SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Trails of Cold Steel IV’ Coming to Switch, ‘Junk Jack’ and Today’s Other New Releases, the Latest Sales, and More

TouchArcade

iPhone Gaming
iPhone Gaming
Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for April 2nd, 2020. In today’s article, we’ve got a huge list of new releases to take a look at and summarize. We’ve also got a rather sizable list of sales for you to consider. And just to keep things exciting, there’s also a tasty little news nugget that is sure to bring a smile to the faces of JRPG fans. Let’s go forth!

News


‘Trails of Cold Steel IV’ Coming to the Switch in 2021


Well, this isn’t the biggest surprise you could imagine. Following up on the upcoming release of Falcom’s Trails of Cold Steel III on the Nintendo Switch, NIS America has announced that its sequel, Trails of Cold Steel IV, will be coming to the system next year. The game will hit the West on the PlayStation 4 first this fall, with Switch and PC ports scheduled for 2021. Don’t worry, it’ll take you at least that long to catch up on the extremely necessary previous installments if you haven’t already played them. If you’re wondering how you can play the first two games, I recommend picking up a Vita. They’re relatively cheap right now and make a very lovely accessory for your Nintendo Switch.

New Releases

Curious Expedition ($14.99)



curiousexpedition.jpg


SwitchArcade Highlight!

Oh hey, it’s Curious Expedition. This is a pretty awesome roguelike/adventure game with lots of strategy elements. It doesn’t look like much, but trust me, it’s good stuff. Or at least the PC version was good stuff. I can’t say with certainty that it has made a smooth transition to the Switch, but it’s not exactly a taxing game so I can’t see why it wouldn’t. The whole explorer setting is a nice twist on the usual fantasy theme we see in games like these, and the gameplay waters definitely run deep. As long as you don’t mind the whole roguelike set-up, you’ll probably have a really good time with this game.

Junk Jack ($14.99)


junkjack.jpg


SwitchArcade Highlight!

Many a game has taken an attempt at delivering the 2D answer to Minecraft, and outside of Terraria I can’t think of any that have done as good a job of it as Junk Jack. This is an absurdly deep open world crafting game, and this Switch version benefits from launching with all of the content that has been added to other versions over the years. It also benefits from having physical controls. Junk Jack was a nice game to play with touch controls on mobile, but some aspects just work better with a controller. Those menus, though. I don’t know. I think you could go with either the mobile or the Switch version of this game and be happier with some respects and unhappier with others, but you’ll get an awesome game out of it either way.

Rascal Fight ($11.99)


rascalfight.jpg


A multiplayer party battle game that supports up to four players locally, Rascal Fight‘s distinguishing feature seems to be its huge variety of traps, gimmicks, and items you can use in the fights. No online play could be a killer in the current environment, but if you’re stuck inside with your family you’ll probably be okay with the local option. I like that in the features list in the eShop description it has as a bullet point that you might lose your friends. Maybe… maybe not such a good game when nobody can leave the house, then? I don’t know.

Pocket Harvest ($14.00)


pocketharvest.jpg


Kairosoft is back with another port of something from its mobile back catalog, this time the pleasant farming sim Pocket Harvest. As usual, the price has been cranked up to nearly three times the mobile version, and there’s no real benefit to playing on Switch as the games were so well-designed around phone screens and interfaces. Even worse, this particular subject is a bit of a landmine on the Switch, with great stuff like Story of Seasons and Stardew Valley offering far better takes on the farming life sim thing for just a bit more money. All that said, if you’re a fan of Kairosoft’s stuff and want another scoop of the same, this is just that but with a straw hat.

Snakeybus ($11.99)


snakeybus.jpg


Oh no, Adjectivey Noun strikes the Switch! Snakeybus is a game where you drive a bus through 11 cities, picking up passengers and taking them where they need to go in order to score points and increase the length of your bus. Presumably if you get long enough to run into your own tail, you’d want to avoid doing that little thing. Multiple modes help keep things fresh, in case the idea of a street-level 3D Snake game wasn’t novel enough for you. It’s a bit on the shallow side gameplay-wise, but so was Snake. Assuming you’re okay with that level of depth, you’ll likely get your ten bucks-and-change out of Snakeybus. It’s certainly well-made for what it is.

Horror Bundle Vol. 1 ($30.49)


horrorbundlevol1.jpg


Another Digerati bundle, and as usual you’ll want to wait a bit for the incredibly deep discount to kick in. You get Paranautical Activity, Uncanny Valley, and Slain: Back From Hell in this set, and if it follows in the footsteps of previous bundles from this publisher it’s going to be the cheapest way to get these games by far. But do you want all three of these games? Maybe. No stinkers here, but nothing to get too excited about either. At least this bundle doesn’t have any overlapping titles with other Digerati bundles. I think that’s the case, anyway. Perhaps my memory is slipping.

MazM: Jekyll and Hyde ($14.99)


mazmjekyllandhyde.jpg


This is a point-and-click style adventure game based on the classic story of a man and the monster he hides within. The game was originally released on Android as a free-to-play game, as near as I can tell, with a premium currency used to buy hints or new episodes. That aspect has been removed from this Switch version, and I suspect this is a far cheaper way to enjoy the story and well-done artwork. Honestly, this isn’t a game that does all that much for me, but I suppose if you’re big enough on adventure games or the original story, you may take to it better than I did.

Lost Artifacts ($9.99)


lostartifacts.jpg


As you may be able to tell from the screenshot, this is another one of 8Floor’s builder/strategy games, along the lines of stuff like Gnomes Garden. There are 40 levels where you’ll have to satisfy particular conditions to move forward, and little story bits advance the narrative as you go. These games seem to have a healthy audience, but I’m not in that number. For whatever it’s worth, this does appear to be reasonably well-liked within that circle on other platforms, so I’d imagine if you’ve enjoyed the previous 8Floor releases on Switch you’ll not be unhappy with this one.

The Otterman Empire ($25.99)


theottermanempire.jpg


This is a multiplayer third-person shooter with the main characters being otters with jetpacks. It’s described as a party game, so I wouldn’t expect the shooting mechanics to be all that deep here. As near as I can tell, the multiplayer mode supports up to four players but there’s no online play. That seems like a very odd choice for this kind of game, so perhaps there’s just something amiss with the eShop description. Anyway, you could spend a bit more money and probably get a better multiplayer shooter than this for your Switch, though you’d be hard-pressed to find another one with jetpack otters. So that’s something, at least.

Cat Girl Without Salad: Amuse-Bouche ($7.99)


catgirlwithoutsaladamusebouche.jpg


It’s quite appropriate that this game would suddenly get a Switch release on April Fool’s Day, as it began as an April Fool’s Day joke back in 2013. A few years after that, it became reality as a bonus in a Humble Monthly Bundle. And now here we are, able to buy it as its own thing. A joke became reality, but does that make it any less of a joke? This is a side-scrolling shoot-em-up with some wacky weapons that mix up the gameplay, and it’s stuffed to the gills with references to other games and various bits of pop culture. It is a very amusing thing to watch. It is quite poor as a shoot-em-up, however. It’s also on the shorter side, offering about an hour of gameplay. Definitely fun to watch, but I’m not sure I could recommend that anyone actually buy the thing.

Sales


(North American eShop, US Prices)

You know, usually when I sit down to write this article each Thursday, the number of sales is somewhat limited and not all that interesting. The big flood comes after I’ve hit the sack. But today, we have some really cool sales to consider already. Like Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove! Great game, huge value, rarely on sale. Or Mutant Mudds Collection! Aggravating as heck, but for a buck and a half? Pain anyone can afford! Rogue Legacy, Sisters Royale, Dandy Dungeon, Iron Crypticle, and many more goodies to pick up if you don’t already have them. Conversely, there’s very little worth worrying about in the outbox. I’m sure we’ll have a bunch more sales tomorrow, but for now you’ve got a lot of stuff to comb through.

Select New Games on Sale

shovelknight.jpg


Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove ($27.99 from $39.99 until 4/15)
Pankapu ($2.99 from $11.99 until 4/15)
Mutant Mudds Collection ($1.49 from $14.99 until 4/21)
Aperion Cyberstorm ($4.49 from $14.99 until 4/16)
Xeodrifter ($0.99 from $9.99 until 4/21)
BAFL – Brakes Are For Losers ($1.49 from $4.99 until 4/15)
Another Lost Phone: Laura’s Story ($2.99 from $5.99 until 4/15)
Lost Phones Stories ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/15)
DragoDino ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/15)
White Night ($2.99 from $14.99 until 4/15)
Dungeon Rushers ($2.99 from $14.99 until 4/15)
Mecha Storm ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/14)
Shape of the World ($4.99 from $14.99 until 4/15)
Parallel ($2.99 from $9.99 until 4/21)
Otto ($2.49 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Soccer Slammers ($0.99 from $9.99 until 4/21)

lostinharmony.jpg

Lost in Harmony ($1.99 from $6.99 until 4/15)
Kill The Bad Guy ($2.79 from $6.99 until 4/15)
My Farm ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/15)
Super Inefficient Golf ($3.99 from $7.99 until 4/21)
Hover ($9.99 from $24.99 until 4/15)
Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae ($7.14 from $11.90 until 4/21)
Find The Balance ($0.49 from $4.99 until 4/20)
Hardway Party ($0.49 from $4.99 until 4/20)
Momonga Pinball Adventures ($2.99 from $5.99 until 4/15)
Nidhogg 2 ($5.24 from $14.99 until 4/20)
Overdriven Reloaded: Special ($2.99 from $7.99 until 4/22)
My Arctic Farm 2018 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/15)
My Exotic Farm 2018 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/15)
Crazy Strike Bowling EX ($3.99 from $7.99 until 4/21)
Mars or Die! ($9.99 from $19.99 until 4/21)

goatsimulator.jpg

Goat Simulator: The GOATY ($7.49 from $29.99 until 4/6)
Zombie Night Terror ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/15)
Away: Journey to the Unexpected ($4.99 from $16.99 until 4/15)
Bargain Hunter ($8.74 from $12.49 until 4/9)
Undead Horde ($8.49 from $16.99 until 4/7)
The Last Door – Complete ($9.99 from $14.99 until 4/15)
Anarcute ($9.99 from $14.99 until 4/15)
Fobia ($1.99 from $9.99 until 4/21)
STANDBY ($0.49 from $4.99 until 4/8)
Instant Sports ($19.99 from $24.99 until 4/15)
Invisigun Reloaded ($0.99 from $19.99 until 4/22)
Barrier X ($0.29 from $2.99 until 4/8)
Hyperdrive Massacre ($3.99 from $7.99 until 4/21)
ZikSquare ($2.99 from $6.99 until 4/22)
Lethis – Path of Progress ($14.99 from $19.99 until 4/15)
Draw Chilly ($0.29 from $2.99 until 4/8)
Skelittle: A Giant Party! ($6.66 from $9.99 until 4/15)
Melbits World ($7.99 from $9.99 until 4/15)

worldsofmagicplanarconquest.jpg

Worlds of Magic: Planar Conquest ($11.04 from $16.99 until 4/8)
Super Tennis ($3.89 from $5.99 until 4/8)
Please The Gods ($6.49 from $9.99 until 4/8)
Help Me Doctor ($5.19 from $7.99 until 4/8)
Incredible Adventures of Super Panda ($4.54 from $6.99 until 4/8)
NecroWorm ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/21)
Alchemic Jousts ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/21)
Whip! Whip! ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/22)
Oxyjet ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/13)
Duped ($0.49 from $4.99 until 4/20)
Widget Satchel ($7.49 from $14.99 until 4/9)
Depixtion ($5.99 from $7.99 until 4/15)
Aqua Kitty UDX ($3.59 from $8.99 until 4/20)
Membrane ($0.09 from $9.99 until 4/17)
Blazblue Cross Tag Battle ($4.80 from $19.99 until 4/16)
The Missing: J.J. Macfield ($12.00 from $29.99 until 4/16)
Madorica Real Estate ($9.90 from $14.99 until 4/10)

roguelegacy.jpg

Rogue Legacy ($5.09 from $14.99 until 4/16)
Full Metal Furies ($6.79 from $19.99 until 4/16)
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/9)
Rock Boshers DX: Director’s Cut ($2.79 from $6.99 until 4/20)
JCB Pioneer: Mars ($7.49 from $24.99 until 4/20)
Fight of Gods ($9.09 from $12.99 until 4/17)
Blazblue CentralFiction Special ($35.00 from $49.99 until 4/16)
Iron Crypticle ($3.99 from $9.99 until 4/20)
Worldend Syndrome ($16.00 from $39.99 until 4/16)
Alternate Jake Hunter: Daedalus ($16.00 from $39.99 until 4/16)
Dandy Dungeon ($13.29 from $18.99 until 4/23)
Kill la Kill -IF ($14.00 from $19.99 until 4/16)
House of Golf ($4.99 from $9.99 until 4/20)
Sir Eatsalot ($9.09 from $12.99 until 4/22)
Puzzle & Dragons Gold ($9.99 from $14.99 until 4/20)
To The Moon ($8.39 from $11.99 until 4/20)
Lydia ($2.66 from $4.00 until 4/20)
Sisters Royale ($8.39 from $13.99 until 4/23)
EQQO ($4.00 from $5.99 until 4/20)
Pocket Mini Golf ($0.99 from $1.99 until 4/23)
OMG Police – Car Chase ($2.99 from $4.99 until 4/20)

Sales Ending Tomorrow, Friday, April 3rd

agummyslife.jpg


A Gummy’s Life ($8.99 from $14.99 until 4/3)
Anode ($0.19 from $1.99 until 4/3)
CopperBell ($5.94 from $6.99 until 4/3)
Corridor Z ($3.99 from $7.99 until 4/3)
Lust for Darkness: Dawn ($13.49 from $14.99 until 4/3)
Noir Chronicles: City of Crime ($1.49 from $14.99 until 4/3)
Repressed ($6.79 from $7.99 until 4/3)
Revenge of the Bird King ($0.01 from $4.99 until 4/3)
Squidlit ($0.99 from $1.99 until 4/3)
Tilt Pack ($9.99 from $14.99 until 4/3)
Trancelation ($6.99 from $9.99 until 4/3)

That’s all we’ve got for today, friends. Tomorrow will see a bunch more new releases, and we’ll naturally have summaries of all of them. There will likely be a ton of new sales to transcribe as well, and that too is my solemn duty. I hope you all have a good Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top