Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for February 8th, 2021. In today’s article, we’ve got a Mini-View of inkle’s recent release Heaven’s Vault. Along with that, we’ve got summaries of the latest releases to hit the eShop. It’s another weak batch, unfortunately. Well, we’ll try to find some fun in it anyway. We round things out with the usual lists of new and outgoing sales, and those don’t disappoint this time. Let’s get into it!
I kind of waffled about whether to do a review or Mini-View for this one, but ultimately I think I can sum up my thoughts on this game in a paragraph. It has everything you would expect and want from an inkle game: great writing, gorgeous art, and a stellar soundtrack. Although it is at its core a choice-based narrative game, it’s a very open one. The heart of the game involves trying to figure out how to translate a language, word by word. If that sounds interesting to you, hop in. If it sounds boring, it probably will be. Pacing is all over the place and there are definitely some stretches where the game could afford to put a little more hop in its step. A bigger problem is the dull mini-game you engage in for traveling, which takes far too much time and has a nasty tendency to crash the game every now and then. Not often enough to bother me terribly, but frequently enough to mention here. Even with its issues, this is a fascinating, unique game that is worth your time and money.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
You know it’s a rough day of releases when a game from Ultimate is the pick of the litter, but here we are. Contract Killers is a top-down shooter, and it’s not a good one at all. It sells for two bucks on Steam, where it has 100% negative reviews. It’s a shame because it has some style going on with its presentation and this genre isn’t usually that hard to do decently, at the very least. But the gameplay just doesn’t feel good. Shots don’t go where you want them to, the difficulty feels like it’s all over the place, and the AI is just plain stupid. Yes, this is the best new release today.
Well hello, Pix Arts. What do you have for us today? A Puzzle Bobble knock-off that can only be played in handheld mode? I see. There are 80 levels to play, and the touch controls work very much like the many games of this sort you’d find on mobile. The whole thing is wrapped up in a simple aquatic theme and given a title that is just barely different enough from the game it’s copying to avoid getting in trouble. I suppose it isn’t awful as Pix Arts releases go, but you’d be far better off grabbing literally any game like this on your mobile device or splashing out the extra three dollars to get the real Puzzle Bobble on Switch.
This Pix Arts release, on the other hand, is pure unadulterated cow manure. It has the sheer audacity to claim it has AAA physics and graphics engines in its eShop description, a lie so egregious it would make most politicians indignant. There are six characters and five backgrounds, most of which have been repurposed from other Pix Arts games. I’m surprised that there’s actually a two-player local multiplayer mode in here, because I fully expected it to not even have that. You can buy any Arcade Archives release for the same price, and literally any NEOGEO fighter you pick from that line-up is going to be incalculably better than this piece of trash.
Another video poker game, and like many of these it doesn’t look all that fancy. That leaves me in a bit of a pinch when it comes to writing a paragraph about it. It’s a simple, no-frills take on the concept. I don’t think it’s in any way worth the price it’s going for, but that’s just my opinion. There just isn’t much to the game, especially when you compare it to other similar titles on the Switch.
(North American eShop, US Prices)
As far as big names go, Ubisoft and WB Games are leading the charge in today’s sales. Plenty of good games from those two, though they do go on sale fairly often. If you’re looking for a rarer sale, check out 9th Dawn III or Muse Dash. Looking into the outbox, the main thing to highlight is the soon-to-end preorder discount on the third Choices That Matter game. The rest of the list is made up of games that tend to be on sale every couple of weeks or so. Have a look through both lists as usual, however. You might find something good that I missed.
Select New Games on Sale
Traffix ($3.49 from $4.99 until 2/9)
Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/11)
Mia’s Picnic ($1.99 from $11.49 until 2/11)
Treadnauts ($5.09 from $14.99 until 2/12)
Tactical Mind ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/15)
Circle of Sumo ($6.99 from $9.99 until 2/15)
FunBox Party ($1.99 from $2.49 until 2/15)
Skull Rogue ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/15)
Real Drift Racing ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/15)
Classic Games Collection Vol.1 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/15)
Salad Bar Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/15)
S.N.I.P.E.R.: Hunter Scope ($1.99 from $14.99 until 2/15)
Swordbreaker the Game ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/16)
Debtor ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/16)
Knights & Bikes ($13.39 from $19.99 until 2/16)
The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
LEGO City Undercover ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Worlds ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Harry Potter Collection ($14.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Jurassic World ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
LEGO The Incredibles ($17.99 from $59.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
LEGO DC Super-Villains ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/16)
LEGO NinjaGo Movie Game ($14.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
Cars 3 Driven to Win ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia ($19.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
Scribblenauts Showdown ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Scribblenauts Mega Pack ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Dimension Drive ($3.24 from $12.99 until 2/18)
Rainswept ($2.99 from $9.99 until 2/18)
Lost Wing ($3.19 from $7.99 until 2/18)
Batu Ta Batu ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/18)
Inferno 2 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/18)
The Bug Butcher ($3.19 from $7.99 until 2/18)
Biped ($9.74 from $14.99 until 2/18)
Lumini ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/18)
Back to Bed ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/18)
Immortals Fenyx Rising ($35.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
Assassin’s Creed III ($15.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
Assassin’s Creed Rebel Collection ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
South Park The Stick of Truth ($11.99 from $29.99 until 2/19)
South Park Fractured But Whole ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
Trials Rising Standard ($5.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Trials Rising Gold ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/19)
UNO ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Monopoly ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
RISK Global Domination ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Trivial Pursuit Live! ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Wheel of Fortune ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Jeopardy! ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Family Feud ($20.09 from $29.99 until 2/19)
Just Dance 2020 ($29.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
Just Dance 2021 ($29.99 from $49.99 until 2/19)
Rayman Legends Definitive ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
Valiant Hearts: TGW ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Child of Light Ultimate ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Starlink Battle for Atlas ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
Starlink BfA Deluxe ($23.99 from $79.99 until 2/19)
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
Mario + Rabbids: KB Gold ($19.99 from $79.99 until 2/19)
Puss! ($9.59 from $11.99 until 2/19)
Tilt Pack ($1.99 from $14.99 until 2/20)
Super Street: Racer ($14.99 from $39.99 until 2/20)
2064: Read Only Memories ($2.99 from $20.64 until 2/21)
The Padre ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/21)
Slide Stars ($19.99 from $29.99 until 2/21)
Roulette at Aces Casino ($2.99 from $7.99 until 2/21)
Ritual: Crown of Horns ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/21)
Half Past Fate ($5.99 from $19.99 until 2/21)
Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing ($4.97 from $5.99 until 2/21)
Vigil: The Longest Night ($17.59 from $21.99 until 2/22)
Sweet Witches ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/22)
Ellipsis ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/23)
WeakWood Throne ($2.99 from $4.99 until 2/23)
Tardy ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/23)
Muse Dash ($19.49 from $29.99 until 2/23)
Toki ($1.99 from $14.90 until 2/25)
Dungeonoid ($4.19 from $6.99 until 2/25)
9th Dawn III ($9.59 from $15.99 until 2/25)
WildTrax Racing ($3.19 from $7.99 until 2/25)
Safari Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 2/25)
Adventure Pinball Bundle ($2.96 from $5.99 until 2/25)
SpaceColorsRunner ($2.09 from $5.99 until 2/25)
Crypt of the NecroDancer ($3.99 from $19.99 until 2/25)
Pizza Parking ($2.09 from $5.99 until 2/25)
Vampire: TM – Coteries of NY ($8.99 from $19.99 until 2/26)
Vampire: TM – Shadows of NY ($9.74 from $12.99 until 2/26)
How to Take Off Your Mask ($11.99 from $14.99 until 2/26)
Super Arcade Racing ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/27)
Dadish ($2.49 from $4.99 until 2/27)
LocO-SportS ($1.99 from $5.99 until 2/27)
Jumping Stack Ball ($2.99 from $3.99 until 2/27)
#womenUp, Super Puzzles Dream ($2.06 from $6.19 until 2/27)
Soulblight ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 9th
Choices That Matter: ATHWL ($4.79 from $5.99 until 2/9)
Event Horizon ($1.99 from $5.99 until 2/9)
Farabel ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/9)
Ghost Sweeper ($2.49 from $4.99 until 2/9)
Grood ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/9)
Kholat ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Mastercube ($3.29 from $5.49 until 2/9)
Metaloid Origin ($3.49 from $6.99 until 2/9)
Mushroom Quest ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/9)
Paratopic ($2.74 from $5.49 until 2/9)
Pew Paw ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/9)
Raji: An Ancient Epic ($18.74 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Rusty Spout Rescue Adventure ($3.49 from $6.99 until 2/9)
Sushi Time! ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/9)
Symmetry ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/9)
Traffix ($3.49 from $4.99 until 2/9)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with a few new releases, one of which I know for sure is pretty good. Phew! There will be summaries of each of them, as always. There will also be either a review or Mini-View, depending on how things go. Whatever news and new sales come along in the next 24 hours will also be there. I hope you all have a magnificent Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!
Mini-Views
Heaven’s Vault ($17.99)
I kind of waffled about whether to do a review or Mini-View for this one, but ultimately I think I can sum up my thoughts on this game in a paragraph. It has everything you would expect and want from an inkle game: great writing, gorgeous art, and a stellar soundtrack. Although it is at its core a choice-based narrative game, it’s a very open one. The heart of the game involves trying to figure out how to translate a language, word by word. If that sounds interesting to you, hop in. If it sounds boring, it probably will be. Pacing is all over the place and there are definitely some stretches where the game could afford to put a little more hop in its step. A bigger problem is the dull mini-game you engage in for traveling, which takes far too much time and has a nasty tendency to crash the game every now and then. Not often enough to bother me terribly, but frequently enough to mention here. Even with its issues, this is a fascinating, unique game that is worth your time and money.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
New Releases
Contract Killers ($7.99)
You know it’s a rough day of releases when a game from Ultimate is the pick of the litter, but here we are. Contract Killers is a top-down shooter, and it’s not a good one at all. It sells for two bucks on Steam, where it has 100% negative reviews. It’s a shame because it has some style going on with its presentation and this genre isn’t usually that hard to do decently, at the very least. But the gameplay just doesn’t feel good. Shots don’t go where you want them to, the difficulty feels like it’s all over the place, and the AI is just plain stupid. Yes, this is the best new release today.
Bubble Bubble Ocean ($4.99)
Well hello, Pix Arts. What do you have for us today? A Puzzle Bobble knock-off that can only be played in handheld mode? I see. There are 80 levels to play, and the touch controls work very much like the many games of this sort you’d find on mobile. The whole thing is wrapped up in a simple aquatic theme and given a title that is just barely different enough from the game it’s copying to avoid getting in trouble. I suppose it isn’t awful as Pix Arts releases go, but you’d be far better off grabbing literally any game like this on your mobile device or splashing out the extra three dollars to get the real Puzzle Bobble on Switch.
Urban Street Fighting ($7.99)
This Pix Arts release, on the other hand, is pure unadulterated cow manure. It has the sheer audacity to claim it has AAA physics and graphics engines in its eShop description, a lie so egregious it would make most politicians indignant. There are six characters and five backgrounds, most of which have been repurposed from other Pix Arts games. I’m surprised that there’s actually a two-player local multiplayer mode in here, because I fully expected it to not even have that. You can buy any Arcade Archives release for the same price, and literally any NEOGEO fighter you pick from that line-up is going to be incalculably better than this piece of trash.
Joker Poker – Video Poker ($7.49)
Another video poker game, and like many of these it doesn’t look all that fancy. That leaves me in a bit of a pinch when it comes to writing a paragraph about it. It’s a simple, no-frills take on the concept. I don’t think it’s in any way worth the price it’s going for, but that’s just my opinion. There just isn’t much to the game, especially when you compare it to other similar titles on the Switch.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
As far as big names go, Ubisoft and WB Games are leading the charge in today’s sales. Plenty of good games from those two, though they do go on sale fairly often. If you’re looking for a rarer sale, check out 9th Dawn III or Muse Dash. Looking into the outbox, the main thing to highlight is the soon-to-end preorder discount on the third Choices That Matter game. The rest of the list is made up of games that tend to be on sale every couple of weeks or so. Have a look through both lists as usual, however. You might find something good that I missed.
Select New Games on Sale
Traffix ($3.49 from $4.99 until 2/9)
Gibbous: A Cthulhu Adventure ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/11)
Mia’s Picnic ($1.99 from $11.49 until 2/11)
Treadnauts ($5.09 from $14.99 until 2/12)
Tactical Mind ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/15)
Circle of Sumo ($6.99 from $9.99 until 2/15)
FunBox Party ($1.99 from $2.49 until 2/15)
Skull Rogue ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/15)
Real Drift Racing ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/15)
Classic Games Collection Vol.1 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/15)
Salad Bar Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/15)
S.N.I.P.E.R.: Hunter Scope ($1.99 from $14.99 until 2/15)
Swordbreaker the Game ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/16)
Debtor ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/16)
Knights & Bikes ($13.39 from $19.99 until 2/16)
The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
LEGO City Undercover ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Worlds ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Harry Potter Collection ($14.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Jurassic World ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
LEGO The Incredibles ($17.99 from $59.99 until 2/16)
LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/16)
LEGO DC Super-Villains ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/16)
LEGO NinjaGo Movie Game ($14.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
Cars 3 Driven to Win ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia ($19.99 from $49.99 until 2/16)
Scribblenauts Showdown ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Scribblenauts Mega Pack ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/16)
Dimension Drive ($3.24 from $12.99 until 2/18)
Rainswept ($2.99 from $9.99 until 2/18)
Lost Wing ($3.19 from $7.99 until 2/18)
Batu Ta Batu ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/18)
Inferno 2 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/18)
The Bug Butcher ($3.19 from $7.99 until 2/18)
Biped ($9.74 from $14.99 until 2/18)
Lumini ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/18)
Back to Bed ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/18)
Immortals Fenyx Rising ($35.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
Assassin’s Creed III ($15.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
Assassin’s Creed Rebel Collection ($19.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
South Park The Stick of Truth ($11.99 from $29.99 until 2/19)
South Park Fractured But Whole ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
Trials Rising Standard ($5.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Trials Rising Gold ($8.99 from $29.99 until 2/19)
UNO ($3.99 from $9.99 until 2/19)
Monopoly ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
RISK Global Domination ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Trivial Pursuit Live! ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Wheel of Fortune ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Jeopardy! ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Family Feud ($20.09 from $29.99 until 2/19)
Just Dance 2020 ($29.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
Just Dance 2021 ($29.99 from $49.99 until 2/19)
Rayman Legends Definitive ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/19)
Valiant Hearts: TGW ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Child of Light Ultimate ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/19)
Starlink Battle for Atlas ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
Starlink BfA Deluxe ($23.99 from $79.99 until 2/19)
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle ($14.99 from $59.99 until 2/19)
Mario + Rabbids: KB Gold ($19.99 from $79.99 until 2/19)
Puss! ($9.59 from $11.99 until 2/19)
Tilt Pack ($1.99 from $14.99 until 2/20)
Super Street: Racer ($14.99 from $39.99 until 2/20)
2064: Read Only Memories ($2.99 from $20.64 until 2/21)
The Padre ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/21)
Slide Stars ($19.99 from $29.99 until 2/21)
Roulette at Aces Casino ($2.99 from $7.99 until 2/21)
Ritual: Crown of Horns ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/21)
Half Past Fate ($5.99 from $19.99 until 2/21)
Half Past Fate: Romantic Distancing ($4.97 from $5.99 until 2/21)
Vigil: The Longest Night ($17.59 from $21.99 until 2/22)
Sweet Witches ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/22)
Ellipsis ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/23)
WeakWood Throne ($2.99 from $4.99 until 2/23)
Tardy ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/23)
Muse Dash ($19.49 from $29.99 until 2/23)
Toki ($1.99 from $14.90 until 2/25)
Dungeonoid ($4.19 from $6.99 until 2/25)
9th Dawn III ($9.59 from $15.99 until 2/25)
WildTrax Racing ($3.19 from $7.99 until 2/25)
Safari Pinball ($2.00 from $2.99 until 2/25)
Adventure Pinball Bundle ($2.96 from $5.99 until 2/25)
SpaceColorsRunner ($2.09 from $5.99 until 2/25)
Crypt of the NecroDancer ($3.99 from $19.99 until 2/25)
Pizza Parking ($2.09 from $5.99 until 2/25)
Vampire: TM – Coteries of NY ($8.99 from $19.99 until 2/26)
Vampire: TM – Shadows of NY ($9.74 from $12.99 until 2/26)
How to Take Off Your Mask ($11.99 from $14.99 until 2/26)
Super Arcade Racing ($4.99 from $9.99 until 2/27)
Dadish ($2.49 from $4.99 until 2/27)
LocO-SportS ($1.99 from $5.99 until 2/27)
Jumping Stack Ball ($2.99 from $3.99 until 2/27)
#womenUp, Super Puzzles Dream ($2.06 from $6.19 until 2/27)
Soulblight ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/27)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 9th
Choices That Matter: ATHWL ($4.79 from $5.99 until 2/9)
Event Horizon ($1.99 from $5.99 until 2/9)
Farabel ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/9)
Ghost Sweeper ($2.49 from $4.99 until 2/9)
Grood ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/9)
Kholat ($7.49 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Mastercube ($3.29 from $5.49 until 2/9)
Metaloid Origin ($3.49 from $6.99 until 2/9)
Mushroom Quest ($1.99 from $2.99 until 2/9)
Paratopic ($2.74 from $5.49 until 2/9)
Pew Paw ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/9)
Raji: An Ancient Epic ($18.74 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Rusty Spout Rescue Adventure ($3.49 from $6.99 until 2/9)
Sushi Time! ($1.99 from $4.99 until 2/9)
Symmetry ($1.99 from $9.99 until 2/9)
Traffix ($3.49 from $4.99 until 2/9)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with a few new releases, one of which I know for sure is pretty good. Phew! There will be summaries of each of them, as always. There will also be either a review or Mini-View, depending on how things go. Whatever news and new sales come along in the next 24 hours will also be there. I hope you all have a magnificent Monday, and as always, thanks for reading!