Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for August 5th, 2021. In today’s article, we’ve got a whole ton of new releases to check out, with a surprisingly large amount of really good games among them. We’ve got summaries of everything as usual, even Battle Calculator. Yes, that is real. We’ve also got a little Super Smash Bros. Ultimate news, and the usual lists of incoming and outgoing sales. Let’s get going!
News
Collect ‘Mario Golf: Super Rush’ Spirits in This Week’s ‘Smash’ Event
I was hoping for something good when the news about the next weekend Super Smash Bros. Ultimate event was late yesterday, and it seems like my hopes weren’t totally mistaken. New Spirits will be joining the game in the newest event, these ones drawn from the relatively recently-released Mario Golf: Super Rush. Golf-ready versions of Mario, Luigi, and Peach will be available, and if you think it is some garbage that Wario and Waluigi aren’t here, I agree. Anyway, you’ll have five days to collect the new Spirits and load up on some extra gold when the event goes live on Friday. Nice shot!
New Releases
Dungeon Defenders: Awakened ($29.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
This is a powered-up remake of the popular Dungeon Defenders, or at least it’s meant to be. A little bit of action-RPG, a little bit of tower defense, this series has a lot of fans and it’s not hard to see why. Up to four players can join in on this one via online multiplayer, cooperating with each other to win the day. Many people have enjoyed this remake in its computer form, while others think it’s weaker than the original. I don’t have any particularly strong opinions either way on it, as I am not really a tower defense kind of fellow. What I can say is that this is the only Dungeon Defenders the Switch has to offer, so comparisons to early titles probably don’t mean as much here.
Picross S Genesis & Master System Edition ($9.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
So wait… this is a Picross game with 480 puzzles, all of them SEGA-themed? Normal Picross, Mega Picross, and glorious Blue Skies Color Picross? Well, I’ve only got one thing to say to that:
I.F.O ($3.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Hm, people are really into the Game & Watch aesthetic lately, aren’t they? While this one looks very authentic in stills, it thankfully plays a lot smoother than any cheap LCD game could have dreamed of. It’s actually a rather nice little shoot-em-up, so if you’re looking for something cheap to pick up today I’ll go ahead and say you could do an awful lot worse than this one. Snazzy style, quality action, low price. I like that combination.
Dreamscaper ($24.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
Combine a heavy story with a quality action-RPG and add a heavy dose of roguelite, and you’ve got a solid recipe for a good game. Each night, you dive into your subconscious to face your nightmares with an array of lucid powers and unique items. By day, you’ll live main character Cassidy’s normal life, building relationships and unveiling more of the story as you go. The friendships you form and the hopes of the people may just help you in pushing back the darkness within your soul. If you’re burnt out on Hades, you might find this to be your next jam.
Dodgeball Academia ($24.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
It’s a dodgeball RPG. You’re either in or out already just from that description, I suspect. It has support for two-player competitive play via local multiplayer, but I’m going to go ahead and tell you that you should only pick this up if you’re interested in a reasonably lengthy single-player campaign about a plucky upstart putting together a winning team. Explore the campus, take on quests, engage in some mini-games, and of course play some dodgeball. Unlock and upgrade new characters to strengthen your team, and see if you can discover the secrets of Dodgeball Academia. Surprisingly satisfying sports action that fans of Golf Story will probably want to dig into.
Arcade Archives Bio-Ship Paladin ($7.99)
Another UPL shoot-em-up this week, this time the 1990 side-scroller Bio-Ship Paladin. It’s a very difficult game whose core gimmick involves a secondary weapon that you can manually aim using crosshairs. It’s an interesting mechanic as you can’t maneuver while using it, but the extra accuracy it affords you can be worth it in some situations. Your ship feels like it’s the size of an ocean liner, so it can be pretty tough to avoid taking hits even when you’re on the stick. Luckily, you can weather a bit of damage before blowing up. I wouldn’t call it a great shooter, but it’s at least an interesting one. Hamster has done its usual quality of work here in bringing the game to the Switch.
The Falconeer: Warrior Edition ($29.99)
Another birdie game, and one that makes its way over from one of the big-pants consoles to boot. You ride on the back of a big bird and cruise around defeating enemies and enjoying the sights and sounds. This version of the game packs in a couple of the DLCs from the previous one, giving players a little extra mustard for the wait. The free-flying is cool, but the combat just doesn’t have the sizzle to keep things interesting over the course of the game. But given how many people enjoy just the pure act of flying around in games, that may not be an issue.
A Monster’s Expedition ($19.99)
This lovely Apple Arcade game makes its way to Switch, and it’s just as much fun here as it was on mobile. You play as a monster exploring an open world, mostly by using trees to make paths. You can knock down trees, fling them, roll them, and so on to make your way between the hundreds of islands that make up the game. The framing device is cute, too. You’re learning about humans from a monster’s point of view, and not all of the data is necessarily correct. A really fun puzzler, but I’ll give my usual Apple Arcade speech. It’s probably more cost-efficient to play this on your mobile device, and it plays just fine on such hardware. But if you want to own the game in a slightly more permanent fashion or just want to play it on your console of choice, that option is now available to you.
123 Dots ($9.99)
This one’s for all the pre-schoolers out there. It’s an educational title aimed at giving kids various exercises and games to learn the numbers one to twenty. There are counting games, puzzles, memory matching games, and so on. All of these games use the titular Dots characters. I’m not going to pretend this is aimed at me or even you, dear reader, but if you have some young ones and want to give them something educational to do with their video game time, you may want to take a look at this and see if it suits your needs.
Battle Calculator ($14.99)
Everyone had to go and make so much noise about Sabec’s Calculator app, and now you see what we’ve got on our hands? Sigh. Battle Calculator! Up to four players can join in via local multiplayer and race to create the number the game generates by performing various calculations. And hey, you can also use it as a normal calculator. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.
Star Hunter DX ($14.99)
So hey, this is a fantastic side-scrolling bullet-hell shoot-em-up. The main gimmick is that you have a gauge you fill up by defeating enemies and can use it at your leisure to enter bullet time. It feels like a game put together by people who really love Cave’s shooters in particular, and it completely nails the fundamentals. I would love to give this game a very hearty recommendation, and maybe one day I will be able to. Unfortunately, the performance of this Switch version is absolutely horrendous, and in this genre that really isn’t acceptable. The unintentional slowdown here feels like it’s at Gradius III SNES levels, and there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to when it’s triggered. Let’s hope the developer can fix it, because there is a truly great game behind the problems.
Haven Park ($8.99)
Jump into the role of Flint, a little bird who is trying to keep his grandmother’s park running. Broadly speaking, you need to satisfy the requests of the various campers around the park. Build the things they want, find the items they’re requesting, and so on. If you can do that, you’ll attract even more campers with their own requests to work on. It’s a relatively brief game in the vein of things like A Short Hike. Explore a little open world, get to know the many characters, and go at your own pace. I haven’t had a chance to put my hands on this one yet, but it looks to be exactly what it’s selling itself as.
Dating Life: Miley X Emily ($9.99)
Miley has decided to go in her first date in years, but she makes a goof when she enters her details over the internet. The result? She expected to go on a date with a dude, but ends up on a date with a straight woman. The two decide to just roll with it and try to enjoy the night anyway. You make the choices for Miley during the date, and depending on your decisions you’ll end up with one of five different endings. I suppose they’re not as straight as they thought, as the game describes itself as a yuri-themed romance story. Probably not the fanciest visual novel around, but those on the hunt for a cute romance story may want to give this a look.
Doomsday Vault ($19.99)
It’s up to you to rescue Earth’s plants in a doomsday scenario. Suit up and head out into the world to navigate the ruins of humanity. Recover precious seeds and bring them back to your secure vault to plant, nurture, and grow. Get enough of them and you’ll have a nice array of sustainable crops to make the apocalypse a little more comfortable. You’ll be able unlock new tools and items as you play to customize your suit, and there are plenty of puzzles to solve while you explore the various 3D environments. Regular readers may recognize this game as another one from Apple Arcade. It’s a somewhat short and easy game, so I personally found that version more than enough for my needs. But if you want the whole console experience and don’t mind paying for it, here you go.
Orbals ($29.99)
This 3D puzzle-action game is from the developer that made The Pinball Arcade, so… I don’t know, do with that what you will. You play as little round creatures who have to roll and smash through obstacles in order to make their way through 100 stages. You can unlock new characters and upgrade them as you go. It looks okay, but I just have trouble trusting these folks with my money anymore. Especially this much money. I got burned too many times near the end of their Pinball Arcade era, I guess. If you have more faith, feel free to proceed. It certainly seems fine enough on the surface.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Some interesting sales popping up already, and surely more to follow for tomorrow’s list. Of note today: Baldur’s Gate Dark Alliance has its first discount, Brigandine is I think the cheapest it has been, and the Onion Games line-up is fully available at nice prices. In the outbox, it’s your last chance for the time being to save on the first three Dragon Quest games, along with the amazing, spectacular, terrifying, and deadly Balan Wonderworld. Check both of the lists carefully as usual, though. You know how all of this goes, especially when Shaun is tired.
Select New Games on Sale
Food Truck Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/9)
Classic Pool ($5.59 from $7.99 until 8/9)
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance ($23.99 from $29.99 until 8/12)
Haven Park ($7.99 from $8.99 until 8/12)
Table Top Racing: WT+N ($17.49 from $24.99 until 8/12)
Brigandine: TLoR ($34.99 from $49.99 until 8/19)
Enter Digiton: HoC ($6.39 from $7.99 until 8/25)
Bit Dungeon Plus ($3.14 from $8.99 until 8/25)
Ice Cream Surfer ($2.80 from $8.00 until 8/25)
Balthazar’s Dream ($2.80 from $8.00 until 8/25)
Mushroom Heroes ($2.09 from $5.99 until 8/25)
Pachi Pachi on a Roll ($4.19 from $6.99 until 8/25)
In Celebration of Violence ($7.79 from $12.99 until 8/25)
Black Jack World Tour ($2.39 from $3.99 until 8/25)
moon ($16.99 from $18.99 until 8/26)
Dandy Dungeon: Brave Yamada ($9.49 from $18.99 until 8/26)
Black Bird ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/26)
Kitty Love ($16.74 from $24.99 until 8/26)
Push the Box: Puzzle Game ($7.11 from $8.89 until 8/26)
Deuces Wild: Video Poker ($3.96 from $4.95 until 8/26)
Infection: Board Game ($3.96 from $4.95 until 8/26)
Hexxagon: Board Game ($5.59 from $6.99 until 8/26)
Joker Poker: Video Poker ($3.96 from $4.95 until 8/26)
Video Poker Collection ($7.96 from 9.95 until 8/26)
Mystare: Ruins of Deazniff ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/26)
Klondike Solitaire Collection ($4.63 from $5.79 until 8/26)
Freecell Solitaire Collection ($4.63 from $5.79 until 8/26)
Space Commander: War & Trade ($6.99 from $9.99 until 8/26)
Jacks or Better: Video Poker ($3.96 from $4.95 until 8/26)
Dominate: Board Game ($3.96 from $4.95 until 8/26)
Spiral Memoria ($16.74 from $24.99 until 8/26)
MazezaM: Puzzle Game ($4.40 from $5.50 until 8/26)
Arcanoid Breakout ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/26)
Foreclosed ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/26)
Kid Tripp ($1.99 from $3.99 until 8/26)
Superola & the Lost Burgers ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/26)
Ayakashi Koi Gikyoku ($16.74 from $24.99 until 8/26)
Iris School of Wizardry ($16.74 from $24.99 until 8/26)
Kitiara Fables ($15.99 from $19.99 until 9/2)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, August 6th
4×4 Dirt Track ($5.99 from $11.99 until 8/6)
Absolute Drift ($5.39 from $11.99 until 8/6)
Alder’s Blood ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Apparition ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Aviary Attorney: Definitive ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Back to Bed ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Balan Wonderworld ($19.99 from $39.99 until 8/6)
Basketball Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 8/6)
Batu Ta Batu ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Bob Help Them ($2.99 from $7.99 until 8/6)
Body of Evidence ($2.99 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Bounce Mania ($1.99 from $3.99 until 8/6)
Car Driving School Sim ($6.99 from $13.99 until 8/6)
Carnage: Battle Arena ($4.49 from $14.99 until 8/6)
Chess Knights: Shinobi ($1.99 from $3.99 until 8/6)
City Driving Simulator ($5.99 from $11.99 until 8/6)
Color Zen Kids ($3.19 from $3.99 until 8/6)
Connection Haunted ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Connection reHaunted ($3.99 from $6.66 until 8/6)
Creepy Tale ($3.49 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Cube Life: Island Survival ($11.99 from $14.99 until 8/6)
DayD: Through Time ($3.99 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Daylife in Japan: Pixel Art Jigsaw ($1.99 from $3.99 until 8/6)
Destropolis ($3.99 from $5.99 until 8/6)
Dimension Drive ($1.99 from $12.99 until 8/6)
Drag Racing Rivals ($2.99 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Dragon Quest ($3.24 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Dragon Quest II ($4.21 from $6.49 until 8/6)
Dragon Quest III ($8.11 from $12.49 until 8/6)
Ego Protocol: Remastered ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/6)
El Hijo: A Wild West Tale ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Exorder ($1.99 from $12.99 until 8/6)
Final Light, The Prison ($1.99 from $6.99 until 8/6)
Freecell Solitaire ($2.69 from $4.49 until 8/6)
Gems of Magic: Father’s Day ($7.49 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Golden Force ($10.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Grand Prix Rock ‘N Racing ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Graviter ($3.99 from $7.99 until 8/6)
Green Game: TimeSwapper ($2.00 from $2.99 until 8/6)
Hand of Fate 2 ($9.89 from $29.99 until 8/6)
Inferno 2 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/6)
jetPIN ($1.99 from $5.99 until 8/6)
Jin Conception ($12.00 from $15.00 until 8/6)
Kickerinho World ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Kids: Farm Coloring ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Little Big Workshop ($11.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Lost Wing ($1.99 from $7.99 until 8/6)
Luckslinger ($6.99 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Lumini ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Make War ($2.49 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Midnight Evil ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Nonograms Prophecy ($1.99 from $3.99 until 8/6)
Paper Wars: Cannon Fodder ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Picklock ($2.49 from $7.99 until 8/6)
Pirates: All Aboard! ($1.99 from $5.99 until 8/6)
Pixel Action Heroes ($3.99 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Pizza Parking ($2.39 from $5.99 until 8/6)
Pool Pro GOLD ($2.49 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Powertris ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Rainswept ($2.49 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Rawr-Off ($1.99 from $2.99 until 8/6)
Savage Halloween ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Space Elite Force ($1.99 from $2.99 until 8/6)
SpaceColorsRunner ($2.39 from $5.99 until 8/6)
Splashy Cube ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Spooky Chase ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Squeakers II ($2.09 from $2.99 until 8/6)
Star Horizon ($2.49 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Street Basketball ($1.99 from $5.99 until 8/6)
Strike Force Kitty ($1.99 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Super Arcade Soccer ($2.02 from $6.99 until 8/6)
SuperMash ($3.99 from $19.99 until 8/6)
Tanagrams Deluxe ($2.99 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Tanuki Justice ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/6)
The Bug Butcher ($1.99 from $7.99 until 8/6)
Tinker Racers ($2.49 from $4.99 until 8/6)
Tower of Babel ($1.99 from $5.99 until 8/6)
Vasara Collection ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/6)
Wallachia: Reign of Dracula ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/6)
War Solution: Casual Math Game ($1.99 from $3.99 until 8/6)
Within the Blade ($8.79 from $10.99 until 8/6)
Xtreme Club Racing ($1.99 from $9.99 until 8/6)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with the rest of the releases for the week. Games like Badland and Spelunker HD Deluxe are leading the charge, but for the most part it should be a quieter day than today in that regard. The sales will probably be bananas as Nintendo of Japan is hosting a summer sale and many games tend to go on sale across the board during such things. We’ll see, at any rate. I hope you all have a fantastic Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
