Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 20th, 2021. It’s a little quiet today in terms of new releases and news, but we’ll make do with what we’ve got. There are a couple more Mini-Views for you to enjoy, this time looking at QUByte’s Savage Halloween and Koch Media’s Relicta. There’s only one new release to check out, but it’s a pretty good one. We’ve also got the latest sales for you to look over, along with the usual list of expiring discounts. Let’s get going!
Mini-Views
Savage Halloween ($4.99)
You know, this is a lot better than I expected it to be. Savage Halloween is a retro-style side-scrolling run-and-gun platformer with an admittedly out-of-season Halloween theme. There are three different characters to choose from, each some sort of monster. While they mostly share the same weapons, they have slightly different parameters and some unique moves. Not enough to change the game or anything, but it’s nice to have some variation. Plus, it helps keep the players separated in two-player mode. There are several stages, and they’re all suitably lengthy and capped off with a boss fight.
There are flaws here, to be sure. Collision detection is a bit rough, but the fact that most attacks are ranged helps mitigate any issues arriving from that. Some of the levels go on a bit too long, and not all of the gimmicks land as well as you’d hope. There are several weapons to use but half of them are incredibly situational and it’s hard to make a case for using anything other than your normal weapon in most cases. That said, the core gameplay works well. The controls are reliable, the stage layouts are mostly enjoyable, and the challenge generally hits the right notes. For the meager asking price, Savage Halloween punches well above its weight class.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Relicta ($19.99)
Portal is almost fourteen years old, but it still casts a long shadow over the puzzle genre. It wasn’t the first game to combine physics puzzles with an immersive narrative, but it was the first hugely popular one in quite a while. A lot of that came down to how well it balanced its two halves. The story and the puzzles shared the load almost perfectly, something not even its sequel could pull off. Relicta takes a swing at it, but its story just can’t quite keep up. It’s not for a lack of trying; there’s an attempt made here about questionable experiments and keeping your daughter safe. The station that serves as the setting has a lot of areas to poke around at and certainly does its part at feeling like a real space. Ultimately, it just failed to grab my interest with much vigor.
Fortunately, the puzzle part of the equation is well-done. It’s a lot of block manipulation to press switches and other such timeless hits, but it brings magnetism and gravity manipulation into the mix to keep things lively. And indeed it does, putting your mind to the absolute test over the course of the game. It’s wild how far it can push these concepts, and if you’re the sort to get frustrated over tough challenges, you’ll have a bad time here. If, on the other hand, you delight on untangling the knots of tricky brain-teasers, even without the dangling carrot of a strong narrative, you’ll enjoy what Relicta has to offer.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
New Releases
Dwarf Journey ($7.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
It’s the only release for today, and luckily it’s a pretty good one. An action-platformer with roguelite elements, Dwarf Journey sees a warrior named Gallor exploring the Valley of Eternity for treasure that is said to grant its owner immortality. You’ll explore procedurally-generated levels, defeating enemies to level up and collecting minerals you can use to forge better equipment. It has the whiff of Rogue Legacy about it, but it’s a simpler, shorter, and more streamlined experience on the whole. Nothing too fancy or original, but it controls well and is a fun romp while it lasts.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
The bulk of today’s new sales come from one publisher: Ratalaika Games. It ports a lot of interesting games to Switch that are worth considering even at their normal prices. Aside from those games, SUPERHOT, Death Ray Manta SE, and the pair of Gunslugs titles jump out at me the most. Looking over at the outbox, the Choices That Matter Trilogy, Chasm, Mutant Mudds Collection, and Vaporum are the games that catch my eye. Scan over the lists yourself to see what catches yours, though.
Select New Games on Sale
Gunslugs ($3.19 from $7.99 until 4/24)
Gunslugs 2 ($3.19 from $7.99 until 4/24)
Puddle Knights ($5.99 from $9.99 until 4/27)
Dwarf Journey ($6.39 from $7.99 until 5/4)
SUPERHOT ($14.99 from $24.99 until 5/4)
Total Arcade Racing ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/9)
A Winter’s Daydream ($2.99 from $5.99 until 5/9)
The Mooseman ($3.49 from $6.99 until 5/9)
North ($1.99 from $2.99 until 5/9)
Drowning ($1.99 from $2.99 until 5/9)
Blood Waves ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/9)
The Tower of Beatrice ($2.99 from $5.99 until 5/9)
Rift Keeper ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/9)
Breeder Homegrown: DC ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/9)
Grim Legends 3: The Dark City ($2.09 from $14.99 until 5/10)
Bezier: Second Edition ($1.99 from $19.99 until 5/10)
Lumo ($1.99 from $19.99 until 5/10)
InkSplosion ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Squareboy vs Bullies ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Plantera Deluxe ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Super Destronaut DX ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
I and Me ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/10)
FoxyLand ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
FoxyLand 2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Milo’s Quest ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Solitaire Deluxe Bundle 3 in 1 ($2.49 from $14.99 until 5/10)
Red Wings: Aces of the Sky ($3.99 from $19.99 until 5/10)
Solitaire TriPeaks Flowers ($2.03 from $5.99 until 5/10)
Crowy Farm Puzzle ($2.03 from $5.99 until 5/10)
Metamorphosis ($7.49 from $24.99 until 5/10)
Cecconoid ($1.99 from $19.99 until 5/10)
The Secret Order: RttBK ($2.09 from $14.99 until 5/10)
Death Ray Manta SE ($2.00 from $10.00 until 5/10)
Red Bow ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Zeroptian Invasion ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Bird Game + ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Cybarian: TTTW ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Attack of the Toy Tanks ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Scheming Through Zombie Apocalypse ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Paradox Soul ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Bouncy Bullets ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Space Cows ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/10)
Just Ignore Them ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Deep Space Rush ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Himno ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Distraint: Deluxe ($2.39 from $5.99 until 5/10)
Mochi Mochi Boy ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Hoggy2 ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Super Box Land Demake ($2.24 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Super Wiloo Demake ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Gravity Duck ($2.24 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Mekabolt ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Delta Squad ($2.99 from $5.99 until 5/10)
Football Game ($2.24 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Deadlings ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Little Racer ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/10)
Sagebrush ($2.99 from $5.99 until 5/10)
My Big Sister ($2.69 from $5.99 until 5/10)
FullBlast ($2.99 from $5.99 until 5/10)
Legend of the Skyfish ($3.99 from $7.99 until 5/10)
Devious Dungeon ($3.19 from $7.99 until 5/10)
Devious Dungeon 2 ($3.19 from $7.99 until 5/10)
Tetra’s Escape ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Access Denied ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Daggerhood ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
One More Dungeon ($3.19 from $7.99 until 5/10)
Twin Robots: Ultimate ($3.19 from $7.99 until 5/10)
Warlock’s Tower ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Neon Junctions ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Midnight Deluxe ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
36 Fragments of Midnight ($2.00 from $2.99 until 5/10)
I Am The Hero ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/10)
Peasant Knight ($2.00 from $2.99 until 5/10)
Metagal ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Super Weekend Mode ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Iron Snout ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Heroes Trials ($2.39 from $5.99 until 5/10)
This is the Zodiac Speaking ($5.99 from $19.99 until 5/10)
Shadow of Loot Box ($3.19 from $7.99 until 5/10)
Tap Tap Legions ($2.79 from $3.99 until 5/10)
From Shadows ($3.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Help Will Come Tomorrow ($3.99 from $19.99 until 5/10)
Retro Game Pack ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Super Loop Drive ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/10)
Miniature: The Story Puzzle ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/10)
Overlanders ($1.99 from $24.99 until 5/10)
Big Pharma ($4.99 from $29.99 until 5/10)
Just Black Jack ($1.99 from $2.99 until 5/10)
Age of Mages: The Last Keeper ($8.39 from $11.99 until 5/10)
We. The Revolution ($3.99 from $19.99 until 5/10)
Skyhill ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
History 2048 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Apocalipsis Wormwood ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/10)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 21st
A Long Way Down ($13.49 from $14.99 until 4/21)
Animal Up! ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Azurebreak Heroes ($3.49 from $6.99 until 4/21)
Bossgard ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/21)
Boxing Champs ($2.37 from $9.50 until 4/21)
Cake Laboratory ($1.99 from $2.99 until 4/21)
Cattails ($1.99 from $14.99 until 4/21)
Chasm ($7.99 from $19.99 until 4/21)
Choices That Matter: ATHWL ($3.59 from $5.99 until 4/21)
Choices That Matter: ATSWE ($3.59 from $5.99 until 4/21)
Choices That Matter: ATSWO ($3.59 from $5.99 until 4/21)
Crimson Keep ($5.99 from $19.99 until 4/21)
Deiland: Pocket Planet ($16.99 from $19.99 until 4/21)
Demon’s Rise: Lords of Chaos ($5.59 from $7.99 until 4/21)
Dynos & Ghosts ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Gear.Club Unlimited 2 ($7.99 from $39.99 until 4/21)
Go! Fish Go! ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/21)
Grey Skies: A WotW Story ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/21)
Hitori Logic ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Jumping Stack Ball ($2.79 from $3.99 until 4/21)
Kakuro Magic ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Mega Mall Story ($7.00 from $14.00 until 4/21)
Monster Prom: XXL ($6.39 from $15.99 until 4/21)
Morbid: The Seven Acolytes ($17.49 from $24.99 until 4/21)
Mutant Mudds Collection ($2.24 from $14.99 until 4/21)
Negative: The Way of Shinobi ($3.24 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Party Crashers ($1.99 from $15.00 until 4/21)
Party Golf ($1.99 from $15.00 until 4/21)
Pet Shop Snacks ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Pocket Academy ($7.00 from $14.00 until 4/21)
Pooplers ($3.59 from $8.99 until 4/21)
Riot: Civil Unrest ($5.99 from $19.99 until 4/21)
Rollin’ Eggz ($1.99 from $2.99 until 4/21)
Slither Loop ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Soccer Slammers ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/21)
Solitaire Klondike Minimal ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/21)
Solitaire Spider Minimal ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/21)
Squad Killer ($3.99 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Squidgies Takeover ($1.99 from $15.00 until 4/21)
Suguru Nature ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/21)
Suicide Guy Collection ($8.24 from $10.99 until 4/21)
Sword of the Necromancer ($12.74 from $14.99 until 4/21)
The Adv. of Elena Temple: Definitive ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/21)
The Bullet: Time of Revenge ($2.24 from $4.49 until 4/21)
The Long Reach ($4.49 from $14.99 until 4/21)
The Walking Vegetables: Radical ($3.89 from $12.99 until 4/21)
They Came From the Sky ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Toolboy ($4.99 from $12.49 until 4/21)
Torn Tales: Rebound ($4.39 from $7.99 until 4/21)
Totes the Goat ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Vaporum ($9.99 from $24.99 until 4/21)
Warlock of Firetop Mountain ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/21)
Welcome to Hanwell ($2.99 from $14.99 until 4/21)
Woodle Tree 2: Deluxe ($3.89 from $12.99 until 4/21)
Woodle Tree Adventures ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Xeodrifter ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/21)
Zombie Apocalypse ($1.99 from $3.99 until 4/21)
That’s all for today, friends. Tomorrow will surely have some news to look at, along with a few new releases. There should also be some sales, as usual. Things are going to get rather busy on Thursday, so enjoy the peace while it lasts, I suppose. I hope you all have an excellent Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!
