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Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 30th, 2023. It’s Thursday today, and that means we have a whole lot of new releases to check out. More than twenty, actually. Get them out before the end of the fiscal quarter, I suppose. We’ve got summaries of all of them, plus the usual lists of new and expiring sales for you to mull over. Let’s get to it!
New Releases
Assault Suits Valken Declassified ($24.99)
Those of you who had the Super NES back in the day and skimmed even a little past the biggest hits on the console probably remember a game called Cybernator from Konami. Well, that’s this game! Neat, hunh? While this may seem like a bit of a high price for a single 16-bit game, I can say two things in its defense. First, this is a really good 16-bit game. It’s not like Valis where it’s kind of so-so but charming. This is a genuine ripper of an action game. The second thing I’ll say is that this release is an M2 production, and it has done a full-butt effort on it. Lots of extra options and materials, accenting the game itself quite nicely. A dream release for Cybernator fans, and one I’ll be reviewing quite soon.
Lunark ($19.99)
If that screenshot is giving you some Flashback, er, flashbacks, then it’s doing its job. This is an ode to the short-lived but much loved cinematic platformer sub-genre that mostly consists of Prince of Persia, Another World, and Flashback in most folks’ memories. Lunark has a cool setting and story premise, and in terms of gameplay it has the things you would expect from the genre. Puzzle-solving, combat, traps, wild leaps that leave you hanging from your fingers on a ledge, and all that. I’m going to be reviewing this one, so do look forward to that.
Dredge ($24.99)
Fishing is pretty relaxing. Lovecraftian horror is pretty stressful, at least when it’s done properly. Somehow, Dredge does both. You go fishing around in various locations, completing quests and checking off your list of species to catch. Sell some fish, upgrade your equipment, all that. But as you play, little bits of story are parceled out. As they start to pile up, sinister secrets begin to be unveiled. Can you uncover all of the mysteries and live to tell the tale? This one got good reviews on other platforms, and I expect it will find a happy audience on Switch too.
Whew, this is an oldie and an obscure one to boot. One of Namco’s earliest games, actually, really only predated by Gee Bee and maybe a couple variants of it. It hails from 1980 when most Japanese developers were just making variants on Space Invaders, and that’s pretty much what this is. Move your ship around the sides of the play area and blast away. Pretty fun in a simple sort of way, and Hamster’s included both the black-and-white direct feed version of the game and faux-cellophane cover version.
Like Dreamer ($11.99)
This is the follow-up to Cosmo Dreamer, and like that it’s a nice little bullet-hell shooter with a nice variety of modes and unlockables to enjoy. This one has a social network theme, so your gameplay will earn you Likes and Followers which then translate into things like bombs and shields. No online leaderboards this time either, unfortunately, so those who enjoy jostling with other players on the scoreboards might be disappointed with that aspect.
Saga of Sins ($19.99)
Gosh, that’s a striking look. The stain-glassed visuals are the first thing that stands out about Saga of Sins, and it unfortunately ends up being its best bullet-point. This is a decent little action platformer, but that’s about as far as I’ll go for it. The interesting premise of entering the minds of various people to cleanse them of their sins is a neat one, but the actual levels themselves don’t deliver on that promise. It’s all a bit lacking in variety and challenge, and there’s a certain clunkiness to it that doesn’t quite sit right with me. I’ll have a review of it soon with a little more elaboration on all of this.
Anyaroth: The Queen’s Tyranny ($14.99)
Play as an insectoid warrior trying to save their planet from an evil queen and her forces. This is an action-platformer with a twin stick aiming system that allows you to quickly aim in any direction. It reminds me a little of Bleed in some ways. You’ll get a variety of weapons and abilities to play with, and your fight will take you through three layers of the planet. There are also some secrets waiting to be found by those who explore a little. Seems interesting, but I’d need to spend more time with it to say anything terribly definitive.
Yukiiro Sign ($38.33)
Spend a winter in a small town with three different girls in this visual novel. You play as some plain guy who has somehow caught the eye of three pretty ladies, each with their own story and quirks. Pick one and try to pursue her heart. This has some really nice artwork compared to a lot of other games in this genre, and the cozy premise might be what some of you are looking for at the moment.
Mothered – A Role-Playing Horror Game ($9.99)
Is it, though? I’m not sure I’d call this a role-playing game, but I don’t really feel like getting into that fight. This is a very well-regarded first-person horror adventure that sees you in the role of a young girl who returns home after an operation and finds herself dealing with a strange mannequin that insists it is her mother. What’s going on? You’ll have to sort that out, but you may not like what you find at the end of it all.
Papertris ($4.99)
Despite being in the falling block genre and having the ‘tris in its title, Papertris is focused on matching rather than making lines. It uses a graph paper motif that lends it some visual punch, and the low price makes it easier to take a punt on for puzzle fans looking for something new to play.
Norn9: Var Commons ($49.99)
A young man from the modern era wakes up to find himself back in the year 1919 on board an airship, with the world below being familiar but not quite right. He meets his fellow passengers on board the ship, and they’re all quite remarkable people. Can he get back to his own time and place? This is a fairly well-liked visual novel from Otomate that originally released on the PSP in Japan but made its way to the global market via a PlayStation Vita release. And now you can play it on your Switch! How about that? Our pal Mikhail is doing a review of this.
Pocket Academy 3 ($14.00)
Alright, let me explain this one. The game we know as Pocket Academy is actually Pocket Academy 2 in Japan. We recently got the first Pocket Academy in the West under the name Pocket Academy Zero. And now here we are with Pocket Academy 3, which is Pocket Academy 3. Clear as mud. It adds some new systems on top of the ones seen in the previous game, but at the end of the day this is still a fairly straightforward Kairosoft simulation game. You’re either tired of these or you aren’t. Also available on mobile in very playable form for half the price, in case you don’t mind playing there.
The Last Worker ($19.99)
Well, this looks fancy. It seems to be a first-person puzzle/adventure game with a heavy story emphasis, telling the story of a worker rebelling against his corporate overlords. It has an incredibly stylish look to it, and the voice cast has some genuinely recognizable names in it like Jason Isaacs and Zelda Williams. I’d imagine this one will come down to how good the puzzles are and how well it delivers on its narrative promise. I haven’t been able to play it yet so I can’t speak to either.
Doodle World Deluxe ($9.99)
Oh hey, I played this one on the Evercade. It’s somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty minutes long, and it is pretty janky. Fun, though. But this set also includes the new Doodle World Redrawn, which is said to be a more difficult game with new levels and tougher enemies and bosses. These are NES games, and the conversion has been handled by Nami Tentou who also took care of Montezuma’s Revenge and Yeah Yeah Beebiss II. So, you know, don’t expect a ton of options and features here. The frame around the action is awfully clever, at least.
Orebody: Binder’s Tale ($9.99)
Another modern NES game brought to Switch by Nami Tentou. It’s a pretty rough run-and-gun action-platformer about a robot trying to avenge the death of its mentor by destroying its makers. Mega Man it is not, but if you’re the sort of person who can appreciate the effort even if the result isn’t quite where you’d hope it would be, you might get something from this.
BookyPets Legends ($19.99)
This is an adventure game aimed at kids from the years of seven to twelve. It hopes to encourage kids to read, and its developers have a special trademarked methodology that I think is supposed to be called GameReading. Unfortunately, in the game description they have spelled it GameReaging, and that does not inspire confidence. Anyway, you’re meant to find and free all the BookyPets. You’ll have to read to get the keys you need to do so, and that’s the hook. The description calls this “the first Metaverse of children’s literature”, which is just the cherry on the top of the bad vibe sundae. You know when some people get the idea that they’re going to make millions and just completely put the cart before the horse? That’s what I’m feeling here. I honestly can’t tell if there is a decent game behind the buzz words, preemptive registered trademarks, and toyetic design. Probably not!
Dashing Orange ($3.99)
Another precision platformer, this one with seventy-five levels to play. It’s an orange, it can dash, deal with it. It seems okay for the very meager price, provided you are looking for another game of this sort.
Ratyboy Adventures ($9.99)
A 3D platformer from the folks at Weakfish Studio where you play as a rat-boy trying to collect stars scattered around a house. I haven’t played it yet so I can’t really say how good it is or not, but 3D platformers can certainly be a tricky thing to nail down.
Ultimate Anime Jigsaw Puzzle ($4.99)
A jigsaw puzzle game where all of the pictures are anime girls. There are apparently one hundred puzzles to solve, and they come in a variety of piece sizes. I’m not sure which of you are in the overlapping circles of “generic anime girl fan” and “video game jigsaw puzzle fan”, but if you are then your day has come.
Squares and Numbers ($2.99)
Picross is a hard thing to mess up, but I’m sure Benjamin Kistler has done his best here. More than one hundred levels, and most likely cobbled together from a template. Still, Picross is Picross.
Tormentor-Action Fire Counter Shooter Game 2023 Gun Strike Simulator ($4.99)
Another pile of garbage from Midnight Works, one of the eShop’s major providers of garbage piles. You can’t play it in TV mode, so presumably there are mandatory touch controls. This lives while beautiful 3DS and Wii U games perish in the void. Truly, there is sometimes no justice.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
A decent enough list of sales given where we are at the time of writing. Nothing really outstanding or unusual jumping out at me, but have a look yourself and see if there are any gaps in your collection you want to fill. Over in the outbox, the latest Square Enix sale is wrapping up. Treat yourself to Harvestella, you won’t regret it.
Select New Games on Sale
Saint Maker ($9.37 from $13.99 until 4/5)
Perfect Gold ($5.35 from $7.99 until 4/5)
Love Esquire ($16.74 from $24.99 until 4/5)
Fuga: Melodies of Steel ($23.99 from $39.99 until 4/10)
HunterX ($10.49 from $14.99 until 4/12)
1993 Shenandoah ($8.70 from $12.99 until 4/12)
Rule No.1 ($3.59 from $5.99 until 4/14)
Burrow of the Fallen Bear ($13.99 from $19.99 until 4/14)
Immortus Temporus ($1.99 from $4.99 until 4/14)
Super Jagger Bomb ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/14)
Passpartout: The Starving Artist ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/15)
Dragon Lapis ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/17)
Dragon Sinker ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/17)
Yodanji ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/17)
Marenian Tavern Story ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/17)
Asdivine Hearts ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/17)
Asdivine Hearts II ($6.49 from $12.99 until 4/17)
Ghost Sync ($9.74 from $14.99 until 4/17)
Seek Hearts ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/17)
Cursed to Golf ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Niche Genetics Survival Game ($5.39 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Tokyo Dark Remembrance ($5.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Flipping Death ($3.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Tiny Metal ($4.49 from $14.99 until 4/19)
Wavetale ($23.99 from $29.99 until 4/19)
Curious Expedition ($5.24 from $14.99 until 4/19)
Curious Expedition 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
LEGO Bricktales ($23.99 from $29.99 until 4/19)
Paper Cut Mansion ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Swordship ($13.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Lonely Mountains: Downhill ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Decay of Logos ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Giga Wrecker Alt ($6.24 from $24.99 until 4/19)
FireGirl Hack n Splash Rescue DX ($8.99 from $17.99 until 4/19)
Anthill ($1.99 from $9.99 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)
Hello Kitty Kruisers ($5.99 from $29.95 until 4/19)
Source of Madness ($12.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Togges ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/19)
Final Vendetta ($12.47 from $24.95 until 4/20)
Battle Axe ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/20)
Horace ($5.99 from $14.99 until 4/20)
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night ($15.99 from $39.99 until 4/20)
Journey to the Savage Planet ($11.99 from $29.99 until 4/20)
Serial Cleaners ($17.49 from $24.99 until 4/20)
Ghostrunner ($11.99 from $29.99 until 4/20)
Terraria ($14.99 from $29.99 until 4/20)
Indivisible ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/20)
Saga of Sins ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/20)
Last Day of June ($4.99 from $19.99 until 4/20)
Grow: Song of the Evertree ($14.99 from $24.99 until 4/20)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, March 31st
ActRaiser Renaissance ($17.99 from $29.99 until 3/31)
AO Tennis 2 ($5.99 from $59.99 until 3/31)
Aqua Moto Racing Utopia ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
Balan Wonderworld ($11.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
Breakneck City ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/31)
Chocobo GP ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon ($15.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
Collection of Mana ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
Collection of SaGa FF Legend ($11.99 from $19.99 until 3/31)
Cricket 22 ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII ($39.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Daardoa ($2.79 from $3.49 until 3/31)
Daemonum ($3.59 from $4.49 until 3/31)
Dragon Quest ($3.24 from $4.99 until 3/31)
Dragon Quest II ($4.21 from $6.49 until 3/31)
Dragon Quest III ($8.11 from $12.49 until 3/31)
Dragon Quest Treasures Deluxe ($38.99 from $64.99 until 3/31)
Dungeon Encounters ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/31)
El Gancho ($3.49 from $6.99 until 3/31)
EvilUP ($4.79 from $5.99 until 3/31)
Farmer’s Dynasty ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles ($11.99 from $29.99 until 3/31)
Final Fantasy IX ($10.49 from $20.99 until 3/31)
Final Fantasy VII ($7.99 from $15.99 until 3/31)
Final Fantasy VIII ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/31)
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Final Fantasy XII TZA ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition ($11.99 from $29.99 until 3/31)
Freezer Pops ($5.99 from $9.99 until 3/31)
Goonya Monster ($17.99 from $19.99 until 3/31)
Harvestella ($41.99 from $59.99 until 3/31)
Hunting Simulator 2: Elite ($13.99 from $69.99 until 3/31)
I Am Setsuna ($15.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
In the Mood ($2.99 from $4.99 until 3/31)
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 FC Cloud Vers. ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Kingdom Hearts III Cloud Vers. ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Kingdom Hearts Integrum Cloud Vers. ($44.99 from $89.99 until 3/31)
Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory ($29.99 from $59.99 until 3/31)
KnightOut ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/31)
Legend of Mana ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/31)
Life is Strange True Colors Deluxe ($34.99 from $69.99 until 3/31)
Lost Sphear ($14.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Monster Truck Championship ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
Mythology Waifus Mahjong ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/31)
Neko Secret Room ($4.89 from $6.99 until 3/31)
Oninaki ($19.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Overpass ($5.49 from $54.99 until 3/31)
PowerWash Simulator ($19.99 from $24.99 until 3/31)
Pretty Girls Mahjong Solitaire G/B ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/31)
Prison Princess ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/31)
Queeny Army ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/31)
Rims Racing Ultimate ($13.99 from $69.99 until 3/31)
Rogue Lords ($9.99 from $24.99 until 3/31)
Roguebook ($9.99 from $24.99 until 3/31)
Romancing SaGa 2 ($7.49 from $24.99 until 3/31)
Romancing SaGa 3 ($8.69 from $28.99 until 3/31)
SaGa Frontier Remastered ($14.99 from $24.99 until 3/31)
SaGa Scarlet Grace Ambitions ($8.99 from $29.99 until 3/31)
Silver Falls: Ghoul Busters ($9.59 from $11.99 until 3/31)
Ski Resort Driver ($9.74 from $12.99 until 3/31)
Slime Rancher: Plortable Edition ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/31)
Snake Core ($6.74 from $8.99 until 3/31)
Snow Moto Racing Freedom ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
Spelunker Party ($8.99 from $29.99 until 3/31)
Star Ocean First Departure R ($8.39 from $20.99 until 3/31)
Tactics Ogre Reborn ($34.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Tangledeep ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/31)
The DioField Chronicle ($29.99 from $59.99 until 3/31)
The DioField Chronicle Deluxe ($37.49 from $74.99 until 3/31)
Thunder Kid II: Null Mission ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/31)
Thunder Kid: HftRE ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/31)
Timore 5 ($10.39 from $12.99 until 3/31)
Timore Redo ($15.19 from $18.99 until 3/31)
Trials of Mana ($24.99 form $49.99 until 3/31)
Truck Racing Championship ($3.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
V-Rally 4 ($4.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
Various Daylife ($19.13 from $28.99 until 3/31)
World of Final Fantasy Maxima ($15.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
WRC 10 FIA ($4.99 from $49.99 until 3/31)
WRC Generations ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/31)
XPOSED SWITCHED ($3.99 from $9.99 until 3/31)
Z-Warp ($4.19 from $6.99 until 3/31)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow to mop up the remaining releases of the week. There will probably also be a bunch of sales to sort through, and we’ll have the usual lists to that end. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
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