SwitchArcade Round-Up: ‘Metro Redux’, ‘Bloodroots’, ‘Ganbare! Super Strikers’, and Today’s Other New Releases, the Latest Sales Featuring ‘Bulletstorm’ and More

Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for February 28th, 2020. Almost 20 new games hit the eShop today, so the mere act of summarizing all of them more or less took up all of my time today. I had enough time remaining to put together the new list of sales, at least. So sit back and enjoy the absolute downpour of games of varying degrees of quality while I go dunk my poor middle-aged hands in ice. Let’s go!

New Releases

Metro 2033 Redux ($24.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

This fancy new version of the excellent Metro 2033 is really something special. It runs incredibly well on the Switch, and if you prefer the more shooty-bang style of the sequel, you can play it that way as an optional mode. The atmosphere in this title is outstanding, showing a dark vision of a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has been driven into the underground after all hell breaks loose in a nuclear holocaust. I’ll have a full review of this one next week, but I’ve been playing it for a while and I can tell you with total confidence that it’s a very cool first-person shooter.

Metro: Last Light Redux ($24.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

Okay, all that stuff I just said about Metro 2033? That applies here, too. Except since this game was already quite shooty-bang, you have the option to play it in a mode that demands more stealth and careful rationing of supplies similar to the default style of the original game. Anyway, this game follows on from the events of the first game, and while it’s not quite as impactful as that title, it’s still very much worth playing. Another superb port, but no surprise there given that both Redux games are using the same engine. Pick it up after you finish Metro 2033 or buy the pack with both games. I’ll have a review of this one as well if you need more details.

Ganbare! Super Strikers ($9.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

While the title and a quick glance might make you think this is a normal soccer game, it’s actually a turn-based strategy game with RPG elements. This Captain Tsubasa-inspired game digs heavily into the tactical end of the sport, having you guide your squad members like it’s XCOM and the other team are some soon-to-be-toasted aliens. There are a bunch of special abilities you can use which would probably count as cheating in the real world, like freezing your opponents or putting them to sleep. You’ll have enough fun playing on your own, but the game also includes a local multiplayer option for up to eight players, depending on the mode.

Bloodroots ($19.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

A beat-em-up crossed with a combo-heavy score attack game, Bloodroots is ridiculous, over-the-top fun. As you improve your skills at the game, you’ll learn how to chain together impressive strings of moves, grabbing weapon after improvised weapon to crack over the skulls of your foes. Indeed, the only real low points of the game are when it deviates from this violent ballet. Luckily, those sections are a brief part of the game and anytime one pops up you’ll soon be back to enacting a horrible vengeance on your foes. Very good stuff.

Profane ($18.99)

SwitchArcade Highlight!

This action-packed boss-rush game feels more than a little inspired by Furi in some respects. You’ll battle a bunch of bosses who throw out a ridiculous curtain of bullets on a regular basis. The main gimmick here is that your health and currency are both represented by time. When you get hit, you lose time. If you want to bring some abilities into battle, that will cost you some of your time. When you run out of time, the next hit will kill you. As you play, you’ll unlock new abilities and gradually become more powerful. That time quirk gives the game an identity of its own and makes for a tense, enjoyable game of compromises.

LocO-SportS ($2.99)

Yeah, well, it’s an Olympic year. We’re bound to see plenty of these goofy sports games with that event on people’s minds. So yeah, a wacky cast of characters assemble to engage in some exaggerated sporting events. Up to four players can join in locally and I’d imagine that’s where the fun is to be found if anywhere at all. It’s hard to be too harsh on the game given that it’s only three dollars and does indeed offer up a proper multiplayer mode, but with all the great multiplayer games to choose from on the Switch, is this really the one you want to bust out on a Friday night?

BE-A Walker ($9.99)

People call all kinds of games walking simulators, but this one really is a walking simulator. Be a walker. Just… be one. Like the ones in Return of the Jedi, basically. Lift up one leg, put it down, lift the other, put it down. Shoot the little people that are trying to destroy you. Maybe stomp on them? I’m not your father, do what you like. This looks like some nice stupid fun, but I’m not sure if I want to throw down ten bucks on that kind of thing today. But hey, if you ever wanted to be a walker and stomp on some little guys while pretending they’re ewoks or whatever, don’t let me crush your dreams.

Skull Rogue ($2.99)

Well, nothing too fancy here. Just a nice cheap little roguelike where you play as a skeleton and need to power up to become a great warrior. There are six different biomes to discover and lots of weapons and other gear to equip. You can even grab items out of the enemy’s hands. For three dollars, it doesn’t need to do anything too amazing, it just needs to not be total trash. And this, friends, is not total trash. Give it a go if you want something cheap to entertain you for an evening or two.

Ski Sniper ($4.99)

Ski Sniper‘s description starts this way: “Have you ever wondered how difficult is (sic) to shoot a ski jumper on the fly with a sniper rifle? :)". Uh, what the heck is wrong with you, friendo? No! What… what person wonders this? And I am a person who has wondered how many cookies I can shove in my mouth without ralfing it all up. Plus, that smiley at the end, like… what? Well, I suppose if there was one person out there curious enough about that to make this game, there statistically have to be more people out there who want to try it out. Collect sniper weapons and try to take out ski jumpers to complete objectives. Admire the damage you’re dealing in the X-Ray mo- what the heckers? WHY DO YOU HATE SKI JUMPERS SO MUCH, DEVELOPER? HOW DID THEY HURT YOU? NEXT GAME PLEASE.

Spartan Fist ($14.99)

A first-person brawler of sorts, Spartan Fist has you bashing opponents with your tender little fists in arenas that change every time you play. As you make runs, you’ll earn upgrades that you can carry with you into the next game. So yeah, it’s a roguelite. But at least it’s a fairly original one, yes? You get all of the usual stuff like random power-ups, traps that you need to avoid, and different arrangements of enemies to duke it out with. Three different fighting styles seek to keep the combat fresh, and bosses are waiting to make you question how well you’re really doing. It’s a bit ungainly and gets repetitive a bit quicker than the usual game of this type tends to, but there’s a certain joy to smacking the taste out of an enemy’s mouth from a first-person view that helps hold it all together.

STAB STAB STAB! ($9.99)

Wow, that’s a title, isn’t it? This is another entry into the rather crowded local multiplayer party game genre. Up to eight players can join in on this one, so that’s something. Anyway, you play as weirdly-shaped creatures that move in an ungainly fashion and need to try to stab each other and outlast all the rest. As you play, mutations can be picked up that will give your creature new properties. There are 12 different arenas to fight in, which adds a bit more variety. I have trouble getting too excited about this sort of thing anymore, but I’m sure it’s perfectly fun to play with friends.

Depixtion ($7.99)

Ready for more Picross? No? You already have like ten of these things and they take you more than a dozen hours to clear each and you’re feeling very guilty about letting them pile up? Too bad! Depixtion leans on Color Picross as its chief selling point, and mixes in more colors than any other title on the platform. You get more than 250 puzzles in this game, which will provide a ton of brain-teasing logic puzzle fun. Don’t worry, experts: there are some 24×24 puzzles in here for you to chew on.

Bucket Knight ($4.99)

At first I thought this was a Woblyware game because it looks a lot like Random Heroes and its ilk. But no, this one is actually developed by Pigeon.Dev, who was also responsible for Awesome Pea among other games. At any rate, the game does appear to have a similar flow to Woblyware’s stuff, so if you enjoy those games you may very well enjoy this little five-dollar snack.

Madoris R ($5.00)

You may have noticed ‘madori‘ appearing in the occasional game title now and then. In Japanese, ‘madori‘ refers to the layout of a house. This game mashes it with ‘Tetris‘ as the game involves rotating Tetris-style blocks that are also rooms. You need to match colors to clear blocks, which will earn you points. It seems like a more relaxed puzzler, with no time limit and a relatively slow pace for those who want to take their time. I mean, if nothing else, it’s cheap and certainly different.

Kemono Heroes ($14.99)

A surprise release from the folks at NIS America and Mad Gear Games, Kemono Heroes is a four-player side-scrolling platformer with some really nice pixel art. Each character has their own unique abilities that will help you progress through the stages. I haven’t had a chance to try this yet, so I can’t say much about it. I will say that it looks like a lot of fun. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to try it this weekend and can report back on it next week.

Arcade Archives Life Force ($7.99)

Life Force is the 1986 spin-off of Gradius. Its two-player simultaneous option made it a favorite of many a shooter fan, and it had a weird biological setting that separated it from many other games of its sort. Or did it? The original Japanese version, Salamander, had a more usual space theme. When it was brought to the West, the visuals and story were altered to fit the “belly of the beast" idea. This version was in turn back-ported to Japan under the name Life Force with a power-up system closer to that of Gradius. You get all three versions in this Arcade Archives release, which makes it one game from the Konami Arcade Anniversary set with something that justifies buying it as a stand-alone. Even then, you’d have to be a pretty big fan. Which I am, so away we go!

MX Nitro Unleashed ($9.99)

At first I saw that screenshot and was dead certain it was a spectacular bullshot. Then I scrolled down a little and saw this is from Saber Interactive, so I guess I’ll just shut up. Anyway, this is an update to the original MX Nitro, which came out a few years ago on another platform to somewhat middling reviews. It seems to be a Trials-inspired game with a little more of an emphasis on stunts, and this new version amps things up with new tracks, bosses, and outfits along with improved visuals and an easy difficulty mode. The price is reasonable and Saber certainly does fine work on the Switch, so you may want to take a gamble on it if you’re keen for some arcade dirt-bike action.

Frozen Friends ($9.99)

No, this has nothing to do with the Disney movie in spite of its best attempts to trick people into thinking it does. You play as the Ice Queen and need to escape a frozen forest and return to the kingdom. Except she never actually will, because this is an endless game. Collect coins and use them to unlock new characters and power-ups. These new characters are the Ice Queen’s Frozen Friends, you see. Sometimes I think about all the hoops that genuinely good developers had to jump through to get their proven titles onto the Switch eShop in the system’s first year, only for stuff like this to come pouring down in a torrent only a few years later. Eh.

Sales

(North American eShop, US Prices)

Plenty of regulars in the list today, but there are some less-seen faces here as well. Bulletstorm: Duke of Switch Edition is on sale for the first time since it launched, and it is indeed a good time. The Deponia games are at more reasonable prices with the latest discounts, and all of the excellent SteamWorld games are on sale once again. Soccer manager fans should not miss the deep discount on New Star Manager, and Cook, Serve, Delicious! 2!! is a great pick-up at half-price. In the outbox, NIS America’s big sale is finishing up this weekend. Make sure you’ve stocked up on RPGs if you need some.

Select New Games on Sale

Bulletstorm: Duke of Switch ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/11)
Deponia ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/12)
Chaos on Deponia ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
Goodbye Deponia ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
Deponia Doomsday ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
Mystic Vale ($19.79 from $21.99 until 3/13)
State of Mind ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/12)
Shift Happens ($5.09 from $14.99 until 3/4)
Silence ($13.59 from $39.99 until 3/4)
Edna & Harvey: Harvey’s New Eyes ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
The Long Journey Home ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/12)
Felix The Reaper ($14.99 from $24.99 until 3/12)
Immortal Planet ($11.24 from $14.99 until 3/13)
Anthill ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/8)
SteamWorld Dig ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/8)

SteamWorld Dig 2 ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/8)
Steamworld Heist: Ultimate ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/8)
SteamWorld Quest ($14.99 from $24.99 until 3/8)
Stick It to The Man ($2.99 from $11.99 until 3/8)
Tiny Trooper Joint Ops XL ($3.89 from $12.99 until 3/13)
Urban Trial Playground ($2.84 from $14.99 until 3/13)
Legendary Eleven ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/16)
Mecha Storm ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/16)
Defoliation ($7.99 from $9.99 until 3/12)
MotoGP18 ($11.99 from $39.99 until 3/12)
Mugsters ($1.49 from $14.99 until 3/8)
Hungry Shark World ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/3)
Flipping Death ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/8)
Behind The Screen ($7.99 from $9.99 until 3/12)
Spencer ($3.49 from $6.99 until 3/9)

MechaNika ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/16)
Tinboy ($0.99 from $1.99 until 3/12)
Swamp Defense 2 ($1.49 from $2.99 until 3/9)
M.A.C.E. Space Shooter ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/9)
kuso ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/4)
LOVE ($0.89 from $2.99 until 3/4)
Pulstario ($0.49 from $0.99 until 3/4)
Bubble Shooter DX ($1.49 from $2.99 until 3/9)
Marble Power Blast ($1.49 from $2.99 until 3/9)
#KILLALLZOMBIES ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/12)
Balance Blox ($1.49 from $2.99 until 3/9)
Monkey Wall ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/12)
Perry Pig Jump ($1.49 from $2.99 until 3/9)
New Star Manager ($1.39 from $19.99 until 3/5)
Monster Energy Supercross 2 ($17.99 from $59.99 until 3/12)

Strikey Sisters ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/18)
Klondike Solitaire ($2.69 from $8.99 until 3/18)
Cook, Serve, Delicious! 2!! ($6.49 from $12.99 until 3/5)
Way of the Passive Fist ($1.49 from $14.99 until 3/12)
Panty Party ($11.99 from $14.99 until 3/12)
Super Star Blast ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/9)
Meow Motors ($9.14 from $14.99 until 3/8)
Sea King ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/12)
Dungeon Warfare ($3.39 from $9.99 until 3/6)
AER Memories of Old ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/4)
Summer Sweetheart ($15.99 from $19.99 until 3/12)
Tower Climb ($0.90 from $6.00 until 3/12)
Door Kickers: Action Squad ($9.74 from $14.99 until 3/5)
Close to the Sun ($14.99 from $24.99 until 3/13)
Zen Chess Collection ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/18)
Nyan Cat: Lost in Space ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/18)
Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath ($26.99 from $29.99 until 3/12)
UnderHero ($13.59 from $16.99 until 3/18)
Soul Axiom Rebooted ($11.69 from $12.99 until 3/12)
Unlock The King ($0.49 from $0.99 until 3/18)

Sales Ending This Weekend

A Case of Distrust ($5.99 from $14.99 until 2/29)
AeternoBlade ($4.49 from $14.99 until 2/29)
Crazy Strike Bowling EX ($2.99 from $9.99 until 2/29)
Deployment ($0.99 from $9.99 until 2/29)
Lifeless Planet: Premiere ($7.99 from $19.99 until 2/29)
No Heroes Here ($2.99 from $14.99 until 2/29)
Pinstripe ($5.99 from $14.99 until 2/29)
Shalnor Legends ($0.99 from $9.99 until 2/29)
Vosaria ($0.99 from $9.99 until 2/29)
Wanderjahr ($2.99 from $9.99 until 2/29)
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine ($13.99 from $19.99 until 2/29)
99Vidas – Definitive ($0.99 from $9.99 until 3/1)
Aggelos ($8.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Aragami ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/1)
Battle Princess Madelyn ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)

Beekyr Reloaded ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/1)
Bridge Constructor Portal ($8.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Cast of the Seven Godsends ($1.29 from $12.99 until 3/1)
Disgaea 1 Complete ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/1)
Disgaea 4 Complete+ ($34.99 from $49.99 until 3/1)
Disgaea 5 Complete ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/1)
Dragon Pinball ($1.49 from $2.99 until 3/1)
Fe ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Fear Effect Sedna ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
FIFA 20 Legacy ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/1)
Fight of Gods ($6.49 from $12.99 until 3/1)
Forgotton Anne ($7.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Freecell Solitaire Deluxe ($4.49 from $8.99 until 3/1)
Grand Prix Rock ‘N Racing ($2.99 from $9.99 until 3/1)
Green Game: TimeSwapper ($0.29 from $2.99 until 3/1)

Iconoclasts ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/1)
Jurassic Pinball ($1.49 from $2.99 until 3/1)
Labyrinth of Refrain ($24.99 from $49.99 until 3/1)
Lapis x Labyrinth ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/1)
Midnight Evil ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/1)
Moto Rush GT ($1.49 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Nightmares from the Deep 2 ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Oh My Godheads: Party ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Paper Wars: Cannon Fodder ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/1)
Pode ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/1)
Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha ($35.99 from $39.99 until 3/1)
Psikyo Shooting Stars Bravo ($35.99 from $39.99 until 3/1)
Red Game Without a Great Name ($0.29 from $2.99 until 3/1)
Rock ‘N Racing Off Road DX ($2.99 from $9.99 until 3/1)
Runbow ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
Slime-san ($4.79 from $11.99 until 3/1)

SNK 40th Anniversary Collection ($19.99 from $39.99 until 3/1)
Songbird Symphony ($13.59 from $16.99 until 3/1)
Super Arcade Soccer ($2.93 from $6.99 until 3/1)
Swim Out ($4.19 from $5.99 until 3/1)
The Alliance Alive HD ($34.99 from $49.99 until 3/1)
The Escapists 2 ($6.79 from $19.99 until 3/1)
The Escapists: Complete ($5.09 from $14.99 until 3/1)
The Inner World ($5.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
The Liar Princess & Blind Prince ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
The Long Reach ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/1)
The Walking Vegetables: Radical ($1.94 from $12.99 until 3/1)
Titans Pinball ($1.49 from $2.99 until 3/1)
Unravel Two ($4.99 from $19.99 until 3/1)
World Soccer Pinball ($1.49 from $2.99 until 3/1)
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana ($29.99 from $59.99 until 3/1)

That’s it for today, the week, and this month! A pretty awful month by almost any measure, but at least a good month for new games. We’ll see what March has to offer, but at the very least we’ve got Animal Crossing to look forward to. I hope you all have a great weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!