Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for May 7th, 2024. It’s a surprisingly slow day today outside of a bit of news from Nintendo’s president saying that the company will talk about Switch’s successor sometime this fiscal year, but not at the June Nintendo Direct. I do have one review for you to look at, and there are a couple of Bin Bunch new releases as well. Sales? We’ve got a few of them. Lists of new and expiring ones are here as ever. Let’s get to business!
We’ve finally hit the last of the PC Engine Shockman games with this release from Ratalaika, which means we are a mere single Super Famicom release away from having the entire series available on Switch. Is that a good thing? Sure, I suppose so. Up until these Ratalaika releases the only entry in this series to be localized for the West was the second game, which seemed to have been reasonably well-liked by TurboGrafx-16 fans but didn’t do a whole lot for me personally. The first game wasn’t all that hot either. This third game certainly had some of that forbidden import fruit vibes around it back in the day, pumped up by it being a CD-ROM game and having some really good-looking visuals in screenshots.
So is Shockman 3 the one that finally breaks the pattern of mediocrity? I wish I could say yes, but you’ll have to settle for it being as close as we’ve seen so far. Just as Shockman 2 was a dramatic departure mechanically from the first game, so too is Shockman 3 different from them both. While it’s still a side-scrolling action platformer, the emphasis this time is definitely on the action. It’s also simplified considerably from the second game, playing out more like a Valis game than anything else. Some light platforming and a whole lot of sword-swinging, with the occasional set piece to break things up.
You can choose between the boy and girl, who only differ in appearance and dialogue. In terms of moves, you can swing your sword, charge up a shot whose path you can control to a degree, and wall jump. Oh, and you can duck and jump of course. That’s it. No upgrades, and the only pick-ups you’ll find are health restore items and cans that eventually add up to continues. It sounds like it might be difficult, but the health items are distributed frequently enough that the game ends up being relatively breezy. If you need some additional help, Ratalaika has included a number of cheats you can make use of at your leisure. You also have the usual save states and rewind features seen in other Ratalaika retro reissues.
The graphics are quite good as PC Engine games go, so it has that going for it. The gameplay is fine, if a little bland. The cutscenes are cute, such as they are. It has that vintage Turbo-CD feel, and for some folks that will certainly count for something. Not really a game you’ll remember in a week or two, but agreeable enough for a playthrough or two. In terms of options and extras, this is the usual Ratalaika wrapper with all that implies, but there is at least a gallery that includes scans of the original packaging and manual. A bit of a plain brown bag as usual, but at this price it’s fine.
Cyber Citizen Shockman 3 closes out this quirky trilogy on as high of a note as it can muster, and one that I suppose is appropriate given what came before. I think it’s the smoothest game of the three to play, but it’s a bit irritating that it more or less pushes out the interesting elements of the first two games in favor of a very plain design. Still, there’s just enough of that early 90s CD vibe here to carry what is otherwise a rather bland side-scrolling action game. If you’ve played the first two, you might as well see it through with this one.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Puzzlerio ($2.00)
Zombie Survival: The Walking Pandemic ($4.99)
(North American eShop, US Prices)
When I said we had a few sales up there in the intro paragraph, I really meant a few. A good time to enjoy some rail shooters with Dakka Squadron and Fur Squadron I suppose? Over in the outbox, the latest Thunderful sale is finishing up. It’s also your last chance to get Cruis’n Blast at half-price, if that’s a thing you want. Check those lists!
Select New Sales
Stunt Paradise ($6.39 from $7.99 until 5/13)
Warhammer 40k: Dakka Squadron ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/14)
Fur Squadron ($3.49 from $6.99 until 5/14)
Oxide Room 104 ($5.99 from $24.99 until 5/20)
Demon’s Rise: Lords of Chaos ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/20)
Cleaning Queens ($3.99 from $5.99 until 5/20)
Chronicles of 2 Heroes: AW ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/20)
Die Again ($9.95 from $11.99 until 5/20)
Figment 2: Creed Valley ($7.49 from $24.99 until 5/27)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, May 8th
A Tiny Sticker Tale ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/8)
Cruis’n Blast ($19.99 from $39.99 until 5/8)
Cursed to Golf ($6.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
House ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/8)
Jurassic World Aftermath Collection ($10.49 from $29.99 until 5/8)
kuso ($3.49 from $4.99 until 5/8)
LEGO Bricktales ($11.99 from $29.99 until 5/8)
PHOGS! ($8.74 from $24.99 until 5/8)
Source of Madness ($6.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
SteamWorld Build ($20.99 from $29.99 until 5/8)
SteamWorld Heist ($1.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
Swordship ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
Togges ($6.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
Wavetale ($10.49 from $29.99 until 5/8)
Worldless ($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with some actually interesting new releases, plus whatever news and sales roll in during the course of the day. I’m having a “bad eyes" day today, it seems. Hard to properly focus on objects. Some days are like that, but it sure doesn’t make my job easy. I should be fine tomorrow, though. I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!
Reviews & Mini-Views
Cyber Citizen Shockman 3: The Princess From Another World ($5.99)
We’ve finally hit the last of the PC Engine Shockman games with this release from Ratalaika, which means we are a mere single Super Famicom release away from having the entire series available on Switch. Is that a good thing? Sure, I suppose so. Up until these Ratalaika releases the only entry in this series to be localized for the West was the second game, which seemed to have been reasonably well-liked by TurboGrafx-16 fans but didn’t do a whole lot for me personally. The first game wasn’t all that hot either. This third game certainly had some of that forbidden import fruit vibes around it back in the day, pumped up by it being a CD-ROM game and having some really good-looking visuals in screenshots.
So is Shockman 3 the one that finally breaks the pattern of mediocrity? I wish I could say yes, but you’ll have to settle for it being as close as we’ve seen so far. Just as Shockman 2 was a dramatic departure mechanically from the first game, so too is Shockman 3 different from them both. While it’s still a side-scrolling action platformer, the emphasis this time is definitely on the action. It’s also simplified considerably from the second game, playing out more like a Valis game than anything else. Some light platforming and a whole lot of sword-swinging, with the occasional set piece to break things up.
You can choose between the boy and girl, who only differ in appearance and dialogue. In terms of moves, you can swing your sword, charge up a shot whose path you can control to a degree, and wall jump. Oh, and you can duck and jump of course. That’s it. No upgrades, and the only pick-ups you’ll find are health restore items and cans that eventually add up to continues. It sounds like it might be difficult, but the health items are distributed frequently enough that the game ends up being relatively breezy. If you need some additional help, Ratalaika has included a number of cheats you can make use of at your leisure. You also have the usual save states and rewind features seen in other Ratalaika retro reissues.
The graphics are quite good as PC Engine games go, so it has that going for it. The gameplay is fine, if a little bland. The cutscenes are cute, such as they are. It has that vintage Turbo-CD feel, and for some folks that will certainly count for something. Not really a game you’ll remember in a week or two, but agreeable enough for a playthrough or two. In terms of options and extras, this is the usual Ratalaika wrapper with all that implies, but there is at least a gallery that includes scans of the original packaging and manual. A bit of a plain brown bag as usual, but at this price it’s fine.
Cyber Citizen Shockman 3 closes out this quirky trilogy on as high of a note as it can muster, and one that I suppose is appropriate given what came before. I think it’s the smoothest game of the three to play, but it’s a bit irritating that it more or less pushes out the interesting elements of the first two games in favor of a very plain design. Still, there’s just enough of that early 90s CD vibe here to carry what is otherwise a rather bland side-scrolling action game. If you’ve played the first two, you might as well see it through with this one.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
New Releases
The Bin Bunch
Puzzlerio ($2.00)
Zombie Survival: The Walking Pandemic ($4.99)
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
When I said we had a few sales up there in the intro paragraph, I really meant a few. A good time to enjoy some rail shooters with Dakka Squadron and Fur Squadron I suppose? Over in the outbox, the latest Thunderful sale is finishing up. It’s also your last chance to get Cruis’n Blast at half-price, if that’s a thing you want. Check those lists!
Select New Sales
Stunt Paradise ($6.39 from $7.99 until 5/13)
Warhammer 40k: Dakka Squadron ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/14)
Fur Squadron ($3.49 from $6.99 until 5/14)
Oxide Room 104 ($5.99 from $24.99 until 5/20)
Demon’s Rise: Lords of Chaos ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/20)
Cleaning Queens ($3.99 from $5.99 until 5/20)
Chronicles of 2 Heroes: AW ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/20)
Die Again ($9.95 from $11.99 until 5/20)
Figment 2: Creed Valley ($7.49 from $24.99 until 5/27)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, May 8th
A Tiny Sticker Tale ($6.99 from $9.99 until 5/8)
Cruis’n Blast ($19.99 from $39.99 until 5/8)
Cursed to Golf ($6.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
House ($2.99 from $14.99 until 5/8)
Jurassic World Aftermath Collection ($10.49 from $29.99 until 5/8)
kuso ($3.49 from $4.99 until 5/8)
LEGO Bricktales ($11.99 from $29.99 until 5/8)
PHOGS! ($8.74 from $24.99 until 5/8)
Source of Madness ($6.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
SteamWorld Build ($20.99 from $29.99 until 5/8)
SteamWorld Heist ($1.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
Swordship ($4.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
Togges ($6.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
Wavetale ($10.49 from $29.99 until 5/8)
Worldless ($13.99 from $19.99 until 5/8)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with some actually interesting new releases, plus whatever news and sales roll in during the course of the day. I’m having a “bad eyes" day today, it seems. Hard to properly focus on objects. Some days are like that, but it sure doesn’t make my job easy. I should be fine tomorrow, though. I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!