Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for May 25th, 2021. In today’s article, we’ve got a couple of news items about some nice game updates to look at. We then go into reviews of a pair of new releases, summaries of the five new games that hit the eShop today, and the usual lists of sales for you to consider. Not bad for a Tuesday, really. Let’s check it all out!
‘Capcom Arcade Stadium’ Update with New DLC Now Available
Capcom Arcade Stadium is hitting the other major platforms today, and along with that comes a fresh update for the Nintendo Switch version. I’m not sure exactly what all has been changed or added, but I can say for certain that the game now offers two additional pieces of DLC. Both of them cost $0.99, so it’s not a big expense if you feel like picking them up. The first is a set of game-specific borders for every game in the set, allowing you to deck out each game with appropriate border art. The other DLC adds an invincibility setting that you can use with any of the games to grant you the immortality that even a bucket of quarters could not offer. Capcom has said additional games will be added in the future, but there’s still no specific schedule for that.
The Latest Version of ‘Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town’ is Coming Soon
Here’s another game with an update coming in a day or two, and it’s a major one. The latest Story of Seasons game is something of a work in progress, but the latest version makes some big steps towards where it needs to be. Some of the residents’ dialogue has been improved and expanded on, maker machine functionality has been improved to allow you to make multiple items at once, eating scenes have improved visuals, you can lock your movement in a straight line to help with farming, cooking times have been adjusted, a lot of UI improvements have been implemented, and some stuttering has been reduced. The developers are still working on improving some aspects of the game, but this update contains a lot of the things they’ve specifically talked about fixing up until now.
Jetboard Joust reminds me of Defender in all the right ways. Its fast, multi-directional shooting action is intense and enjoyable. The roguelite elements are mixed in thoughtfully, weaving in an overall progression system that isn’t just married to clearing stages. It’s also quite stylish in its own way. There are a bunch of different enemies and bosses to learn how to defeat, and the arsenal of potential weapons at your disposal gives you plenty of options for doing so. There’s also a wild move you can bust out now and then where you fly off your board and ram into the opponents. Very cool.
I have a few issues with the game, though. First is that it’s a bit on the easy side. I’m not the sort that wants an overly punishing experience every time I sit down at the dinner table, but I never really felt like the game was pushing against me with much vigor. If you’re an experienced Defender player, there’s a very real chance you’ll finish Jetboard Joust on your first try. The other problem, and one I hope will be fixed in time, is that the game crashed to the Switch home menu a few times while I was playing it. Naturally, that meant I lost all of my progress on that particular playthrough.
Overall, this is a really enjoyable shooter. It feels good to play, and that’s really what counts in the end. It could be a little harder, and I do hope the technical issues I had while playing it were either unfortunate coincidences or will be fixed in an update. But I certainly found the game worth my time while it lasted, and it scratches the Defender itch well enough that I suspect I will be returning to it now and then in the future.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
The original release of Save me Mr Tako was a decent game that felt like it was on the cusp of being something more. There were just a few issues with its difficulty and physics that made playing it annoying in places, dampening the overall experience. The developer wanted to address those issues with an update; the publisher did not. Some things happened, the two parted ways, and while the developer was free to finally get an updated version of the game out, it could not update the existing SKU that people may have already purchased. That complicates things somewhat if you have the old version.
In this game, you play as an octopus who seeks peace in a war between humans and his people. It’s a Game Boy-inspired 2D platformer that is generally linear but offers plenty of opportunities to explore and tackle side-quests. The core mechanic involves spitting ink at your foes to turn them into temporary platforms, but you’ll earn more abilities at the game goes on. The Definitive Edition adds an assortment of extras, some to small effect and others to greater results. Most critically, it rebalances the game in too many ways to list. In the end, I believe we’ve got a game that does a better job of keeping your focus on what the developer wanted you to experience. It’s a successful, substantial improvement.
Is it a big enough improvement for those who already own the previous version? Mmm, that depends. If, like me, you saw some potential in it but thought it fell short, you may find this new version realizes that potential in a satisfying way. If you just plain didn’t like it, I don’t know that anything here is going to change your mind. For those who didn’t pick up the game on the first swing around, it’s a much easier choice. This is a fun adventure with enough meat on its bones to easily justify its asking price. It’s still not perfect, but I’m glad the developer was able to finally get Mr Tako in his best threads, so to speak.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
You’re probably thinking you’re the cool guy with the gun in that picture, right? Nope, you’re that chump shark with the big boom-boom in its jaws. Try not to do that in the actual game, because this is a ShaRkPG and if that one famous shark couldn’t survive it you probably won’t either. Take control of a shark in this action-RPG and become the apex predator of the seas. Feed, evolve, and survive. This game got somewhat mixed reviews on other platforms, but there’s a certain visceral appeal to it and this Switch version runs surprisingly well from the bit of it that I’ve played.
Sid Meier’s Pirates! came out in 1987, and you would think that there would be oodles of games in 2021 that could at least offer what it did 34 years ago, but… no. A few have managed it, but most that try fall well short of the mark. Anyway, here’s King of Seas. You play as a pirate on the procedurally-generated high seas, trying to live the outlaw’s life while clearing your name and/or getting revenge. It’s missing the various bits and bobs that usually make pirate games fun, but what’s here is okay. I think the price is asking a little much for what you get, but I leave it to you to decide for yourself.
There haven’t been a whole ton of Overcooked-style co-op party games released in the last few weeks, but I’d imagine that lull won’t last long. Very Very Valet definitely follows in that mold, allowing up to four players to join together in local co-op to do some serious valet work. Park the customers’ cars, bring them back when needed, and try not to crash into anything or each other. There are twenty different stages to play on, each with their own layouts and gimmicks. Seems like fun, but I’d have to put it to the test with my family to decide its ultimate worth.
The Lost Lands are in trouble again, and the job of saving them falls once more to the brave and courageous Susan. Winter has struck early and hard for the people of the lands. Given how regularly things go wrong because of some evil force another, it is surmised that this too is because of some bad creature or spirit. Well, it could be. Susan will have to look into it by exploring more than 50 locations, playing a bunch of mini-games, and search for all kinds of hidden objects. All in a day’s work for Susan, I suppose. I kind of feel bad for her; she gets pulled into this fantasy world more often than the Avatar got yanked into Britannia. Fix your own problems sometimes!
Wow, Piotr Skalski. Wow. At least Street Basketball could be bothered to put some bodies on its big-headed players. You put big pixel heads onto a bloody shoe. Not two shoes. A shoe. Choose your favorite head and battle either the CPU in single-player or a friend in local two-player in this extremely simplified soccer game. It’s only a couple of dollars, yes. But.. seriously. Just look at that nonsense.
(North American eShop, US Prices)
The list is lengthy enough today, but a good chunk of it is the usual near-weekly bunch. Of particular note: EA’s games are on sale, and I think this may be the first one for Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville since its release. As for the outbox, the Devil May Cry games are ending their latest sales soon, and the recently-updated Gods Will Fall is also finishing up its discount celebrating that. Have a careful look through both lists, as always. You never know what I may have missed.
Select New Games on Sale
Gunslugs ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/30)
Gunslugs 2 ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/30)
Among Pipes ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/31)
Gangsta Paradise ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville ($27.99 from $39.99 until 5/31)
Food Truck Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Salad Bar Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Fall Gummies ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/31)
Street Basketball ($1.99 from $5.99 until 5/31)
Real Drift Racing ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Bubble Cats Rescue ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/31)
Trancelation ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Classic Games Collection Vol.1 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Urban Flow ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/31)
Chess Ace ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/31)
Perfect Traffic Simulator ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Fantasy Tower Defense ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Royal Tower Defense ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/31)
The Legend of Ninja ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit ($27.99 from $39.99 until 6/1)
Burnout Paradise Remastered ($14.99 from $29.99 until 6/1)
FIFA 21 Legacy Edition ($24.99 from $49.99 until 6/1)
Unravel Two ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/1)
Fe ($4.99 from $19.99 until 6/1)
Snow Moto Racing Freedom ($19.99 from $39.99 until 6/1)
Aqua Moto Racing Utopia ($19.99 from $39.99 until 6/1)
Press A to Party ($2.79 from $7.99 until 6/1)
Ramp Car Jumping ($4.19 from $10.49 until 6/1)
Cooking Festival ($4.39 from $10.99 until 6/1)
Solitaire ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/1)
Tetraminos ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/1)
Brick Breaker ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/1)
Premium Pool Arena ($5.99 from $11.99 until 6/1)
Caveblazers ($2.09 from $14.99 until 6/7)
One Line Coloring ($3.49 from $6.99 until 6/7)
Torn Tales: Rebound Edition ($4.39 from $7.99 until 6/11)
My Coloring Book ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/14)
Isolation Story ($5.99 from $9.99 until 6/14)
Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden ($2.09 from $14.99 until 6/14)
Dreamwalker: Never Fall Asleep ($2.09 from $14.99 until 6/14)
Burger Chef Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/14)
Cooking Tycoons: 3 in 1 Bundle ($1.99 from $12.99 until 6/14)
Freecell Solitaire Deluxe ($1.99 from $8.99 until 6/14)
Must Dash Amigos ($1.99 from $6.99 until 6/14)
Tilt Pack ($1.99 from $14.99 until 6/14)
2048 Battles ($1.99 from $3.99 until 6/14)
Tower of Babel: No Mercy ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/14)
Adrenaline Rush: Miami Drive ($1.99 from $3.99 until 6/14)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 26th
Black Legend ($22.49 from $29.99 until 5/26)
Brawlout ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Butcher ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/26)
Chasm ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Cinders ($3.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Devil May Cry ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Devil May Cry 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Devil May Cry 3 SE ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Ellipsis ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/26)
Fin & the Ancient Mystery ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/26)
Gods Will Fall ($14.99 from $24.99 until 5/26)
Lichtspeer: Double Speer Edition ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/26)
Mousecraft ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/26)
My Memory of Us ($4.49 from $14.99 until 5/26)
Never Stop ($3.24 from $4.99 until 5/26)
NoReload Heroes Enhanced Edition ($22.49 from $24.99 until 5/26)
Regalia: Of Men & Monarchs ($14.99 from $24.99 until 5/26)
Tales of the Tiny Planet ($9.74 from $14.99 until 5/26)
Ultra Foodmess ($2.39 from $3.99 until 5/26)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more news, more new releases, and probably more sales. I can’t promise that last one, but it seems extraordinarily likely. Anyway, I hope you all have a great Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!
News
‘Capcom Arcade Stadium’ Update with New DLC Now Available
Capcom Arcade Stadium is hitting the other major platforms today, and along with that comes a fresh update for the Nintendo Switch version. I’m not sure exactly what all has been changed or added, but I can say for certain that the game now offers two additional pieces of DLC. Both of them cost $0.99, so it’s not a big expense if you feel like picking them up. The first is a set of game-specific borders for every game in the set, allowing you to deck out each game with appropriate border art. The other DLC adds an invincibility setting that you can use with any of the games to grant you the immortality that even a bucket of quarters could not offer. Capcom has said additional games will be added in the future, but there’s still no specific schedule for that.
The Latest Version of ‘Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town’ is Coming Soon
Here’s another game with an update coming in a day or two, and it’s a major one. The latest Story of Seasons game is something of a work in progress, but the latest version makes some big steps towards where it needs to be. Some of the residents’ dialogue has been improved and expanded on, maker machine functionality has been improved to allow you to make multiple items at once, eating scenes have improved visuals, you can lock your movement in a straight line to help with farming, cooking times have been adjusted, a lot of UI improvements have been implemented, and some stuttering has been reduced. The developers are still working on improving some aspects of the game, but this update contains a lot of the things they’ve specifically talked about fixing up until now.
Reviews & Mini-Views
Jetboard Joust ($9.99)
Jetboard Joust reminds me of Defender in all the right ways. Its fast, multi-directional shooting action is intense and enjoyable. The roguelite elements are mixed in thoughtfully, weaving in an overall progression system that isn’t just married to clearing stages. It’s also quite stylish in its own way. There are a bunch of different enemies and bosses to learn how to defeat, and the arsenal of potential weapons at your disposal gives you plenty of options for doing so. There’s also a wild move you can bust out now and then where you fly off your board and ram into the opponents. Very cool.
I have a few issues with the game, though. First is that it’s a bit on the easy side. I’m not the sort that wants an overly punishing experience every time I sit down at the dinner table, but I never really felt like the game was pushing against me with much vigor. If you’re an experienced Defender player, there’s a very real chance you’ll finish Jetboard Joust on your first try. The other problem, and one I hope will be fixed in time, is that the game crashed to the Switch home menu a few times while I was playing it. Naturally, that meant I lost all of my progress on that particular playthrough.
Overall, this is a really enjoyable shooter. It feels good to play, and that’s really what counts in the end. It could be a little harder, and I do hope the technical issues I had while playing it were either unfortunate coincidences or will be fixed in an update. But I certainly found the game worth my time while it lasted, and it scratches the Defender itch well enough that I suspect I will be returning to it now and then in the future.
SwitchArcade Score: 3.5/5
Save me Mr Tako: Definitive Edition ($14.99)
The original release of Save me Mr Tako was a decent game that felt like it was on the cusp of being something more. There were just a few issues with its difficulty and physics that made playing it annoying in places, dampening the overall experience. The developer wanted to address those issues with an update; the publisher did not. Some things happened, the two parted ways, and while the developer was free to finally get an updated version of the game out, it could not update the existing SKU that people may have already purchased. That complicates things somewhat if you have the old version.
In this game, you play as an octopus who seeks peace in a war between humans and his people. It’s a Game Boy-inspired 2D platformer that is generally linear but offers plenty of opportunities to explore and tackle side-quests. The core mechanic involves spitting ink at your foes to turn them into temporary platforms, but you’ll earn more abilities at the game goes on. The Definitive Edition adds an assortment of extras, some to small effect and others to greater results. Most critically, it rebalances the game in too many ways to list. In the end, I believe we’ve got a game that does a better job of keeping your focus on what the developer wanted you to experience. It’s a successful, substantial improvement.
Is it a big enough improvement for those who already own the previous version? Mmm, that depends. If, like me, you saw some potential in it but thought it fell short, you may find this new version realizes that potential in a satisfying way. If you just plain didn’t like it, I don’t know that anything here is going to change your mind. For those who didn’t pick up the game on the first swing around, it’s a much easier choice. This is a fun adventure with enough meat on its bones to easily justify its asking price. It’s still not perfect, but I’m glad the developer was able to finally get Mr Tako in his best threads, so to speak.
SwitchArcade Score: 4/5
New Releases
Maneater ($39.99)
You’re probably thinking you’re the cool guy with the gun in that picture, right? Nope, you’re that chump shark with the big boom-boom in its jaws. Try not to do that in the actual game, because this is a ShaRkPG and if that one famous shark couldn’t survive it you probably won’t either. Take control of a shark in this action-RPG and become the apex predator of the seas. Feed, evolve, and survive. This game got somewhat mixed reviews on other platforms, but there’s a certain visceral appeal to it and this Switch version runs surprisingly well from the bit of it that I’ve played.
King of Seas ($24.99)
Sid Meier’s Pirates! came out in 1987, and you would think that there would be oodles of games in 2021 that could at least offer what it did 34 years ago, but… no. A few have managed it, but most that try fall well short of the mark. Anyway, here’s King of Seas. You play as a pirate on the procedurally-generated high seas, trying to live the outlaw’s life while clearing your name and/or getting revenge. It’s missing the various bits and bobs that usually make pirate games fun, but what’s here is okay. I think the price is asking a little much for what you get, but I leave it to you to decide for yourself.
Very Very Valet ($24.99)
There haven’t been a whole ton of Overcooked-style co-op party games released in the last few weeks, but I’d imagine that lull won’t last long. Very Very Valet definitely follows in that mold, allowing up to four players to join together in local co-op to do some serious valet work. Park the customers’ cars, bring them back when needed, and try not to crash into anything or each other. There are twenty different stages to play on, each with their own layouts and gimmicks. Seems like fun, but I’d have to put it to the test with my family to decide its ultimate worth.
Lost Lands: Ice Spell ($6.99)
The Lost Lands are in trouble again, and the job of saving them falls once more to the brave and courageous Susan. Winter has struck early and hard for the people of the lands. Given how regularly things go wrong because of some evil force another, it is surmised that this too is because of some bad creature or spirit. Well, it could be. Susan will have to look into it by exploring more than 50 locations, playing a bunch of mini-games, and search for all kinds of hidden objects. All in a day’s work for Susan, I suppose. I kind of feel bad for her; she gets pulled into this fantasy world more often than the Avatar got yanked into Britannia. Fix your own problems sometimes!
Pixel Head Soccer ($1.99)
Wow, Piotr Skalski. Wow. At least Street Basketball could be bothered to put some bodies on its big-headed players. You put big pixel heads onto a bloody shoe. Not two shoes. A shoe. Choose your favorite head and battle either the CPU in single-player or a friend in local two-player in this extremely simplified soccer game. It’s only a couple of dollars, yes. But.. seriously. Just look at that nonsense.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
The list is lengthy enough today, but a good chunk of it is the usual near-weekly bunch. Of particular note: EA’s games are on sale, and I think this may be the first one for Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville since its release. As for the outbox, the Devil May Cry games are ending their latest sales soon, and the recently-updated Gods Will Fall is also finishing up its discount celebrating that. Have a careful look through both lists, as always. You never know what I may have missed.
Select New Games on Sale
Gunslugs ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/30)
Gunslugs 2 ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/30)
Among Pipes ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/31)
Gangsta Paradise ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville ($27.99 from $39.99 until 5/31)
Food Truck Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Salad Bar Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Fall Gummies ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/31)
Street Basketball ($1.99 from $5.99 until 5/31)
Real Drift Racing ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Bubble Cats Rescue ($1.99 from $3.99 until 5/31)
Trancelation ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Classic Games Collection Vol.1 ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Urban Flow ($1.99 from $14.99 until 5/31)
Chess Ace ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/31)
Perfect Traffic Simulator ($1.99 from $9.99 until 5/31)
Fantasy Tower Defense ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Royal Tower Defense ($1.99 from $7.99 until 5/31)
The Legend of Ninja ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/31)
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit ($27.99 from $39.99 until 6/1)
Burnout Paradise Remastered ($14.99 from $29.99 until 6/1)
FIFA 21 Legacy Edition ($24.99 from $49.99 until 6/1)
Unravel Two ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/1)
Fe ($4.99 from $19.99 until 6/1)
Snow Moto Racing Freedom ($19.99 from $39.99 until 6/1)
Aqua Moto Racing Utopia ($19.99 from $39.99 until 6/1)
Press A to Party ($2.79 from $7.99 until 6/1)
Ramp Car Jumping ($4.19 from $10.49 until 6/1)
Cooking Festival ($4.39 from $10.99 until 6/1)
Solitaire ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/1)
Tetraminos ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/1)
Brick Breaker ($4.99 from $9.99 until 6/1)
Premium Pool Arena ($5.99 from $11.99 until 6/1)
Caveblazers ($2.09 from $14.99 until 6/7)
One Line Coloring ($3.49 from $6.99 until 6/7)
Torn Tales: Rebound Edition ($4.39 from $7.99 until 6/11)
My Coloring Book ($2.49 from $4.99 until 6/14)
Isolation Story ($5.99 from $9.99 until 6/14)
Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden ($2.09 from $14.99 until 6/14)
Dreamwalker: Never Fall Asleep ($2.09 from $14.99 until 6/14)
Burger Chef Tycoon ($1.99 from $4.99 until 6/14)
Cooking Tycoons: 3 in 1 Bundle ($1.99 from $12.99 until 6/14)
Freecell Solitaire Deluxe ($1.99 from $8.99 until 6/14)
Must Dash Amigos ($1.99 from $6.99 until 6/14)
Tilt Pack ($1.99 from $14.99 until 6/14)
2048 Battles ($1.99 from $3.99 until 6/14)
Tower of Babel: No Mercy ($1.99 from $9.99 until 6/14)
Adrenaline Rush: Miami Drive ($1.99 from $3.99 until 6/14)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 26th
Black Legend ($22.49 from $29.99 until 5/26)
Brawlout ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Butcher ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/26)
Chasm ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Cinders ($3.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Devil May Cry ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Devil May Cry 2 ($9.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Devil May Cry 3 SE ($11.99 from $19.99 until 5/26)
Ellipsis ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/26)
Fin & the Ancient Mystery ($1.99 from $4.99 until 5/26)
Gods Will Fall ($14.99 from $24.99 until 5/26)
Lichtspeer: Double Speer Edition ($2.99 from $9.99 until 5/26)
Mousecraft ($3.99 from $9.99 until 5/26)
My Memory of Us ($4.49 from $14.99 until 5/26)
Never Stop ($3.24 from $4.99 until 5/26)
NoReload Heroes Enhanced Edition ($22.49 from $24.99 until 5/26)
Regalia: Of Men & Monarchs ($14.99 from $24.99 until 5/26)
Tales of the Tiny Planet ($9.74 from $14.99 until 5/26)
Ultra Foodmess ($2.39 from $3.99 until 5/26)
That’s all for today, friends. We’ll be back tomorrow with more news, more new releases, and probably more sales. I can’t promise that last one, but it seems extraordinarily likely. Anyway, I hope you all have a great Tuesday, and as always, thanks for reading!