab ($14.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
80 Days ($9.74 from $12.99 until 1/17)
Sniper Elite 3 Ultimate ($17.49 from $34.99 until 1/17)
Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Freedom Finger ($12.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX ($13.49 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast ($7.99 from $9.99 until 1/17)
Sayonara Wild Hearts ($9.09 from $12.99 until 1/17)
Amnesisa: Collection ($14.99 from $29.99 until 1/17)
NBA 2K20 ($29.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
River City Girls ($20.99 from $29.99 until 1/17)
Divinity Original Sin 2 ($39.99 from $49.99 until 1/17)
Torchlight II ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Heave Ho ($6.99 from $9.99 until 1/17)
Hotline Miami Collection ($12.49 from $24.99 until 1/17)
Grandia HD Collection ($27.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
Ittle Dew ($6.99 from $9.99 until 1/17)
Wolfenstein: Youngblood Deluxe ($19.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
God Eater 3 ($35.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Senran Kagura Peach Ball ($23.99 from $39.99 until 1/17)
Siralim 3 ($7.49 from $14.99 until 1/17)
What Remains of Edith Finch ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Terraria ($20.99 from $29.99 until 1/17)
Devil May Cry ($14.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
My Friend Pedro ($13.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Contra Anniversary Collection ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Castlevania Anniversary Collection ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Slay the Spire ($19.99 from $24.99 until 1/16)
Timespinner ($15.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Mortal Kombat 11 ($23.99 from $59.99 until 1/17)
Katana Zero ($9.74 from $14.99 until 1/17)
Blaster Master Zero 2 ($7.99 from $9.99 until 1/17)
Toridama: Brave Challenge ($2.50 from $5.00 until 1/17)
Wargroove ($15.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Tangledeep ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/17)
Sales Ending This Weekend
Dyna Bomb ($1.59 from $1.99 until 1/11)
Koloro ($0.99 from $9.99 until 1/11)
Metaloid: Origin ($5.99 from $6.99 until 1/11)
Artifact Adventure Gaiden DX ($7.99 from $9.99 until 1/12)
Drunk-Fu: Wasted Masters ($4.99 from $9.99 until 1/12)
Feather ($6.99 from $9.99 until 1/12)
Horror Pinball Bundle ($4.49 from $8.99 until 1/12)
Screencheat: Unplugged ($6.36 from $12.99 until 1/12)
Shakedown: Hawaii ($9.99 from $19.99 until 1/12)
Street Basketball ($0.59 from $5.99 until 1/12)
The Mystery of the Hudson Case ($4.15 from $4.89 until 1/12)
That’s all for today, friends. But hey, I think that’s plenty of things to spend your money and time on for one week, right? What are you picking up from the sale? Will you be buying the Pokemon Expansion Pass? Feel free to comment below and let me know. I hope you all have a great weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!
