Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for February 8th, 2024. Itâs Thursday today, and that means we have a good number of new games to check out. There isnât anything major in the line-up, but if youâre looking for something fun to play you likely wonât go away empty-handed. Weâve got summaries of everything worth summarizing, plus the usual lists of new and expiring sales for the day. Letâs dive in and see what we can find!
The enjoyable rhythm game Invector returns, this time with a soundtrack pulled from a variety of Warner Music artists. That means youâll be playing along to tracks from PinkPantheress, Charlie Puth, Duran Duran, and more. I know⌠one of them! Well hey, itâs not like you have to be familiar with the music to enjoy a game like this. I liked the first game well enough, so Iâll happily give this one a spin.
With licensed games the challenge often comes from trying to appease the existing fanbase while also not building too high of a wall for newcomers. I believe Konosuba is going to have some difficulty with the latter point. Itâs a visual novel with some crafting elements, and the story is that a cursed relic has caused all the girlsâ personalities to reverse. The only way to lift the curse is to craft outfits that match their new desires. Really just an excuse for some fan service, but if you love Konosuba then that might be exactly what youâre after.
Now hereâs an obscure pull. Face Off is an ice hockey game released in the arcades in 1988 by Namco. Iâm pretty sure itâs the first hockey game weâve gotten in Arcade Archives. Though itâs a bit of a stretch to call it a proper hockey game, since it seems to have been designed by someone who maybe caught a sideways glance at a hockey game on TV once and then tried to recreate it from memory. Itâs pretty fun as a sports game but the better you know the sport the more youâll likely chafe at this odd interpretation.
Hm, weâre really into the era of PlayStation-style low poly nostalgia now, arenât we? Hereâs another survival horror game of that ilk, following the story of a guy named Henry who is trying to escape a house where a cannibal family resides. I guess he doesnât want to stay for dinner. Hide from the killers, solve some puzzles, and try to stay alive. You do not have much in the way of means to defend yourself against the killer that stalks you, so run and hide as needed.
While you can play this one alone, itâs really meant as a multiplayer experience for up to six players online. Some players are Sheriffs, others are Outlaws. The goal of the Outlaws is to cause trouble around the town, while the Sheriffs obviously need to catch them.
An adventure game that mostly focuses around conversations between characters. Not quite a visual novel, but certainly leaning in that direction. It focuses on school-age characters, and honestly I canât glean enough from its plot description to understand its hook. Some kind of sci-fi business, to be sure. Beyond that, Iâll leave it up to you to investigate further.
Officer Mustache has somehow landed in Hell, and heâs going to have to blast his way out in this twin-stick shooter. There are a variety of weapons to collect and use, plenty of enemies to take down, and even the occasional light puzzle to solve. Iâm going to be doing a review of this one soon, but that zoomed-in camera has me somewhat concerned already.
Oh, I remember this one from its mobile release. This is one of those puzzle games where you need to reflect a beam of light and make it shine on specific targets. There are one hundred and fifty levels to play, and if it seems like it might get old before you run out of stages, worry not! There are a lot of interesting gimmicks peppered in to keep things fresh as you think your way through. A very agreeable five dollar game for puzzle fans.
Hereâs another romance visual novel that has been saddled with a localization so terrible that itâs almost impossible to ignore. Youâre trying to help some girls who have decided to give up on society by getting them jobs and generally coming out of their rooms again. Seems like a recipe for love! Really though, if a text-heavy game canât even be bothered to wrap the words properly at the end of sentences, itâs not worth your hard-earned twenty bucks.
Alpaca Wonders Why ($3.99)
Pirates: Caribbean Chronicles ($4.99)
Police Car Driver: City Parking Simulator ($9.99)
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Well, the big sales wave has officially passed. We have a fairly small inbox, and a fairly small outbox. There are some sales on Onion Games titles, plus a few other bits and bobs. And over in the outbox, a fair amount the usual suspects. Theyâll likely be back around again before long if you donât feel the need to play them now. Check both lists, as always.
Select New Sales
Velocity Noodle ($4.54 from $12.99 until 2/15)
Mon Amour ($6.29 from $8.99 until 2/15)
moon ($13.29 from $18.99 until 2/15)
Dandy Dungeon: Brave Yamada ($13.29 from $18.99 until 2/15)
Black Bird ($13.29 from $18.99 until 2/15)
Frogun ($8.99 from $14.99 until 2/15)
Choju Giga Wars ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/21)
Hellâs High Harmonizers ($4.79 from $11.99 until 2/21)
Everspace: Stellar Edition ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/22)
ONI: Road to be the Mightiest Oni ($11.99 from $29.99 until 2/22)
The Rumble Fish 2 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/28)
Dying Light: Definitive Edition ($9.99 from $49.99 until 2/28)
Steve Jacksonâs Sorcery ($9.99 from $24.99 until 2/28)
Children of Morta ($5.49 from $21.99 until 2/28)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, February 9th
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/9)
Aragami 2 ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/9)
Aragami: Shadow Edition ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Astebros ($5.19 from $12.99 until 2/9)
Bramble: The Mountain King ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Daardoa ($1.99 from $3.49 until 2/9)
Daemonum ($2.46 from $4.49 until 2/9)
Fresh Start ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/9)
FX Unit Yuki: The Henshin Engine ($3.59 from $8.99 until 2/9)
Hayfever ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Mugen Souls ($27.99 from $39.99 until 2/9)
Necrosmith ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/9)
No Place Like Home ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Parasomnia Verum ($1.99 from $3.49 until 2/9)
Ponpu ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Sparklite ($4.99 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Spells & Secrets ($17.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Swapshot ($3.49 from $4.99 until 2/9)
The Lightbringer ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Time on Frog Island ($7.49 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Timore 5 ($7.14 from $12.99 until 2/9)
Timore Redo ($10.44 from $18.99 until 2/9)
Toasterball ($8.49 from $9.99 until 2/9)
Thatâs all for today, friends. Weâll be back tomorrow with the remaining releases of the week, plus whatever sales and major news items come in during the course of the day. Iâm feeling a bit rough today, so I think Iâll head to bed early tonight. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!
New Releases
Invector: Rhythm Galaxy ($24.99)
The enjoyable rhythm game Invector returns, this time with a soundtrack pulled from a variety of Warner Music artists. That means youâll be playing along to tracks from PinkPantheress, Charlie Puth, Duran Duran, and more. I know⌠one of them! Well hey, itâs not like you have to be familiar with the music to enjoy a game like this. I liked the first game well enough, so Iâll happily give this one a spin.
Konosuba â Godâs Blessing on this Wonderful World! Love For These Clothes Of Desire! ($49.99)
With licensed games the challenge often comes from trying to appease the existing fanbase while also not building too high of a wall for newcomers. I believe Konosuba is going to have some difficulty with the latter point. Itâs a visual novel with some crafting elements, and the story is that a cursed relic has caused all the girlsâ personalities to reverse. The only way to lift the curse is to craft outfits that match their new desires. Really just an excuse for some fan service, but if you love Konosuba then that might be exactly what youâre after.
Arcade Archives Face Off ($7.99)
Now hereâs an obscure pull. Face Off is an ice hockey game released in the arcades in 1988 by Namco. Iâm pretty sure itâs the first hockey game weâve gotten in Arcade Archives. Though itâs a bit of a stretch to call it a proper hockey game, since it seems to have been designed by someone who maybe caught a sideways glance at a hockey game on TV once and then tried to recreate it from memory. Itâs pretty fun as a sports game but the better you know the sport the more youâll likely chafe at this odd interpretation.
Cannibal Abduction ($11.99)
Hm, weâre really into the era of PlayStation-style low poly nostalgia now, arenât we? Hereâs another survival horror game of that ilk, following the story of a guy named Henry who is trying to escape a house where a cannibal family resides. I guess he doesnât want to stay for dinner. Hide from the killers, solve some puzzles, and try to stay alive. You do not have much in the way of means to defend yourself against the killer that stalks you, so run and hide as needed.
West Hunt ($9.99)
While you can play this one alone, itâs really meant as a multiplayer experience for up to six players online. Some players are Sheriffs, others are Outlaws. The goal of the Outlaws is to cause trouble around the town, while the Sheriffs obviously need to catch them.
Shanghai Summer ($14.99)
An adventure game that mostly focuses around conversations between characters. Not quite a visual novel, but certainly leaning in that direction. It focuses on school-age characters, and honestly I canât glean enough from its plot description to understand its hook. Some kind of sci-fi business, to be sure. Beyond that, Iâll leave it up to you to investigate further.
Mustache in Hell ($4.99)
Officer Mustache has somehow landed in Hell, and heâs going to have to blast his way out in this twin-stick shooter. There are a variety of weapons to collect and use, plenty of enemies to take down, and even the occasional light puzzle to solve. Iâm going to be doing a review of this one soon, but that zoomed-in camera has me somewhat concerned already.
God of Light: Remastered ($4.99)
Oh, I remember this one from its mobile release. This is one of those puzzle games where you need to reflect a beam of light and make it shine on specific targets. There are one hundred and fifty levels to play, and if it seems like it might get old before you run out of stages, worry not! There are a lot of interesting gimmicks peppered in to keep things fresh as you think your way through. A very agreeable five dollar game for puzzle fans.
Neet Girl Rehabilitation Plan ($19.90)
Hereâs another romance visual novel that has been saddled with a localization so terrible that itâs almost impossible to ignore. Youâre trying to help some girls who have decided to give up on society by getting them jobs and generally coming out of their rooms again. Seems like a recipe for love! Really though, if a text-heavy game canât even be bothered to wrap the words properly at the end of sentences, itâs not worth your hard-earned twenty bucks.
The Bin Bunch
Alpaca Wonders Why ($3.99)
Pirates: Caribbean Chronicles ($4.99)
Police Car Driver: City Parking Simulator ($9.99)
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
Well, the big sales wave has officially passed. We have a fairly small inbox, and a fairly small outbox. There are some sales on Onion Games titles, plus a few other bits and bobs. And over in the outbox, a fair amount the usual suspects. Theyâll likely be back around again before long if you donât feel the need to play them now. Check both lists, as always.
Select New Sales
Velocity Noodle ($4.54 from $12.99 until 2/15)
Mon Amour ($6.29 from $8.99 until 2/15)
moon ($13.29 from $18.99 until 2/15)
Dandy Dungeon: Brave Yamada ($13.29 from $18.99 until 2/15)
Black Bird ($13.29 from $18.99 until 2/15)
Frogun ($8.99 from $14.99 until 2/15)
Choju Giga Wars ($1.99 from $6.99 until 2/21)
Hellâs High Harmonizers ($4.79 from $11.99 until 2/21)
Everspace: Stellar Edition ($9.99 from $39.99 until 2/22)
ONI: Road to be the Mightiest Oni ($11.99 from $29.99 until 2/22)
The Rumble Fish 2 ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/28)
Dying Light: Definitive Edition ($9.99 from $49.99 until 2/28)
Steve Jacksonâs Sorcery ($9.99 from $24.99 until 2/28)
Children of Morta ($5.49 from $21.99 until 2/28)
Sales Ending Tomorrow, February 9th
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX ($4.99 from $19.99 until 2/9)
Aragami 2 ($11.99 from $39.99 until 2/9)
Aragami: Shadow Edition ($5.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Astebros ($5.19 from $12.99 until 2/9)
Bramble: The Mountain King ($14.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Daardoa ($1.99 from $3.49 until 2/9)
Daemonum ($2.46 from $4.49 until 2/9)
Fresh Start ($9.99 from $19.99 until 2/9)
FX Unit Yuki: The Henshin Engine ($3.59 from $8.99 until 2/9)
Hayfever ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Mugen Souls ($27.99 from $39.99 until 2/9)
Necrosmith ($1.99 from $7.99 until 2/9)
No Place Like Home ($12.49 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Parasomnia Verum ($1.99 from $3.49 until 2/9)
Ponpu ($2.24 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Sparklite ($4.99 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Spells & Secrets ($17.99 from $29.99 until 2/9)
Swapshot ($3.49 from $4.99 until 2/9)
The Lightbringer ($3.74 from $14.99 until 2/9)
Time on Frog Island ($7.49 from $24.99 until 2/9)
Timore 5 ($7.14 from $12.99 until 2/9)
Timore Redo ($10.44 from $18.99 until 2/9)
Toasterball ($8.49 from $9.99 until 2/9)
Thatâs all for today, friends. Weâll be back tomorrow with the remaining releases of the week, plus whatever sales and major news items come in during the course of the day. Iâm feeling a bit rough today, so I think Iâll head to bed early tonight. I hope you all have a thrilling Thursday, and as always, thanks for reading!