Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 19th, 2023. We’ve got more reviews in today’s edition, including a full look at Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection and shorter looks at Sherlock Holmes The Awakened and Dogfight. After that, we have a few big new releases to check out. Minecraft Legends, Disney Speedstorm, The Mageseeker, and God of Rock make this a rather notable Tuesday. Aside from that, we have some sales and news for you to peek at. Let’s get to it!
News
The Next ‘Tetris 99’ Maximus Cup Features ‘Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe’
Kirby and Tetris 99 Maximus Cup events seem to go together well, as the little pink puff has appeared in a ton of them. Add one more notch to the belt, as Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe takes the spotlight in the 33rd Maximum Cup. It kicks off Friday, April 21st at 12:00 am PT and runs through Monday, April 24th at 11:59 pm PT. The same set-up as usual, of course. Play the game and rank as high as you can to earn event points, and earn one hundred event points to permanently unlock the theme.
Reviews & Mini-Views
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection ($59.99)
I remember grabbing the first Mega Man Battle Network game the day it came out. I was really into the Game Boy Advance, really into Mega Man, and really into RPGs. How could I lose? And yes, it turned out to be rather enjoyable. Not without its issues, but surprisingly creative and well-realized. I wasn’t alone in enjoying it, and Mega Man soon had a new formula to rely on. Arguably his most lucrative, as it spun out into a very successful TV show with its own merch. The games kept on releasing, and soon split into Pokemon-like multiple versions. Then after a while, people seemingly got tired of it and the trend was over. Battle Network begat Star Force, and that didn’t seem to catch on in the same way.
In true Mega Man fashion, the Battle Network series got to a point where it was perhaps spinning its wheels a little too much. I can’t remember at which installment I fell off of it, but one thing I’ve learned is that you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. While I lamented the frequency of the games and how little they changed each time, once the series was gone it left a hole that no one really filled. Almost a couple of decades later, here we are with a collection of all of the Game Boy Advance games in the main series. No Battle Chip Challenge, sadly. Those oddball spin-offs always seem to be left off of these collections. But you still get six games, four of which have multiple versions, and that’s quite a lot to play.
By and large Capcom has left the games alone. You get some new fonts that some are going to hate, a rather well-designed (but in my experience poorly performing) online mode for battling other players, and some content that didn’t even make it into the English versions back in the day. Mega Man’s voice actor from the Battle Network animated series has even been brought in to voice some lines on the main menu for the collections. You get a nice gallery of art and music to sift through, some display options (kill that filter ASAP), some borders to choose from, and a cheat option that lets you take out any enemies in a single shot from your Buster. Otherwise, the games are presented as-is. Don’t think you’re going to save state your way through, in other words.
You can buy the collection as a full set or as separate volumes, each containing three of the games. The second set benefits from the extra versions, technically offering you six total SKUs to the first collection’s four. I have to imagine that anyone hardcore enough to play multiple versions of the games (and you’ll have to in order to see the full story in some of them) will be hardcore enough to buy both sets anyway. Those just looking to dip their toe into the waters will probably be well-served by buying the first volume. With how long the games are and how much they tend to share, there’s a good chance you’ll be fully satisfied by the first three games.
The games hold up surprisingly well, at least mechanically. The stories were never terribly involved for the genre, and there are some elements that were iffy at the time and haven’t gotten better with age. But there is a charm to the whole… I want to say naive? approach to the then-nascent Internet age found in these games, and they do venture into the occasional bit of cheesy melodrama. The gameplay is still great. I’m baffled that so few games drew from the exciting battles found in these games. Action-packed with lots of strategy, they’re easily the highlight of the series and the oil that kept the machine going so long. It sure wasn’t the dungeon design, I’ll say that much.
Capcom has done right by the Mega Man Battle Network games with this collection for the most part. If you have happy memories of these games, you’ll likely be happy to revisit them again. The extras are welcome, though I think Capcom could have gone further here with things like save states or the ability to turn off random encounters. It’s great to see some of the lesser-tapped veins of the Blue Bomber’s history get a reissue, and you really can’t argue with the value in terms of how much there is to play here. Worth the pick-up for fans of Mega Man or RPGs alike.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
Sherlock Holmes The Awakened ($39.99)
Frogwares has released several Sherlock Holmes games on the Switch now, and this latest is a rather extensive remake of a game from over fifteen years ago. Sherlock Holmes The Awakened mashes up the famous detective with another famous piece of fiction, the Cthulhu mythos. Holmes investigates a cult and ends up not only struggling to find answers but also maintain his own sanity. Well, that’s the way it is on paper. In practice, the supposedly scary stuff is more goofy than anything. I suppose your mileage may vary, but I’m a noted coward of the highest order and I actually laughed at the various attempts at terror in this game.
Still, it’s all about those mysteries, and this game is as good as any of the previous ones in that regard. You can’t accuse the wrong person in this one, but you can certainly get some of the facts wrong. The challenge is in finding all the evidence and piecing everything together to completely solve each of the cases. Sometimes it’s a bit like finding a needle in a haystack, but if you’re an adventure game veteran you’re probably used to it. All in all, I was reasonably entertained by the story and puzzles, but it certainly didn’t deliver as well on its concept as I was hoping.
The worst of it is that this game has a lot of technical issues. The framerate is abysmal at times, and I’m not one to usually notice that kind of thing unless something has gone very wrong. And indeed, something went very wrong here. It’s not unplayable, but it’s deeply unpleasant. The game also feels a bit… modest in its presentation at times. It’s a bit jarring because sometimes it looks really great, and then things start moving or assets start repeating and the illusion falls apart. Like you’re watching The Lion King and they start running down a Scooby Doo hallway all of a sudden. I’d imagine some of these issues are limited to the Switch, particularly the technical problems, but I can’t say for sure.
It’s understandable why Sherlock Holmes The Awakened isn’t as polished as some of developer Frogwares’ previous Sherlock Holmes releases on Switch, but the poor performance and various rough edges add up to make this a weak version of a decent enough mystery adventure. The horror aspects don’t land very well, but figuring out the what, where, and how of each case is still quite satisfying. Mystery fans may well be able to put up with its issues, but they’d be well-advised to grab it on another platform if possible.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
Dogfight ($17.99)
Dogfight is better than I was initially expecting it to be, if only because I’m a bit wary of games that lean so hard into forced comedy. This is a side-scrolling shoot-em-up with a lot of horrendous food puns and dialogue that frankly grated on me more than anything. You can play with up to four players at a time, which is a brand of chaos that kind of breaks the game but is still fun. You play through several stages, most of which wrap up within a couple of minutes, taking down enemy groups and battling against a big boss at the end of each. It’s a fairly easy game, particularly once you start unlocking better weapons for youre plane. There are alternate difficulty modes, but even at its highest level this is still a fairly breezy affair.
Apart from its entertaining four-player simultaneous multiplayer, Dogfight is the very picture of an average side-scrolling shooter. The mechanics are fine, the presentation is fine, the bosses are fine. The stages are a bit boring in how they unfold, it’s a bit too easy even when playing by yourself, and the game on the whole is over really quickly. Neither a bad game nor a particularly good one, and in a genre this packed I’m not sure that’s a great place to be. Unless you’re really married to the multiplayer idea, there just isn’t enough spice in this sausage to help it stand out against its competitors.
SwitchArcade Score: 3/5
New Releases
Minecraft Legends ($39.99)
Thus far, the various attempts to expand the Minecraft brand have been both unexpected and surprisingly successful. Minecraft Legends may well be the first big stumble, but it’s going to depend on what you’re looking for out of it. This is an incredibly simplified take on the real-time strategy genre, and as such it may appeal to those looking to break into the genre. If you’re even a little experienced with strategy games, however, it’s probably going to be too simple for your tastes. It’s really light on connective tissue and never really ramps up the way you’d like it to. Avid fans of the Minecraft universe likely won’t have a bad time with it, but it feels like a lot of potential was wasted here.
Disney Speedstorm – Standard Founder’s Pack ($29.99)
Gameloft leverages its experience in three things with this new release: Disney games, racing games, and free-to-play games. Well, this one isn’t free-to-play yet, I think. You can buy three different packs to get access to the game, and I’ve just listed the cheapest one here. But it looks like it’s packed to the gills with the kinds of things you see in modern Asphalt games, for better or worse. I’m not sure how I feel about this, but it’s not like free-to-play racers can’t be fun or anything. Well, we’ll have to see how it plays.
The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story ($29.99)
From the developer of Moonlighter comes this action-RPG set in the League of Legends universe. You play as Sylas, a mage who specializes in stealing spells, as he breaks free from captivity and takes the fight against those who unjustly imprisoned him. Use your foes’ magic against them, and if all else fails feel free to make use of the most reliable magic of all: your fist against their faces. I think our pal Mikhail is taking a closer look at this one and might have a review for us before too long.
God of Rock ($29.99)
This is a very unusual hybrid of fighting game and rhythm game, and it’s frankly a difficult thing to convey in text. I’ll have to, as I will be reviewing this game, but for now I can get away with a little summary. Battle against your foes with the power of rock using your character of choice, each with their own abilities. You’ll deal more damage if you can stick to the beat, so do your best to keep up. Play alone in a variety of modes or go against another player locally or via online play. I suspect this is going to be a real love-or-hate affair for most. We’ll have to see where I land on it.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Some cool stuff in the new sales today. Haiku, the Robot, Andro Dunos II, and Blue Fire are all worth looking at depending on your tastes. Thunderful’s latest round of sales is wrapping up over in the outbox, so give that a look too. That’s all I’ve got to say about this bunch, so do have a gander at those lists and see if anything strikes you.
Select New Games on Sale
Haiku, the Robot ($13.99 from $19.99 until 4/25)
Madorica Real Estate ($7.40 from $14.99 until 4/27)
Madorica Real Estate 2 ($12.49 from $18.99 until 4/27)
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion ($5.99 from $14.99 until 5/1)
Bite the Bullet ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/1)
Rooten ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/1)
Titan Chaser ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/1)
Blue Fire ($7.99 from $19.99 until 5/1)
Cyber Hook ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/1)
Katana Kata ($5.99 from $14.99 until 5/1)
Calturin ($2.39 from $5.99 until 5/1)
Lila’s Sky Ark ($4.49 from $14.99 until 5/1)
Double Cross ($3.99 from $19.99 until 5/1)
Restless Soul ($4.49 from $14.99 until 5/1)
Battle Princess Madelyn ($3.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
Battle Princess Madelyn Royal ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/8)
Andro Dunos II ($5.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
UnMetal ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
Wintermoor Tactics Club ($7.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
Faeria ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
Into the Dead 2 ($13.99 from $34.99 until 5/8)
Pillars of Eternity CE ($12.49 from $49.99 until 5/8)
Double Shot Gals ($2.49 from $4.99 until 5/8)
Sakura Succubus 5 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 5/8)
Elves Christmas Hentai Puzzle ($2.00 from $2.99 until 5/8)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 19th
Anthill ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/19)
Art Sqool Deluxe ($1.99 from $13.99 until 4/19)
Curious Expedition ($5.24 from $14.99 until 4/19)
Curious Expedition 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Cursed to Golf ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Decay of Logos ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
FireGirl Hack n Splash Rescue DX ($8.99 from $17.99 until 4/19)
Flipping Death ($3.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Giga Wrecker Alt ($6.24 from $24.99 until 4/19)
Hello Kitty Kruisers ($5.99 from $29.95 until 4/19)
Infernax ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Inukari Deluxe ($1.99 from $7.99 until 4/19)
LEGO Bricktales ($23.99 from $29.99 until 4/19)
Lonely Mountains: Downhill ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Niche Genetics Survival Game ($5.39 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Paper Cut Mansion ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Rolling Car ($1.99 from $7.99 until 4/19)
Source of Madness ($12.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
SteamWorld Dig ($2.49 from $9.99 until 4/19)
SteamWorld Dig 2 ($5.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
SteamWorld Heist ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
SteamWorld Quest: HoG ($8.74 from $24.99 until 4/19)
Superliminal ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Swordship ($13.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Tiny Metal ($4.49 from $14.99 until 4/19)
Togges ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Tokyo Dark Remembrance ($5.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Ultreia Deluxe ($1.99 from $12.19 until 4/19)
Wavetale ($23.99 from $29.99 until 4/19)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more new releases, including the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, plus whatever sales and news roll in during the next day. I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!
