Hiya mild readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Spherical-Up for April 1st, 2024. It’s Easter Monday! It’s April Fools! However right here at TouchArcade Towers, it’s simply one other day. We’ve obtained a bunch of critiques for you right now, associates. Our pal Mikhail takes a cautious have a look at Not Tonight 2, whereas I’ve obtained my takes on Pepper Grinder, Felix the Cat, and One Final Breath for you. After that, we check out the brand new releases of the day. Not essentially the most bumper of crops, I’m certain you may guess. We end issues up with the standard lists of recent and expiring gross sales. Let’s get going!
Evaluations & Mini-Views
Not Tonight 2 ($19.99)
No Extra Robots is again with one other Change port of considered one of its PC video games in Not Tonight 2. I assume this implies we’re one step nearer to Slayers X hitting Change however solely time will inform. Earlier than digressing additional, Not Tonight 2 is a follow-up to the unique Not Tonight: Take Again Management Version on Change, and is an fascinating tackle that method with three tales, mini-games, and a few Papers Please thrown into the fray. As a sequel, I like what it does, however some facets won’t hit as onerous relying on what you’re in search of.
It had been some time since I performed the unique sport, and attempting out Not Tonight 2 on PC jogged my memory of how good it was. I didn’t end the sport on PC although. I made a decision to attend for a console launch. When No Extra Robots introduced the Change launch, I knew it could be value ready for, and it has been for essentially the most half having now performed it.
Should you’ve not performed Not Tonight earlier than, I like to recommend getting it first, or grabbing the bundle of each if you happen to’re inquisitive about these video games. As No Extra Robots‘ first sequel launch so far as I’m conscious, Not Tonight 2 is kind of a bit extra formidable, and I feel it’ll be a like it or hate it sort of sport for followers of the unique. I ended up extra optimistic on it via the totally different tales being advised. Some is perhaps turned off by the humor throughout the extra severe tales, however I all the time love that in a story.
In Not Tonight 2, you’ll discover, make decisions, undergo quite a lot of dialogue, and play minigames. As I stated earlier than, it has additionally been impressed by the wonderful Papers Please. The builders describe Not Tonight 2 as an “American document-checking highway journey, fusing a time-pressure RPG with a politically charged, darkish comedy the place each choice issues”. That’s fairly lengthy however an correct abstract of the sport. That is accompanied by an amazing visible fashion as nicely.
Not Tonight 2 has a number of efficiency hiccups on Change that aren’t large points in comparison with it working completely on Steam Deck, but it surely wins in controller help. I couldn’t get the PC model on Steam Deck to work with out the digital cursor no matter utilizing the Deck itself or an exterior controller. The Change model performs nicely throughout the board, however I would love touchscreen help as a result of journey video games like this profit from the choice of tapping to maneuver round or choosing issues. Mainly the best management scheme for Not Tonight 2 could be a mixture of controller and contact/digital mouse help.
For some followers of the unique, Not Tonight 2 may really feel erratic in some methods, however I loved it nearly as a lot as the unique on Change. I like to recommend it to followers of the unique and people who take pleasure in Papers Please. It simply wants some efficiency enhancements in sure areas. -Mikhail Madnani
SwitchArcade Rating: 3.5/5
Pepper Grinder ($14.99)
I like Pepper Grinder. It is aware of what it desires to do, and it does that factor with out fussing round, then has the courtesy to finish earlier than it runs out of concepts. To honor it, I’ll attempt to make my overview equally environment friendly. First, the issues I like. The drill-based mechanics are intelligent and end in some fast-paced, thrilling platforming. The visuals are interesting. I loved discovering the secrets and techniques in every stage. The issue curve felt fairly good exterior of some hiccups. It’s even enjoyable to replay the phases.
Second, the issues I didn’t like. The boss battles aren’t superb. I discovered them tedious and irritating, and I used to be by no means blissful to see one. And whereas I appreciated that the sport didn’t drag itself out too lengthy, I really feel like the sport ended slightly faster than I’d have ideally most well-liked. There was positively room to maintain going slightly longer right here and discover some ideas extra.
Pepper Grinder is an gratifying, distinctive platformer with a zippy tempo, fascinating mechanics, and a few cool stage designs. The boss battles are a bit clunky and solely subtract from what’s in any other case a really tight expertise. It’s additionally value noting that the sport is kind of brisk in its run-time, so do take that under consideration earlier than shopping for. I personally suppose it ends slightly too quickly, however that’s not a horrible drawback for a sport to have.
SwitchArcade Rating: 4/5
Felix the Cat ($24.99)
Actually a curious pull, however not one I’m totally against. In some unspecified time in the future Konami purchased Hudson, including its catalogue of titles to its assortment. Konami has sufficient to take care of in its personal library, not to mention throwing a big one like Hudson’s to the combination. So anytime I see a Hudson sport get a rerelease, I’m blissful. That it’s a licensed one this time makes it much more welcome. More often than not video games with a license get handed over, particularly when it’s a license that doesn’t precisely put butts in seats anymore. With all that taken under consideration, I’m glad to be taking a look at Felix the Cat on my Change.
The title doesn’t have the phrase ‘assortment’ in it, and whoever made that decision was in all probability proper. There are three video games in right here, technically talking, however once you get proper all the way down to it you’re actually simply getting one. Again in 1992, Hudson launched Felix the Cat for the NES. It was sort of a tie-in to the 1989 film and a part of an tried revival for the older-than-Mickey kitty. Then, in 1993, Hudson ported the sport to the Recreation Boy. We get each of these video games right here, together with the beforehand unreleased Japanese Famicom model. The Famicom model doesn’t appear to have any variations from the NES one other than having Japanese language as an alternative of English. The Recreation Boy model cuts out some phases and stage items however in any other case carefully resembles the NES sport. So sure, actually only one sport.
How is that sport? Not too shabby, actually. It’s very a lot a Hudson platformer, all the best way all the way down to a life meter/timer that ticks down and must be periodically restored by choosing up meals gadgets (milk, right here). On the identical time, it’s additionally post-Tremendous Mario Bros. 3 and has clearly picked up some classes from that sport. The controls are tighter, and the sport is significantly extra truthful than earlier Hudson video games. Maybe too truthful, because it’s a somewhat simple sport even by fashionable requirements. I suppose the necessary factor is that it’s enjoyable, and it’s. Felix’s Magic Bag of Tips is put to full use right here, and also you’ll get to utilize quite a lot of skills as the sport goes on. It by no means actually flies as excessive because it in all probability may have, but it surely’s an gratifying sport to run via a number of occasions. The Recreation Boy port can be value a spin or two.
It’s all powered by Restricted Run Video games’ Carbon Engine, and it’s very a lot in step with its different releases utilizing that wrapper. The emulation will get the job achieved, and you can also make use of a rewind characteristic and a save state on every sport. That’s about all you get, so don’t go in search of cool extras to contextualize these video games. It’s about as fast and soiled because it will get, and I feel that brings us to the proverbial elephant within the room right here: the worth. Not one thing I like to think about when doing critiques, as costs can and do fluctuate, however I’ll say that at this preliminary value level, I’d anticipate slightly extra meat on the bone. There are as many video games right here as we may have, so maybe that further meat may have taken the type of some historic goodies? I don’t know, however the package deal feels a bit too skinny right here general.
Should you’re in search of an official technique to play the NES Felix the Cat, that is actually essentially the most inexpensive approach to take action. It’s a pricy cart within the aftermarket, so having it broadly obtainable once more together with its Recreation Boy counterpart is welcome. The sport itself is a delightful romp, albeit not far more than that. Nonetheless, I can’t assist however want there have been some extras right here. Each sport has a narrative behind its creation, and telling this one would have helped make the package deal extra particular. Alas, we simply get the sport and a pair variants of it in a plain brown bag. Not dangerous, but it surely may have been so significantly better.
SwitchArcade Rating: 3.5/5
One Final Breath ($17.99)
There have been occasions the place I felt that One Final Breath may actually take off and attain the potential it was scratching at throughout its comparatively temporary run time. There’s a sure magnificence to the sport’s desolate environments, with nature reclaiming deserted buildings. The sound design is kind of good, too. A number of puzzles, significantly those that contain the primary character Gaia utilizing her nature powers, have been gratifying. However these have been brilliant spots in an journey that far too typically feels rote and too opaque for its personal good.
You’re left to your personal units to determine how all the things works on this sport, however there happily isn’t an excessive amount of to it. You possibly can run, crouch, and have a context-sensitive “use” command. It’s as much as you to determine what you may and might’t work together with, find out how to take care of risks you run into alongside the best way, what you might want to do to proceed, and so forth. Quite a lot of the time it entails slowly dragging crates round. You’ll in all probability die lots whilst you attempt to type issues out. The graphics, whereas trying good on their very own, can typically be onerous to visually parse. I fell to my dying lots that approach. You’ll simply reappear on the final checkpoint although, so work out what you probably did mistaken and preserve shifting.
One Final Breath has some good qualities, however they’re counter-balanced by pacing points, boring puzzle designs, and an general extra of vagueness. There may be some non-obligatory content material to assist prolong issues, but it surely finally ends up feeling like a chore to finish. A number of the sights and sounds are value experiencing, however I discovered myself tired of this sport not less than as typically as I discovered myself entertained.
SwitchArcade Rating: 3/5
New Releases
What They Don’t Sea ($4.99)
A cute little platformer about exploring the ocean to seek out algae samples for some sort of new vitality venture. Make associates with the pleasant creatures, keep away from the unfriendly ones as a lot as doable, and keep watch over your air provide. One cool factor is that the developer, Crew Atlantis, consisted of a bunch of center college ladies. They first got here up with the sport on the Ladies Make Video games summer season camp, although this was again in 2019. They labored with some skilled builders to shine up their unique idea, and the results of that’s what now we have right here.
The Bin Bunch
Drift Power Xtreme: Final Automobile Simulator 2024 ($9.99)
Bungee Run ($0.99)
Labyrinthia Nightmares: The Journey of Little Fluffypuff ($11.99)
Bubble Bunny ($2.99)
A number of Issues Collector’s Version ($9.99)
Alien Invasion ($9.99)
Gross sales
(North American eShop, US Costs)
Look, I didn’t write a overview of Berserk Boy, however if you happen to like difficult 2D motion video games like Mega Man X then you definitely’ll positively have an excellent time with it. Now you can seize it at a stable low cost. The Trine video games are at their lowest costs but, and if you wish to get your Castlevania on in Useless Cells there’s a reduction for that. The outbox is somewhat small, so give {that a} look whilst you move on by too.
Choose New Gross sales
Berserk Boy ($16.00 from $20.00 till 4/9)
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope ($19.79 from $59.99 till 4/11)
Trine Enchanted Version ($3.44 from $14.99 till 4/12)
Trine 2: Full Story ($3.90 from $16.99 till 4/12)
Trine 3: TAoP ($4.59 from $19.99 till 4/12)
9 Parchments ($4.59 from $19.99 till 4/12)
My Pretty Daughter ($2.99 from $14.99 till 4/15)
My Pretty Spouse ($5.99 from $14.99 till 4/15)
Pan’orama ($9.99 from $19.99 till 4/18)
Teppo & the Secret Historical Metropolis ($3.99 from $7.99 till 4/19)
Get together Mates ($1.99 from $7.99 till 4/19)
Toodee and Topdee ($4.99 from $19.99 till 4/19)
Forrader Hero ($3.99 from $4.99 till 4/19)
TT Isle of Man RotE 2 ($5.99 from $59.99 till 4/20)
Trendy Fight Blackout ($1.99 from $7.99 till 4/20)
Useless Cells ($12.49 from $24.99 till 4/21)
Useless Cells: Return to Castlevania ($7.99 from $9.99 till 4/21)
DREDGE ($17.49 from $24.99 till 4/21)
Shifting Out 2 ($14.99 from $29.99 till 4/21)
Gross sales Ending Tomorrow, April 2nd
Amongst Us ($3.25 from $5.00 till 4/2)
Clue ($3.99 from $19.99 till 4/2)
Golfinite ($1.99 from $12.99 till 4/2)
Monument ($1.99 from $7.00 till 4/2)
Proper and Down ($2.99 from $9.99 till 4/2)
SUPERHOT ($12.49 from $24.99 till 4/2)
The Cub ($8.99 from $14.99 till 4/2)
Untitled Goose Recreation ($9.99 from $19.99 till 4/2)
Warhammer 40k: Dakka Squadron ($9.99 from $19.99 till 4/2)
That’s all for right now, associates. We’ll be again tomorrow with extra critiques, some new releases, extra gross sales, and perhaps even some information. I had a pleasant Easter weekend, even when we will’t actually do a full-on celebration right here in Japan as a consequence of lack of supplies and components. There was chocolate, there have been eggs, what extra do you want? I hope you all have an impressive Monday, and as all the time, thanks for studying!