Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for July 22nd, 2022. In today’s article, we have a few bits of news to look at. Yes, we don’t usually do news on Fridays, but that’s just how it worked out today. After that, we head into the new release summaries. There are a lot of them, and most of them aren’t very good. Some days are like that. At least we have Live A Live? Finally, we’ve got a bunch of sales to check out, including a huge sale on Square Enix titles. Let’s go!
News
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection’ Arrives August 30th
With how great Shredder’s Revenge turned out, many players have come down with a deadly case of TMNT fever recently. Konami is just about ready to make its contribution to the mania with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection. It collects thirteen of Konami’s classic games featuring the Heroes in a Half-Shell, from the aggravating NES game to the much-loved Turtles in Time. Well, we know all of this already. The news today is that we finally know when it’s arriving: August 30th. On the one hand, it’s only a bit over a month away. On the other hand, it’s more than a month away! Not a bad way at all to cap off the summer, at least.
More Super NES and NES Games Have Been Added to Nintendo Switch Online
With little fanfare, Nintendo has dropped more Super NES and NES games for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers to play. On the Super NES, there’s the Puyo Puyo reskin Kirby’s Avalanche and Data East’s once-controversial fighter Fighter’s History. The NES gets something rather bizarre, with T&E Soft’s Daiva Story 6: Imperial of Nirsartia joining the service. It’s a strategy/action game that was never brought out in the West back in the day, and it is indeed fully in Japanese here too. Something to poke at, I suppose. Over on the Japanese Super Famicom app, they’ve swapped out Kirby’s Avalanche (which had no Japanese release) for Kirby’s Star Stacker. You can easily enjoy it even if you don’t understand Japanese, so you may want to check that out if you know how to.
New Releases
Live A Live ($49.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
I have to say, there have been a whole lot of English releases lately of old 16-bit RPGs that I started studying Japanese back in my teenage years just to play. And I’m fully okay with this, because Square’s 16-bit output is so much more than Final Fantasy, Secret of Mana, and Chrono Trigger, and now more people can see that. Live A Live is one of its more unique RPGs, with seven different tales to choose from that ultimately come together for a grand finale. This new remake gives the game the HD-2D treatment, and it looks absolutely amazing. If you love RPGs, you’ll most assuredly want to give this a try. And hey, look at that! There’s a demo, so you can do just that.
Dungeon Slime Collection ($4.99)
This is a collection of two puzzle games offering up a total of more than forty levels to play. The gimmick here is that you move the slime, and when it hits a wall it splatters into a new shape. You have to make your moves in such a way so that you’re in the right shape to get where you need to go. You’ll have to watch out for hazards littered about as you make your way to the exits of each level. You know what? Not a bad little pick-up for a fiver. Better than most of today’s other releases.
Faircroft’s Antiques: The Mountaineer’s Legacy – Collector’s Edition ($9.99)
We’ve got about five of the games in this particular series of hidden object adventures on the Switch by now, and I don’t have much new to say. It’s a fresh story with fresh puzzles, and if that’s the jam you like by all means slap it on your toast.
Construction Ramp Jumping ($9.99)
BoomHits is back with another odd driving game. In this one, you drive construction vehicles like roadrollers off of ramps and into destructible objects. It offers exactly what it says on the tin, and I guess I have to respect that single-mindedness. These folks just really want to give you a virtual way to launch heavy vehicles into objects.
Solitaire Collection ($7.43)
More solitaire for those who require it. You get three variants here: Klondike, Freecell, and Eight-Off. Each one includes a thousand different levels to play, so you get a lot of game for your seven and a half bucks. I feel like this mine has been largely stripped by now, but maybe you’ve been waiting for the right solitaire game and this is it? Sell a lot so you can fund more shoot-em-ups, Success.
Inertia: Redux ($4.39)
Another first-person parkour-style platformer, something we’ve been seeing more and more of recently. It’s a very linear one with somewhat abstract graphics, as though the whole thing takes place in the tutorial levels of Metroid Prime Hunters. I haven’t had a chance to play it yet so I can’t say if it’s good or not, but if you like this kind of game it at least won’t cost you much to find out.
Animal Rivals: Up In The Air ($11.99)
This bills itself as a party game, but it’s really an aerial racer. You can play alone or in splitscreen with another player, and there’s actually a fair bit in here for the price. Nine different characters, five different types of races, a forty-stage career mode, and over one hundred parts you can use to customize your plane with. It’s alright, considering the price.
Sakura Fantasy ($9.99)
Another Sakura visual novel from the folks at Gamuzumi. The protagonist is a lady knight, and as usual there are a number of potential romantic targets you can court. Make your choices and see who you end up with when everything is said and done. Another known quantity and I suspect you already know if you are in or out.
Am I Kind Hearted? ($19.99)
Visual novels often get unfairly painted as being sleaze, but sometimes that shoe fits. Here’s the story of this one. A young man named Kyosuke drinks too many energy drinks while gaming, which leads to him seemingly contracting a bizarre disease. The treatments require a lot of money, so his childhood friend, her older sister, and his aunt decide to sell themselves to strange men to raise the funds. In a wacky turn of events it seems Kyosuke was misdiagnosed, but oh no, the women are now addicted to the work. I don’t know. Maybe it’s better than it seems, but this one isn’t available on the Canadian eShop and there’s usually a good reason when that happens.
9 in 1 Puzzles ($3.99)
And now let’s wade into the trash. Benjamin Kistler has another mobile template flip for us. It has nine different puzzle games, all of which look to be variants on 2048, and it’s handheld only. Adding button controls might involve work and Benny isn’t having any of that. It’s junk, but we wouldn’t expect anything else from this man.
Tiki Party: Quiz Game with Friends ($1.99)
Fresh off last week’s plagiarism debacle, trash merchant Cooking & Publishing is back with another probable template flip. It calls itself a quiz game, but all it really offers is a set of 100 questions that are meant to provoke conversation among you and other people in the same room. The only real interactivity here is choosing whether or not you want adult questions in the mix. Basically pointless, but at least there’s no copyright infringement here. As far as I can see, anyway.
Polygraph: Escape from the Lie Detector ($3.99)
Don’t think Cooking & Publishing is done today yet, however. Here’s another garbage game, one that is very similar to another release from a couple weeks back. You’ll have to answer timed questions about a crime, and then make sure you repeat the same answer when the game asks you again. Well, at least we get funny pictures of someone’s aunt and uncle in cheap suits pretending to be police.
Encounters: Music Stories ($4.99)
Oh ho ho, you thought Cooking & Publishing was done? Not by a long shot, friends. Here’s its third release for today. This one at least appears to not be a template flip. Tap the buttons or touch screen or shake the Joy-Cons to the music. A simple rhythm game that is hard to recommend considering how many great ones are available on Switch.
Hover Racer ($4.99)
Not wanting to be left out, Pix Arts has its own lousy game to sell today. I’d call it a Dollar Store Wipeout, but that feels rude to the overall quality of Dollar Store products. Single-player only, different hovercrafts to collect, weapons to use, awful collision detection to marvel at, and some truly dire graphics and sound. I know it’s cheaper than the other zero gravity racers on Switch, but you’re far better off banking your fiver towards literally any of those than wasting it here.
Best Sniper: Shooting Hunter ($9.99)
Hunting dinosaurs and zombies with a sniper rifle hasn’t been this boring since the last time T-Bull made a game like this.
Cow Rush: Water Adventure ($4.99)
An endless swimming adventure featuring a sea-faring cow. Dash, dodge, and see how long you can last. I wouldn’t pay a fiver for it, but maybe you might?
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Some interesting things in the new sales today. A whole lot of Square Enix games, and although I didn’t exhaustively list them, a bunch of Ubisoft games too. Not much to speak of in the outbox, so feel free to carefully comb through the list of new discounts and blow some of that money in your wallet.
Select New Games on Sale
Syndrome ($3.99 from $24.99 until 7/28)
Behind the Frame: Finest Scenery ($11.69 from $12.99 until 7/29)
Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus? ($9.09 from $12.99 until 7/29)
For The Warp ($12.59 from $17.99 until 7/29)
Adios ($9.89 from $17.99 until 7/29)
The Longest Road on Earth ($7.49 from $9.99 until 8/2)
Kathy Rain: Director’s Cut ($10.49 from $14.99 until 8/2)
Night Call ($3.99 from $19.99 until 8/2)
Backbone ($14.99 from $24.99 until 8/2)
West of Dead ($5.99 from $19.99 until 8/2)
Out There Omega The Alliance ($2.99 from $14.99 until 8/2)
Wolfstride ($11.24 from $14.99 until 8/2)
Mosaic ($7.99 from $19.99 until 8/2)
Child of Light Ultimate Edition ($4.99 from $19.99 until 8/4)
Starlink BfA Deluxe ($19.99 from $79.99 until 8/4)
Trivial Pursuit Live 2 ($12.99 from $19.99 until 8/4)
Immortals Fenyx Rising ($14.99 from $59.99 until 8/4)
Assassin’s Creed: Ezio Collection ($23.99 from $39.99 until 8/4)
Fear Effect Sedna ($1.99 from $19.99 until 8/4)
Balan Wonderworld ($11.99 from $39.99 until 8/4)
Spelunker Party! ($8.99 from $29.99 until 8/4)
Star Ocean First Departure R ($8.39 from $20.99 until 8/4)
I Am Setsuna ($15.99 from $39.99 until 8/4)
Lost Sphear ($14.99 from $49.99 until 8/4)
Oninaki ($19.99 from $49.99 until 8/4)
Collection of Mana ($19.99 from $39.99 until 8/4)
Trials of Mana ($24.99 from $49.99 until 8/4)
NEO: The World Ends With You ($29.99 from $59.99 until 8/4)
Actraiser Renaissance ($20.99 from $29.99 until 8/4)
Dragon Quest ($3.24 from $4.99 until 8/4)
Dragon Quest II ($4.21 from $6.49 until 8/4)
Dragon Quest III ($8.11 from $12.49 until 8/4)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles ($11.99 from $29.99 until 8/4)
Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon ($15.99 from $39.99 until 8/4)
Chocobo GP ($34.99 from $49.99 until 8/4)
Final Fantasy VII ($7.99 from $15.99 until 8/4)
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/4)
Final Fantasy IX ($10.49 from $20.99 until 8/4)
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD ($24.99 until $49.99 until 8/4)
Final Fantasy XII TZA ($24.99 from $49.99 until 8/4)
Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition ($11.99 from $29.99 until 8/4)
World of Final Fantasy Maxima ($15.99 from $39.99 until 8/4)
Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory ($29.99 from $59.99 until 8/4)
Kingdom Hearts Integrum Cloud ($62.99 from $89.99 until 8/4)
Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Cloud Vers. ($27.99 from $39.99 until 8/4)
Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Cloud Vers. ($34.99 from $49.99 until 8/4)
Kingdom Hearts III Cloud Vers. ($34.99 from $49.99 until 8/4)
Life is Strange: True Colors ($39.59 from $59.99 until 8/4)
Guardians of the Galaxy Cloud Vers. ($29.99 from $59.99 until 8/4)
Dungeon Encounters ($17.99 from $29.99 until 8/4)
Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden ($20.99 from $29.99 until 8/4)
Voice of Cards: Isle Dragon Roars ($20.99 from $29.99 until 8/4)
Collection of SaGa: FFL ($13.99 from $19.99 until 8/4)
Romancing SaGa 2 ($7.49 from $24.99 until 8/4)
Romancing SaGa 3 ($8.69 from $28.99 until 8/4)
SaGa Frontier Remastered ($17.49 from $24.99 until 8/4)
SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions ($8.99 from $29.99 until 8/4)
Turn Tack ($10.49 from $14.99 until 8/4)
Johnny Turbo’s Arcade, Assorted ($1.99 from $7.99 until 8/5)
Mini Words Collection ($1.99 from $3.99 until 8/5)
Astroneer ($23.99 from $29.99 until 8/5)
Eliza ($3.74 from $14.99 until 8/5)
Urban Cards ($5.98 from $14.95 until 8/5)
Shing! ($1.99 from $19.99 until 8/5)
Death Park 2 ($3.49 from $6.99 until 8/8)
From Heaven to Earth ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/8)
Aery Calm Mind 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/8)
Evasion From Hell ($4.99 from $9.99 until 8/8)
Antarctica 88 ($2.99 from $5.99 until 8/8)
O—O ($2.02 from $3.49 until 8/8)
Ancient Islands ($8.11 from $12.49 until 8/8)
Fishing Star World Tour ($17.99 from $29.99 until 8/10)
Oceanhorn: MoUS ($4.94 from $14.99 until 8/11)
Earth Defense Force World Brothers ($39.59 from $59.99 until 8/11)
Nerf Legends ($12.49 from $49.99 until 8/11)
Zombieland Double Tap Road Trip ($4.79 from $39.99 until 8/11)
Street Outlaws: The List ($4.79 from $39.99 until 8/11)
Street Outlaws 2: Winner Takes All ($12.49 from $49.99 until 8/11)
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2 ($9.99 from $39.99 until 8/11)
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl ($14.99 from $49.99 until 8/11)
Cobra Kai: Karate Kid Saga ($9.99 from $39.99 until 8/11)
Monster Viator ($7.49 from $14.99 until 8/11)
Justice Chronicles ($10.49 from $14.99 until 8/11)
Ghost Sync ($10.49 from $14.99 until 8/11)
Asdivine Hearts ($6.49 from $12.99 until 8/11)
Asdivine Hearts II ($6.49 from $12.99 until 8/11)
Hashime of the Old Book Town ($36.98 from $61.64 until 8/11)
Amazing Princess Sarah ($4.00 from $8.00 until 8/11)
Steam Prison ($39.29 from $65.49 until 8/11)
Aspire: Ina’s Tale ($3.89 from $12.99 until 8/11)
Ephemeral: Fantasy on Dark ($22.79 from $37.99 until 8/11)
Marco & the Galaxy Dragon ($15.99 from $19.99 until 8/11)
Ruinverse ($8.99 from $14.99 until 8/11)
Omega Labyrinth Life ($23.99 from $59.99 until 8/11)
Funghi Explosion ($9.99 from $19.99 until 8/11)
Mechanic Battle ($2.99 from $9.99 until 8/11)
Fury Unleashed ($5.99 from $19.99 until 8/12)
Sales Ending This Weekend
3D Advantime ($1.99 from $9.99 until 7/23)
A Robot Named Fight ($1.99 from $12.99 until 7/23)
Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise ($1.99 from $19.99 until 7/23)
Axolotl ($1.99 from $6.99 until 7/23)
Dobo’s Heroes ($2.50 from $5.00 until 7/23)
Don’t Sink ($4.99 from $9.99 until 7/23)
Down in Bermuda ($1.99 from $19.99 until 7/23)
Draw a Stickman: Epic ($1.99 from $6.99 until 7/23)
Draw a Stickman: Epic 2 ($1.99 from $6.99 until 7/23)
Inspector Waffles ($6.99 from $13.99 until 7/23)
Mr Maker 3D Level Editor ($2.50 from $5.00 until 7/23)
Nincat ($1.99 from $9.99 until 7/23)
Shmup Mania ($2.50 from $5.00 until 7/23)
Skautfold: Shrouded in Sanity ($4.99 from $9.99 until 7/23)
Squeakers ($1.99 from $2.99 until 7/23)
Squeakers II ($1.99 from $2.99 until 7/23)
Sturmfront: The Mutant War ($4.99 from $9.99 until 7/23)
Timber Story ($3.49 from $4.99 until 7/23)
Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield ($8.39 from $11.99 until 7/24)
Agatha Christie: Hercule Poirot ($17.99 from $29.99 until 7/24)
Asterix & Obelix: Slap Them All ($17.99 from $29.99 until 7/24)
Beyond a Steel Sky ($23.99 from $39.99 until 7/24)
Grand Mountain Adventure Wonderlands ($20.99 from $34.99 until 7/24)
Marsupilami Hoobadventure ($17.99 from $29.99 until 7/24)
My Universe: Interior Designer ($17.99 from $29.99 until 7/24)
My Universe: Puppies & Kittens ($17.99 from $29.99 until 7/24)
The Sisters: Party of the Year ($17.99 from $29.99 until 7/24)
That’s all for today and this week, friends. We’ll be back next week with some reviews, lots of new games, plenty of sales, and news as it happens. The big release will of course be Xenoblade Chronicles 3, so maybe make your way through Live A Live quickly. I know that’s how I’m spending my weekend! I hope you all have a great weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!
