Hiya mild readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Spherical-Up for December 2nd, 2022. So, immediately turned out a little bit quieter than the same old Friday. It was so quiet, in truth, that I made a decision to pen just a few critiques. The Knight Witch, Railbound, and Donut Dodo get reviewed immediately, after which we head into the brand new launch summaries for the most recent video games. We end issues up with the same old lists of latest and outgoing gross sales, although they’re quite smaller than one would possibly anticipate for a Friday. I suppose we’re actually on the opposite aspect of Black Friday now. Let’s get to it!
Critiques
The Knight Witch ($19.99)
I’d forgive anybody for being a bit bored with Metroidvania-style video games at this level. A style whose entries have been as soon as as arduous to return by as musgravite has change into one of many extra flooded lately, such that you possibly can solely spend your time with the perfect of the perfect and nonetheless have a pile dozens of video games deep. The Knight Witch tries to shake issues up by cross-pollinating its basic Metroidvania construction with a free-roaming bullet-hell shooter. It really works surprisingly properly.
After you play via the prologue, you’re launched to the primary character of the sport, a Knight Witch in coaching named Rayne. After her house is unexpectedly attacked by golems, she units out to avoid wasting her husband and the remainder of her folks whereas probably saving the world alongside the way in which. As a Knight Witch, Rayne can fly round freely, direct magical pictures in any course, and make use of particular Spell Playing cards to solid highly effective spells. You’ll be able to select which Spell Playing cards you need to equip out of your present assortment, and so they’ll come up in flip as you employ them.
Rayne’s maneuverability means you don’t have to fret an excessive amount of about platforming on this sport, however you’ll be greater than saved busy dodging bullets, enemies, and different hazards as you make your approach via the sport’s world. You should utilize the second stick with direct your pictures, however Rayne can even do a fairly good job of auto-targeting when you’re too busy to fret about that. It controls properly, which is nice as a result of issues can get very intense in a rush. The boss battles are real bullet hell, and never in a foul approach. The story is participating, and the world is attention-grabbing to discover even when it’s a bit too linear for my liking.
The Knight Witch is a really well-made sport that takes two very completely different genres and binds them along with a good bit of success. You actually must be into each Metroidvania-style video games and bullet-hell shooters to get into this one, however when you can examine off each of these bins with out a lot thought, then this can be a slam-dunk pick-up. It’s not the lengthiest of video games, nevertheless it’s actually fairly satisfying due to its stable gameplay and charming presentation.
SwitchArcade Rating: 4/5
Railbound ($12.99)
Regardless of enjoying 1000’s of video games in my life, it’s wonderful how simply I can get sucked into an easy puzzle sport if all of the items are put collectively proper. And yeah, that’s what Railbound does. A easy set-up: lay the tracks down and manipulate them such that the varied automobiles of the prepare hook up with the engine in the best order whenever you hit go. The sport takes just a few ranges to stroll you thru its primary mechanics with a single automobile, then introduces a second automobile and begins to show up the warmth a little bit. By the tip of the sport’s 100 and fifty plus levels, you’re coping with a number of automobiles, numerous gimmicks, tight limits on monitor items, and extra. Typically you have got extra monitor items than you want, and that throws one other wrench into the works.
If you happen to like logic puzzles, you’ll in all probability have an excellent time with Railbound. It’s a really targeted sport, nevertheless it has sufficient twists to maintain issues contemporary via its quite beneficiant quantity of levels. The hanging comic-style artwork and the little sounds of all the pieces clacking collectively whenever you get it proper solely add to the sport’s appreciable quantity of character. All in all, a quite pretty little sport that’s good to take a seat down with and puzzle out whenever you’ve bought a spare hour or two.
SwitchArcade Rating: 4/5
Donut Dodo ($4.99)
Whereas they actually had their time within the solar within the Nineteen Eighties, single-screen motion video games fell out of vogue someplace alongside the road. The entire “larger is best” philosophy that we see so usually in video games, I suppose. However I believe if historical past within the passion has confirmed something, limitations can usually deliver magical outcomes. That’s why I used to be joyful to see that sort of sport make little comebacks right here and there by way of the indie scene and cellular gaming. On the identical time, these video games generally felt a little bit too spinoff or plain. Donut Dodo is likely one of the newest kicks at this will, and I discover it does a pleasant job of carving its personal path with appreciable confidence.
It finally ends up feeling a bit like a hyperlink between the early Donkey Kong-sized efforts and extra substantial Bubble Bobble-like affairs. Like the previous, you’ve bought a reasonably small variety of levels to cope with. Simply 5, in truth. However they’re all fairly distinct from one another. The manufacturing values and playability take after extra superior examples of the style, together with your important character being very nimble and responsive as he makes his approach via the vibrantly-colored impediment programs. There’s a little bit of depth to the scoring that appears to be impressed by Bomb Jack whereby it’s a must to seize the flashing donuts with a purpose to maximize your rating, which provides a welcome additional layer of problem.
Whereas the small variety of levels means there isn’t a complete ton to see right here, Donut Dodo provides up just a few completely different sport modes every with their very own leaderboards to problem. Sadly regardless of what the eShop description appears to point, these leaderboards are local-only. Nonetheless, attempting to one-up your scores in every of the modes does add a little bit of longevity to the proceedings. Most significantly, it’s only a very pleasing sport to play. You don’t actually need a whole lot of additional trimmings if a sport will get that a lot proper, and Donut Dodo does. That mentioned, there are some choices right here for tweaking issues like how the sport shows. It’s all fairly welcome by way of permitting to set simply how old-school an expertise you need.
Like a donut, Donut Dodo is a small, candy confection that you simply’ll seemingly chew via in just a few bites. However the scrumptious style will having you reaching again into the field for one more, and also you’ll seemingly come again for extra right here and there as you go about your different enterprise. Given the extremely cheap value level, this arcade game-that-wasn’t is a greater than truthful pick-up for these pining for the quarter-munching days of the 80s.
SwitchArcade Rating: 4/5
New Releases
Siralim Final ($19.99)
Earlier this 12 months, the most recent Siralim sport hit cellular. And right here it’s on Nintendo Change! If you happen to’ve performed any of the Siralim video games earlier than, you realize what to anticipate right here. If you happen to haven’t, this can be a wildly deep monster assortment RPG. There are greater than 1200 creatures you may accumulate, and there’s a fusion system considerably much like the Shin Megami Tensei video games. I’ll be doing a full overview of this one quickly, however so long as you don’t thoughts the model of the visuals there’s a lot to like right here for followers of monster RPGs.
Tremendous Kiwi 64 ($2.99)
Right here’s the most recent from Diplodocus Video games, a developer that I really feel is consistently under-valuing its work. I worry that’s occurring once more with this cute little eight-level 3D platforming ode to the Nintendo 64 days. Use a wide range of talents to deal with the levels in any order you want, looking down secrets and techniques and simply having an excellent time making your approach across the decent-sized environments. A high quality method to spend a couple of dollars immediately.
Intrepid Izzy ($10.99)
An action-platformer with some beat-em-up model motion for dispatching your foes, Intrepid Izzy sees you utilizing a wide range of costumes and their distinctive talents to make your approach via moderately giant ranges with a purpose to save the world from a foul genie or one thing. It additionally has a quite robust soundtrack. I’ll have a overview of this one early subsequent week, however I’ve loved what I’ve performed properly sufficient up to now.
Silver Nornir ($14.99)
Wow, this brings again recollections. This was the final sport KEMCO launched on iOS earlier than I used to be employed at TouchArcade. It comes from all the way in which again in 2013, and is a product of developer WorldWideSoftware. I’m wondering what occurred to them? Anyway, it’s a fairly generic RPG however the story has a bit extra work put into it than we are inclined to see with, say, EXE-Create’s stuff. It’s set in a world that has already been destroyed twice by an amazing calamity, and also you’re attempting to forestall it from being destroyed a 3rd time. You could find it cheaper on cellular, as ordinary. It’s been an extended whereas since I performed this one, however I bear in mind it being respectable by KEMCO requirements.
Sakura Succubus 6 ($9.99)
It’s the sixth on this sequence now and also you’re in all probability greater than acquainted how the Sakura Succubus sequence of visible novels works by now. The premise this time is that you simply go to a fictional European nation and the princess there falls for you. Make some selections and attempt to discover a joyful ending. You don’t want me to let you know if that is for you or not.
Gross sales
(North American eShop, US Costs)
I believe that is the smallest record of Friday gross sales we’ve seen in a very long time. I suppose that’s as a result of the Cyber Offers gross sales are nonetheless kicking till Monday. Don’t neglect about these, by the way in which. The following time we meet right here, will probably be too late. Not a lot too attention-grabbing within the new gross sales for immediately, and the outbox is… properly, it’s two video games. Look over these Cyber Offers once more, I suppose?
Choose New Video games on Sale
Secrets and techniques of Mild & Shadow ($12.00 from $15.00 till 12/15)
AVICII Invector ($7.99 from $19.99 till 12/16)
SkateBIRD ($5.99 from $19.99 till 12/16)
Destruction ($1.99 from $9.99 till 12/16)
The Fox Awaits Me ($8.99 from $44.99 till 12/16)
Ahead to the Sky ($9.79 from $48.99 till 12/16)
Sea King Hunter ($1.99 from $9.99 till 12/16)
Cyber Velocity Run ($3.99 from $7.99 till 12/16)
Gunborg: Darkish Issues ($7.49 from $14.99 till 12/16)
Zumatch ($2.39 from $5.99 till 12/19)
The Home of the Lifeless Remake ($19.99 from $24.99 till 12/22)
Suicide Man Assortment ($2.96 from $10.99 till 12/22)
Railway Empire ($19.99 from $39.99 till 12/22)
Monkey Barrels ($7.49 from $14.99 till 12/22)
Kuukiyomi Take into account It ($2.49 from $4.99 till 12/22)
Gross sales Ending This Weekend
even when Tempest ($42.49 from $49.99 till 12/3)
Kings of Paradise ($12.49 from $24.99 till 12/3)
That’s all for immediately and this week, buddies. We’ll be again subsequent week with extra new releases, extra gross sales, extra critiques, extra information, and maybe some year-in-review sort stuff. I hope you all have an amazing weekend, and as all the time, thanks for studying!
